Kings forward Kevin Fiala set for season debut after breaking leg at Milan Cortina Olympics

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — Los Angeles Kings forward Kevin Fiala will make his season debut on Thursday night against the New York Islanders, playing for the first time since breaking his left leg at the Milan Cortina Olympics.

Fiala was injured playing for Switzerland in a preliminary round game on February 13, causing him to miss the second half of the NHL season. He then missed training camp and the start of this season after undergoing a follow-up surgery in September.

The Kings are struggling to score, having been held to two goals or fewer in nine of their past 14 games. They are 0-8-1 in those contests and hope the return of Fiala could help address that lack of offense. Fiala had 18 goals and 22 assists in 56 games last season and is expected to play on the second line with center Quinton Byfield and forward Mats Zuccarello.

“Kevin’s been on the ice for a while now, and his game, his conditioning, his ability to create, it looks good to me out there,” coach Peter Laviolette said after practice Thursday.

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FILE - Los Angeles Kings left wing Kevin Fiala (22) in the second period of an NHL hockey game on Dec. 29, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)

PHILADEPLHIA (AP) — Philadelphia 76ers star LeBron James will sit out Thursday night against Toronto because of low back/sciatica management.

Sixers center Joel Embiid was upgraded from questionable to available with right foot plantar fascia injury management.

James, who turns 42 next month, will now have four to five days off before he plays again. The Sixers are off Friday and Saturday. They have back-to-back games Sunday and Monday. James typically does not play in least one game of a back-to-back set, so he could return Sunday against Indiana or Monday at Brooklyn.

James has averaged 15.1 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.5 assists in 10 games for the Sixers this season.

The Raptors will play again without Kawhi Leonard (knee) and Scottie Barnes (groin).

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Philadelphia 76ers' LeBron James tosses chalk into the air before an NBA basketball game against the Boston Celtics Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)