Our Los Angeles Kings vs San Jose Sharks preview covers the odds, puck line, total, start time, TV channel and where to watch on Saturday, October 3, 2026. The Los Angeles Kings (0-1-0 this season; 35-27-20 in 2025-26) visit the San Jose Sharks (1-0-0 this season; 39-35-8 in 2025-26) at SAP Center at San Jose in San Jose, Calif. Puck drop is 10:00 PM ET (7:00 PM PT). TV: NBC Sports California / ABTV (U.S. regional).
Storyline: The Kings play for the first time since an 8-4 loss at Colorado on Sept. 30 in Peter Laviolette’s first game as their coach. San Jose is 1-0-0 after a 4-3 overtime win over Florida on Oct. 1, when Will Smith scored twice, Macklin Celebrini had three assists and Luca Cagnoni won it at 3:14 of overtime (NHL.com). DraftKings lists San Jose at -120 and Los Angeles at +100 on the moneyline, with the total at 6.5.
Los Angeles Kings vs San Jose Sharks Odds, Puck Line & Game Info
| Matchup | Los Angeles Kings @ San Jose Sharks |
|---|---|
| 2026-27 Records | Los Angeles Kings 0-1-0 | San Jose Sharks 1-0-0 |
| 2025-26 Records | Los Angeles Kings 35-27-20 | San Jose Sharks 39-35-8 |
| Head Coaches | LAK: Peter Laviolette (1st season) | SJS: Ryan Warsofsky (3rd season) |
| Puck Line | LAK +1.5 (-265) | SJS -1.5 (+215) |
| Moneyline | Los Angeles Kings: +100 | San Jose Sharks: -120 |
| Total | O/U 6.5 (o+105 / u-125) |
| Venue | SAP Center at San Jose (San Jose, Calif.) |
| Date / Time | Saturday, October 3, 2026 — 10:00 PM ET |
| TV / How to Watch | NBC Sports California / ABTV (U.S. regional) |
| Probable Starting Goalies | LAK: TBD (Darcy Kuemper / Anton Forsberg) | SJS: TBD (Yaroslav Askarov / Alex Nedeljkovic) |
Odds via DraftKings (through ESPN), cross-checked on Action Network, as of Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, ~10:22 PM ET. Totals ranged from 6 to 6.5 across books at research time. Lines move, so check your sportsbook before puck drop. Starting goalies had not been confirmed at research time.
Los Angeles Kings Preview: Last Season, Offseason & Goalies
2025-26 recap: Los Angeles went 35-27-20 (90 points) and finished fourth in the Pacific Division. The Kings lost an NHL-record 20 games after regulation and ranked 29th in scoring (2.68 goals per game), 28th on the power play and 30th on the penalty kill. They made the playoffs for a fifth straight season but were swept by Colorado in the first round and have lost seven straight playoff series since winning the 2014 Stanley Cup (NHL.com). Adrian Kempe led the team with 36 goals and 73 points.
Offseason moves: GM Ken Holland hired Peter Laviolette, the seventh-winningest coach in NHL history (846 wins), on June 9. Captain Anze Kopitar retired as the franchise’s all-time points leader (1,316). The Kings signed forwards Mats Zuccarello (54 points in 59 games with Minnesota), Erik Haula and Corey Perry, plus defenseman Erik Gustafsson, and re-signed center Scott Laughton. Andrei Kuzmenko signed with Pittsburgh.
Key players & coach: Artemi Panarin, acquired from the Rangers on Feb. 4, Quinton Byfield (career-high 24 goals) and Kempe lead the forwards, and Byfield, Haula and Laughton are the top options at center after Kopitar’s retirement. Drew Doughty, Mikey Anderson and Brandt Clarke (40 points) lead the defense. Laviolette won the Stanley Cup with Carolina in 2006.
Goalies: Darcy Kuemper went 19-14-15 with a 2.78 GAA and .891 save percentage in 50 games last season, and he made 21 saves on 29 shots in the opener. Anton Forsberg went 16-12-5 with a 2.57 GAA and .910 save percentage in 36 games. Los Angeles had not confirmed a starter at research time.
Season opener recap: Colorado beat Los Angeles 8-4 at Ball Arena on Sept. 30. Brian Dumoulin, Panarin and short-handed scorers Joel Armia and Trevor Moore scored for the Kings, and Alex Laferriere had two assists. The Avalanche scored four power-play goals (NHL.com).
Injuries: Kevin Fiala (lower leg) remains on injured reserve after a follow-up procedure, and the Kings hope to have him back around November (LAKings.com). Jakub Dvorak (upper body), Jan Jenik and Otto Salin (undisclosed) are also on injured reserve (ESPN).
San Jose Sharks Preview: Celebrini and an Overtime Win to Start
2025-26 recap: San Jose went 39-35-8 (86 points), finished fifth in the Pacific Division and missed the playoffs for a seventh straight season. Celebrini had 115 points (45 goals, 70 assists), more than the Sharks’ next two scorers, Smith (59) and Alexander Wennberg (55), combined. San Jose ranked 30th in goals-against average and 25th in save percentage, and its power play ranked 16th (21.2 percent) (NHL.com).
Offseason moves: The Sharks signed defenseman Jacob Trouba to a four-year contract, acquired defenseman Darnell Nurse from Edmonton and signed forward Mason Marchment. They drafted Ivar Stenberg No. 2 overall and acquired defenseman Michael Kesselring from Buffalo. William Eklund (53 points) was traded to Ottawa, and defensemen Shakir Mukhamadullin, Mario Ferraro and Vincent Desharnais left. Celebrini signed a five-year, $94 million extension that begins next season.
Key players & coach: Celebrini, Smith, Wennberg, Collin Graf (21 goals), Michael Misa, Tyler Toffoli and Stenberg lead the forwards, with Trouba, Nurse, Sam Dickinson and Dmitry Orlov on defense. Ryan Warsofsky is in his third season as coach.
Goalies: Yaroslav Askarov went 21-20-4 with a 3.63 GAA and .884 save percentage last season and made 23 saves on 26 shots in the opener. Alex Nedeljkovic went 18-14-4 with a 2.87 GAA and .896 save percentage. San Jose had not confirmed a starter at research time.
Season opener recap: San Jose beat Florida 4-3 in overtime at SAP Center on Oct. 1. Marchment and Smith (short-handed and power play) built a 3-0 lead, Florida tied it on two goals by Eetu Luostarinen, one on a second-period power play, and a third-period goal by Matthew Tkachuk, and Cagnoni scored the winner from Smith and Celebrini (NHL.com).
Injuries: Forwards Adam Gaudette (upper body), Alex Barre-Boulet (undisclosed), Quentin Musty (upper body) and Cam Lund (upper body) and goalie Kyle Keyser (upper body) are on injured reserve (ESPN).
Key Matchup Notes: Kings vs Sharks
- Schedule spot: Los Angeles has had two days off since its opener. San Jose played Thursday and plays its second straight home game.
- Last season: San Jose won two of three meetings, all decided by one goal: 4-3 in a shootout at home on Nov. 20 and 4-3 in overtime in Los Angeles on Jan. 7. Los Angeles won 4-3 in San Jose on Oct. 28, 2025 (NHL.com).
- Special teams: Los Angeles ranked 30th on the penalty kill last season and allowed four power-play goals in its opener. Smith scored on the power play and short-handed Thursday.
- In goal: Kuemper posted an .891 save percentage last season and Askarov an .884.
- Celebrini factor: Celebrini had 115 points last season and opened this season with three assists.
- Odds snapshot: San Jose -120 / Los Angeles +100 on the moneyline, Sharks -1.5 (+215) on the puck line, total 6.5 (DraftKings).
How to Watch Los Angeles Kings vs San Jose Sharks
Date: Saturday, October 3, 2026
Puck drop: 10:00 PM ET (7:00 PM PT)
Venue: SAP Center at San Jose, San Jose, Calif.
TV: In the U.S., NBC Sports California carries the game in the Sharks’ market and ABTV in the Kings’ market (NHL.com). ESPN also lists ESPN+ streaming. No national TV broadcast is listed in the U.S. or Canada at research time.
Check the puck line, moneyline and total above against your sportsbook before the October 3, 2026 puck drop, and look for confirmed starting goalies closer to game time.