It’s NHL Awards night, and if you woke up from a long post-elimination hibernation to watch tonight’s festivities, I have two updates for you. First: the Vegas Golden Knights did eventually lose a playoff game, and eventually, even a whole series! Second: the Los Angeles Kings announced their preseason schedule and their home opener.
For starters, it’s San Jose in the home opener, which also happens to be their season opener. See you on Friday, October 5, 2018 at 7:30 PM. This will be the fourth time in five seasons that either the Kings’ home opener or the Sharks’ home opener has featured these two teams. (The exception: last year, when LA was a guest for San Jose’s second home game. So close!)
We won’t have to wait long for details on the other 81 games, but we’ve already got hints, as both the Winnipeg Jets (October 9) and Montreal Canadiens (October 11) will host the Kings for their own home openers.
As for the preseason schedule, it’s loaded. You’ll get your regularly scheduled trip to Vegas and an irregularly scheduled trip to Salt Lake City, among four home-and-home sets with four division rivals. See below and book your hotels.
Los Angeles Kings – 2018 Preseason Schedule
| DATE | HOME | AWAY | TIME | LOCATION | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday, September 18 | Arizona | KINGS | 7:00 PM | Arizona | split squad |
| Tuesday, September 18 | KINGS | Arizona | 7:30 PM | STAPLES Center | split squad |
| Thursday, September 20 | Vancouver | KINGS | 7:00 PM | Vancover | Kings split squad |
| Thursday, September 20 | KINGS | Vegas | 7:30 PM | STAPLES Center | Kings split squad |
| Monday, September 24 | KINGS | Vancouver | 6:00 PM | Salt Lake City | |
| Wednesday, September 26 | Anaheim | KINGS | 7:00 PM | Anaheim | |
| Friday, September 28 | Vegas | KINGS | 7:00 PM | Las Vegas | |
| Saturday, September 29 | KINGS | Anaheim | 7:30 PM | STAPLES Center |
Less than three months to go.