Kyle Garcia 
With training camp just around the corner, we are previewing each player on the LA Kings roster. Up next: Alex Laferriere!
Alex Laferriere
Birthdate: October 28, 2001
Birthplace: Chatham, New Jersey
Height: 6’1
Weight: 205 lbs
Position: Right wing
Shoots: Right wing
Draft: 3rd round, 83rd overall, 2020 NHL Draft
2025-26 season
Fresh off signing a three-year contract as a restricted free agent, Alex Laferriere entered the season looking to build off his strong sophomore campaign. His season was an interesting one to say the least. Laferriere, 24, is a winger, but when Anze Kopitar was sidelined with an injury early in the season, I thought Quinton Byfield would be handed the reins to see what he could do as the 1C; I was wrong.
LAFFY ✍️
We’ve signed Alex Laferriere to a three-year extension!
📲 https://t.co/OKs2E8svLC@Enterprise | #GoKingsGo pic.twitter.com/wkr410UPhO
— LA Kings (@LAKings) August 2, 2025
Former bench boss Jim Hiller appointed Laferriere to the 1C spot in Kopi’s absence, a position he had never played at the professional level. Personally, I didn’t like the idea of having a winger fulfill 1C duties, let alone playing center at the NHL level. In the end, Laferriere finished the season at 41.7% in the faceoff circle and did ‘okay’ in the questionable move but won’t stick at center in the long run.
Laferriere finished the season with 21 goals and 44 points – both career highs – in 82 games and reached 100 career points on March 24th in a loss to the Calgary Flames. He finished fourth in CF% (53.7%), third in SCF% (54.8%), third in HDCF% (53.7%), and tied for first in HDGF% (65.9%) on the team, per Natural Stat Trick.
LAFFY TIES IT pic.twitter.com/qPOaD0NHEa
— LA Kings (@LAKings) March 23, 2026
MAKE THAT 21 FOR LAFFY! pic.twitter.com/rjKut15QYI
— LA Kings (@LAKings) April 15, 2026
2026-27 outlook
I don’t expect Laferriere to play center at all this season. If he does, then new head coach Peter Laviolette is experimenting with something he shouldn’t, or the Kings are ravaged with a ton of injuries down the middle.
One area he has excelled at in his game is getting his stick on pucks to redirect the puck past opposing goalies. Not likely one to pop 30 goals in a season, but 20-25 should be a reasonable prediction for Laferriere, who has made himself a nice option to have in the middle six and the second power-play unit with that right-handed shot of his.
Featured image credit: Gary A. Vasquez/NHLI via Getty Images