With a rather disappointing and hopeless first-round series against the Colorado Avalanche, here are a couple of concerning dark spots that the Los Angeles Kings need to address going into next season.
In a first-round playoff sweep by the Colorado Avalanche, the Los Angeles Kings weren't able to record one win after fighting all season to get into the post-season. The Avalanche were able to handle anything the Kings threw at them, and in the end, Los Angeles wasn't very threatening.
The reasons the Kings weren't able to get a lead for most of this series, or even win a game, are glaring. And these issues may hold the Kings back from even seeing the Stanley Cup playoffs next year.
So, what were the alarming dark spots that held Los Angeles back in the post-season?
General Offense
It's no secret that the Kings have struggled to score goals, not only in the playoffs but throughout the regular season, too.
Across the 82-game campaign, Los Angeles scored 220 goals, which was the fourth fewest in the NHL. Only the lottery teams, the Vancouver Canucks, Chicago Blackhawks and Calgary Flames had weaker offenses.
In the post-season, that weak offense was on full display for the Kings, especially at 5-on-5. In total, Los Angeles tied the Ottawa Senators with the fewest goals scored in the playoffs, with five in four games.
In terms of 5-on-5, the Kings had the fewest goals with just a pair. The rest of the team's tallies were on the power play, which is surprising considering that they had the fifth-worst power-play percentage in the regular season.
But at 5-on-5, Los Angeles really couldn't generate many threatening chances.
Understandably, the Kings would be a little more conservative against the Presidents' Trophy winners and heavy favorites Avalanche. But Los Angeles didn't give themselves a chance to force Colorado on its heels, and ultimately, it was an ugly series for them offensively.
Artemi Panarin, Brandt Clarke, Adrian Kempe and Joel Edmundson (Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images)Lack Of Star Power
Los Angeles' top line was pretty much invisible when it came to getting on the scoresheet, which is another reference to the team's inability to score. However, the Kings' top players are responsible for leading the way offensively, and they weren't close to that.
Artemi Panarin and Anze Kopitar didn't register a single even-strength point, and Adrian Kempe finally got his first in the lone goal of Game 4. Top defensemen Drew Doughty and Brandt Clarke can be added to the list of notable Kings to not earned an even-strength point in the series.
The way the Kings prioritized defensive hockey over a more balanced game was evident, and that's what leads to a dry spell offensively. Even in the regular season, it's not often that the Kings have a player reach 80 points in a season.
Panarin finished the campaign with 84 points, but most of his year was spent with the New York Rangers. The last time Los Angeles had an 80-point scorer was in 2017-18 when Kopitar scored 92 points.
If the Kings want to be a serious team when it matters most, the stars must shine under the bright lights, and that starts with exceptional production in the regular season, which hasn't been the case over the years.
Possibly, with a new head coach, that could change.
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