The 2020–21 Los Angeles Kings season was the 54th season (53rd season of play) for the National Hockey League (NHL) franchise that was established on June 5, 1967. On December 20, 2020, the league temporarily realigned into four divisions with no conferences due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing closure of the Canada–United States border. As a result of this realignment, the Kings played this season in the West Division and only played games against the other teams in their new division during the regular season.

On May 7, 2021, the Kings were eliminated from playoff contention after a 3–2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche, failing to make the playoffs for a third consecutive season.

Standings

Divisional standings

Schedule and results

Regular season The regular season schedule was published on December 23, 2020. 2020–21 game logJanuary: 3–3–2 (Home: 1–1–2; Road: 2–2–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 1 January 14 Minnesota 4–3 Los Angeles OT Quick 0 0–0–1 1 2 January 16 Minnesota 4–3 Los Angeles OT Quick 0 0–0–2 2 3 January 19 Colorado 3–2 Los Angeles Petersen 0 0–1–2 2 4 January 21 Colorado 2–4 Los Angeles Quick 0 1–1–2 4 5 January 23 Los Angeles 2–4 St. Louis Petersen 0 1–2–2 4 6 January 24 Los Angeles 6–3 St. Louis Quick 0 2–2–2 6 7 January 26 Los Angeles 2–1 Minnesota Petersen 0 3–2–2 8 8 January 28 Los Angeles 3–5 Minnesota Quick 0 3–3–2 8 February: 6–4–2 (Home: 2–1–1; Road: 4–3–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 9 February 2 Anaheim 3–1 Los Angeles Petersen 0 3–4–2 8 10 February 5 Los Angeles 2–5 Vegas Quick 0 3–5–2 8 11 February 7 Los Angeles 3–4 Vegas Petersen 0 3–6–2 8 12 February 9 San Jose 4–3 Los Angeles SO Petersen 0 3–6–3 9 13 February 11 San Jose 2–6 Los Angeles Petersen 0 4–6–3 11 — February 13 Minnesota – Los Angeles Postponed due to COVID-19. Rescheduled for April 23. 14 February 16 Minnesota 0–4 Los Angeles Quick 0 5–6–3 13 15 February 18 Los Angeles 3–2 Arizona SO Quick 2,281 6–6–3 15 16 February 20 Los Angeles 4–2 Arizona Petersen 3,187 7–6–3 17 17 February 22 Los Angeles 3–0 St. Louis Quick — 8–6–3 19 18 February 24 Los Angeles 2–1 St. Louis Petersen — 9–6–3 21 19 February 26 Los Angeles 1–3 Minnesota Quick 0 9–7–3 21 20 February 27 Los Angeles 3–4 Minnesota OT Petersen 0 9–7–4 22 March: 5–7–2 (Home: 3–2–1; Road: 2–5–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 21 March 3 Arizona 3–2 Los Angeles Quick 0 9–8–4 22 22 March 5 St. Louis 3–2 Los Angeles OT Petersen 0 9–8–5 23 23 March 6 St. Louis 3–4 Los Angeles OT Quick 0 10–8–5 25 24 March 8 Los Angeles 5–6 Anaheim OT Petersen 0 10–8–6 26 25 March 10 Los Angeles 5–1 Anaheim Grosenick 0 11–8–6 28 26 March 12 Los Angeles 0–2 Colorado Petersen 0 11–9–6 28 27 March 14 Los Angeles 1–4 Colorado Petersen 0 11–10–6 28 — March 15 St. Louis – Los Angeles Postponed due to the March 2021 North American blizzard. Rescheduled for May 10. 28 March 17 St. Louis 1–4 Los Angeles Petersen 0 12–10–6 30 29 March 19 Vegas 4–2 Los Angeles Quick 0 12–11–6 30 30 March 21 Vegas 1–3 Los Angeles Petersen 0 13–11–6 32 31 March 22 Los Angeles 1–2 San Jose Quick 0 13–12–6 32 32 March 24 Los Angeles 2–4 San Jose Petersen 0 13–13–6 32 33 March 29 Los Angeles 1–4 Vegas Quick 3,950 13–14–6 32 34 March 31 Los Angeles 4–2 Vegas Petersen 3,950 14–14–6 34 April: 5–9–0 (Home: 3–8–0; Road: 2–1–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 35 April 2 San Jose 3–0 Los Angeles Petersen 0 14–15–6 34 36 April 3 San Jose 3–2 Los Angeles Quick 0 14–16–6 34 37 April 5 Arizona 5–2 Los Angeles Petersen 0 14–17–6 34 38 April 7 Arizona 3–4 Los Angeles Quick 0 15–17–6 36 39 April 9 Los Angeles 2–5 San Jose Petersen 0 15–18–6 36 40 April 10 Los Angeles 4–2 San Jose Quick 0 16–18–6 38 41 April 12 Vegas 4–2 Los Angeles Petersen 0 16–19–6 38 42 April 14 Vegas 6–2 Los Angeles Quick 0 16–20–6 38 — April 16 Los Angeles – Colorado Postponed due to COVID-19. Rescheduled for May 12. — April 18 Los Angeles – Colorado Postponed due to COVID-19. Rescheduled for May 13. 43 April 20 Anaheim 1–4 Los Angeles Petersen 1,431 17–20–6 40 44 April 23 Minnesota 4–2 Los Angeles Petersen 1,091 17–21–6 40 45 April 24 Arizona 4–0 Los Angeles Petersen 1,497 17–22–6 40 46 April 26 Anaheim 1–4 Los Angeles Quick 1,373 18–22–6 42 47 April 28 Anaheim 3–2 Los Angeles Petersen 1,763 18–23–6 42 48 April 30 Los Angeles 2–1 Anaheim Quick 1,717 19–23–6 44 May: 2–5–1 (Home: 0–2–1; Road: 2–3–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 49 May 1 Los Angeles 2–6 Anaheim Petersen 1,717 19–24–6 44 50 May 3 Los Angeles 3–2 Arizona Quick 4,983 20–24–6 46 51 May 5 Los Angeles 4–2 Arizona Petersen 6,964 21–24–6 48 52 May 7 Colorado 3–2 Los Angeles Petersen 2,115 21–25–6 48 53 May 8 Colorado 3–2 Los Angeles Petersen 2,482 21–26–6 48 54 May 10 St. Louis 2–1 Los Angeles OT Petersen 2,154 21–26–7 49 55 May 12 Los Angeles 0–6 Colorado Petersen 4,042 21–27–7 49 56 May 13 Los Angeles 1–5 Colorado Grosenick 4,045 21–28–7 49 Legend:

Transactions The Kings have been involved in the following transactions during the 2020–21 season.

Free agents Note: This does not include players who have re-signed with their previous team as an unrestricted free agent or as a restricted free agent.

Date Player New team Previous team Ref October 9, 2020 Los Angeles Kings Colorado Avalanche October 9, 2020 Los Angeles Kings Nashville Predators October 10, 2020 Washington Capitals Los Angeles Kings October 12, 2020 Carolina Hurricanes Los Angeles Kings October 16, 2020 Carolina Hurricanes Los Angeles Kings January 13, 2021 Winnipeg Jets Los Angeles Kings

Trades * Retained Salary Transaction: Each team is allowed up to three contracts on their payroll where they have retained salary in a trade (i.e. the player no longer plays with Team A due to a trade to Team B, but Team A still retains some salary). Only up to 50% of a player's contract can be kept, and only up to 15% of a team's salary cap can be taken up by retained salary. A contract can only be involved in one of these trades twice.

Hover over-retained salary or conditional transactions for more information.

October October 7, 2020 To Los Angeles KingsLias Andersson To New York RangersVGK 2nd-round pick in 2020 October 7, 2020 To Los Angeles KingsEDM 2nd-round pick in 2020 (#45 overall) To Detroit Red WingsVAN 2nd-round pick in 2020 (#51 overall)4th-round pick in 2020 (#97 overall) October 7, 2020 To Los Angeles KingsMTL 5th-round pick in 2020 (#140 overall) To Carolina Hurricanes6th-round pick in 2020 (#159 overall) 7th-round pick in 2021

March March 27, 2021To Los Angeles KingsBrendan LemieuxTo New York Rangers4th-round pick in 2021 March 29, 2021 To Los Angeles KingsChristian Wolanin To Ottawa SenatorsMichael Amadio

April April 11, 2021 To Los Angeles KingsConditional draft picks To Pittsburgh PenguinsJeff Carter

Draft picks

Below are the Los Angeles Kings' selections at the 2020 NHL entry draft, which was originally scheduled for June 26–27, 2020 at the Bell Center in Montreal, Quebec, but was postponed on March 25, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was held October 6–7, 2020 virtually via Video conference call from the NHL Network studio in Secaucus, New Jersey.

Round # Player Pos Nationality College/Junior/Club team (League)12 Quinton Byfield C Sudbury Wolves (OHL)235 Helge Grans D Malmö Redhawks (SHL)251 Brock Faber D U.S. NTDP (USHL) 366 Kasper Sinomtaival RW Finland Tappara (Liiga)383 Alex Laferriere RW United States Des Moines Buccaneers (USHL)4112 Joho Markkanen G Finland Kettera (Mestis)5128 Matin Chrormiak RW Slovakia Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)7190 Aatu Jamsen RW Finland Lahti Pelicans U20 (Jr. A)

References