Pacific Division 2014-15 Preview: Los Angeles Kings

Author:
Gabriel Baumgaertner
Publish date:
Oct 1, 2014

COACH:

2013-14 RECORD: 46-28-8, 100 points (third in Pacific, won Stanley Cup)

VITAL SIGNS: 2.41 goals-for per game (26th); 2.05 goals-against per game (1st); 15.1 power play pct. (27th); 83.1 penalty kill pct. (11th); shootout record: 8-6 (9th)

NOTABLE ARRIVALS: None

NOTABLE DEPARTURES: D Willie Mitchell

PROJECTED DEPTH CHART

Forwards
Marian Gaborik — Anze Kopitar — Justin Williams
Dwight King — Jeff Carter — Dustin Brown
Tanner Pearson — Mike Richards — Tyler Toffoli
Kyle Clifford — Jarret Stoll — Trevor Lewis

Defensemen
Drew Doughty — Slava Voynov
Jake Muzzin — Robyn Regehr
Alec Martinez — Matt Greene

Goalies
Jonathan Quick
Martin Jones

• Kopitar on the cover of SI

Best case scenarios for Western Conference teams

thirsty for another drink of championship bubbly), but even if worse comes to worst and they have to grab one of the last playoff spots, they remain one of hockey’s most feared teams when the games matter most.

• What's Drew Doughty been up to?

PLAYER TO WATCH: Tanner Pearson

Pearson should probably share this honor with Toffoli, as the two youngsters (both are 22) thrived after teaming up with Jeff Carter on “That 70s Line,” one of the Kings’ best units during the playoffs. Despite only 25 regular season games of experience, Pearson was active for 24 of the Kings’ 26 playoff games and logged four goals and three assists. He and Toffoli are similar wings, both stand at about 6-feet and are in the range of 200 pounds, who provide the third line with a dose of speed. Darryl Sutter, like virtually any coach, enjoys shuffling his lines. Whoever centers Toffoli and Pearson’s line will likely learn, as Carter did in the playoffs, that both can be exceptionally productive to work with.

PREDICTION: 104 points (second in Pacific)