Los Angeles Kings 2010 Preview & Predictions

Los Angeles Kings 2010 Season Preview, Predictions Picks & Odds

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LOS ANGELES KINGS

2009-10 record: 46-27-9
Shootout Record: 10-8
Division Finish: 3rd, Pacific
Conference Finish: 6th, Western
Goals For: 241
Goals Against: 219

Los Angeles Kings 2010 Preview

The team that first brought big-time hockey to Southern California is once again the team to beat in this part of the state.

It was a long wait to bring the Kings back. to respectability and to challenge the Anaheim Ducks, but it has paid off for general manager Dean Lombardi and coach Terry Murray with a 101point season, just the third triple-figure finish in club history and their first playoff appearance since 2002.

The Kings realized they could no longer dine out on the memories of the Gretzky era and a Cup Final appearance in 1993 and that they had to start creating some memories of their own.

From the 2000 League draft onward, the Kings picked between second overall (Drew Doughty) and 30th (David Steckel).

The ensuing years saw some lean times, but a bonanza at the draft table .each June that included the aforementioned players, as well as Alexander Frolov, Anze Kopitar, Dustin Brown (the current team captain), Jonathan Bernier and Brayden Schenn.

Doughty had a chance at becoming the second-youngest Norris Trophy winner since Bobby Orr, trailing only Mike Green and eventual winner Duncan Keith in voting points. Doughty, who also led the Kings in playoff points with seven, has excited several players about the future.

The center dedicated himself to improved physical condition last year to augment both sides of his game, to be even more dangerous in 2010-11.

The Kings picked up 33 points within the Pacific Division and joined Chicago, Minnesota and Vancouver in the West and Pittsburgh and Washington in the East as the only teams to have 15 wins within its own lodge.

However, Only Phoenix allowed fewer road goals in the West.

Motivation after last year’s playoffs shouldn’t be a problem. With 13 post-season newcomers on the roster, Los Angeles had the favored Canucks on the ropes and were in sight of taking a 3-1 series stranglehold. They had been air-tight in the final period throughout the regular season (29-0-2, best in the West), but lost Game 4 at home with a bad finish and were outscored 11-4 the rest of the series.

Frolov might not return, but the Kings are now in a better position than a few years ago to let unrestricted free agents walk, or to open the wallet. There seems plenty of young talent ready to move up in any case.

2010 Los Angeles Kings Offense:

The crafty Kopitar’s point-a-game pace almost made him the first King since Ziggy Palffy to enjoy the company of the League’s top 10. He also was penalized just 16 minutes, the lowest of any team leading scorer who played all 82 games, Three Kings with the ability to play left wing were stacked third through fifth in club scoring, as Brown and , Smyth both recorded 20+ goals. It was the 10th time Smyth has done it during his NHL career. In his second season with the kings, center Janet Stoll recorded 16 goals and 31 assists. His 47 points were the most in four seasons, and the second highest total of his career. Michal Handzus nudged to 20 goals in the regular season and had three more in playoffs, including a game-winner. One of the season’s biggest delights was Wayne Simmonds, a winger’ who didn’t miss a game his rookie year, then added 40 points in 78 games last year with a team-best plus-22. In all, the Kings had 15 players reach double figures, including rookie Scott Parse.

2010 Los Angeles Kings Defense:

Doughty didn’t ~in the Cup but earned gold with Team Canada at Vancouver,justifying the decision to bring along the newcomer to experience the thrills. His 16 League goals broke down to five game-winners, most by a defenseman. A tireless worker in his zone, he was a tick or two under 25 minutes of ice per night and was 13th , in the League in that department. He struck mesh on three of 13 playoff shots on goal. Next to Doughty’s plus-20, Rob Scuderi’s plus-16 was the best among L.A. defenders, with Sean O’Donnell in close pursuit, while Jack Johnson’s minus-15 was offset by 28 assists. The Kings employed rookie Davis Drewiske for half a season, too, with Randy Jones banged up. They lost O’Donnell to free agency.

2010 Los Angeles Kings Goaltending:

Quick turned the corner in ’08-09 with 21 wins and four shutouts, but with a better team in front of him, the young man from Connecticut was a force on most nights. He was one win shy of 40 (39 was still a franchise record), and he made fans at the Staples Center forget many of his immediate predecessors. The Kings’ team goals-against average of 2.52 was 10th in the League. Quick was also one of six goalies in the circuit to play in 70 or more games and yet there is already another Jonathan contesting for the crease job on the horizon. Jonathan Bernier was an AHL star with the Manchester Monarchs and goalie of the year with a 2.03 goals against and a .936 save percentage.

Los Angeles Kings 2010 Special Teams

If the Kings had been granted more power plays against the Canucks, they might have gone on to win the Cup. Their 10-for-26 showing in the playoffs (five at home and five in Vancouver) led all teams on the heels of a strong 20.8% showing in the regular season. Kopitar had 14 goals, but the potent Smyth had 11 as he closes in on 150 in his career. Kopitar’s 38 power-play points were third in the League, while Handzus put five goals away and another three in the abbreviated playoff. The Kings still need work on the penalty kill, which sat 20th overall and among the conference’s worst at home after being one of the few bright spots from ’08-09.

Los Angeles Kings 2010 Season Predictions

The Kings can’t let up. As well as they played in their own end, there were still two clubs in the division and five in the conference that had better defensive grades. The club was also blessed with excellent health last season – the top nine scorers missed just 32 combined games – and that luck must hold.

We predict that the Los Angeles Kings will finish 2nd in the NHL Pacific.

Los Angeles Kings Betting

Los Angeles Kings Stanley Cup Odds: +1500
Los Angeles Kings Western Conference Odds: +700

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