Burning Questions Ahead of the 2014-15 Los Angeles Kings Season

Puck drop for the 2014-15 NHL season is just hours away. The Los Angeles Kings are healthy—for the most part—and expectations are the same as they've been the past three years. That is, anything other than a Stanley Cup will be a disappointment. 

General manager Dean Lombardi has managed to keep nearly the entire roster from the start of last season while adding Marian Gaborik to the mix.

After a disappointing Game 7 loss in the 2003-04 Stanley Cup Final, Darryl Sutter is suddenly in good position to join an exclusive group of coaches who have won three or more Stanley Cups. 

Even as one of the favorites to go all the way yet again, there are a few burning questions surrounding the Kings.

Will Jonathan Quick Dominate?

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Jonathan Quick is coming off wrist surgery in June and has seen limited action in the preseason. 

His health will be a concern going forward, but even if he'd never injured his wrist, there would still be some questions around Quick. 

He struggled early in the playoffs last season and finished with a .911 save percentage, 2.58 goals-against average and two shutouts. Most goaltenders strive to put up those numbers; for Quick, that's average at best.

He's set a high standard for himself with some dominant performances and prolonged stretches where he was nearly unbeatable—such as the 2011-12 playoffs. Fair or not, expectations will be off the charts for the American netminder for the foreseeable future.

If he's healthy and the team is playing the same style it has since Sutter arrived, this won't be an issue.

Will That 70s Line Stay Together?

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The numbers 70, 77 and 73 have special meaning for Los Angeles fans after the 2013-14 playoff run. 

That 70s Line—as it quickly became known—is made up of center Jeff Carter and youngsters Tanner Pearson and Tyler Toffoli on the wings. The line was an offensive juggernaut for most of the postseason. 

Carter finished second in the playoffs with 25 points, Toffoli racked up 14 points and Pearson 12. Can this success carry over and allow the line to remain together? 

The trio has established great chemistry, and Pearson and Toffoli now have significant experience playing in the most pressure-packed situations. Plus, with a top line featuring Marian Gaborik and Anze Kopitar, That 70s Line should benefit from matching up against easier defensive duos. 

That said, Toffoli and Pearson are still young and will no doubt have some cold streaks. How they deal with that adversity could have a huge impact on whether this line stays together over the course of the season.

What Role Will Mike Richards Play?

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Paying an average of $5.75 million per year for a fourth-line player is something that would be criticized heavily—if the Kings hadn't won the Stanley Cup. 

Still, there was talk of a possible buyout for former Philadelphia Flyers captain Mike Richards. In conversation with LAKingsInsider.com, Richards spoke candidly about whether he was concerned about being bought out. 

"

A little bit. I like it here, my family likes it here, my girlfriend likes it here, and I want to be here. Obviously, on the ice speaks for itself with the team that we have. You know, just everything about it, I wanted to be here. Whether I thought [a buyout] would happen or not, I don’t know if I ever did; but there’s always that possibility that makes you nervous.

"

Now the question becomes, did the offseason training pay off? Will Richards be more like the second-line player who plays a solid two-way game or the fourth-line player from the 2013-14 postseason?

Perhaps the answer is somewhere in between. With Tyler Toffoli and Tanner Pearson making an impact and Marian Gaborik on the top line, spots in the top six are at a premium. Perhaps a role similar to Jarret Stoll or Dwight King is where Richards will fit in. 

Will Drew Doughty Be the Best Defenseman in the NHL?

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He dominated at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games. He's won two Stanley Cups. He's consistently one of the top all-around blueliners in the game. 

At age 24, Doughty is set to enter his prime, and he's capable of winning at least one Norris Trophy in the coming years. Will this be the year he separates himself from the likes of Shea Weber, Zdeno Chara and Duncan Keith? 

Doughty is coming off an incredible postseason run where he notched five goals and 13 assists for 18 points in 26 games. Offense—perhaps surprisingly—is the one area where Doughty needs to step up a bit to get more recognition. His defensive game is consistent, he's physical, always in position and makes sacrifices to block shots and win battles in the corners. 

Doughty draws some of the toughest assignments in the league, having to shut down the likes of Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf, Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski. 

Ranking among the top five blueliners in scoring may be all he needs to earn a Norris nomination, as he did back in 2009-10. 

Stats courtesy of NHL.com and salary information courtesy of CapGeek.com.