Los Angeles Kings 2023-24 NHL Preview
The Kings are regarded as a third place team right now as they trail in the Pacific division behind Vegas and Edmonton. Will the offseason changes put LA back on top? That’s the question. Heading into the 2023-24 NHL Season, let’s have a chat about what we should expect from the Los Angeles Kings.
Line Combination (Combinations Obtained via DailyFaceoff.com)
Not pictured are the two goals Cam Talbot and Pheonix Copley. The Kings are a really good team and you have to credit them for finding a way to put young talent around Kopitar and Doughty. This wasn’t a lengthy rebuild and LA should be viewed as a legitimate contender. They have a strong middle of the ice and snipers on the wing.
New Faces
The Kings made one big splash this offseason and that was for Pierre-Luc Dubois. The Kings brought Dubois over from the Jets in exchange for Alex Iafallo and Gabriel Vilardi. We know exactly what the Kings were trying to accomplish with this deal. Having Kopitar, Dubois, and Danault in the middle of your ice is about as good as it gets. Maybe it propels the Kings to the next level.
Three Players To Watch
- Quinton Byfield
It’s now or never for Byfield. The former number two overall pick in 2021 needs to start producing. Tim Stutzle was picked right behind him and is already emerging as a superstar. Byfield will start the season getting top line minutes with Kopitar and Kempe. If Byfield can’t cut it, the Kings may need to move on.
- Adrian Kempe
I love Kempe. He makes the Kings worth watching by himself. Kempe had 41 goals last year and plays with a certain intensity that’s rare. Loves to throw the big hit too. If Kempe can climb one more level, maybe it’s enough to get the Kings to lift the Cup.
- Kevin Fiala
So far, so good for Fiala in LA. Fiala posted 72 points in 69 games last year mostly carrying the second line. He now has Dubois playing next to him. With the big truck Dubois as his new linemate, can Fiala go up another level? He’s damn fast and really skilled. A really good hockey player.
Biggest Riser
I’m going to cheat with my biggest risers and fallers. Brandt Clarke is a name you need to know. He’s going to start out at the AHL level but has a ton of hype behind his name right now. The former 8th overall pick in 2021 figures to be the replacement for Sean Durzi and long term replacement for Doughty. The Kings will miss Durzi but Clarke will make that loss feel less felt later in the season.
Biggest Faller
Alex Turcotte just has no buzz going right now. We already talked about Byfield needing to take a step forward. Well, Turcotte was drafted two years earlier and still hasn’t even cracked the lineup. In 12 games at the NHL level he doesn’t have a singular point. Does anyone have faith that he’s going to make it?
The Biggest Question Is…
Goaltending. That’s all the really needs to be said. Nobody in the league is allocating fewer resources on the position than the Kings. Copley earns a $1.5 million AAV while Talbot is at $1 million. Can you win a Cup while spending next to nothing at goalie? I think it’s probably the way to go from a team building perspective but it’s fair to question if Talbot and Copley are good enough to get the job done. It’s very reasonable to be worried about that duo.
Verdict
I’m going to go with a cookie cutter prediction for the Kings here. It’s just hard to think that the Kings are better than a third place tea still. Edmonton and Vegas still feel like a tier above. With that said, don’t underestimate this team. They’re dangerous and should be a no doubter playoff team.
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