It's been a relatively disappointing season so far for the Los Angeles Kings. But if they don't make the playoffs this year, here is what the organization might regret the most when they look back on the season.
After picking up another overtime defeat on Sunday against the Utah Mammoth, the Los Angeles Kings have lost some ground in the wild-card race in the Western Conference.
Though the Kings picked up a point in comeback fashion, the Nashville Predators are coming off four straight wins and pulled ahead with a two-point cushion.
The opportunity for Los Angeles to make the post-season is still very much alive with 12 games remaining on the schedule, and many are winnable. But over the course of this season, multiple hiccups have handicapped this team from putting together the campaign they were expecting and prepared for.
If the Kings end up missing the playoffs, here is what they'll regret the most.
Not Capitalizing In Overtime
Sunday night was just one of several instances in which the Kings couldn't capitalize on the opportunity to earn the extra point.
Their loss to the Mammoth was the 17th occasion on which the Kings were defeated beyond regulation. Owning 17 overtime and shootout losses is the most in the NHL currently, ahead of the Pittsburgh Penguins, who have 16.
Of those 17 defeats in extra innings, 10 of them were in overtime, and the remaining seven were in the shootout.
Looking back, if Los Angeles had been able to get on the right side of these overtime frames at least a handful more times than they have, the team may be in a much more comfortable position at this point in terms of pushing for the post-season.
Waiting To Make Coaching Change
On March 1, GM Ken Holland and the Kings' front office decided it was time for a coaching change. Jim Hiller was fired, and D.J. Smith was made the interim head coach.
Holland's decision came to fruition based on various moments throughout the season, but when Los Angeles lost to the Edmonton Oilers 8-1 in the second game back from the Olympic break, his mind was made up.
The Kings haven't made a big surge since the coaching change by any means, with a 4-4-3 record since Hiller's dismissal. However, the change was much needed.
The team has found a new purpose and sense of motivation with each game under Smith. One example is that before Smith became the interim bench boss, the Kings were 26th in the league in hits. Since his promotion, Los Angeles is first in the NHL in hits.
Hits don't necessarily win hockey games, but they're certainly a factor and evidence that the team is more engaged and responding to a new voice behind the bench.
Now, 'if ifs and buts were candy and nuts,' Smith could've had more time to put his imprint on this roster if Hiller had been relieved earlier, and who knows what the results would say at this point in the season.
Off-Season Acquisitions
Kings fans will be banging this drum for a long time, until they're given a reason to believe otherwise, but the acquisitions of defensemen Brian Dumoulin and, specifically, Cody Ceci will always be questioned.
Now, Holland should be credited with the additions of right winger Joel Armia and goaltender Anton Forsberg, who both have had respectable campaigns for the Kings this season. But there are many different concerns surrounding Dumoulin and Ceci.
Brian Dumoulin and Cody Ceci (Brad Penner-Imagn Images)First, the two blueliners have been a defensive pairing for the majority of this season, playing over 600 minutes together, according to moneypuck.com. And against the Mammoth on Sunday, Ceci and Dumoulin were on the ice for every conceded goal during regulation.
The pair finished the game with a minus-three rating each and played a part in Utah's third goal that gave them a 3-2 lead over Los Angeles in the third period.
Not only is the duo of veteran defensemen having a relatively forgettable season, but they're also under contract for the long term.
Ceci, 31, signed a four-year deal with the Kings and is earning $4.5 million against the salary cap. Not to mention, he has a 10-team no-trade list for the duration of this deal. His contract expires following the 2028-29 season, and he'll be 35.
As for Dumoulin, the 33-year-old earns $4 million against the cap through 2027-28. He also has a 10-team no-trade list for the entire length of his contract.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.