LA Kings Find Themselves In The Eye Of The Storm Heading Into Next Year
By Keith Rivas
With Slava Voynov, Jarrett Stoll, and Justin Williams no longer at their disposal, the LA Kings are going to have a lot to prove next season — Stanley Cup or not.
Adding Milan Lucic will help the LA Kings defensively a little bit, but not entirely, so don’t get your hopes up just yet.
Knowing that they’ll have to contend in a Pacific Division with nearly all playoff-worthy teams, it’s no question that the Kings will have to give it all they’ve got and then some to get another shot at the Stanley Cup.
At least if they like the way their fairy tale start to the decade they’ve had so far.
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Voynov is facing jail time for domestic violence while Stoll got caught using cocaine.
Great combination? I think not.
While those two former Kings don’t really help the image of the LA shield, it becomes even more important for ex-teammates, LA coaches, and especially the die-hard fans that have waited a long time for a scenario like this to learn to move on.
Because honestly, it’s for the best.
But when we talk about the case of losing Justin Williams there is plenty of room to wish we could have him back but that’s only wishful thinking and won’t help us get anywhere either.
And then I’m reminded that the Kings are the Kings for a reason.
They don’t go down without a fight — ever.
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Not only is going out without trying every trick, comeback, or late game rush in the book part of who they are as a team — it’s become the only thing that we can come to accept when watching them play hockey.
Talk about some of the best in the business.
Williams is taking his talents to the Washington Capitals who, for lack of a more sincere term of endearment, really need someone like him.
They don’t call him “Mr. Game 7” for nothing, ya know?
While Washington is busy wallowing in how infamous they became for falling apart to the New York Rangers after getting a 3-1 series lead and ultimately collapsing in a Game 7 at Madison Square Garden, LA prepares for the unexpected.
The Anaheim Ducks, Winnipeg Jets, Vancouver Canucks, and the Calgary Flames all saw the postseason in 2015, with LA on the outside looking in.
Not to mention that the Edmonton Oilers just picked up Connor McDavid in the NHL Draft with the overall No. 1 pick and the Dallas Stars aren’t far out from becoming a solid playoff team either.
What’s that mean? It’s go time or no time.
That’s what.
The one team that, from the division perspective at least, stands directly in the path of the Kings is the Anaheim Ducks (of course, right?).
Anaheim came within a home victory against the Chicago Blackhawks of getting their own shot at destiny and the Stanley Cup, but we all know how that ended.
Bottom Line: The NHL has another thing comin’.
After all, it was Chicago.
The Ducks will hopefully have a better grip on things come playoff time because, like it or not, they’re going to see more than enough of their future in black and white.
And unfortunately for them, they’ll be leading the pack.