In 2014, the Los Angeles Kings were on the way to becoming the most dominant team in the National Hockey League. They had won two Stanley Cups in three years and were known for their “That 70s Line” starring left wing Tanner Pearson, center Jeff Carter and right wing Tyler Toffoli, wearing numbers 70, 77 and 73, respectively.
While the 2013-14 team is still very much in tact with Dustin Brown, goalie Jonathan Quick, captain and center Anže Kopitar and defenseman Drew Doughty. But the Kings have failed to make it to the second round of the playoffs in the last three seasons. In fact, they didn’t even make the playoffs in 2015 and 2017.
It’s been odd to watch this team somewhat disintegrate over the years with a group of star players.
One huge change is their coach. Former coach of the Chicago Blackhawks, Calgary Flames, and California rival San Jose Sharks Darryl Sutter started coaching Los Angeles in the middle of the 2011-12 season. He led the Kings to Stanley Cup victory that season, but was fired earlier this year after missing playoffs for the second time in three seasons.
After the 2014 playoffs ended, goalie Quick began slowing down. At the beginning of last season, he sustained a groin injury, which kept him out for four and a half months of the season. It was his second groin injury of his career.
Quick only played 17 total games last season, so it’s unclear whether or not he will be able to get back to the Conn Smythe level he was once at.
Another missing piece to the team isn’t physically missing, but his decline has certainly affected the team. Goalie Quick was unstoppable. He won the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2012, awarded to the Most Valuable Player in the Playoffs.
By no means is this an argument that Quick’s career is over. He is still a top ten goalie in the league and is definitely the right man for the job in Los Angeles. That being said, the team needs to fill in their gaps in other areas.
John Stevens was brought on as the Kings coach after Sutter was relieved of his duties. While Sutter has won the most games as coach in the team’s history, it was time to switch up the leadership.
The Kings should mirror that change on the ice. They need to begin the rebuild stage of their team. While Carter, Brown, Kopitar and Doughty are all great players, something isn’t right with this team at the moment. They need to make some trades and get some new blood running through their veins.
Los Angeles needs a stronger set of defensemen to relieve Drew Doughty of doing all the work. Doughty is a fierce competitor and fans of other teams hate him for a reason, he’s really good.
In order to be a defensive threat, though, the Kings need more than just Drew Doughty. Alec Martinez is potentially the closest thing the team has to a second-in-command defenseman, but it’s not enough.
Someone like Kris Letang or Dustin Byfuglien would pair perfectly with the Kings. Each has a strong presence on the ice, and they’re known for their grit. The city of Los Angeles is known for its glamour, and the Kings benefit from showmen.
Once the Kings clean up their team, they’re sure to win another Stanley Cup, or at least make it to the second round of the playoffs. If they don’t discard of some players and bring in new guys, the team will suffer and the rebuild will end up taking more effort and time.
