Los Angeles Kings: 5 burning questions for 2018-19 season

Are the Los Angeles Kings preparing for “one last ride” towards the Stanley Cup in 2018-19? That question and more answered ahead.

After winning two Stanley Cups in three years from 2012 to 2014, and making the Conference Finals in 2013, it looked like the Los Angeles Kings would be a force for the next decade.

Since then, the Kings have been in-and-out of the playoffs for the past four seasons, losing in the first round in both appearances. They’ve gone from “young team just about to peak” to “old team with a window nearly shut.” They still possess top players at their respective positions, but only Drew Doughty is on the right side of 30.

With limited cap space, Los Angeles doesn’t have much financial flexibility heading into this season. This is a roster built to “win now,” stuck with bad contracts that would make a potential blow up nearly impossible.

But this is Los Angeles we’re talking about. Where dreams come true and happy endings can be scripted and condensed to an hour and a half. And Ethan Hunt is just one phone call away.

5. Can Anze Kopitar get a little help?

Anze Kopitar won the Selke trophy as the top defensive forward and finished third in Hart trophy voting last season. He posted 92 points for Los Angeles, a whopping 31 points better than his next closest teammate. Only Taylor Hall outshined his teammates on the scoresheet more.

Dustin Brown enjoyed a career resurgence, cracking the 20-goal mark for the first time since 2011-12. His 61 points were a career high. After five straight seasons failing to reach 40 points, Brown’s big year was certainly unexpected. Can he do it again? I have my doubts. You don’t often see a player make that kind of leap at the age of 33. Especially a player like Brown, whose physical style has taken a toll over the years and is a big reason why he declined so sharply in his late 20’s.

Tyler Toffoli and Tanner Pearson are the two best bets to make the leap. Toffoli scored 24 goals and 47 points while Pearson had 15 goals and 40 points. Having a healthy Jeff Carter, who scored 22 points in 27 games, could be the biggest boost.
Scoring has always been an issue for Los Angeles, even in their Cup years. However, I’m optimistic that they finish in the top half of the league in goals for this season.

A good cast can elevate a terrible script. The Kings have rarely shown a high-powered offensive system. But they have the right talent to score with the best teams in the league.