The Kings will open next season on Oct. 5 at the Edmonton Oilers, the team that McLellan coached for three seasons before he was fired. He was subsequently hired by the Kings in April, and his assistant coach Trent Yawney followed him to L.A. this month. The game is the first of a three-game western Canada trip for the Kings before they play their home opener Oct.12. McLellan will also face his former San Jose Sharks team for the first time as Kings coach in a matinee game Nov. 29 in San Jose.
The full NHL regular season schedule released Tuesday has the Kings playing on New Year’s Eve for the second straight year, this time at home against the Philadelphia Flyers.