The Los Angeles Kings have confronted challenges in current seasons, demonstrating potential as a long-surviving playoff group, however all the time appear to be experiencing setbacks at essential moments. On paper, their roster appeared dominant for the 2023-24 season. When it comes to scoring depth, the Kings received it. When it comes to protection, the group was hit-or-miss. The playoffs gave a brand new however acquainted search for the Kings, as they as soon as once more had been a first-round exit towards the Edmonton Oilers. They had been excessive within the standings halfway by means of the season, however the playoffs are, after all, a unique animal. Their opponent, in any case, went to the Stanley Cup Closing.
At first, the group had the likes of Pheonix Copley and Cam Talbot manning the nets. However then Copley received harm and needed to be placed on injured reserve for the rest of the season, as David Rittich would step in. The Kings had two skilled veterans in between the pipes as their netminders for almost the entire season. Nonetheless, that appeared to have bitten them tougher than they needed. Throughout the 2023-24 season, the Kings had skilled defensive depth in Drew Doughty, Matt Roy and Vladislav Gavrikov, with youthful defenders being Jordan Spence and Mikey Anderson, and had the call-ups of Brandt Clarke and Tobias Björnfot.
Together with their offensive core standing out final season, with Adrian Kempe being their high participant (28 targets, 47 assists, 75 factors), joined by Kevin Fiala (29 targets, 44 assists, 73 factors), Anze Kopitar (26 targets, 44 assists, 70 factors), Trevor Moore (31 targets, 26 assists, 57 factors), and Quinton Byfield (20 targets, 35 assists, 55 factors). After 82 video games performed for the 2023-24 season, the Kings had been 44-27-11 for 99 factors with a .604 profitable proportion and had 215 targets towards and 256 targets for. As for his or her totality, they had been third place within the Pacific Division, 5 factors under the Oilers, and seventh total within the Western Convention.
The Kings had been met with odds that they merely couldn’t beat towards the Oilers, because the story would repeat itself for a 3rd time within the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Goaltending might’ve been youthful, sure, however it was not the primary concern that steamed the group away from a first-round development. The ability forwards weren’t performing as they need to have, with one exception being Kempe who outshined his fellow forwards by scoring 4 targets and including one help — two targets of which had been scored in Recreation 4 at Edmonton.
Anderson and Doughty stood out as high defensemen with strong factors tallied up, as Doughty had two targets and an help, whereas Anderson had a purpose and two assists. As for the goalies, Talbot performed three video games, profitable simply one in every of them, and recorded a 5.30 goals-against common (GAA) and a .861 save proportion (SV%), whereas Rittich performed two video games, dropping each of them and recorded a 2.56 GAA and a .872 SV%. However for the first-round exit towards the Oilers, the Kings’ poor defensive protection, self-discipline from each defensive and offensive sides, and most of their finest forwards not giving it their all to attain towards their rivals, doomed them. There was solely a lot two veteran goalies of their 30s might do towards a red-hot and proficient group just like the Oilers. Due to the haunting, repeated historical past, the Kings have made important strikes within the constructing of their 2024-25 roster.
Offseason Roster Strikes
David Rittich Extension
For the Kings’ first signing of the offseason, the group introduced on Could 15 that they prolonged David Rittich for an additional yr for $1 million. He performed 24 video games (13-6-3) with a 2.15 GAA and .921 SV% for the Kings final season. He began the season with the Ontario Reign by taking part in 16 video games and profitable seven, and put up a 2.63 GAA and .901 SV%. The 31-year-old goaltender has accrued eight seasons of expertise within the NHL, collaborating in a complete of 196 video games (92-57-24).
Elimination of PLD
Their first important transfer was eliminating Pierre-Luc Dubois, who had a contract for $8.5 million for eight years, or $68 million in whole, and didn’t reside as much as that giant paycheck, as he recorded simply 16 targets and 24 assists final season. The Kings needed extra from PLD, as a result of his 2022-23 manufacturing with the Winnipeg Jets was staggeringly greater than final season (27 targets and 36 assists in 73 video games), however finally the middle didn’t carry out properly sufficient to warrant paying over $8 million a yr for him, as that quantity of cap area may very well be used for different gamers – particularly for these down within the minors who’re desperate to make the NHL roster full-time.
New Goalie
One other transfer that needed to be made was the addition of a brand new goaltender. The commerce of PLD to the Washington Capitals gave the group a Stanley Cup champion netminder, Darcy Kuemper. Beforehand, Kuemper’s efficiency with the Capitals was not sturdy as a consequence of accidents sustained final season. Nonetheless, his talent and expertise will undoubtedly improve the Kings’ much-needed goaltending effectivity. If wholesome, he’s anticipated to have a tendency alongside Rittich for the upcoming season. Nonetheless, with the change of the goalie core, one concern that the Kings noticed final season was Rittich and Talbot being over the age of 30, with Talbot being 37 and Rittich being 31. Regardless of Talbot being an NHL All-Star, his age actually confirmed when the Kings wanted further assist from their star goalie. There’s a slight age distinction between Kuemper and Talbot, nonetheless, with Kuemper being three years youthful. However, the presence of Copley on the roster introduces one other issue to contemplate relating to the goaltending core.
Copley Will get Prolonged & George Indicators ELC
Copley, 31, signed a one-year cope with the Kings again in July 2024. The contract comes after he tore his ACL originally of the season, lacking the rest of it to get better. However within the 2022-23 season with the Kings, he put up a 2.64 GAA and a .903 SV% with 24 wins from 37 video games performed. He struggled within the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs towards the Oilers, although, as he put up eight saves with a 4.26 GAA, and a .750 SV% from 28 minutes performed in a single sport – his first playoff sport within the NHL. For his eight video games performed final season, Copley received 4 of them, placing up a 3.16 GAA and .870 SV%.
Copley is because of be at coaching camp later this yr. Though he could take the beginning job over Rittich or Kuemper, it’s nonetheless seemingly he’ll play in Ontario. The identical state of affairs occurred with Chris Driedger of the Seattle Kraken final season, as Joey Daccord outshone him in Coachella Valley throughout the 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs and took over as a full-time goalie within the NHL – alternating between backup and first with Philipp Grubauer. The Kings nonetheless have three goalies over the age of 30, however that doesn’t imply the prospects within the minors are older.
On July 25, the Kings signed prospect goaltender Carter George to a three-year entry-level contract. He was chosen 57th total within the 2024 NHL Draft after finishing his second yr within the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). The 18-year-old, who stands tall at 6-foot-1 and weighs over 195 kilos, posted a .907 SV% and three.30 GAA, together with 4 shutouts final season. The younger goaltender from Thunder Bay, Ontario additionally competed within the 2024 U18 IIHF World Junior Championship, ending with a 2.33 GAA, .915 SV%, and a 6-0-0 document to win a gold medal for Workforce Canada. The long run seems to be vibrant for this goaltender below the Kings’ group.
Extension of Jordan Spence
For one more addition to the defensive core, the Kings not too long ago prolonged Jordan Spence for 2 years with a mean annual worth (AAV) of $1.5 million.
Spence performed 71 video games for the Kings final season, posting two targets and 22 assists, with a plus-5. For the brief and unlucky first-round Stanley Cup Playoff collection, he performed 5 video games and recorded an help. His skilled profession started within the AHL with the Reign, which he began on Oct. 16, 2021, and earned his first profession level from an help. His AHL reign throughout that season stretched to the close to finish of the league’s common season on March 7 (earned two assists), after which received his first call-up to the NHL and performed his first sport on March 10, 2022, towards the San Jose Sharks.
The younger defenseman gained precious expertise on the NHL degree, which additional propelled his profession. He performed the rest of the common season with the Kings, showing in 24 video games and contributing two targets and 6 assists. Then he received the chance to play within the Stanley Cup Playoffs towards the Oilers, as he appeared in simply three video games, recording no factors with a minus-2.
Commerce For Burroughs
The Kings traded Carl Grundstrom to the San Jose Sharks for defenseman Kyle Burroughs on June 27. Burroughs, 29, performed 72 video games for the Sharks final season, recording two targets and 6 assists. He’s performed within the NHL for 4 seasons, taking part in a complete of 168 video games for 3 completely different groups (5 targets, 14 assists, 19 factors).
Addition of Edmundson
The group additionally signed Joel Edmundson for 4 years with an AAV of $3.85 million. Edmundson, 31, and 6-foot-5 from Brandon, Canada is a Stanley Cup champion with the 2019 St. Louis Blues. He was traded to the Maple Leafs final season from the Washington Capitals the place he performed 9 video games, after taking part in 44 video games with the Capitals. He recorded a purpose and 5 assists with the Capitals final season, with no factors recorded with the Maple Leafs.
Addition of Jones
As well as, they signed Caleb Jones to a one-year, two-way contract value an ordinary AAV of $775,000. Jones, 27 and 6-foot-1, is the youthful brother of Blackhawks star defenseman Seth Jones. He has rotated across the NHL and AHL for the previous 4 seasons with completely different groups. He’s listed to play for the Reign this season, however that is because of change previous to the common season.
The Not too long ago Added Forwards
Extension of Quinton Byfield
One of many greatest signings up to now this offseason has been the multi-year extension of Quinton Byfield. He had a tremendously profitable 2023-24 season as an influence ahead. He performed 80 video games final season, tallying up 20 targets and 35 assists for 55 factors, and was a plus-19. In comparison with the season earlier than final, Byfield solely racked up three targets and 19 assists in 53 video games. He considerably improved as a scorer in only a yr, which pressured the Kings to try to prolong him with a a lot bigger pay grade. On July 15, the Kings introduced that they re-signed Byfield for 5 years for $31.5 million, with an AAV of $6.3 million.
I feel we all the time got here to the settlement that that is the perfect deal for either side…When that point comes – hopefully that point by no means comes. I need to be an L.A. King for the remainder of my life.
– Quinton Byfield on re-signing with the Kings (from ‘L.A. Kings mailbag: Quinton Byfield’s position, NHL Draft and prospects,’ The Athletic, 7/17/24)
Byfield served as a net-front, close-to-crease presence on the Kings’ first energy play unit, as he scored six targets with 14 factors on the facility play. Together with his substantial pay enhance for the subsequent 5 years, Byfield should assume a bigger presence this season. However judging by his efficiency final season, he has the chance to enhance much more, doubtlessly scoring extra targets on and off the facility play.
Commerce for Jeannot
In late June, the Tampa Bay Lightning made some massive however controversial strikes. First, they traded Mikhail Sergachev to the Utah Hockey Membership, after which on the identical day, additionally they traded Tanner Jeannot to the Kings for a 2025 second-round choose and a 2024 fourth-round choose. Jeannot didn’t work out because the Lightning had needed, because the commerce to get him from the Nashville Predators again in 2023 went down as some of the controversial of all time. Sadly, he battled by means of accidents final season, and was hardly greater than a fourth or third-line winger for the Lightning.
Final season, Jeannot solely performed 55 video games and scored seven targets with seven assists. Evaluate that to the 2021-22 season with the Predators when he tallied up 24 targets and 17 assists. He merely didn’t match into the Lightning’s difficult system, and his hefty contract of over $2.6 million weighed down the group’s already drained cap area. The 27-year-old winger has a spot with the Kings: He’s a big-body participant who performs very bodily, who isn’t afraid to drop the mitts when the group must ship a message to its opponents, and has a strong shot launch.
Extension of Akil Thomas
Akil Thomas shortly grew to become a extremely regarded prospect for the Kings, because the 24-year-old scored profession highs within the AHL with 46 factors (22 targets, 24 assists) in 64 video games. He obtained his first NHL call-up on April 1, 2024, when he performed towards the Jets in Winnipeg. The speedy ahead ended up taking part in seven video games, incomes three targets and one help. He was a second-round choose throughout the 2018 NHL Draft and has performed the final 4 seasons with the Reign, taking part in a complete of 157 video games and notching 93 factors (46 targets, 47 assists).
Throughout the 2023-24 season, Thomas served as an alternate captain, and for the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs, he performed eight video games (two targets, three assists) towards three completely different groups — first spherical: Bakersfield; second spherical: Abbotsford; third spherical: Coachella Valley. In whole, he’s scored seven targets and three assists in 13 video games. On June 6, 2024, the Kings introduced that they prolonged Thomas for 2 years with an AAV of $775,000.
Extension of Trevor Lewis
On July 1, following the extension of Copley, the Kings additionally added veteran ahead Trevor Lewis on a one-year contract value $800,000. Lewis, 37, 6 ft, and 203 kilos, is coming off his thirteenth season with the Kings. First taking part in throughout the 2008-09 season, he performed solely six video games for the group, getting a style of NHL hockey with a purpose and two assists, earlier than ending up 75 video games with the AHL Manchester Monarchs. He performed three seasons with two completely different Canadian groups between 2020–23, first with the Jets and the final two with the Calgary Flames, earlier than going again to the Kings.
Final season, Lewis was a heavy PK contributor for the Kings, as he performed a full season with eight targets and eight assists notched up. He additionally performed all 5 video games within the playoffs towards the Oilers, incomes no factors and had solely 10:36 of ice time per sport. Though Lewis is an older participant within the league, his expertise in not simply the NHL but in addition with the Kings will assist his group this season, and he’ll seemingly nonetheless be a serious PK contributor.
Addition of Warren Foegele
For one more July 1 announcement, the Kings introduced an enormous participant signing of Warren Foegele. Foegele, a former rival participant with the Oilers, earned a career-high in factors (41) from 20 targets and 21 assists final season. The 28-year-old performed three seasons for the Oilers, accumulating 95 factors (45 targets, 50 assists) from 2021-24. He’s been across the NHL for a very long time, as he’s performed seven seasons for 2 completely different groups (4 seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes from 2017-21). For his profession, he’s performed a complete of 431 video games and has recorded 163 factors (80 targets, 83 assists). Throughout the Oilers 2024 playoff run, he performed 22 video games and scored three targets and 5 assists for eight factors.
Addition of Jeff Malott
In one other free agent signing, the Kings signed 28-year-old Burlington, Ontario native Jeff Malott to a two-year contract value an AAV of $775,000. He has performed the final three seasons within the AHL for the Manitoba Moose. Final season he performed in 70 video games, recording 22 targets and 30 assists. Throughout the 2021-22 season, he performed in a single sport for the Jets, recording no factors. He’s listed as a Reign participant, however upon coaching camp being accomplished, that might change.
Subtracted Gamers
The Kings’ subtracted gamers from the 2023-24 season embrace Cam Talbot (Detroit Pink Wings), Pierre-Luc Dubois (Capitals), Carl Grundstrom (San Jose Sharks), Viktor Arvidson (Oilers), Matt Roy (Capitals), Tobias Björnfot (Florida Panthers), Jaret Anderson-Dolat (Jets), and Blake Lizotte (Pittsburgh Penguins).
Up to now, the Kings have made important roster strikes from goalies, defensemen, forwards, and trades. However there’s nonetheless time left till coaching camp and the common season begins the place basic supervisor Rob Blake could make much more adjustments to his ultimate 2024-25 season roster.
