Lukas Dostal returns to Anaheim on a scorching hot streak, having won eight of his last nine before the Olympic pause, and now faces a soft homestand against Western Canadian teams that his Ducks can exploit. Alex Laferriere slides into prime real estate on the Kings' top line alongside Adrian Kempe and a debuting Artemi Panarin after Kevin Fiala's season-ending Olympic injury opened the door.

After weeks of speculation following his blockbuster trade from New York, Artemi Panarin finally has his opening act in Los Angeles, and the Kings are pairing their new superstar with two players who've already shown chemistry together. Coach Jim Hiller's decision to slot Panarin on the left wing with Alex Laferriere at center and Adrian Kempe on the right represents a calculated gamble on offensive firepower, banking on the geometry of their shooting handedness to create natural passing lanes.

The Los Angeles Kings returned to the ice Wednesday after the Olympic break with their new star acquisition Artemi Panarin wearing number 72 for the first time. Coach Jim Hiller wasted no time testing Panarin alongside Alex Laferriere and Adrian Kempe's placeholder Taylor Ward, signaling the front office's confidence in the trade that cost them prospect Liam Greentree and draft picks.