Los Angeles Kings Dethroned in Elite Pacific Division

Is there any stopping the train wreck that is the Los Angeles Kings?

A year after neighboring Anaheim Ducks won the Stanley Cup, and cousins in San Jose continue to be one of the league's elite, the Kings are at a dismal 24-32-3.

So what’s the problem?  Is general manager Dean Lombardi on drugs and attempting his best Dr. Gonzo impersonation?  Is Marc Crawford as good a head coach as he is an analyst?

Maybe Bill Ranford should strap on the pads.  I mean, they already gave Dan Cloutier a shot at the number one job; Ranford couldn't do any worse.

Michal Handzus has been about as effective as Axl Rose sans Slash and the rest of Guns and Roses.

Rob Blake is like the Rolling Stones; he is getting up there and only rocks on some nights.

I mean let's get real, Anze Kopitar is the leading scorer of this team.  I'm not knockin' the kid, but he is a few years away from being a star.  Come to think of it, so is half this team: Mike Cammalleri, Alexander Frolov, Dustin Brown, Patrick O'Sullivan...the names go on and on.  It's like watching the little Rascals play hockey.

The fact is that this team needs some major fixing.  The pieces are not even close to being in place for this puzzle unsuitable for children under 21.

Crawford, for one, is not the man to coach a team that needs to be taught.  Maybe they should have taken a run at a Sutter brother for their head coaching position?

Lombardi I believe in, but he had better pick up a valid leader in the offseason.

No, check that, get two.  And maybe he should pick up some more North American talent while he's at it.  It seems all these Euros aren't going to get us the Cup.  Hey, why not ink a goalie, too.

The sad thing is that as the other California teams continue to succeed, the one that was there to start it all off is going to miss the playoffs yet again.

Maybe it's time for this team to move.  I hear Las Vegas is looking for a team...?

There is no light at the end of this tunnel.