2013-14 record: 46-28-8 (100 points)
Won the Stanley Cup
Captain: Dustin Brown
The Los Angeles Kings just wouldn't stay down. Down 3-0 in the opening round, they won four straight, and down 3-1 in the following round, they took the next three games. In fact, had they not used their comeback magic to beat the Rangers in five games, they would have played the maximum number of games in the playoffs. Their offense was nothing special in the playoffs, and it was up to their defense to carry the day. When playoff time rolled around however, the Kings were able to turn it on at the right time every time, and the result was their second Stanley Cup in three seasons. The task now is to become the first team to repeat as champions since Detroit turned the trick in 1997 and 1998.
Offensively, only two players cracked the 50 point barrier (Anze Kopitar and Jeff Carter). The 26th ranked offense in the league, it was the top ranked defense that put them into the playoffs, and though there were moments where the Kings were headed for a quick playoff exit, clutch scoring and a never-say-die attitude carried them through the playoffs. Having Marian Gaborik and Tyler Toffoli for a whole season should improve the offense. Only Willie Mitchell is not returning to a defense that was tops in the league, and there is no shortage of players that can take his place. Jonathan Quick is the man in goal, and despite a slight dip in playoff numbers, he did well enough to lead them to another Cup. Martin Jones showed that he can handle the backup duties, and will be counted on to spell Quick for 25-30 games.
Prediction: 2nd in the Pacific Division
It's fashionable to pick the Kings to repeat as the Stanley Cup champions. However, the Chicago Blackhawks are in the same conference, and they are none too happy that the Kings took the Cup back from them. There's also St. Louis, Anaheim, and Minnesota to deal with, but one should never count out the Kings.
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