It’s no secret that the LA Kings are rebuilding, but they may have a better chance than you think of making the playoffs in the 2021 season.
The LA Kings finished last season as the fourth-worst team in the NHL, and they needed a season-ending seven-game winning streak to finish that high.
It was at least a slight improvement on the 2018-19 season in which they finished next to last. Another season of modest improvement seems like a realistic expectation for the team this year. Publicly, though, the players are saying they’re aiming to make the playoffs.
Carter on his excitement this year:
— Rink Royalty (@RinkRoyalty) January 4, 2021
"We feel we're a playoff team. Everyone is rested and ready to go, that's for sure."
It’s easy to dismiss those kinds of comments. Of course, they’re going to say that. Regardless of whether a team is rebuilding or not, the players are all going out there trying to win, and they aren’t going to concede anything before the season’s even started.
But what if we told you there was actually a realistic chance of LA making the playoffs this year? You might be skeptical, so let us give you three reasons why the Kings could actually reach the postseason — as well as three why they won’t.