Pacific Division Preview: How the West Will Be Won
Los Angeles Kings
Head Coach: John Stevens
Key Additions: Ilya Kovalchuk, Jeff Carter…sortof
Key Losses: None
Strengths: Defense, Goaltending
Weaknesses: Forwards
Predicted Point Total: 93, (42-31-9)
The Los Angeles Kings had a fairly unremarkable season. The Kings made the playoffs in the Pacific Division with 98 points and were subsequently swept by the Golden Knights in what was a much closer series than the sweep would indicate. Each game was a one goal game in a low scoring affair.
The Kings followed up the unremarkable season with an unremarkable offseason minus one addition, Ilya Kovulchuck at $6M for three seasons. The sniper has played that past five seasons with SKA St. Petersburg in the KHL. One of the purest snipers to ever grace the game, Kovy is expected to add significant punch to the Kings.
Forwards – The Kings are a very top-heavy, aging forward corps. They are led by the perennially underrated Anze Kopitar. Last season they were without goal scorer Jeff Carter. Even though he returned for the last few games and the playoffs it was obvious he was nowhere near 100%. The Kings should fare much better with a healthy Carter as the second line center.
Tyler Toffoli took a step back last year but should improve with the additions of Carter and Kovulchuk. Kovulchuk rounds out the notable top six forwards. We would mention Dustin Brown, however, we don’t talk about fight club. Plus, he has a broken finger and is out indefinitely.
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The main concern with the forward’s are its aging corps. They have progressively slowed and added an already 35 year old sniper. This forward corps is nearly past its “sell by” date, if it hasn’t passed it already. The Kings will really rely on its young skaters, like Alex Iafallo and Tanner Pearson, to take a step forward and supplement the aging group.
Expect an uptick in goal scoring this season, but until Kovy proves it, don’t expect much from the Kings forwards.
Coaching Staff – John Stevens takes on his second season as the Kings head coach. They performed admirably last season, and no changes are expected.
Defense – The defense was one of the strengths of the Kings last season. A blue line anchored by Drew Doughty, if it has some decent legs behind it, will always be a force. According to Hockey-Reference, Doughty averaged 27 minutes per night on defense while scoring 10 goals and 50 assists for 60 points.
Bottom line, Doughty was beast. The addition of Dion Phaneuf last season added a bit more stability to the back end and should continue in a second or third pair role. Underrated defenseman Jake Muzzin is another player to watch. Adding a healthy Alec Martinez will round out a solid defensive corps. Which will be just another solid blue line in the defense-heavy Pacific Division.
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Goaltending – The Kings goaltending was very good last season. According to NHL.com, Jonathan Quick posted a .921 save percentage and a 2.40 GAA in 64 games last season. He was also spectacular in the playoffs. While the Kings were swept the netminder posted a .947 SV% and a 1.55 GAA. In most series, those numbers equal a goalie stealing the series. If the Kings want any hope of making the playoffs this year, Quick must duplicate those numbers.
The Kings have a slow aging forward corps that should be able to put up more goals this season than they were able to manage last year. However, too many teams around them have taken bigger strides for them to warrant contender status. As a result they have surfaced as a playoff bubble team.
The defense will remain solid and likely make it tough on the opposition in their own zone.
It is unlikely Quick will repeat his near Vezina numbers, as he is a career league average goaltender in save percentage at .916. Though he has been able to keep his career GAA relatively low (2.28 GAA), this has been mostly due to stellar defense in front of him. Unfortunately the Kings will again struggle to score putting them on the outside looking in the Pacific Division.