What should LA do this summer?
It's never too early or late for power rankings! The final post Stanley Cup Finals rankings dropped on Bleacher Report less than 24 hours after the Vegas Golden Knights took down the Florida Panthers in five games to win their first ever Stanley Cup. Lyle Fitzsimmons ranked all 32 teams and has the Los Angeles Kings sitting in the top-10 of the rankings.
Los Angeles comes in firmly at number 10 on the list as the team enters into a crucial offseason. The Kings were eliminated in the first round in six games by the Edmonton Oilers. It was another reminder that while they are a good, young team...there is still more work to do.
"The Kings were ahead of schedule in getting to the 2021-22 playoffs and pushing Edmonton to the seven-game limit, but 2022-23 ended up becoming familiar territory, with another 100-point finish and another first-round loss to the Oilers."
The Kings were a top heavy team again this past season but a late season fall saw them lose home ice for the first round of the postseason. Things may have been different if the series had opened up in Los Angeles rather than Edmonton. But nonetheless, the team looks to move forward and use this offseason as a springboard back to contention.
The biggest issue plaguing this team is the goaltending. It was a rotating dance of musical chairs last season that left them vulnerable come playoff time. That needs to be step one for General Manager Rob Blake this offseason. Fix the goaltending situation and fix the defense in front of the net.
This offseason becomes that much more important because doing the same things over and over again while expecting a different result is insanity. Seriously, look it up.
Luckily for the Kings they do have a solid foundation in place so they likely will be a top contender in the Western Conference once again. But another 100 point finish and another first round exit stings a bit. And for a team that hasn't won a playoff series since 2014, something most definitely needs to change.