The circumstances are particularly meaningful for Penguins forward Blake Lizotte, who started his NHL career with the Kings and had 106 points (37 goals, 69 assists) in 320 games for them. This will be his first game at Crypto.com Arena as a visitor, but the LAFD hat he wore after Monday’s morning skate reflected the larger circumstances.

The Penguins head west to face the Los Angeles Kings in a late-night showdown at Crypto.com Arena. Welcome back to NHL Predictions here on Last Word on Hockey!

While adding a player like Palmieri could address immediate needs, it won’t be simple for the Kings. Right now, Los Angeles has $10.9 million in cap space. Once Drew Doughty is activated from LTIR, however, that space will evaporate as Doughty carries a cap hit of $11 million.

The Los Angeles Kings will try to keep their nine-game home win streak intact while the Pittsburgh Penguins try to begin their swing through the Western Conference with a victory when they meet on Monday night.

You may need a little coffee today for this one, but it is an important game. The Penguins are just 2-5-3 in their last 10 games and are 13th among 16 teams in the East.

Los Angeles Kings (25-13-5, 55 points, 3rd place Pacific Division) When: 10:30 p.m. ET How to Watch: Broadcasting on Sportsnet Pittsburgh and FDSNWin the local markets, streaming on ESPN+ Pens’ Path Ahead: Having left snowy southwest Pennsylvania behind,