Seattle Kraken: A Beginner’s Guide to the Pacific Division
Los Angeles Kings
The Kings are in a similar position as Anaheim. They have an aging nucleus helping them push through a rebuild. Los Angeles is further along in their rebuild than the Ducks and may start pushing for the playoffs sooner rather than later.
L.A.K. has quite a few veteran leaders on their roster, making them a nightly threat even if they’re near the bottom of the standings. Drew Doughty, Dustin Brown, and Anze Kopitar are not only the team’s leading scorers from 2020-21; they’re also three of the key remnants of the organization’s golden years.
The early 2010s will always be an important piece of the Los Angeles Kings’ history. They’re hoping to duplicate that success by using the veterans to mentor their prospects and upcoming players.
Change
In goal, the Kings are going through a changing of the guard. Former superstar Jonathan Quick is no longer an NHL-level starting goaltender. As a result, they’ve had to bring in someone to fill the hole. Cal Petersen isn’t a Vezina caliber goalie but is a serviceable option until GM Rob Blake can find a long-term starter.
The addition of Phillip Danault this summer makes Los Angeles competitive for the next couple of seasons. It’s a start; however, they’re still a few pieces away from being a true contender again.
Draft and Develop
The Kings have a great farm system headlined by their two most recent first-round picks. 2020 second overall pick Quinton Byfield has all the makings of a future superstar. Last spring’s eighth overall pick Brandt Clarke has the potential to be a top-pairing, right-handed defenseman, one of the hardest players to find in the NHL.
If things work out perfectly for Clarke, he’ll be an excellent replacement for Drew Doughty once he hangs up his skates. Former second-round pick Arthur Kaliyev stepped up his game in the AHL recently and showed signs of being a future impact player.