LA Kings Looking To Get Things In Order

If you’re reading this you might think I’m crazy for saying the Kings are playing for a Cup. If you’re a hockey fan you may be reading my statement as true but as a matter of semantics still false.

Yes I know the LA Kings did not make the NHL playoffs, but the labor of the front office to consistently contend for more than one season is bearing fruit at the minor-league level.

This year for the first time in their fourteen year history the Kings American Hockey League(AHL) affiliate the Manchester Monarchs are playing in the Calder Cup Finals.  The Monarchs are taking on the Utica Comets the Vancouver Canucks AHL affiliate and lead the series 2-0.

Los Angeles Kings

The Monarchs have started off their series much like their parent club did in last year’s Stanley Cup Final, by winning the first two games at home in OT, watching both games you got a sense of what has become the “Kings Way” to play hockey.

The Monarchs won by dominating puck possession leading the Monarchs outshooting the Comets 37-17 in Game 1 and 39-25 in Game 2.

Just how dominant have the Monarchs been?

In the two OT periods the Monarchs out-shot the Comets 11-1.

The Monarchs success can  be attributed to the Kings front office use of the NHL draft to build the organization from within.  This system has lead to a Golden Age of sorts for the Kings organization.

Before this year the Kings went to five straight playoffs after missing it 8 years straight prior to that, most recently the Kings made three  straight Conference Finals appearances and won two Stanley Cups in three years.

The backbone of the Kings recent success is the player development system that brings players up from the AHL.  19 players on the Kings 2014 Stanley Cup winning team played in the AHL including 2012 draft pick Tanner Pearson who started last season with the Monarchs and ended up hoisting the Stanley Cup.

More from LA Sports Hub

• Lakers: 5 Players to Target Through Trades to make another championship run
• LA Chargers: Week 8 against Denver Broncos is a must-win
• LA Rams: Jared Goff wants to keep the Los Angeles title streak going
• Lakers Rumors: Los Angeles Clippers interested in Rajon Rondo
• LA Chargers: Justin Herbert wins AFC Rookie of the Month

The Monarchs success this season can continue this trend.  The Monarchs had the best record in the league, Kings Prospect Brian O’Neill lead the league in scoring and was named it’s Most Valuable Player.

Defensive Prospect Colin Miller was second in points for defenseman, Jordan Weal a 2010 draft pick has come on strong in the playoffs going into the Final he led the league in points and had an assist on the game winning goal in the Monarchs Game 1 overtime win against the Comets.

Bottom Line: You’ve been warned — the Kings are coming

If the Monarchs win two more games then they will be able raise  the Calder Cup, despite not making the NHL playoffs a win at the minor league level is a win for the system that the front office has put into place.  The players who have pushed the Monarchs this historic season may be in the Kings training camp in the fall, come June they may be raising the Stanley Cup.