The Los Angeles Kings announced today that star forward Kevin Fiala will “miss the start of training camp” after undergoing follow-up surgery connected to the injuries he sustained at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina. The Kings said a timeline for Fiala’s return to the ice “will be determined as he continues to recover.”
Kings team reporter Zach Dooley wrote today that it’s “hard not to see this as a setback” for Fiala, but noted that he believes the surgery will “aid [Fiala’s] overall recovery towards being 100 percent.” Near the end of a 5-1 loss to Canada in the group stages of the Winter Olympics tournament, Fiala had to be stretchered off the ice after absorbing a hit from Canadian forward Tom Wilson.
Fiala ended up suffering multiple fractures in his lower left leg, and he underwent surgery in the days following the game. The surgery and his recovery from it ended Fiala’s 2025-26 campaign, and now threatens to delay the start of his 2026-27 season.
The 30-year-old winger is one of the top offensive weapons on the Kings’ roster, and has been since arriving in California via a summer 2022 trade with the Minnesota Wild. In 288 games played in Los Angeles, Fiala has scored 105 goals and 245 points, which is a 30-goal, 70-point 82-game scoring pace.
The former All-Star finished second on the Kings in scoring in each of his first two seasons with the club, but has seen his production rate slow down slightly as the Kings swapped former coach Todd McLellan with Jim Hiller.
Now entering a new era under veteran head coach Peter Laviolette, the hope for the Kings was likely that a productive, healthy Fiala could help fill some of the offensive void left by the retirement of franchise icon Anze Kopitar.
But today’s announcement suggests that the team might have to wait a little bit longer before they get Fiala back and firing on all cylinders. In his absence, there will likely be increased pressure placed on stars Adrian Kempe and Artemi Panarin to be able to provide the bulk of scoring in Los Angeles.
Interestingly, Fiala has yet to share the ice with Panarin, who has become the focal point of the Kings’ offensive attack. The former Hart Trophy finalist made his Kings debut on Feb.
25, which came after the Olympic tournament had already concluded. As both are natural left wingers, it will be interesting to see how Fiala’s incorporation back into the Kings’ lineup will take shape given Panarin’s presence at the top of the lineup.