Kings will need to lean on their top players to get past Oilers
Kings will need to lean on their top players to get past Oilers
Now that the first-round series is set between the Los Angeles Kings and Edmonton Oilers, Let's take a look at some players who will need to be at their best in this tough first-round match.
Anze Kopitar
The captain of a team has a very important role. They set the standard for how the players should perform and present themselves. That is especially true when it comes to Anze Kopitar. He is one of the best leaders in the entire league, and the Kings will need him at his best this postseason.
Kopitar has already won two Stanley Cups in his time with the Kings, so he knows what it takes to win. He knows that regardless of what seed you are in the playoffs, anything is possible. He will need to rally his troops and keep them focused against the best player in the world, Connor McDavid.
It would help the Kings a ton if he was also able to bring the scoring touch he had from the regular season with him to the postseason.
Drew Doughty
Drew Doughty is the engine that runs the blue line for the Kings. When he is going and feels good, the entire defence core plays better. While he is not the team captain, he has all the makings to be a great one. He will be tasked with going up against the Oilers' top lines and will have to try his best to shut them down.
That is not an easy feat; the Oilers' top stars, consisting of McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman, and others, are hard to stop. Once they work the puck into the offensive zone, they can be extremely hard to stop. This is where Doughty is going to need to shine and be the best he can be to help his team win.