TEAM PREVIEWS: THE LOS ANGELES KINGS

Introduction:

Someone once said of me that I over analyze the "almost tough questions" and never spend the time to dig deep enough to get the answers that are really important. The Los Angeles Kings have known for years that their defense is suspect, and rather then try to develop it from within or sign role players through free agency, the Kings have constantly traded away their strengths or let them walk in order to try to improve that area, thus assembling and dismantling teams at a record pace.

You have to respect a team that is legitimately trying to rebuild. In the last few years Edmonton, Carolina, Washington and Pittsburgh have shown us what commitment to prospects combined with with smart free agent acquisitions can do for a team. An empty lot can turn into skyscraper of a Stanley Cup contender nearly overnight.

This is not what the Kings have done. The Kings have, over and over again, built a team, torn it down, and then tried to rebuild it. The Kings are sort of like Boston's Big Dig. No matter how much money and time is sunk into it, there will always be construction, there will always be traffic and there will be very few visible results. I don't see how any "rebuilding plan" can include trading one of your best players to move up 15 picks in the draft only to take a solid stay at home defenseman that won't be NHL ready for years. Are we that sour on Jack Johnson already? Los Angeles continues to draft or trade for the same player over and over again without ever paying attention to the rest of their team.

Kings fans have a right to be suspect. Get ready for another long year.

Key Departures:
Michael Cammalleri
Lubomir Visnovsky

Ok so if you've been keeping up you know that I love this guy... probably because he's not much taller then I am but is a ton more talented. Cammalleri won the hockey this summer when LA traded him to Calgary to play with Jarome Iginla... the guy who instantly made Daymond Langkow relevant and his resulting boost in productivity should be pretty astronomical. The deal is going to look worse then it actually is, and I'm not a fan of it as it is. Sure Cammalleri was drafted in the second round and they got a high first round pick for him, but Cammalleri was poised to be a mainstay on this team for years. Jarret Stoll is hardly a replacement.

They presumably traded Visnovsky because they had too many good d-men in the pipeline... and then they drafted more d-men. You see my confusion right?

New Faces:
Jarret Stoll
Drew Doughty

I wouldn't be too focused on Stoll. He had one good year with Edmonton and is now, at best the third line center in LA behind O'Sullivan and Kopitar

Doughty is predicted to be "NHL ready" by most scouts. These same scouts said that Jack Johnson was going to be an offensive force last season, so I would take that with a grain of salt. The second overall pick of this year's draft steps onto a crowded blue line in LA. The preseason will show what kind of role we can expect him to play. I'll keep you updated.

The Offense:

The Kings have managed to not completely dismantle their offense. Despite their best attempts (and amidst rumors that Kopitar might be on the move) they still have several fantasy relevant forwards... if you can afford a plus/minus hit.

You Want to Draft:
Anze Kopitar
Patrick O'Sullivan
Alexander Frolov
Dustin Brown

Kopitar took a nice leap forward last year, increasing his point total by 16 points. He's good. He'd be even better on a better team. He's a solid option at center, again if you can take the plus/minus hit that comes with being a player on the Kings.
FACT: Anze Kopitar was the first Slovenian to play in the NHL

O'Sullivan took a giant leap forward last season, and is probably a large part of why the Kings felt that they could deal Cammalleri in the off-season. O'Sullivan has produced at every level he has played at and there is no reason to believe that he won't continue to do so. His point totals are still a little low to justify the plus/minus risk, but he could have a massive season with the space that Cammalleri's departure leaves on the powerplay.
FACT: O'Sullivan, a second round pick, was projected to be a first round pick, but was moved down largely due to off-ice issues. He has all the talent of a first round pick and will continue to show that.

Frolov was actually a plus on this team and has been for most of his career. Frolov is probably the best fantasy option for you here. He's a left wing has explosive speed and 40 goal potential. Because of where he plays he will slip under a lot of people's radars. He's a solid solid pick.
FACT: The knock against Frolov is that he doesn't shoot enough. I would draft him expecting about 200 shots and 30 goals.

Brown has seen a healthy jump in production in each season. He gets you some PIM and also plays the powerplay. He will unquestionably be on the first line this season with Frolov and Kopitar. It should be a very very good line. Expect another slight jump from Brown. Again be aware of the plus/minus issue.
FACT: Brown nearly doubled his goal total last season from 17 in 06-07 to 33 in 07-08.

The Defense:

You Want to Draft:
uh... Jack Johnson or Tom Preissing

I know that I just took a shot at the scouts that predicted his rise last season... but hear me out. Last year neither he nor Preissing saw much powerplay time. This year they are the only two options to play the point. Johnson has been an offensive force at every level and should get their at this one eventually. The problem is knowing when that is going to happen. I would postulate that it could be this year... or Preissing could see all that time go to him or...

You Want to Keep an Eye On:
Drew Doughty

I don't think he'll be NHL ready yet, but I seem to be in the minority. I think Johnson is the candidate for Visnovsky's powerplay time here, but its really any one's guess. Lots of unanswered questions out in LA.
FACT: Confused yet? Unless Doughty is the second coming of Bobby Orr this is not his year. All you need to know that is to look at Johnson's stats last year with similar hype. D-men take a while to develop in the NHL. Ask Marc Staal.

The Powerplay:
Anze Kopitar
Dustin Brown
Alexander Frolov
Patrick O'Sullivan
Mystery D-man

A lot of speed but not a lot of experience and no clear leader. Kopitar, Brown and Frolov should be starting to get comfortable with each other at this point however.

The Goalie(s):

LaBarbera is the goalie of right now out in LA. Bernier is the goalie of the future. Neither of them should be the goalie of your fantasy team. LaBarbera is probably all right to grab as a third goalie for spot starts (his GAA and SV% are actually pretty respectable) but he won't get you north of 25 wins.
FACT: LaBarbera holds the AHL record for most shutouts in a single season with 13.

The Verdict:

For the most part stay away. The Kings will win just enough games to not be a consideration for first overall in the draft next year and therefore won't have a shot at Tavares. They will instead draft third and get a talented offensive defenseman. Draft Frolov with confidence and Kopitar and Brown if you can afford the plus/minus hit.

The Engine Stoll-ed yesterday

Sorry guys. I totally forgot about the Visnovsky for Stoll trade when I was doing the Kings wrap up yesterday. I guess I was too wrapped up in my NHL 94 memories. So...

Los Angeles Kings... Part 2

The Kings also traded defenseman Lubomir Visnovsky to Edmonton for Jaret Stoll. Stoll is coming off a disappointing season where he managed to score less points (36) in 81 games then he did the season before (39) in only 51 games. Will the real Jarret Stoll please stand up? Stoll's best season was 2005-2006 when he scored 68 points. Stoll is now a full season removed from concussion problems that sidelined him for 30 games in 2006-2007 and could see a pretty good rebound year, he's only 26 after all.

Center is a crowded position in LA however. Kopitar and O'Sullivan are both better prospects then Stoll (likely acquired for his face off proficiency). He's got tremendous upside (despite being a defensive liability) but the risk here is high, and there are better options at center. If you're feeling adventurous Stoll could be a good late round flyer pick. If not I'd watch him for the first couple weeks, see who his linemates are and act accordingly.

Perhaps the bigger fantasy news for fans of aging supermodels in the Los Angeles area is that Stoll will be bringing with him Rachael Hunter, his girlfriend since 2006.

The departure of both Visnovsky and Rob Blake opens doors for LA's young defensive corps. Tom Pressing stands to get the immediate boost and powerplay time, as should Jack Johnson. Preissing's numbers should see a polite bump from last years 24 to a number closer to 06-07's 38. Johnson, who is the real deal, should see a relatively sharp bump as well... though its always difficult to predict when exactly a young defenseman will achieve his potential. Barring any further moves, Johnson will get every shot to do that this season.

King Me

The Los Angeles Kings

I love the Kings. I have a Kings jersey, and an all star jersey from when the game was played at the Staples Center in 2002. I used to use the Kings in NHL 2001-2004 (we had a no Brodeur/Roy rule). Deadmarsh actually played for my LA Kings and he was good. Jason Allison could skate and Roman Chechmanek wasn't the fraud he turned out to be. The real Kings have been less... well... lucky.

The Kings traded personal favorite, he of too many vowels, Michael Cammallieri to the Calgary Flames (where he is destined for stardom) for their pick in this years draft. They used the picks they gathered to upgrade their defensive prospects. Other than that the Kings have been quiet this offseason.

There's not a whole lot more to report then that at this point in time. If the Khabibulin deal goes down the Kings will lose their best player for the second time this offseason in the form of Kopitar. For Kings-fans sakes I hope that that rumor was just that, a big rumor. Otherwise the Kings will rapidly find themselves being called the Islanders of the Western Conference.

THIS JUST IN

Reports out of Ottawa indicate the possibility of a three way trade between Ottawa, LA and Chicago that would bring former-All Star Nikolai Khabibulin to the Senators along with either Cam Barker or Brent Seabrook. LA would then receive former-goaltender Martin Gerber and Andrej Meszaros from Ottawa and send Anze Kopitar to the Blackhawks.

The rumored trade is discussed in more detail here http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/2008/07/16/Khabibulin_Potential_Sen/

Obviously were this deal to go down it would vastly change my opinions on what these three teams have done with their offseason. I don't think its a GREAT move for Ottawa but its not a bad one. This is a disaster for the Kings. For the Blackhawks I think it would be another good move amidst a flurry of them this offseason. It would make both of their signings look brilliant.

Its only rumor for now, but given what we all know about these teams its a rumor that makes a lot of sense. I'll keep you updated and try to work around these divisions/teams in my continuing free agent reports.