Are the Los Angeles Kings destined to disappoint in 2024-25?

The Los Angeles Kings have made the playoffs three straight seasons and should once again be in contention? However, just making the playoffs isn't enough as the past three seasons have ended in a first round exit at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers.

There is a legitimate question if this team has gotten any better this offseason and it is one of the reasons that Bleacher Report listed the Los Angeles Kings as one of six teams likely to disappoint this upcoming season.

Lyle Fitzsimmons mentions the losses of Cam Talbot, Matt Roy, Viktor Arvidsson, and Blake Lizotte as some reasons for the chance they will struggle. The question of whether or not Darcy Kuemper can be the number one goaltender is certainly a concern. The hope is that Kuemper will play like he did in his first run with the team when he started 15 games and went 10-1 with a save percentage of .932.

Pressure will be on the younger players to step up

As Fitzsimmons notes, the pressure is definitely on some of the younger players to step up like Quinton Byfield and Brandt Clarke. For a long time now, the Kings have been able to lean on Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty but as they get older and closer to the end of their career, the Kings are going to need some of these younger players to replace the production.

The Kings should be able to get to the playoffs once again but are they going to be a serious threat to make a run at a Stanley Cup this season? Unless some of these changes work out, it is tough to see and if they can't make a deep run then it definitely feels like this team is going to end up disappointing once again.