The Los Angeles Kings are entering their series against the Edmonton Oilers as the higher seed but the Kings are probably facing more pressure than their opponents. The Kings are fighting past failures as they have been knocked out of the playoffs the previous three seasons by Edmonton.
When looking at this matchup, the Kings are going to need players to step up if they hope to put past season failures behind them. These are the five players that the Kings probably need the most to produce to give them the best chance to reach the second round.
5 Los Angeles Kings who need to produce to advance in the NHL playoffs
Adrian Kempe
In the playoffs, teams need their stars to step up, and for the Los Angeles Kings, that is Adrian Kempe. He has consistently been the Kings' top player this season and finished with 35 goals (tied for team lead), 38 assists (second on the team), and 73 points (led the Kings).
The good news is that Kempe has not had a problem delivering in the playoffs the past few years and in 22 playoff games has 11 goals and eight assists. If he can continue that production while getting help from some of the other players on this list, the Kings have to like their chances.