Los Angeles Kings make history, just not the good kind
Brady Charette
Host · Writer
LOS ANGELES – This season has been nothing short of a roller coaster for the Los Angeles Kings. From captain Anze Kopitar announcing his 20th and final campaign to a midseason coaching change, the turbulence has been constant — and now, they find themselves etched in NHL history.
In Tuesday’s 3-2 loss to the Calgary Flames, Los Angeles not only failed to capitalize and capture two crucial points, but they also fell for the 18th time after regulation, tying an NHL record for most losses in overtime/shootout in a single season.
With their loss in shootout tonight in Calgary, the Los Angeles Kings have tied the NHL record for most overtime/shootout losses in a single season with 18.
They become the 5th team to join this list, joining the 2008-09 Tampa Bay Lightning, 2011-12 Florida Panthers, 2013-14 New…
— Brady Charette (@BradyCharette) March 25, 2026
Los Angeles joined the Tampa Bay Lightning (2008-09), Florida Panthers (2011-12), New Jersey Devils (2013-14), and Philadelphia Flyers (2014-15) as the only teams in NHL history to record 18 overtime or shootout losses in a single season.
Of the four previous teams to reach that rare mark, only the Florida Panthers qualified for the postseason, falling in the first round to the eventual Eastern Conference champion New Jersey Devils. Ironically, Los Angeles went on to defeat New Jersey in six games in the Stanley Cup Final.
Los Angeles’ season has been defined by disappointing finishes after 60 hard-fought minutes. Of the Kings’ 71 games to this point, 28 have gone to overtime (39.4%), leaving them just two shy of the NHL single-season record of 30, set by the Boston Bruins in 2003-04.
To put the statistic into perspective, the NBA’s all-time record for overtime games in an 82-game season is just 14, set by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1990-91 season — highlighting just how rare it is for games to consistently extend beyond regulation.
The most remarkable part — Los Angeles’ season isn’t over yet. With 11 games still to play, they sit on the doorstep of standing alone at the top of a historic list.
