The Kings are in that spot where it might be the most fun to be a fan. They’re on the up. The farm system is deep. The pieces are starting to come together, maybe even a little early. They just made a big add from outside the organization. There is talent, hope, and some overzealous optimism. Both new faces and familiar fan favorites fill out the roster. Anything seems possible because the ride is just beginning. Down 2-1 against the Edmonton Oilers, they rallied back to take the 3-2 series lead. Edmonton ended up on top, but this team going to a game 7, they’ll take it. The future looks bright.
2021-22 Expectations: The Kings had spent three straight seasons missing the playoffs. They came in 6th place in the West division in the shortened 2020-21 season, 7 points below NHL .500. The Kings were expected to take a step forward, as their deep farm system and NHL-ready youngsters gained more experience, but the playoffs were still expected to be a little out of reach. Vegas set the preseason over/under at 84.5 points. Ask any Kings fan what they wanted, and probably all they would say is “progress.” Anything else would be gravy.
2021-22 Result: There was progress, and THEN SOME. The Kings finished third in the West with 99 points, blowing past expectations. They wouldn’t lock up a playoff spot until the last couple weeks of the season, as they had to fend off an injured Vegas team that never found its stride after acquiring Jack Eichel.
As much as some things changed with the Kings this year, some stayed the same. Familiar faces Anze Kopitar and Jonathan Quick led the way yet again. Kopitar lead the team with 67 points (19 goals, 48 assists), while still maintaining his reputation as an elite two-way center and finishing 6th in Selke voting. Jonathan Quick, at age 36, returned to form with a .910 save percentage, bettering his results from the previous three seasons.
What Went Right: Along with the leaders mentioned above, progress was key for the Kings youngsters this year. The 25-year-old Adrian Kempe was a monster, putting in 35 goals and earning himself a 4-year, $22 million dollar extension. A former first-round pick, Kempe put it all together to lead the Kings in goals. Phillip Danault also exceeded all expectations after signing in LA. Known as a defensive center, he managed to put in 27 goals in addition to his 8th place Selke finish. With Kopitar and Danault, the Kings were very strong down the middle with two elite 200-foot centers. It was impossible for teams to get through the neutral zone and get any quality scoring chances on the Kings top two lines.
The right side of the defense also looked great. Drew Doughty returned to form with 31 points in 39 games, but injuries ended his season on March 7th. The 23-year-old Sean Durzi came up from the AHL early in the season and never looked back. Durzi had 27 points in 64 games and turned into a reliable mainstay on the Kings blue line. He'll be depended on even more this year as he continues to get more games under his belt.
What Went Wrong: While the Kings clogged the neutral zone and maintained possession of the puck well, they simply could not score enough. The Kings scored only 239 goals this past season, worse than every playoff team except Dallas. Only Kempe, Danault, and Viktor Arvidsson managed to score 20 goals this year. The scoring depth needs to improve for the Kings to take that next step. I wonder if there are any cap-strapped teams out there who would be forced into parting with a 25-year-old 33 goal scorer to help solve this problem.
The left side of the defense also could use an addition. Right now the Kings have 21-year-old Tobias Bjornfot and 22-year-old Mikey Anderson slotted into their depth chart. The Kings could use an established left sided defenseman to lead the way for these kids. This past season the Kings got a lot out of Alex Edler this year, but is this repeatable for the 36-year-old? Do the Kings want to part with all the pieces it will take to add Jakob Chychrun? Maybe the biggest question mark on the roster headed into free agency, General Manager Rob Blake will have to decide if he wants to part with the assets for Chychrun or if he can find an adequate solution for not too much money or term in free agency.
Reasons To Be Optimistic: Kevin Fiala. As alluded to above, the Kings acquired the 25-year-old coming off an 85-point season who has the elite finishing talent that the Kings so desperately needed. The Kings managed only 2 goals in game 6 and got shut out in game 7 before exiting the playoffs against the Oilers. Fiala is a top-end player who signed a 7-year deal for $7.875 million per season. It is hard not to sound hyperbolic but this is exactly the kind of top-6 player the Kings needed to add and he should make an immediate impact as a guy who is already in his prime and will be for the majority of this contract. A true perfect fit for the Kings.
Quinton Byfield. Now why should anybody be optimistic about a kid who scored 10 points in 40 games? Well let’s just say the 2nd overall pick from the 2020 NHL Draft gets the benefit of the doubt. In October, Byfield had a fairly severe ankle break which kept him out until the end of January. But once this kid gets going, look out. Byfield is anticipated to be an elite center with great size, speed and hands. With Kopitar and Danault, he should comfortably be the third line center this season, staying away from the toughest matchups, with a good amount of powerplay time. Every stride he takes will make the Kings that much tougher of a team to beat this year.
Reasons To Be Pessimistic: Will Jonathan Quick be cooked? From 2018-21, Quick looked like he was finished. With a save percentage of .896 and -41 goals saved above average, Quick looked like his career was over. Last year was a real resurgence for Quick, but can it last or will he revert back to his ways from the last three seasons? If he does, the Kings could be in a lot of trouble. Quick enters the season on the last year of his big 10-year contract with the Kings, which for the past three years made this look even sillier than the day it was written. Will Quick continue to step it up, in an effort to hang in the NHL? Or was last-year his last effort and could his career be over at the end of this season?
The same goes for Kopitar. So far there is no sign of the about to be 35-year-old slowing down to a level where he would need a greatly diminished role. But sometimes these things happen all at once. Kopitar has played 1,210 games in his hall-of-fame career, all while taking the toughest assignments night in and night out for a decade. If the wheels fall off, it could get ugly quick for the Kings top center. Danault is there to take some of those top minutes but if Byfield still needs a year or two before stepping up to those top line minutes, too much of a step back from Kopitar could result in trouble for the Kings.
22-23 Expectations: Progress, progress, progress. The Kings are probably still a year or two away from being legitimate cup contenders, but they certainly are building something in LA again. They’ve got a good mix of veteran leadership (Kopitar, Doughty, Quick), guys in their prime (Fiala, Danault, Kempe), and rising stars (Byfield and Durzi) that they certainly could make noise next year if everything goes right. Not to mention one of the highest rated farm systems in the NHL. If Byfield turns it on, all bets are off. If the vets fall off, maybe the Kings struggle to get that last playoff spot. Either way, this looks like a fun team to watch and one that is headed in the right direction.
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