There will be plenty of competition for the Los Angeles Kings for the final few spots on the roster going into training camp and the preseason this fall.
As some young players and depth pieces will get the opportunity to earn roster spots for new head coach Peter Laviolette's opening-night lineup, others face a much more difficult path to consistently earning playing time.
A crowded depth chart could potentially leave a handful of Kings players spending much of the upcoming season in Ontario or watching from the press box when they're with the NHL squad.
Three Los Angeles Kings players who could struggle to find consistent playing time
That doesn't necessarily mean that these Kings players don't have any future in Los Angeles. Instead, injuries and performance will inevitably create chances in an 82-game season. But as the roster stands now, consistent minutes could be difficult to find.
Here are three Kings players who are unlikely to get much playing time in this upcoming season.
Andre Lee, F
Forward Andre Lee has been a key depth player and contributor in the bottom six forward group in the last couple of seasons. He earned a depth NHL role after the turn of the calendar year this past regular season after a couple of key forward injuries.
Lee has consistently proved he can hold down an NHL role in the bottom six for the Kings. This fall, though, competition in training camp in the bottom six could present a more difficult path to earning a spot on the NHL roster for Laviolette and staff.
Last fall, Lee was one of the more competitive players in training camp and the preseason before he was one of the last forwards waived and assigned to the AHL affiliate Ontario Reign before opening night.
With how much intriguing depth and talented prospects the Kings have in the forward group going into training camp, including Jared Wright, Kenny Connors, Taylor Ward, etc., all competing for bottom-six minutes, Lee might be squeezed out.
Lee has shown enough times that he can remain in the conversation for NHL opportunities with the Kings, but the numbers here could work against him this fall. Los Angeles has several younger forwards competing for similar bottom-six roles, making it difficult for Lee to compete for NHL minutes without injuries opening the door for him.
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