It appears that changes could be on the way for the Los Angeles Kings (1-2-0) going into the finale of the team's three-game tough road trip against playoff contenders in the postseason from the Western Conference on Monday evening against the Wild (1-1-0) in Minnesota.
Adjustments are likely for Drew Doughty and the Los Angeles Kings on Monday night against the Wild on the road
The Kings have one of the league's most difficult road schedules in the West early this regular season this fall. Head coach Jim Hiller and the Kings had to open up the regular season last week on Tuesday and Wednesday against back-to-back Stanley Cup contenders from the Pacific and Central Division against the Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights on the road.
Hiller and the Kings played their most complete game on both ends of the ice in a tough one-goal loss to the team in the standings in the West this past regular season over the weekend, against the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday (Oct. 11).
Here are three Kings' players who must deliver for the team against the Wild on the road on Oct. 13 in the finale of this three-game road trip early this week.
Andrei Kuzmenko, W
The Kings' top forward line of Andrei Kuzmenko, Adrian Kempe, and Anze Kopitar has done a nice job controlling the pace of play in the offensive zone early this regular season on the ice. They lead the team with 16 scoring chances for early this fall in the regular season, and they're outpacing the opponents in high-danger scoring chances 10-3 (per Natural Stat Trick).
Kuzmenko and Kopitar have been sparks and solid two-way players for the Kings' top-six forward group early this regular season.
Since the Kings acquired Kuzmenko around the trade deadline this past season in the spring in early March, he's averaged nearly a point per game and scored a half dozen goals in 25 games for LA. He scored the game's first goal in the opening frame in the Kings' thrilling 6-5 shootout win over the Vegas Golden Knights this past week on Wednesday night.
Darcy Kuemper, G
Goalie Darcy Kuemper will be returning to Minnesota for the first time this fall in the regular season to play the team that he started his career with in the league over a decade ago in the NHL with the Wild. Kuemper and the Kings' defense have the tall task of matching up against star forward Kirill Kaprizov and the Wild electric offense tonight.
The Wild averaged over four goals per game in the season's first two games against the St. Louis Blues and Columbus Blue Jackets in the past few days. Meanwhile, the Kings have allowed at least three goals in every game its played early this regular season in early October.
Since Kuemper was not fully participating in the Kings' team morning skate today (per LA Kings Insider), it sounds like he is expected to get the start in net tonight for Hiller.
Drew Doughty, D
Drew Doughty, Brandt Clarke, and Mikey Anderson have been the Kings' three best and most fluid defenders on both ends of the ice early this fall in the regular season. In the season's first three games, Doughty, Clarke, and Anderson have combined for two goals and a couple of assists from the Kings' blue line in the past week.
Something has to give for the Kings' blue line to get much better and more consistent and reliable in the defensive zone early this season. The Kings have allowed too many giveaways on their own end of the ice and taken too many untimely penalties at key points late in games in the second and third periods.
If the moves that Hiller and the Kings made at practice yesterday are the defensive top pairings for the team tonight against the Wild, Doughty and Brian Dumoulin could be one of the top groups on the blue line for LA in Minnesota.