Top 5 Takeaways from the First Week of Play for the Los Angeles Kings

The Los Angeles Kings got off to a rocky start but have since defeated two Western Conference teams soundly. 

That said, these weren't exactly two juggernauts or even playoff contenders. The Kings took care of business, beating the Winnipeg Jets 4-1 and the Edmonton Oilers 6-1. They now stand at 2-1-1 on the season with some tougher tests coming up against the St. Louis Blues and Minnesota Wild. 

It's early, but there are a few interesting points to make note of. These are the five takeaways from the Kings' first few games. 

Slow Start for the Power Play

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The Kings are tied for 23rd in the NHL with a power play operating at 7.1 percent. The teams that rank below them have yet to score on the man advantage.

The Kings power play has registered just a single goal. That came courtesy of Tanner Pearson in the Kings 6-1 beat down of the Oilers. So, it wasn't exactly a crucial goal. 

The Kings do a decent job of getting pucks to the net, with 17 shots on their 14 chances. The key is to generate higher quality chances, an issue they've dealt with in the past. Whether that's defensemen finding open lanes or forwards like Anze Kopitar and Mike Richards making better one-time passes to Jeff Carter and Marian Gaborik, it's got to improve. 

Once Gaborik is back and healthy and he and Kopitar find their chemistry, look for the power play to improve dramatically. 

Rewards for Winning

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Marian Gaborik got his extension in the offseason after helping the Kings win the Stanley Cup; now it's Jake Muzzin who is being rewarded for his efforts. 

Muzzin signed a five-year, $20 million contract extension with the Kings, according to CBC.ca. Even with the Kings up against the cap, general manager Dean Lombardi has shown he's willing to commit good money long term to players who've proved themselves, especially in the playoffs. 

Head coach Darryl Sutter had this to say about the signing, per CBC.ca.

"

Good for Jake, good for us. It just shows the progress that the organization and he have made in terms of developing and getting better, and finding your spot and knowing you're in a good place.

"

The 25-year-old racked up 26 points in 76 games last season and led all defensemen with six goals in the playoffs, along with six assists for 12 points. 

Weak Penalty Kill

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The power-play struggles are something fans are accustomed to, and the Kings have proved they can win with an average performance on the man advantage. 

The penalty kill must be better to give the Kings a chance to win every night. They are tied for 22nd, having successfully killed off 76.9 percent of their penalties. On the road that drops to 50 percent. It's early, but that stat needs to start trending up. 

The defense needs to get in the shooting lanes and block shots, while the forwards must be more effective in putting pressure on the points. 

On the positive side, the Kings do have a short-handed marker from Tyler Toffoli. 

Drew Doughty Is in Midseason Form

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It's four games into the season, and Drew Doughty appears as though he's ready for the playoffs to begin. 

The 24-year-old is in excellent shape, playing nearly 26 minutes per game. That includes an average of 2:30 in short-handed time and over 3:30 on the power play. 

With Jake Muzzin injured, Darryl Sutter is relying on Doughty heavily, and Doughty is adjusting well to playing with whomever he's paired with. Whether it's his first shift or his last, Doughty is in position defensively, prepared to make a long stretch pass or carry the puck up ice himself and create offensive chances from the point. 

He has two assists, four hits and seven blocked shots. Once Muzzin returns Doughty should start racking up more points. 

That 70s Line Is the Real Deal

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It's hard to expect anything more from the Los Angeles Kings' second line. 

That 70s Line is made up of center Jeff Carter and young wingers Tyler Toffoli and Tanner Pearson. While they aren't drawing comparisons to the greatest line in Kings history just yet, their incredible run in the postseason has continued into the 2014-15 season. 

The trio sits atop the Kings' scoring list with a combined 16 points through the first four games. 

• Pearson: four goals and two assists for six points and plus-six rating
• Carter: three goals and two assists for five points and plus-eight rating
• Toffoli: two goals and three assists for five points and plus-eight rating 

This line is using great speed and quick passing in the offensive zone to create chances in close. It doesn't hurt that all three players have great releases.

What can slow them down? Physical play down low? Clogging the blue line? We may find out against the Blues and Wild.  

Stats courtesy of NHL.com.