2020-21 Los Angeles Kings Season Preview, Odds & Predictions

The glory days for the Kings are in the rear view.

The team enjoyed a steady run of success from the postseasons from 2012-2014 in which they captured a pair of Stanley Cups, and while they’ve qualified for the postseason twice since, neither of those appearances resulted in a series victory.

Now, the team resides in transition. The big-bodied, slow-moving nature of the Kings’ heyday is no longer as the game has shifted to a speed-driven, dynamic skill-set of today’s NHL.

The good news for Kings fans is that the team’s farm system is among the best in the league. General Manager Rob Blake has done a fine job of stockpiling talent for the future, and while it may not produce immediate-term results, the Kings are optimistic that the future is bright and success is on the horizon.

Let’s keep that in mind while we break down the 2020-21 Los Angeles Kings season preview and odds while we take a stab at a couple of predictions as to where their season should end up when it’s all said and done.

*Odds courtesy of BetOnline
**Salary cap figures courtesy of CapFriendly

2020-21 Los Angeles Kings Season Preview & Odds

• Last Season: 29-35-6 (7th in Pacific Division)
• Key Additions: C Lias Andersson, D Olli Maata
• Projected Salary Cap Space: $13,620,715
• 2021 Stanley Cup Odds: +6600
• 2021 Western Conference Odds: +3300

Offense

There’s no secret the Kings struggle to put the puck in the net. All-world pivot Anze Kopitar remains an elite center after receiving Hart Trophy consideration in 2018-19, but Kopitar donates much of his time to the defensive end of the puck and at 33 years of age it makes sense that his best offensive days are behind him.

All told, the Kings ranked 30th with just 2.53 goals per game a season ago. Only the lowly Detroit Red Wings and their 2.00 goals per game were worse. What’s interesting is that the Kings put plenty of pucks on goal last season. Their 33.2 shots per game ranked fourth in the league and they ranked 12th in scoring chances for and 10th in high-danger chances for a season ago ranked alongside the likes of the Washington Capitals. Of course, capitalizing on such opportunities was the culprit as the Kings ranked 28th with a 15.52% shooting rate on high-danger chances and 30th with a 6.39% shooting percentage on the season.

The good news is that such poor fortune could turn in the Kings’ favor next season. Shooting percentages tend to be volatile and the Kings have been possession darlings, but putting the puck in the back of the net is the end goal and that hasn’t been the case for the club of late.

The team has some interesting potential to solve their scoring woes. They acquired disgruntled center Lias Andersson from the New York Rangers while they’ll look to the likes of prospects Carl Grundstrom and Trevor Moore – both via the Toronto Maple Leafs – for additional offensive help.

Still, the top of the depth chart up front features the likes of Kopitar, Dustin Brown and Jeff Carter. Seeing Kopitar being moved – along with his massive contract – would be surprising, but Carter could be a trade chip the Kings could move if he were to deliver some production up front prior to the trade deadline. His contract won’t help, but plenty of teams are in need for experienced offensive help come playoff time.

Peripherals aside, the Kings need to find a way to put the puck in the net at a higher rate moving forward before any improvement can be had.

Defense

The once-stout L.A. Kings defensive core is no longer. Drew Doughty is the stalwart, however the supporting cast is nowhere near where the Kings were in their competitive years.

The team did address a defensive need in the form of former Pittsburgh Penguin and Chicago Blackhawk Olli Maatta, and prospect Mikey Anderson is likely to graduate on a full-time basis next season. Sean Walker has put forth some offensive upside from the back end and Kurtis Macdermid is a physical presence the team could need moving forward.

That said, here’s a Kings team that was once the league’s crown jewel for defensive play. It’s not as if the team’s defense fell apart completely as they still ranked 14th with 2.99 goals against per game. They also ranked 15th in terms of scoring chances against and high-danger chances against. The team’s core is largely responsible defensively, however it’s no longer the top-three group that was able to accommodate the low-scoring Kings offenses of years past.

It doesn’t need to be, either. A league-average defense can sustain success, although it certainly won’t be enough to make up for an anemic offense that rarely generates enough offense to win games on its own.

With largely the same cast of characters heading into next season, it might be a stretch to believe this Kings defense could improve moving forward.

Goaltending

Here’s where the Kings’ defensive x-factor sits.

Jonathan Quick, one of the better netminders of his era, is no longer a top-tier goaltender. Unfortunately, he’s become a liability.

Among goaltenders that have played at least 50 games over the last two seasons, Quick’s 3.09 GAA ranks 46th. Making matters worse, his .896 save percentage in that time is tied with San Jose’s Martin Jones for the worst mark in the league.

The team traded backup Jack Campbell to the Maple Leafs at least year’s deadline, but he wasn’t the future. The future is currently 26-year-old Cal Peterson. The problem is that he’s still only played 19 NHL games. The solution could be his excellent 2.62 GAA and .923 Sv% in that time. It could be tough to differentiate those numbers from his ugly 3.43 GAA from 37 AHL games last season as well, but there’s no doubt the Kings believe Peterson is their future No.1 and is likely to split the crease with Quick next season.

While the situation evolves, there’s no getting around the fact the Kings tied the Florida Panthers for 26th with an .899 Sv% from their netminders last season. Their 5v5 save percentage ranked 21st with a .915 mark, although the goaltending was unable to bail out the high-danger chances surrendered in the form of a 26th-ranked .809 Sv% in those situations.

Peterson will get every opportunity to learn from Quick, but we’ll stop short of saying the Kings’ recent goaltending woes are over.

2020-21 Los Angeles Kings Predictions

After a rough 2019-20 season, where do the Kings go from there?

The offense is the biggest question. Help is on the way moving forward with some high-end prospects in the wings, but there isn’t much reason to believe the immediate-term will produce increased results.

As far as the back end goes, it’s probably the least of their worries. Armed with ample cap space, the team could look to add via the trade market by taking on undesirable contracts and earning more future firepower as a result, but next season seems far too early for such deals to bear fruit.

As a result, it would appear more of the same from the Kings is in order. Blake has the team on the proper path, but biding team is likely the thought process as the team gains another year of prospect development while the payroll remains in good shape. Salary cap relief isn’t exactly imminent with Brown’s near-$6M cap hit on the books for two more seasons, but the team’s financial position looks optimal for a shot at the open market within a year or two.

We’ll keep the Kings well outside of the playoff picture for next season, but another lottery pick – after grabbing Quintin Byfield at No.2 – will help what looks like a promising rebuild.