It’s the end of the NHL’s holiday break. The Los Angeles Kings have played 35 games this season. The NHL year is flying by.
So, what have we learned so far?
As usual, the Kings are off to a slow start.
That’s not necessarily a bad thing. It means they could peak at the right time, which is later in the season, when it’s crucial to carry momentum into the playoffs.
“Inconsistency needs to be snuffed out consistently.”
It’s not necessarily a good thing either. The Kings have been struggling, winning one game then losing another, winning one game then losing another. Inconsistency needs to be snuffed out consistently. The difficult struggle of the regular season requires diligence.
Peaking at the end of the season can be a death sentence or a God-send. The pressure to perform is on. Get wins and collect points, or go home early. For this team that could be a good thing. The Kings thrive under pressure; L.A. looks at the challenge as an open opportunity to prove their talent and fortitude to themselves, the league, and the world.
2015’s outcome will look like a mixture of the previous two roads to the Cup from 2012 and 2014: the Kings will sneak in to the playoffs and they will have a hard road to the top.
Puck Prose
Injuries have been a problem. Especially on the back-end.
Usually the Kings dish out the beatings. This year the Kings are taking a beating. Players that have missed time due to injury in the first 35 games are: Anze Kopitar, Marian Gaborik, Trevor Lewis, Justin Williams, Jake Muzzin, Alec Martinez, and Robyn Regehr.
Combined the 7 players have missed 43 games.
Three of the seven injuries are defensemen. All three defenders had injuries that required significant time, at least two-three weeks, to rehab.
Injuries don’t include the Slava Voynov situation.
Be nice, Slava. In the words of MC Hammer: can’t touch this . . . it’s too much of a mess.
Slava is gone. Enough has been said on the topic already.
Kings have had trouble scoring, but have shifted focus back and forth from aggressive to defensive. Part of that is due to the shifting in personnel.
One golden gem in the Kings crown hasn’t changed, he’s been a rock all year.
Of course, the rock is goaltender Jonathan Quick.
Quick is the best goaltender in the world. Even if his numbers don’t show it, and his numbers are damn good by the way, just watch the young man. He’s only 28, watch his play, see some of the saves he makes and you will undoubtably say to yourself, ‘he’s the world’s best.’ When that league of alien invaders shows up and they want to play some puck, we’ll have to call on Jonathan quick because he is either one of them or he is just a superfreak. Rick James bitch.
To put it calmly, Quick has been L.A.’s MVP so far this season. No surprise.
Anze and Gabby still have some of that razzle-dazzle juice. It comes and goes, but when they turn it up to shake-and-bake, they dominate.
Dec 22, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Kings right wing Marian Gaborik (12) celebrates with center Anze Kopitar (11) after scoring a goal against the Calgary Flames in the first period at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Kopitar has 1 goal and 10 points in his last 4 games. Gaborik (Gabby) has been on fire the last two weeks scoring 7 goals and 9 points in his last 5 games. That’s more than Gaborik’s had all season up to that point: from October 8th to December 13th Gaborik scored 4 goals and 8 points.
When the Deadly Duo of Kopitar and Gaborik get going the Kings start rolling. In L.A.’s last 5 games they 2-1-2. Having two of your top six forwards rolling puts a team in position to win.
Is this the year for Doughty to meet Mr. Norris? Still hard to discern. Doughty is fourth on the Kings in points, and first among defensemen on the team with 20 points in 35 games. Doughty leads the Kings in assists with 17.
Doughty is tied for 17th place among all NHL defensemen in points. Doughty’s plus/minus rating is +4, which is average compared to league leading defensemen like the Calgary Flames T.J. Brodie who is a +17. Part of Doughty’s plus/minus woes is a result of L.A.’s frequent scoring droughts.
Doughty ranks 2nd in the NHL in Time On the Ice per Game, skating a whopping 29:10 minutes on an average night. The only player ahead of Doughy is Minnesota Wild defensemen Ryan Suter who plays an average TOI/GP of 29:36. Both Doughty and Suter are 1:30 a head of the 3rd place skater Erik Karlsson who plays 27:29 a night.
These numbers might be good enough to get Doughty into the conversation, or a nomination for the Norris Trophy. To win, like the rest of the Kings, Doughty will have to turn it up a notch.
To conclude:
Kings looking good but need more wins yo. L.A. currently has a record of 17-11-7 for a total of 41 points. The Kings are sitting 4th in the Pacific Division, the toughest division in hockey. 41 points also puts the Kings in 8th place in the Western Conference, just on the cusp of a playoff position.
The Calgary Flames are on the Kings tail with 39 points, but the Kings could slide up into a secured playoff spot: the Vancouver Canucks and San Jose Sharks have 42 and 43 points respectively. L.A. takes on San Jose when play resumes on Saturday, December 27th.
The calendar is turning over to 2015. As time runs out on the season, 2-points for a victory become more and more important, especially against division rivals. It’s time for the Kings to behave like rink Royalty and play the way the know how.
Dec 20, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar (11) and defenseman Jamie McBain (5) celebrate a goal by center Jeff Carter (77) against the Arizona Coyotes in the first period of the game at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports