The summer was kind to the Los Angeles Kings. Last season, the Kings were beaten by the cross-state, rival Sharks in the first round of the playoffs. This was largely due to the absence of Anze Kopitar who was sidelined with a broken ankle in late April. During the off-season, the Kings made some key maneuvers to improve their chances at obtaining Lord Stanley. GM Dean Lombardi is still dealing with contractual issues surrounding Drew Doughty, but the team is lethal without him. Over the past two seasons, Terry Murray has coached this squad to an impressive 92-57-15. With an improved cast, the Kings are poised for a long playoff run.
On offense, the Kings' first two lines are incredibly formidable. Their star player, Anze Kopitar, has recovered from his injury mentioned above and should come back to torture opposing defensemen with his speed and skill. Over the past five seasons, Kopitar has been able to rack up an impressive 358 points. When Kopitar first came into the league, the Kings weren’t a contender and struggled to win games. Even without a strong team around him, he soared. Now that Kopitar is surrounded by talented teammates, it’s reasonable to predict a rise in his production – maybe even 90 points. The Kings big acquisition over the summer was Mike Richards. He cost the team a pretty penny (Wayne Simmonds, Brayden Schenn and a 2nd round pick), but Richards is a proven producer and leader. Over the past four seasons as captain of the Philadelphia Flyers, he averaged around 70 points a year. Richards plays both sides of the puck responsibly as well. He and Kopitar will make a dynamic one-two punch down the middle. Dustin Penner was acquired from the Edmonton Oilers last season and was a bit of a disappointment. Penner is a big body with some skill - he just doesn't produce in correlation with his salary. After signing the offer sheet in Edmonton, hockey fans expected a player similar to Ryan Getzlaf. Brian Burke was smart to let this one go. Penner should see a rise in his numbers playing alongside one of the two gentleman mentioned above. Justin Williams has a bit of an injury history, but when healthy, is a dangerous winger. He finished the last season with 57 points in 73 games. His plus-14 wasn't too shabby either. If healthy, expect Williams to do some damage. Jarrett Stoll in a nice veteran presence on the third line. He's a durable forward that attacks the net with force. He also has the ability to finish (43 points). Simon Gagne was acquired via free agency and should provide a nice addition on one of the top two lines. Gagne has always been a shooter and will continue to be on this club. Unfortunately, injuries are a concern, but let's all hope he stays healthy. If so, 60 points are a fair estimate. Dustin Brown is a hard-nosed player who comes at an incredibly reasonable price - $3.175 million. As the captain, Brown leads by example hitting everything in his place and putting pucks in the back of the net. I anticipate him having another tremendous season playing with Kopitar. Brad Richardson is obviously playing as he should because the club resigned him over the summer to a two-year deal worth $2.35 million. He statistics don't necessarily jump out at you, but Richardson plays some tough minutes including the penalty kill. Expect more of the same from him this season. Scott Parse was off to a tremendous season last year before hip surgery sidelined him for the remainder. He only played in five game, but had four points. I'm not saying he would have accumulated 65 points, but definitely would have been valuable. Expect him back healthy and firing. Kyle Clifford brings some much needed sandpaper to the lineup. He's not the biggest bruiser in the game, but will drop the gloves when necessary. He also has the ability to pitch in offensively. Clifford has proven his worth and should see a rise in his ice time. Colin Fraser was acquired in order to dump Ryan Smyth's salary. Unless he makes a strong impact in training camp, he won't see a ton of playing time. Trevor Lewis is another forward resigned by the club this summer. He'll see some fourth-line, maybe third-line, minutes this year and contribute a bit offensively. Lewis hasn't been in the league that long, so he still has some time to develop into more of an impact player. Ethan Moreau was signed as a free agent to a one-year contract worth $600,000. This is a fairly decent contract for a player who plays solid defensive hockey. He won't produce much offensively, but will be a reliable option late in a game. Kevin Westgarth is in the same situation as Clifford. My guess is: whichever of these two players blossoms quicker stays. If the two progress well, I'm sure the organization won't have a problem keeping them both.
Offensive Score: A-
Although the Kings are still without their stud Drew Doughty, their defense is still respectable. Much like Doughty, Jack Johnson is a young, talented, offensive defenseman. Johnson actually finished last season with more points than Doughty - granted he did play six more games. While he can produce offensively, he also does a great job moving the puck out of his own end. I truly believe that Willie Mitchell is one of the most underrated defenseman in the game. He makes such a difference on the penalty kill. He's a very defensive defenseman who controls play well along the boards. Actually, Rob Scuderi is another unappreciated player. He was crucial in the Penguins' Stanley Cup victory and continues his defensive excellence on a team stacked with offense - a lethal combination. Matt Greene is another important piece in the lineup. Although not an incredible point producer, Greene played almost 17 minutes a game for a club flooded with good defensemen. This is due to his reliability. Alec Martinez is an emerging offensive defenseman for this club. He should see some more power play time this season which will do wonders for his numbers. At 24, Martinez has plenty of time to secure a spot on this club long into the future. As long as Doughty is out of the picture, Davis Drewiske has a decent shot at playing in most of the games. However, if he keeps up this stagnant pace, he may have to settle for watching the games.
Defensive Score: B+
The Kings' goaltending tandem of Jonathan Quick and Jonathan Bernier will likely compete for the William M. Jennings trophy this coming season. Last year, Quick solidified his position as the number one goalie. He also represented the United States in the Olympics, so he's no joke. Quick will continue to pile up the wins in a very competitive Western Conference. If he can't continue his success, Bernier is an extremely reliable back-up. He'll likely develop into a starter, but the questions remain: when and where?
Goaltending Score: A-
The Los Angeles Kings will contend for the Cup this season.
Offensive Score: A-
Although the Kings are still without their stud Drew Doughty, their defense is still respectable. Much like Doughty, Jack Johnson is a young, talented, offensive defenseman. Johnson actually finished last season with more points than Doughty - granted he did play six more games. While he can produce offensively, he also does a great job moving the puck out of his own end. I truly believe that Willie Mitchell is one of the most underrated defenseman in the game. He makes such a difference on the penalty kill. He's a very defensive defenseman who controls play well along the boards. Actually, Rob Scuderi is another unappreciated player. He was crucial in the Penguins' Stanley Cup victory and continues his defensive excellence on a team stacked with offense - a lethal combination. Matt Greene is another important piece in the lineup. Although not an incredible point producer, Greene played almost 17 minutes a game for a club flooded with good defensemen. This is due to his reliability. Alec Martinez is an emerging offensive defenseman for this club. He should see some more power play time this season which will do wonders for his numbers. At 24, Martinez has plenty of time to secure a spot on this club long into the future. As long as Doughty is out of the picture, Davis Drewiske has a decent shot at playing in most of the games. However, if he keeps up this stagnant pace, he may have to settle for watching the games.
Defensive Score: B+
The Kings' goaltending tandem of Jonathan Quick and Jonathan Bernier will likely compete for the William M. Jennings trophy this coming season. Last year, Quick solidified his position as the number one goalie. He also represented the United States in the Olympics, so he's no joke. Quick will continue to pile up the wins in a very competitive Western Conference. If he can't continue his success, Bernier is an extremely reliable back-up. He'll likely develop into a starter, but the questions remain: when and where?
Goaltending Score: A-
The Los Angeles Kings will contend for the Cup this season.
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