This article is part of our Team Previews series.
In claiming the franchise's second Stanley Cup in 2013-14, the Kings certainly took a different path than they had two seasons earlier. After finding themselves in a 3-0 series deficit in the first round of the playoffs against San Jose, the Kings roared back to win four straight games to take the series. The never-say-die squad would then emerge victorious in Game 7s on the road during the next two rounds, before overwhelming the Rangers in the Finals. Improbably, the Kings' offense, which ranked 26th in the league during the regular season, finally came together at the right time, carrying the team to victory when it mattered most.
After taking some time to celebrate their title, the Kings had a fairly quiet offseason aside from one major move: re-signing Marian Gaborik to a seven-year, $34.125 million contract. Gaborik, who was acquired in March at the trade deadline, was a key figure in igniting the Kings' dormant offense, scoring 14 goals in the playoffs and displaying excellent chemistry with star pivot Anze Kopitar. General Manager Dean Lombardi's primary task was simply to keep the band together after re-signing Gaborik, as the Kings will return a near-identical lineup to what was on the ice when they skated to the Cup. A couple of youngsters, namely Tyler Toffoli and Tanner Pearson, will only serve to make the Kings better, deeper, faster -- attributes that should only further aid a squad that already ranks among the best puck-possession teams in the league.
In claiming the franchise's second Stanley Cup in 2013-14, the Kings certainly took a different path than they had two seasons earlier. After finding themselves in a 3-0 series deficit in the first round of the playoffs against San Jose, the Kings roared back to win four straight games to take the series. The never-say-die squad would then emerge victorious in Game 7s on the road during the next two rounds, before overwhelming the Rangers in the Finals. Improbably, the Kings' offense, which ranked 26th in the league during the regular season, finally came together at the right time, carrying the team to victory when it mattered most.
After taking some time to celebrate their title, the Kings had a fairly quiet offseason aside from one major move: re-signing Marian Gaborik to a seven-year, $34.125 million contract. Gaborik, who was acquired in March at the trade deadline, was a key figure in igniting the Kings' dormant offense, scoring 14 goals in the playoffs and displaying excellent chemistry with star pivot Anze Kopitar. General Manager Dean Lombardi's primary task was simply to keep the band together after re-signing Gaborik, as the Kings will return a near-identical lineup to what was on the ice when they skated to the Cup. A couple of youngsters, namely Tyler Toffoli and Tanner Pearson, will only serve to make the Kings better, deeper, faster -- attributes that should only further aid a squad that already ranks among the best puck-possession teams in the league. The Kings also feature one of the deepest sets of blueliners in the NHL, positioning the team well for another deep playoff run.
The Big Guns
Anze Kopitar, C (RotoWire Position Rank*: #8): Kopitar is never going to win a scoring title -- LA's system won't provide that kind of opportunity. But he means as much to his team as any other player in the league. He's as durable as they come and is a lock for 70 to 80 points and elite-level defense each season. Whether or not the 26-year-old can take another step forward with the highly-skilled Marion Gaborik at his side remains to be seen, but since he's entering the prime of his career, the potential is certainly there. Don't bet against an uptick in production. We're not.
*RotoWire Position Ranks reflected for points-based leagues*
Jeff Carter, C (RotoWire Position Rank: #32): Carter was second on the Kings in points (50), goals (27) and power-play goals (8) last season, trailing only Anze Kopitar in all three categories. His strong play continued in the playoffs, and he's settled in nicely as the Kings' No. 2 center. He figures to spend most of his time skating alongside a pair of talented playmakers in Tanner Pearson and Tyler Toffoli on "That 70s Line," while also seeing plenty of power-play action. A repeat performance of 2013-14 is certainly in the cards.
Marian Gaborik, RW (RotoWire Position Rank: #48): Gaborik joined the Kings in a deadline deal and immediately clicked with Anze Kopitar, recording 16 points in 19 games for the Kings. He did miss a chunk of time last season due to a knee injury and a broken collarbone, but he's still been much healthier recently than he was earlier in his career. Gaborik is still a highly-skilled player when able to suit up, and evidently knows a good fit when he sees it. The 32-year-old settled on a below-market-value seven-year, $34.125 million contract in the offseason to remain in Los Angeles, where he again figures to reunite with Kopitar on the top line and provide the Kings with a truly dynamic scoring duo. Welcome back to serious fantasy relevance, Mr. Gaborik.
Jonathan Quick, G (RotoWire Position Rank: #4): Quick was limited to just 49 games last season thanks to a groin injury and some uneven play at times, but he got his name on the Stanley Cup for the second time in three seasons. He wasn't nearly as good in the playoffs as he was in the team's previous Cup run, but that hardly matters to Kings fans. His game has slipped some in recent years and a heavy workload may be beginning to show its effects. But he's still the No. 1 goalie on what figures to be an elite team, and he'll play a ton when healthy. It's worth noting that he underwent offseason wrist surgery, but he's expected to be back at full strength by the middle of September.
On the Rise
Tyler Toffoli, RW (RotoWire Position Rank: #35): Toffoli's first extended look with the Kings resulted in 29 points in 62 games, with the youngster playing his way into a top-six role by the time the season ended. He clicked with Tanner Pearson and Jeff Carter on the team's second line -- hereafter known as That 70s Line -- and really excelled in the playoffs with 14 points in 26 games. He's had a nose for the net while coming up in the minors and has the look of a legitimate sniper at the NHL level. This could be the first of many times he flirts with 50 points in The Show.
Tanner Pearson, LW (RotoWire Position Rank: NR): Pearson opened eyes at AHL Manchester (17 goals and 32 points in 41 games) to earn a call-up with the Kings. He wasn't a huge factor in the regular season with just seven points in 25 games, but took his game up a notch in the playoffs to deliver 12 points in 24 games. He really seemed to click with linemates Tyler Toffoli and Jeff Carter during the postseason, so expect them to skate together again. Such an arrangement could boost the numbers for all three players.
Two to Watch
Justin Williams, RW (RotoWire Position Rank: #34): Williams' 43 points (19 goals and 24 assists) in the regular season largely qualified as a disappointment, despite that effort being good enough for third on the team in points. However, his massive playoff performance erased whatever ill feelings may have lingered. He was one of the focal points in a revitalized Kings offense that took home the Stanley Cup, earning the Conn Smythe Trophy as the postseason MVP in the process. Williams spent most of his time alongside Anze Kopitar in the regular season, but bounced around other lines in the playoffs to great success. Heading into camp, it's unclear if Williams will skate on the team's top line or elsewhere, and a bounce-back season figures to hinge on his eventual linemates.
Alec Martinez, D (RotoWire Position Rank: #58): Martinez really picked up his game as last season wore on, picking up points in 14 of his last 17 games after recording just a lone assist in his first 29 games. He carried that production into the postseason, where he netted the series winners in both the Western Conference and Stanley Cup Finals. He's going to need to shoot more if he wants to crack double-digit goals again, as his 13.9 percent shooting percentage looks awfully unsustainable for a blueliner. He should top his point total from last season if he can smooth out the dips, but look for his goal production to gravitate back to the norm along with his shooting percentage.
Don't Overrate
Dustin Brown, RW (RotoWire Position Rank: #29): Brown had a huge letdown of a regular season (15 goals and 12 assists in 79 games), but like so many of his Kings mates, his play in the playoffs helped erase some of the bad memories. He's very good at drawing penalties, but didn't do much damage with the power-play time he earned for the Kings; in fact, there was a four-month stretch starting in November where he didn't generate a single point on the power play thanks to a dismal 3.7 percent shooting percentage. Brown's eight-year, $47 million contract extension kicks in this season, so the Kings need him to reverse course on what might have been the start of a decline for the 30-year-old power forward.
Mike Richards, C (RotoWire Position Rank: #66): Richards salvaged a mediocre regular season (11 goals and 30 assists in 82 games) by doing just enough damage on the power play (four goals and eight assists) to keep his contributions respectable. Still, it was a step back for the former 30-goal scorer. He was shuffled down to the team's fourth line as the season wore on, creating speculation he would be bought out by the Kings in the offseason. The Kings didn't do that, but Richards clearly needs to prove his worth. And that may prove difficult with Marion Gaborik and youngsters Tanner Pearson and Tyler Toffolli potentially grabbing top-six minutes.
Drew Doughty, D (RotoWire Position Rank: #12): Doughty led the Los Angeles blue line with 10 goals and 27 assists, but it still left a bunch of his fantasy owners screaming for more. After all, that was just good enough for a tie for 29th in points among fellow rearguards. It's pretty clear that his 59-point effort (thanks to 31 points on the power play) back in 2009-10 was his high-water mark offensively, as he's failed to top 40 points in each season since then. He's still the Kings' No. 1 defenseman, but at this point his reputation likely exceeds his fantasy production.
Top Prospects
Adrian Kempe, C (RotoWire Prospects Rank: NR): Kempe is a baby -- he was just two days away from being eligible for next year's draft before declaring this past June. Yet he has not only held his own, but succeeded against grown men while playing under the great Peter Forsberg for Modo in Sweden. His all-round package is sweet -- he has well above average skills in just every category, and those skills project well to the NHL level. He's strong on the puck, plays a physical game and back-checks like a demon. And his shot is hard, hot and heavy -- it'll rattle a few teeth if goalies can block it. His ceiling isn't huge, but he does have a little Gabriel Landeskog in him. He could be a 55- or 60-point, second-line guy in the NHL.
Valentin Zykov, RW (RotoWire Prospects Rank: NR): Zykov's a strong, puck-possession forward who isn't afraid to go to the net. His second year in the QMJHL might not have gone as well as some were hoping, but he still put up 63 points in 53 games and then added 22 points in 22 playoff games for good measure. He's certainly worth keeping an eye on in dynasty formats, but won't impact the Kings for a few more years.
Roland McKeown, D (RotoWire Prospects Rank: NR): Once thought of as a mid-to-late first round pick, McKeown fell to the Kings at No. 50 overall in June's NHL Entry Draft. The 18-year-old's biggest problem is that he tries to do too much when he's on the ice. He's not a pure shutdown guy and he's not a pure offensive defenseman. He's more of a second-pairing defender if he plays to his strengths. The Kings might have gotten a really nice player here, but probably not a stalwart.
Jordan Weal, C (RotoWire Prospects Rank: NR): Weal's second season in the AHL was a nice step up from his previous effort, as he scored 23 goals and added 47 assists in 76 games for Manchester. He'll look to continue his development in the AHL again this season, and a strong start could land him in L.A. if injuries open up a spot.
Alex Lintuniemi, D (RotoWire Prospects Rank: NR): Lintuniemi looked like one of the bigger reaches of the first two rounds of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. He finished the season as North America's 187th-ranked skater, according to Central Scouting. He plays for Ottawa in the OHL, so the Kings certainly got a good look at him. When you win two Stanley Cups in three years, you can afford to take risks like this.
