Kings’ Artemi Panarin to miss game for family reasons

The Los Angeles Kings will have to try to snap a three-game losing streak without their leading scorer.

Kings winger Artemi Panarin will miss Saturday’s game against the Calgary Flames due to family reasons.

Forward Alex Turcotte, who has no goals and an assist in four games played for Los Angeles this season, is expected to step into the Kings’ lineup in Panarin’s absence.

Panarin, 35, leads Los Angeles with eight goals, 11 assists, and 19 points this season.

The Kings acquired the Russian national in February of last season from the New York Rangers in exchange for forward prospect Liam Greentree and a conditional third-round draft pick. Los Angeles then promptly signed Panarin to a two-year, $22 million contract extension, which kicked in this season. In 78 games last season split between the Rangers and Kings, Panarin registered 28 goals and 56 assists for 84 points.

Having gone undrafted by the NHL, Panarin signed a two-year, entry-level deal with the Chicago Blackhawks in April of 2015. He hit the ground running in the NHL, putting up 30 goals and 47 assists for 77 points in 80 games in the 2015-16 season en route to winning the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie.

After two full seasons in Chicago, Panarin was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets in June of 2017, where he would spend another two seasons before signing a seven-year, $81.5 million deal with New York as an unrestricted free agent in July of 2019. His career best campaign came in the 2023-24 season with the Rangers, when he scored 49 goals and added 71 assists for 120 points in 82 games.

With 12 points through 17 games, Los Angeles sits in seventh place in the Pacific Division.

After hosting the Flames on Saturday, the Kings will begin a five-game road trip against the Boston Bruins on Tuesday.