The Los Angeles Kings are the NHL's lone winless team, and they could stay that way Tuesday when they visit Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena. The Kings sit at 0-4-2 after a little over two weeks of the 2026-27 season, and they have a long way to go to match the league's record for the longest winless start to a season, 15 games set by the 1943-44 New York Rangers. L.A. has not even matched the franchise mark of nine winless games to start a season, set by the 1984-85 club, which still made the playoffs.
Bettors appear to favor Washington, with 83% of handle and 78% of wagers on the Capitals at -155 through DraftKings Sportsbook. The Sports Line Projection Model also offers picks based on 10,000 simulations. Bettors are also leaning toward the over, with a total of 5.5 on the board.
The Kings' struggles stem from both ends of the ice. Goaltending has been a major problem, with Darcy Kuemper and Anton Forsberg posting a 4.17 goals-against average, third-worst in the NHL, and an .861 save percentage, second-to-last. The penalty kill ranks 31st at 61.9%, and the offense is averaging just 2.00 goals per game, also 31st. L.A. has scored only one goal in its last four games. Injuries have compounded the problem, with Kevin Fiala, Alex Turcotte and Mats Zuccarello all on injured reserve, although Zuccarello is trending toward playing Tuesday.
Captain Drew Doughty called out the team's top players for inconsistent play, saying they need to be the best players every night. Still, the Kings' preseason points total was 95.5, and the updated total sits at 90.5 with 84 regular-season games left, so oddsmakers have not written them off. Kuemper is expected to start, and he has allowed 10 goals on 61 shots in two road starts this season.
Source: CBS Sports NHL · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing