The Los Angeles Kings have lost to the Edmonton Oilers in the first round of the playoffs in three consecutive seasons. Their 2024 exit was marred by the downfall of big-name acquisition Pierre-Luc Dubois. Now that Dubois has been traded and Darcy Kuemper has arrived, their roster is set for the 2024-25 season. With the forward unit led by Anze Kopitar and the defense led by Drew Doughty, they still have big names. Questions below them and at goaltender bring up the possibility of missing the playoffs or losing early once again.
Kings need career years from forwards
Anze Kopitar will finish his career as one of the greatest Los Angeles Kings players of all time. He scored 25 goals for the tenth time in his career last season at 36 years old and continues to be one of the best defensive forwards in the league. General manager Rob Blake brought Dubois in to be the heir apparent to the top-line center position. Now, they hope Quinton Byfield can be that player.
The Kings have some promising young prospects in Byfield, Arthur Kayliev, and Alex Turcotte who need to take a step up this season. The offense cannot be entirely reliant on the 37-year-old Kopitar and Adrian Kempe to be successful. These young players having career years will not only ensure they make the playoffs but help them avoid the first-round matchup with the Oilers.
The depth is helped by a player they poached from those Oilers, Warren Foegele. He had his first 20-goal season last year and added eight more points in the playoffs. He earned a multi-year deal in Los Angeles. The Kings will rely on him to bring that production to their bottom six and help those young players along.
Defensive core must step up
The Kings have not won a playoff series since their victory over the New York Rangers in the 2014 Stanley Cup Final. A large part of their playoff shortcomings are because of their defense. Behind future Hall of Famer Drew Doughty, the defensive core is not up to the level of their fellow Western Conference contenders
When you're lined up against Connor McDavid for 18 consecutive playoff games, the numbers will take a dip. The Kings have allowed 74 goals in those 18 games and have shut the Oilers out just once. This offseason, the Kings added only Joel Edmundson to their defensive unit.
Another young prospect Brandt Clarke is the key to improving this core. He is considered the top prospect in the Kings' system and got his first extended run in the NHL last season. He will be 21 at the beginning of the season and has a chance to be a massive part of the Kings moving forward. They need him to start that ascension on day one this season.
Darcy Kuemper must turn back the clock
The Pierre-Luc Dubois trade made massive headlines because of Dubois' massive contract. What went under the radar was the return. The Kings got goalie Darcy Kuemper from the Washington Capitals, who will likely be their starting goaltender.
Kuemper lost his starting job to Charlie Lindgren during the regular season. He did not play in the Capitals' first-round loss to the Rangers. He was the starting goalie for the 2022 Colorado Avalanche when they won the Stanley Cup and the Kings need that Kuemper to return.
Kuemper posted a .921 save percentage in 2022 compared to a .890 last season. Kuemper spent the first half of the 2017-18 season with the Kings before being traded to the Arizona Coyotes. He was excellent in a backup role that season, posting a .932 save percentage in 19 games.
In the 2024 playoffs, Cam Talbot and Dave Rittich combined for a .864 save percentage and 4.23 goals-against average. If Kuemper can get back to his pre-Washington levels, the Kings will be set up to advance in the playoffs.
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