Top 5 Storylines Emerging During the Los Angeles Kings 2014-15 Preseason

The Los Angeles Kings have had a solid preseason. Although that means very little in the big picture as they try to defend the Stanley Cup, there are a number of takeaways from training camp and the preseason.

The Kings lost their first preseason game 5-4 in a shootout but proceeded to win their next two contests 4-3 in shootouts. They have continued to roll in their past two games, winning by a combined score of 8-3. L.A. has used a number of different goaltenders, with Jonathan Quick making just one appearance.

Quick's health may still be a concern, but aside from that issue it's mostly positive news emerging from the Kings' preseason. 

Here's a closer look at the top five storylines. 

5. Easy Offense

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The Kings have had no problem finding the back of the net in the preseason. Through five games, the Kings have scored four goals three times and three goals twice, for a total of 18 goals. 

Tyler Toffoli and Tanner Pearson have picked up where they left off in the postseason.

Toffoli has racked up one goal and five assists for six points, and Pearson has one goal and four assists for five points. It's a good sign for these two players in particular, as they are still very young. There will be questions about whether they can produce consistently over the course of an 82-game season. 

That said, it's still the preseason and no one should be surprised if the team is in the middle of the pack in goals come November. 

4. Healthy Team, Similar Lines

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The Kings were a relatively healthy team last season, with 13 players appearing in at least 72 games. 

With Dustin Brown and Marian Gaborik locked in and healthy to start this season, it's possible the Kings could stick with a consistent set of lines more than they have in recent years. 

The top unit of Gaborik, Anze Kopitar and Brown is a well-rounded line with great chemistry. "That 70s line" has had a short but extremely successful run.

The third line, featuring Dwight King, Jarret Stoll and Justin Williams, is built to frustrate and shut down the opposing team's top players. That leaves a number of fourth-line players and Mike Richards.

Richards is the one player who could cause the deck to be shuffled. Depending on his play early on, he could slot in on the second, third or fourth line. Keep an eye on the veteran leader and how he's used on special teams as well. 

3. Team as Deep as Ever

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The Los Angeles Kings have tremendous depth; that's obvious. Many would point to the Jeff Carter trade as one of the most significant moments in recent Kings history, and given their current situation at center, that's probably accurate. 

Regardless of how Mike Richards performs or if one of their centers is hurt, the Kings remain one of the strongest teams up the middle in the NHL. Kopitar, Carter, Stoll, Richards and Trevor Lewis all look to be capable of outdueling just about any opposing center on a similar line on any team in the NHL. 

While this isn't anything new, it is a crucial part of the team's success. The other storyline that's emerging from the preseason is the number of prospects pushing to make the NHL. Derek Forbort, Valentin Zykov, Andy Andreoff and Jordan Weal have all made big improvements and appear close to making an appearance in the NHL. 

The team is deep right down to the prospect pool. 

2. Jonathan Quick's Health

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Jonathan Quick had wrist surgery following the Los Angeles Kings' Stanley Cup win in June. 

The 28-year-old American netminder made his preseason debut Tuesday against the San Jose Sharks, allowing one goal on 17 shots in two periods of action. Martin Jones came in to play the third frame. 

If he's not 100 percent, he must be darn close. In speaking with LAKingsInsider.com after the game, Quick said this regarding whether his expectations were met in his 40-minute appearance.  

"

Yeah, it was good. You saw a few different situations. A couple penalty kills, five-on-five, making your reads. I thought that was the biggest thing, is I’ve been seeing tons of shots in camp, so that wasn’t a big concern. The biggest concern was just being able to make the reads in a game situation.

"

Now the question remains: Can Quick stay healthy throughout the season? And if he does, will he offer consistent, MVP-caliber performances? 

1. Jordan Weal Making a Strong Impression

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Jordan Weal was selected in the third round, 70th overall by the Kings in the 2010 NHL entry draft. 

A small, speedy center, Weal stands just 5'10" and weighs 179 pounds. He took a big step forward in his development last year, leading the Manchester Monarchs with 23 goals and 47 assists for 70 points. However, even with that strong play, few expected him to make it this far in camp. 

Darryl Sutter explained in speaking with LAKingsInsider.com why Weal is sticking around.

"

He’s ahead of the two boys we sent down, just on experience, so that’s the difference, clearly. Dowd, Shore, the three centermen. So you’re not going to take three with you. Because of experience, he was a little bit ahead of them.

"

There is no questioning his skill. Weal has great hands, he sees the ice well and has proven he can create offense at lower levels. To bring it all together in the NHL remains a tough task. It seems unlikely he will play more than a handful of games this season unless the Kings suffer a number of injuries. 

Stats courtesy of NHL.com.