Los Angeles Kings Star Benched at the Last Minute For Breaking Major Team Rule

The Los Angeles Kings are off to a very solid start in 2024/25, with the team posting a 5-3-2 record through their first 10 games, and with a 2-0-0 record at home, they'll be right in the thick of the Stanley Cup Playoff race all season long. However, there may now be some drama that could threaten to derail their early momentum, as veteran forward Kevin Fiala was scratched for the team's matchup against the San Jose Sharks.

While there was initially some confusion about the decision from Head Coach Jim Hiller, it has now been revealed that it was a disciplinary move, with the scratch coming as a result of Fiala violating team protocol by missing a meeting.

Unfortunately for the Kings, the move would come back to haunt them, as the team lost to the then 1-7-2 San Jose Sharks by a score of 4-2, giving the Kings plenty to contemplate ahead of their next game. However, Kings fans are less than forgiving, as some have taken to social media to call out the 28-year old forward for his play this season, with one noting that he was benched in the third period of the team's last game for his lacklustre effort.

Over the past two years in Los Angeles, Fiala has been one of the most consistent and productive players on the team, putting up a consistent 72 and 73 points over those two seasons, but it appears he may be falling out of grace with the team. Ultimately though, this may just be a story that's being blown out of proportion, with the one game benching likely all that is needed to punish the former first-round draft pick, but if the team starts to struggle with the absence of Drew Doughty and an ageing team, expect this to be a talking point throughout the year.