With the NHL regular season right around the corner, TSN.ca profiles each team leading up to puck drop. Next up are the Los Angeles Kings, who look to defend their 2014 Stanley Cup. Catch up on their summer moves and the issues they face this season, as well as Craig Button's analysis of their top prospect and an analytical breakdown by TSN's Scott Cullen.

Division: Pacific GM: Dean Lombardi Head Coach: Darryl Sutter

2013-14: 46-28-8 (3rd in Pacific) Playoffs: Stanley Cup Champions

Goals For: 206 (25th) Goals Against: 174 (1st) PP: 15.1% (27th) PK: 83.1% (11th)

That Was Then:

Jonathan Quick They didn't storm through the playoffs as a surprise eighth seed last year, and being the first California team to win the Stanley Cup was already off the table, but the Los Angeles Kings were still more than able to make history on the way to their second Stanley Cup championship in three years.

While some teams struggled to find their footing coming out of the Sochi Winter Olympic break, the Kings were on firm ground, winning their first seven games. They then backed that up with another six straight wins from March 20-29th to solidify their place in the playoffs.

Despite being the lower seed in the opening round, the Kings, backed by another stellar season from goaltender Jonathan Quick, headed into a matchup with the San Jose Sharks that looked for all intents and purposes to be even.

However, the Sharks came flying out of the gate capturing the opening two games of the series by 6-3 and 7-2 margins before taking Game 3 in overtime and grabbing a commanding 3-0 series lead.

It was from there that the Kings began to write their names into the NHL's history books.

Forward Justin Williams scored twice in Game 4 and Quick posted a Game 5 shutout to help the Kings back into the series with back-to-back victories. Anze Kopitar carried them to a victory in Game 6 and with the Sharks reeling, the Kings scored five unanswered goals in Game 7 to advance into the second round in historic fashion.

Joining only the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs, 1975 New York Islanders, and the 2010 Philadelphia Flyers, the Kings became the fourth all-time team to advance in the NHL playoffs after dropping the first three games of a best-of-seven series.

The battle-tested Kings needed that resolve a second time as they faced elimination twice against the Anaheim Ducks, but once again led by the heroics of Williams, were able to keep the season alive with two victories to close the series out in seven.

In a rematch of the previous season's Western Conference Final, the Kings avenged their elimination at the hands of the Chicago Blackhawks in another seven-game battle that cemented Williams' reputation as "Mr. Game 7". After tying the all-time record for Game 7 goals earlier in the deciding contest, he assisted on the Alec Martinez winner that sent the Kings to their second Stanley Cup Final in three years.

From there, the Kings stormed through the New York Rangers in five games to capture the Stanley Cup, thanks to a double overtime winner by Alec Martinez in Game 5, allowing the Kings to celebrate the title in front of the home fans.

Not surprisingly for his work in the post-season, Justin Williams was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy for playoff MVP.

 

Scott Cullen's Analytics

 

Kings 2013-14 Stats by Quarter

 
Games GPG GAA SH% SV% SAF% PTS%
1-20 2.70 2.40 7.8% .925 56.5% .675
21-41 2.48 1.81 8.5% .958 53.9% .643
42-62 2.00 2.33 5.8% .924 55.3% .476
63-82 2.70 2.05 11.1% .926 58.9% .650
NHL AVG 2.67 2.67 7.8 .922 50.0% .562
 

Key: GPG= goals per game, GAA= goals-against per game, SH%= even-strength shooting percentage, SV%= even-strength save percentage, SAF%= score-adjusted Fenwick percentage (differential of shot attempts faced vs. shot attempts, excluding blocked shots, adjusted for game score), PTS%= percentage of available points.

Analysis:

Games 1-20: Even with slightly above-average percentages, a strong start due to possession dominance.

Games 21-41: Didn't control play quite as much, but incredible goaltending from Ben Scrivens and Martin Jones kept Kings rolling.

Games 42-62: Aside from Carter and Kopitar, went through a team-wide scoring slump.

Games 63-82: The addition of Marian Gaborik helped jumpstart the attack and, with sky-high percentages, the Kings finished strong.

Key 2014 Additions: RW Adam Cracknell

Key 2014 Subtractions: C Colin Fraser, D Willie Mitchell

This Is Now: 

Just as they did after winning their first championship, the Kings concentrated on locking up key members of the team rather than making many changes to the roster.

Acquired in midseason, Marian Gaborik was given a seven-year contract worth $34.125 million to ensure that he remains a member of a team once again trying to reach the summit of the league.

Marian Gaborik

His arrival from the Columbus Blue Jackets helped spark the team's offence in the same way that picking up Jeff Carter from the same team did in 2011-12.

He led the league in playoff goals with 14 and played on a dynamic line with Kopitar who had 21 assists and 26 points during the post-season.

Quick is one of the best goalies in the world, and posted a 27-17-4 record with a 2.07 goals against average in 49 games during the regular season. When the American Olympian was battling injuries earlier in the season, backup Martin Jones established himself as one of the best second options in the league with a 12-6-0 record and a 1.81 GAA in 19 games.

Incredibly, in addition to a great offence and stellar goaltending, the Kings also boast Drew Doughty one of the best defencemen in the NHL. His skills are on display in both the offensive and defensive zones and he is supported by a strong group of blue liners down the depth chart.

The Kings enter the season with capturing the Stanley Cup as their only goal, but also with the knowledge that the Blackhawks have reloaded and are ready if the teams lock horns in the playoffs for a third consecutive season. The Western Conference is tough to win but the road to that title and a place in the NHL's final could very well run through Tinseltown.

DEPTH CHART

 

Forwards

Left Wing Centre Right Wing
Marian Gaborik Anze Kopitar Justin Williams
Tanner Pearson Jeff Carter Tyler Toffoli
Dustin Brown Jarret Stoll Trevor Lewis
Dwight King Mike Richards Jordan Nolan
Kyle Clifford Jordan Weal Adam Cracknell
Andy Andreoff Nick Shore David Van Der Gulik

Defence

     Left Right     
  Jake Muzzin Drew Doughty  
  Robyn Regehr Slava Voynov  
  Alec Martinez Matt Greene  
  Jeff Schultz Brayden McNabb  
  Derek Forbort Andrew Bodnarchuk  

Goaltenders

 
                                                                     Jonathan Quick
                                                                     Martin Jones
                                                                     Jean-Francois Berube

Craig's List

TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button's Top Prospect: Valentin Zykov 

TSN Scout Craig Button on Valentin Zykov:

Valentin Zykov"Valentin has a game that is both skilled and heavy. Skilled in the scoring areas twenty-five feet in and around the net, he has the ability to score multiple ways.

Quick to the net from below the goal line, an accurate shot from out and the ability to free his hands, makes him a very dangerous scorer.

He's heavy not in a punishing way but in the manner he becomes very difficult to push away from the net and in which he uses his size to gain advantageous positions to receive the puck.

He is comfortable playing in a quick-paced game or a cycle game which allows him to be factor regardless of how game unfolds."

Fantasy - Cullen's Player to Watch - Tyler Toffoli

Even after he was a contributor in the 2013 playoffs, the Kings were slow to give Toffoli a regular role last season, starting him in the AHL, where he scored 15 goals and 23 points in 18 games before getting recalled.Tyler Toffoli

His rookie season had ups and downs, but he finished with 29 points in 62 regular-season games, playing under 13 minutes per game. Then, in the postseason, Toffoli added 14 points in 26 games, making an impact on a line with Tanner Pearson and Jeff Carter.

If that trio stays together this year, and he gets at least a few more minutes of ice time per game, then Toffoli a chance for breakthrough production.