Why was Kevin Fiala scratched tonight? Elliotte Friedman discloses bizarre reason for forward's benching vs Sharks

The Los Angeles Kings benched forward Kevin Fiala against the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday. NHL insider Elliotte Friedman shared the news on X (formerly Twitter), explaining that it happened because Fiala had missed a team meeting.

The decision surprised analysts, as Fiala has been productive this season with six points in nine games.

"Kevin Fiala is not dressed for LA tonight. Scratched for missing a team meeting," Friedman tweeted.

Fiala, a key player for the Kings since arriving from the Minnesota Wild in 2022, is renowned for his scoring. The Kings acquired him by trading Brock Faber and a first-round pick to Minnesota. The 28-year-old Swiss winger quickly became a strong offensive asset for Los Angeles, adding depth to the lineup.

Kevin Fiala was drafted by the Nashville Predators in 2014 after a strong season with Sweden’s HV71 team. His NHL career has mostly met expectations, with 434 points in 579 games, showcasing consistent scoring. His AHL time also reflected steady production, with 89 points in 121 games.

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Kevin Fiala and the Los Angeles Kings' victory over Utah Hockey Club

Joel Edmundson played well for the Los Angeles Kings, scoring his first two goals in a 3-2 win against the Utah Hockey Club at the Crypto.com Arena. The game was important for Edmundson, who had signed a four-year, $15.4 million contract.

Brandt Clarke opened the scoring for the Kings with a power-play goal. Edmundson then scored his first goal, assisted by Adrian Kempe. Kempe helped both of Edmundson's goals before Goalie Darcy Kuemper returned from injury and made 23 saves to secure the win.

Utah responded with goals from Logan Cooley and Clayton Keller, who scored on a power play. Nick Bjugstad, back from injury, stressed the need for a better mindset, as the team has lost five of its last six games.

“I mean, we were there, but being there isn’t enough a lot of nights here in the NHL, so we’ll figure it out,” Bjugstad said (via NHL.com). “It wasn’t great; it wasn’t bad, but we got better.”

Kings coach Jim Hiller expressed concerns about conceding too many penalties.

“You can’t take that many penalties, and when you show up more than once or twice or three times, you know, the coach has to do something,” Kings head coach Jim Hiller said (via NHL.com).

With the win, the Kings improved to 5-2-2 on the season.