Golden Knights Vs Kings projected lineups, TV info and picks for Feb. 25
The golden knights vs kings game on Feb. 25 starts at 10 p. m. ET at Crypto. com Arena, and Vegas enters with several roster questions after the Olympic break that could reshuffle minutes and power-play roles for the 10 p. m. ET broadcast on TNT.
Golden Knights Vs Kings projected lineups
Projected forward lines for the Golden Knights list Ivan Barbashev centered by Tomas Hertl and Keegan Kolesar, with Reilly Smith, Tanner Laczynski and Pavel Dorofeyev on the second line, and Brandon Saad, Colton Sissons and Alexander Holtz on the third; Cole Reinhardt, Kai Uchacz and Braeden Bowman are slated on the fourth line. Vegas had scratched Jack Eichel, Noah Hanifin, Shea Theodore, Mark Stone and Mitch Marner for the game, and the team said five players who played in the Olympics did not skate in the morning session.
The Kings’ projected forward groups show Quinton Byfield with Anze Kopitar and Trevor Moore, Artemi Panarin slated to skate with Alex Laferriere and Adrian Kempe for his first game with Los Angeles, and Warren Foegele, Alex Turcotte and Andrei Kuzmenko on another line; Joel Armia, Samuel Helenius and Corey Perry round out the forward mix. Jeff Malott, Jacob Moverare and Taylor Ward were listed as scratched for the Kings.
How to watch Golden Knights vs. Kings: TV channel and streaming options for February 25
The matchup begins at 10 p. m. ET at Crypto. com Arena and will be carried on TNT for national viewers, with regional feeds also listed for subscribers. The Kings come in with a 23-19-14 record and 60 points in the Western Conference, while the Golden Knights hold a 27-16-14 record and 68 points; those positions place Los Angeles ninth and Vegas fourth in the conference standings ahead of the Feb. 25 game.
Injuries, activations and a betting angle
Vegas’ morning-skate absences followed Olympic participation: forwards Mark Stone and Mitch Marner and defenseman Shea Theodore did not skate after playing for Team Canada, while Jack Eichel and Noah Hanifin — who helped the United States — were ruled out for this game but are expected to be available at the Washington Capitals on Friday. Several Golden Knights were activated off injured reserve on Tuesday: McNabb (upper body) had missed 19 games, Saad (undisclosed) 15 games, and Sissons (upper body) 12 games.
The Kings will give Artemi Panarin his debut after acquiring him in a Feb. 4 trade; Panarin has not played since Jan. 26 because of roster management ahead of that move. Los Angeles also activated goaltender Alex Anderson (upper body, two games missed) and Alex Turcotte (upper body, six games missed) prior to the game.
A prediction piece projecting the matchup highlights Pavel Dorofeyev as a player to watch with Jack Eichel sidelined, noting Dorofeyev had six goals and 31 shots over his last 10 games and has pushed his shot rate higher in Eichel’s absence; that analysis offered a shots-over prop as a top bet for the matchup at Crypto. com Arena.
What this game changes and what’s next
The immediate consequence for Vegas is that the lineup absences and recent activations will alter who drives the power play and who draws more minutes against top lines in Los Angeles on Feb. 25; for the Kings, Panarin’s first game with the club is the concrete roster change entering the 10 p. m. ET faceoff. After this matchup, Vegas expects Eichel and Hanifin to be available at the Washington Capitals on Friday, marking the next confirmed return milestone for players who sat out this game.
