A couple of years in the past the Los Angeles Kings had been en path to turning into contenders as soon as once more. After successful the Stanley Cup in 2012 and once more in 2014, they started to say no as anticipated. What wasn’t anticipated, nonetheless, was how shortly the Kings turned their ship round. Their rebuild was surprisingly quick and similar to that the Kings had been as soon as once more a aggressive staff.
Utilizing the phrase quick to explain how lengthy it took the Kings to get again within the playoff combine shouldn’t be an understatement. They took turns lacking the playoffs and shedding in Spherical 1 from 2014-15 to 2017-18 and so they solely missed the playoffs for 3 years after that, earlier than returning to the postseason in 2022.
Whereas it didn’t take lengthy for the Kings to get again to being a playoff staff, it looks as if they’ve hit a roadblock. They’ve been stagnant for the previous three seasons, unable to take that subsequent step. Three straight seasons making the playoffs and three straight seasons being eradicated within the first spherical, one way or the other every time by the Edmonton Oilers.
Based mostly on what this Kings roster seems like proper now, there shouldn’t be any expectation that that is the 12 months Los Angeles does take that subsequent step. Realistically talking, a playoff look is greater than doable, however a deep run shouldn’t be.
On that observe, let’s check out what precisely the Kings are rolling with heading into the 2024-25 season.
Who’s In & Who’s Out
The Kings have undergone some modifications all through their roster. There have been various additions and subtractions basic supervisor (GM) Rob Blake has made all through the offseason.
Subtractions
- F Pierre-Luc Dubois > WSH
- F Viktor Arvidsson > EDM
- D Matt Roy > WSH
- G Cam Talbot > DET
- F Blake Lizotte > PIT
- F Carl Grundstrom > SJS
Additions
- F Tanner Jeannot (acquired from Tampa Bay in change for a 2024 4th and a 2025 2nd)
- F Warren Foegele (signed a three-year deal in free company)
- D Joel Edmundson (signed a four-year deal in free company)
- D Kyle Burroughs (acquired from San Jose in change for Carl Grundstrom)
- G Darcy Kuemper (acquired from Washington in change for Pierre-Luc Dubois)
While you check out a number of the gamers the Kings acquired to exchange these subtractions, a slight downgrade could be the best strategy to describe it. I say slight downgrade as a result of there are higher particular person gamers that the Kings misplaced, however due to what transpired throughout their time in Los Angeles, it doesn’t really feel just like the Kings are shedding a complete lot. It’s widespread information that Dubois’ time in LA wasn’t fairly. He was so non-existent that conserving him on the roster would have finished extra hurt than good for the Kings. Arvidsson is one other expert ahead who’s not a King. He’s a point-producing winger that any staff would like to have and is somebody who has the flexibility to place up 60 factors when he’s wholesome. The important thing phrase there may be “when he’s wholesome” which is one thing he has struggled with for almost all of his NHL profession. Arvidsson solely performed 18 video games for the Kings final season so honestly his departure doesn’t have that a lot of an affect.
Heading into the 2024-25 season, Blake has put ahead an fascinating group and one which may very well be filled with surprises. Whereas the Kings have barely downgraded by way of the gamers they acquired through commerce or free company, there may be one other facet that can be extra seen all through the Kings’ roster this season and it’s the implementation of youth. They are going to have just a few of their homegrown prospects able to take that subsequent step and probably be the gas LA wants to increase their playoff streak to 4 years. How properly this staff does this season can be closely depending on guys like Brandt Clarke, Akil Thomas, Arthur Kaliev, Alex Laferriere, Jordan Spence, Alex Turcotte and naturally Quinton Byfield.
Kings’ Projected Ahead Group
In line with Day by day Faceoff, these are the Kings’ projected line mixtures:
Alex Laferriere – Anze Kopitar – Adrian Kempe
Kevin Fiala – Quinton Byfield – Arthur Kaliyev
Trevor Moore – Phillip Danault – Warren Foegele
Tanner Jeannot – Alex Turcotte – Akil Thomas
Despite the fact that these are projected strains, that is precisely how the Kings ought to line up their ahead group to begin the season.
Line 1 – Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe have been an unbreakable duo for some time now. They collected a mixed 145 factors final season. These two are the center and soul of the Kings’ offense. Laferriere is headed into his second NHL season, the 22-year-old had 12 targets and 23 factors in 81 video games final season. Making the bounce to the NHL in your first season out of faculty is outstanding as a third-round choose and that’s precisely what Laferriere did. His capability to not solely rating but additionally play a heavy gritty recreation will complement that first line with Kopitar and Kempe very well. Anticipate his numbers to extend a big quantity this season enjoying on that first line.
Line 2 – Loving the thought of transferring Byfield to the middle place versus the left wing the place he performed the vast majority of final season. With PLD out, transferring Byfield to heart permits the Kings to maintain that heart depth and you may just about assure, barring any unexpected circumstances, that Byfield can be way more impactful. Kevin Fiala is a key piece to the Kings’ offensive manufacturing as properly, ending with the third most factors out of any King final season with 73. It’s onerous to anticipate a lot from a participant like Kaliyev who has been caught within the backside six with no actual assist. It’s going to be fascinating to see how he does now that he can be given a shot to play within the top-six. There’s a loopy quantity of uncooked expertise on this line and as soon as the chemistry begins to construct with these three, it’s going to be scary.
Line 3 – Trevor Moore and Warren Foegele are two ridiculously quick wingers and having a defensive-minded ahead like Phillip Danault enjoying alongside them will give the duo the arrogance to take extra possibilities and use that velocity. Moore is coming off a terrific breakout season the place he led the complete Kings roster in targets with 31 and completed with 57 factors. He can be closely relied on to supply for this line. Foegele is just about the definition of a third-liner. Work ethic and velocity are two issues he takes pleasure in and coming from a staff just like the Oilers, the expertise he has had over the previous few seasons is one thing this Kings staff can be welcoming with open arms.
Line 4 – This line is a complete wildcard. Based mostly on the person gamers, it has the potential to be fairly good however these three have by no means performed collectively earlier than. Turcotte brings a little bit of all the pieces and is what most would describe as a whole two-way participant. His numbers with the Ontario Reign over the previous few seasons haven’t been something particular however as a former fifth-overall choose the potential is there. Signing Jeannot was an fascinating one given his huge decline after his phenomenal rookie season however it was an necessary one which addresses a giant want for the Kings. Tanner Jeannot brings in that heavy-hitting, power-forward sort construct and is the Kings’ solely actual sense of toughness. Thomas will get his likelihood at solidifying himself as an everyday NHLer after spending 4 straight seasons growing with the Reign. He’s solely performed seven NHL video games and in these seven video games, he had three targets and 4 factors.
LA has a reasonably strong ahead group. The offensive manufacturing and defensive consciousness are there up and down all 4 strains. Depth-wise this group seems nice however they don’t have that famous person or recreation changer. Byfield has the potential of being that sort of participant for the Kings sooner or later, however proper now it’s a vital half this franchise is lacking.
Kings’ Projected Defensive Group
Mikey Anderson – Drew Doughty
Vladislav Gavrikov – Brandt Clarke
Joel Edmundson – Jordan Spence
Pairing 1 – Drew Doughty has been a staple on the Kings’ blue line for greater than a decade and he and Mikey Anderson have been the Kings’ first pairing for period of time now. Each of them are good puck-moving defensemen and so they can each be trusted in all conditions. There isn’t way more to say aside from the truth that that is the Kings’ most reliable pairing and they are going to be relied on to deal with many of the opposition’s prime strains.
Pairing 2 – Vladislav Gavrikov and Clarke are the proper mixture. Gavrikov is nice at taking good care of the defensive zone and offering that shutdown presence. It’s essential that Gavrikov stays a stay-at-home defender with the intention to enable Clarke to totally embrace his offensive expertise and be part of the push as he pleases. Clarke is the way forward for the Kings’ defensive group and this 12 months will simply be the beginning.
Pairing 3 – Joel Edmundson is within the late phases of his profession whereas Spence is within the early phases of his. A four-year deal is loads for a 31-year-old defenseman however Edmundson has confirmed to be dependable all through his NHL profession and may very well be mentor for a younger Spence. The velocity Spence can play with and the imaginative and prescient he has to quarterback a breakout will pair properly with an older, slower Edmundson. This pairing will clearly be the Kings’ weakest hyperlink and you may anticipate that head coach Jim Hiller pays shut consideration to their matchups.
Kings’ Goaltending Tandem
Darcy Kuemper
David Rittich
The Kings have determined to roll with a Darcy Kuemper and David Rittich goaltending tandem. Whereas Kuemper has extra accolades than former starter Cam Talbot, efficiency ranges from each of them over the previous few seasons inform us that there actually isn’t that a lot of a distinction. Kuemper didn’t have that nice of a season final 12 months with the Capitals, ending with a .890 save share (SV%) and a 3.31 goals-against common (GAA). It was the bottom SV% and the very best GAA Kuemper has ever completed with throughout his 12 years within the NHL. LA can not afford to have that model of Kuemper present up in the event that they hope to make the playoffs.
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Rittich then again has bounced round loads however he has what it takes to be a dependable backup, and he proved that final season ending with a .921 SV% and a 2.15 GAA by way of 24 video games performed. Limiting Rittich’s workload is essential to how profitable he could be and if Kuemper can fulfill his duties as this staff’s starter there shouldn’t be any concern about having Rittich play 25-30 video games.
Goaltending is the place the Kings could have essentially the most bother, however trying on the roster as a complete there isn’t a cause why this group can not compete for a playoff spot, particularly enjoying within the Pacific Division. There’s a adequate mixture of veteran presence and younger expertise all through this lineup for the Kings to be a aggressive staff. If the youth carry out and guys like Kopitar, Doughty, Kempe, Fiala, and Moore proceed to be this group’s engine, they could even do higher than anticipated.
