Los Angeles Kings: Previewing the Upcoming NHL Season

The Los Angeles Kings took the next step in their rebuild with the offseason trade of Mike Richards. Throwing patience to the wind, GM Dean Lombardi traded away his best prospect, Brayden Schenn, and a young third liner, Wayne Simmonds, for immediate help.

Does this trade make them cup contenders? Let’s preview the 2011-2012 season for the Kings.

Forwards

With the addition of centre Mike Richards, the Kings now have a top six group of forwards to compete with the best of them.

As good as he is, Richards is arguably not the best centre on the team and will play second fiddle to Anze Kopitar for the foreseeable future. Kopitar is one of the top centres in the league; he has the combination of size and skill that most teams crave. He is a perennial 70-80 point threat.

Dustin Brown brings grit and a scoring touch to the table. Along with being one of the top hitters in the game, Brown should be good for 25-30 goals.

Dustin Penner was acquired at last year’s trade deadline but has been a disappointment in his short stint with the club. His conditioning and work ethic were not ideal, to say the least. He is in a contract year, however, so look for him to come to camp in better shape and have a better year overall.

A former teammate of Mike Richards, Simon Gagne was signed by the Kings to a two-year deal. He was once a 40-goal scorer but has been hampered by injuries. If he can stay healthy, he should contribute around 25 goals for the Kings.

Justin Williams is a reliable 50-60 point winger when healthy. Jarret Stoll is a good two-way player. He is an amazing player in shootouts, however, with nine goals on 10 attempts last year.

Ethan Moreau and Kyle Clifford are great depth players to have in the playoffs. Clifford was one of Los Angeles’ leading scorers in the playoffs last year.

The Kings are one of the deepest teams in the league at the forward position, especially at centre. The teams that make it deep into the playoffs are the ones that are deep at centre, and with Kopitar, Richards and Stoll taking the faceoffs, the Kings are looking more and more like one of those teams.

Defense

Drew Doughty leads a capable defense that includes Jack Johnson, Willie Mitchell and Rob Scuderi.

Drew Doughty will be a fixture on the Kings’ blue line for years to come. Doughty is effective in all three zones of the ice. He can score goals and is also a great passer. Expect him to have another stellar year and net around 50-60 points and maybe even earn himself a Norris Trophy nomination.

Johnson is also an offensive defenseman. He should earn 30-40 points next year. He is a physical player at times and also a very good skater.

Willie Mitchell and Rob Scuderi are both solid shutdown defensemen. Scuderi is an effective shot-blocker and penalty killer. Mitchell is a big body on the blue line and a great leader in the dressing room. He does have trouble staying healthy, though.

Matt Greene and Alec Martinez should round out the defense core.

The Kings’ defense has a good balance. They have the speed and offensive ability from Doughty and Johnson mixed in with the grit and size that Mitchell and Scuderi bring. They will make Jonathan Quick’s job a lot easier next season.

Goaltending

With Jonathan Quick and Jonathan Bernier, the Kings are set in goal. They essentially have two starting goalies, so don’t be surprised if Bernier is shipped off for a scoring winger.

In training camp last season, people questioned whether Quick could keep up his play and hold down a starting position in the NHL. Well, he answered those questions by going on to have a banner year. He finished the season with 35 wins and six shutouts.

He is now the undisputed starting goalie in L.A. and should win 35-40 games this season.

Jonathan Bernier has the potential to be a quality starting goalie in this league, so you have to wonder how long he’ll want to play second fiddle to Quick. As it stands, he is a reliable backup and should win his fair share of starts.

The future is now for the Los Angeles Kings. They are now contenders in the West. Vancouver, San Jose and possibly Detroit are the only teams in the West better than the Kings right now. Expect them to finish fourth or fifth in the West and still be playing well into May.