Offseason Outlook: Los Angeles Kings
2016-17 Grade: D
The plight of the Los Angeles Kings' 2016-17 season began on opening night, when workhorse netminder Jonathan Quick went down with a groin injury that kept him out four months.
Despite quality replacement goaltending from Peter Budaj for much of the season, a dreadful offense pushed Los Angeles outside the playoff cut line for the second time in three seasons, consequently leading to the firing of Dean Lombardi and Darryl Sutter as general manager and head coach.
The Kings' forwards underachieved greatly. They couldn't keep up with the upstart Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames in the Pacific Division, and failed to achieve the dominant team persona that yielded Stanley Cups in 2012 and 2014.
Free Agents
| Player (Position) | 2017-18 Status | Age | 2016-17 Cap Hit | 16-17 Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tyler Toffoli (F) | RFA | 25 | $3.25M | 34 |
| Jarome Iginla (F) | UFA | 39 | $2.66M* | 27 (9 with Kings) |
| Nick Shore (F) | RFA | 24 | $600K | 17 |
| Andy Andreoff (F) | RFA | 25 | $587.5K | 2 |
| Kevin Gravel (D) | RFA | 25 | $667.5K | 7 |
*Avalanche retained salary in trade
After locking down Tanner Pearson to a team-friendly deal, Tyler Toffoli becomes priority No. 1 for new GM Rob Blake.
2017 Draft Picks
| Round | Picks |
|---|---|
| 1 | 1 (11th overall) |
| 2 | 1 |
| 3 | 1 |
| 4 | 2 (Own + MTL) |
| 5 | 2 (Own + TB) |
| 6 | 1 |
| 7 | 0 |
Summer Priorities
1. Find scoring
Whether it requires resuscitating the stagnant offensive life in Anze Kopitar and Marian Gaborik, or bringing in a new talent, the Kings desperately need to improve their attack.
Possessing the puck isn't a problem - Los Angeles is quite good at that - but Jeff Carter and Tanner Pearson were the only players to crack the 20-goal plateau as the Kings ranked 25th in total tallies last season (199).
2. Shed contracts
Ideally, the Vegas Golden Knights take one of either Dustin Brown's or Gaborik's ugly long-term contracts off the Kings' books, but that doesn't seem likely.
Thus, Blake will have to orchestrate a deal or two to free up some room, especially considering Toffoli needs a new deal.
Trevor Lewis and Kyle Clifford, who make $2 million and $1.6 million, respectively, through 2020, could certainly be candidates.
3. Adapt to new regime
Out with the old, in with the new.
Stevens rode shotgun to Sutter on Los Angeles' bench, but he'll need to instill some speed and fire in a team that looked slow and out of place down the stretch.
Stuck between win-now mode and a rebuild, Stevens will have to work quick to incorporate a new system for the Kings, but as evidenced throughout the NHL this season, a new coach can do wonders for a struggling team. Perhaps it will be the same in Hollywood.
2017-18 Outlook
Kings brass likely expects a return to the postseason next season, and it's definitely possible.
No one predicted a 22-point drop-off for Kopitar, and a full season of Quick in goal would definitely make matters easier. Although their roster is aging, the Kings still have the talent to compete in the West, and rediscovering their mojo under new management may be enough to return them to relevance.
Offseason Outlook Series
COL | VAN | NJD | ARI | BUF
DET | DAL | FLA | LAK | CAR
WPG | PHI | TBL | NYI | WSH
TOR | CGY | BOS | SJS | STL
NYR | EDM | MTL | ANA | MIN
CBJ | CHI | OTT | PIT | NAS
LGK