The Los Angeles Kings: Hockey's New "It" Team?

In a town that features Hollywood, the Lakers and the Dodgers, the last word you'd use to describe Los Angeles' hockey team is "king." Ironic, isn't it?

There's no doubting the NHL has taken a backseat to basketball, baseball, the dream of football, darts, MMA and sportfishing over the last decade. Heck -- maybe since the years of Wayne Gretzky.

But something may be changing in La-La Land as we speak. Something that will bring people to Staple Center for hockey games who aren't named Kiefer Sutherland (he's a Canadian - that's cheating anyway) or Cuba Gooding Jr. (Believe it -- he's apparently a huge fan. Can he afford tickets?).

The Los Angeles Kings are actually good.

I'm not talking good in a flash-in-the-pan, glimmer-of-hope-before-letdown way. That's the Colorado Avalanche's situation.

This Los Angeles Kings team is legitimately good. Better yet, it has the blueprint to keep getting better the same way Pittsburgh and Chicago did over the last few seasons.

The Kings have stockpiled draft pick after draft pick, traded to get younger and cobbled together a roster of exciting young players. Ever heard of Anze Kopitar? He's Slovenia's only NHLer and just happens to be the NHL's leading scorer in 2009-10. Anyone predict that at their sportsbook this summer? He's joined by tough goal scorer Dustin Brown, underrated power forward Justin Williams, power-play specialist Jarret Stoll and Russian sniper Alexander Frolov. Then you have Drew Doughty, the league's next superstar defenseman, who looks like an All-Star in his second season, plus brash youngster Jack Johnson.

The Kings have more help waiting in the wings from blue-chip prospects Brayden Schenn (center), Thomas Hickey (defense) and Jonathan Bernier (goalie). Then they toss in a nice veteran acquisition and leader in Ryan Smyth. Not too shabby.

This is a young, fast, physical team that likes to play in big games. These guys have already beaten Pittsburgh and San Jose this season.

So are fans flocking back to Los Angeles? I dug up the Kings' attendance numbers expecting to see a trend upward and found this:

2005-06: 17,839

2006-07: 16, 859

2007-08: 16,606

2008-09: 16,488

2009-10: 16,148

WHOA. There's egg on my face. The Kings' attendance has declined for five straight seasons, including this season.

Don't panic. Those numbers reflect years of losing and a quick start this season can't reverse the attendance trend overnight. If -- when?! -- the Kings return to the playoffs, which could very well happen this season, sports betting experts should wager on L.A.'s attendance number returning to its 1990s heyday.