La Kings Set for Panarin Debut as Lineups Shift Ahead of Feb. 25 Meeting
The La Kings will introduce Artemi Panarin into their forward group as part of a reworked projected lineup for the Wednesday, Feb. 25 game that begins at 10 p. m. ET at Crypto. com Arena. The timing matters because the Golden Knights, who sit higher in the Western Conference standings, are contending with absences stemming from recent international play and injuries that have altered Vegas’s available roster.
La Kings projected lineup and Panarin’s long-awaited debut
Panarin, acquired in a Feb. 4 trade, is listed to make his debut for the Kings after not playing since Jan. 26 due to roster-management decisions. The projected forward group pairs Panarin with Alex Laferriere and Adrian Kempe on one line; Quinton Byfield, Anze Kopitar and Trevor Moore are shown on another. Other lines include Warren Foegele with Alex Turcotte and Andrei Kuzmenko, and Joel Armia with Samuel Helenius and Corey Perry.
Roster moves have been active this week: forwards Anderson (upper body) and Alex Turcotte (upper body) were activated off injured reserve and are available after missing two and six games, respectively. The Kings have also scratched Jeff Malott, Jacob Moverare and Taylor Ward from the projected game-night roster. Team medical listings note Andrei Kuzmenko as day-to-day with an upper-body issue even as he appears in the projected forward rotation.
Golden Knights roster and Olympic absences reshape matchups
The Golden Knights enter the game with a record and point cushion in the conference that contrasts with Los Angeles’s place in the standings: Vegas holds 68 points and the Kings have 60. That gap frames the Tuesday changes in Vegas’s lineup, where five players who participated in the Olympics are likely to be unavailable for the matchup after missing the morning skate. Forwards Mark Stone and Mitch Marner and defenseman Shea Theodore did not skate; Jack Eichel and Noah Hanifin had been ruled out following Olympic duty but are expected to be available for the team’s game in Washington on Friday.
Vegas also adjusted the active list with several players returning from injured reserve. Ivan McNabb (upper body) had missed 19 games before activation, Brandon Saad returned after a 15-game absence for an undisclosed issue, and Colton Sissons was activated after 12 games missed with an upper-body concern. Injuries remain a factor for the Knights, with Carter Hart, Brett Howden and William Karlsson listed on injured reserve for lower-body issues and Jonas Rondbjerg noted as day-to-day.
Because multiple Olympic participants did not practice before the game, the Golden Knights’ depth chart for Wednesday is altered, creating openings that the activated players will fill. That dynamic is likely to influence line matchups and defensive pairings in the early stages of the contest.
Game logistics, betting outlook and context
The game is scheduled to be broadcast on TNT at 10 p. m. ET from Crypto. com Arena. In standings context, the Kings are ninth in the Western Conference and the Golden Knights sit fourth, a spread that underscores the stakes for both clubs as they jockey for playoff positioning with weeks remaining in the regular season.
One set of expert projections lists the Golden Knights at +1. 5 on the puck line, an over/under of 5. 5 goals, and a 4-3 score prediction favoring the Kings. Those wagering figures reflect the expectation of a close game with offensive output on both sides.
What makes this notable is the convergence of two storylines: a high-profile midseason acquisition making his first appearance for Los Angeles and a Vegas lineup temporarily thinned by international play and injuries. That combination compresses top-end talent onto the ice for the Kings while forcing the Golden Knights to rely on recently activated players and available depth pieces for matchup work.
Coaches on both sides will have to adapt quickly to the altered personnel, and early-period matchups should reveal how each team intends to exploit the other’s available roster spots. The result may well hinge on how quickly Panarin integrates into the Kings’ systems and how effectively Vegas covers for the absences created by Olympic participation and injury.
