Seems like a simple question with a simple answer.
Kopitar.
You know, the guy who has led the Kings in scoring the last seven season.
Yea that guy. But let's try not to think about it in terms of individuals for a second, and think about who will lead the Kings scoring as a team. There are a few wild cards in there that could make a huge difference this year in turning the Kings from a meager regular season offense to a juggernaut. The difference from the regular season to postseason last year was night and day, and it feels like the Kings are more capable of the latter performance now more than ever. Here are just a few of the players I'm circling on the roster when it comes to leading the charge offensively.
Anze Kopitar
No duh right? Entering his prime at 27, paired up with the skillful Marian Gaborik for a whole year. It doesn't really matter who is going to be on that opposite wing, because these two have some stupid chemistry.
Despite being the leader of the Kings offensive charge for the last seven years, Kopitar has only broke 30 goals once, back in 2009-2010. He is usually good for about 70 points and around 25 goals, but with Gaborik on his line for a full year (Knock on wood he stays healthy) I'm feeling like Kopitar is going to push up into the 90 point range for the first time in his young career. He is definitely capable, and no offense to any of his former linemates, but now he has a special kind of firepower to compliment him in Gaborik.
Marian Gaborik
Speaking of Kopitar, here is his trigger man and the player that is going to take some defensive pressure off of him.
I think it was an easy call back in March when I posted
this, about how Kopitar and Gaborik could be the next big thing. It was even more interesting when I got into the shot charts and theorized that it would encourage Kopitar to drive the play and to shoot more. Check that post out if you didn't catch it the first time.
Seems to be playing out pretty well.
Gaborik's knack for second and third chance goals and goals that primarily come by hanging around the front of the net is going to be a big boon to the Kings offense. He had 19 goals in 45 games for the Kings last season, including 14 in 26 playoff games. He is becoming more and more familiar with his linemate, the team's set up, and the strategy. Gaborik has had three seasons of 40+ goals, and I don't feel like it's out of the question to predict something close to that. His pace for the playoffs was actually a 45-goal regular season pace. The guy definitely still has it. If there is a change in a goal scoring leader for the Kings this season it may very well come in the shape of Marian Gaborik.
Jeff Carter
If his preseason game against the Ducks on Sunday night is any indication, Jeff Carter is ready to go. He is still a long way offensively from his Flyers days where he was potting 40 and 30+. But last season he nearly cracked the 30 goal mark on a team that struggled to find enough scoring up and down the lineup. This year he may return to that 30 goal form.
Paired between Tanner Pearson and Tyler Toffoli, the trio looks remarkably good in the post-season. It seems as though Darryl Sutter is planning on keeping that line together to start the year. The speed the two wingers play with compliments Carter very well, and with an emerging goal scoring talent in Tyler Toffoli we may be looking at a second duo behind Kopitar-Gaborik that is a deadly threat to defenses.
The one thing working against Carter having a big offensive year is that he will be playing a good amount of time at center. While he is still capable of scoring from the middle of the ice, Carter looked more threatening from the wing most games. However, it might just be a comfort thing that adjusts with more time at the position. Maybe he won't return to 30 goals this year, but he is definitely going to wrack up more assists if Pearson and especially Toffoli start to prove why they hype is real.
Tyler Toffoli
If you picked up Tyler Toffoli this year in fantasy, good for you. You get an A in my book. It feels like the kid is ready for a huge year. He had his bumps and bruises over 62 games last year, jumping from 2nd to 4th line and having varying degrees of consistent success. However, when he hit his stride you could certainly see why the Kings are so excited about him. While his skating could use work, it has definitely come a long way.
Oh bye Lindholm.
Then of course you get to his finishing, which is top class. He was a 50+ goal scorer in the OHL with the Ottawa 67's TWICE. You don't do that by accident.
His ceiling to me is a 30 goal scorer in this league. Will he hit that this year? Maybe not, but I do think we are going to see a year where Toffoli earns himself some consistent top 6 minutes and 2nd pp unit time. That translates to him likely pushing into the top 5 in scoring for the Kings this season. Like with Carter, if preseason is any indication this kid is ready to go.
Dustin Brown
It's bounce back time.
A lot of folks in both the real and the fantasy sports world are a bit spoiled on Brown at the moment after what was a very down year in terms of production. I, however, can't ignore the fact that Brown was a consistent 50+ point scorer five seasons in a row prior to the lockout shortened 2011-12 season. Even in that year he was on pace to top 50 points yet again had it been a full 82.
He dealt with a debilitating knee injury to start the year, a new baby, and a trip to Sochi for the Olympics. Altogether that's a fairly exhausting year that likely took a toll on the Kings captain. Still just 29, Brown has an opportunity to remain on the Kings top line aside Kopitar and Gaborik. While Justin Williams is certainly going to make a push at that one as well, Brown has a style of crash and bang hockey that opens up the ice more for the gunners that are Kopitar and Gaborik.
Yea, he had a rough year last year, but prior to that he was a portrait of consistency. I see a return to the norm for Brown, 50-60 points, a boat load of hits, and that toothless grin.
Some of these were fairly obvious. Think I missed someone? Think Williams or Richards is going to have a bigger year than these 5? What about Doughty? Where is he going to fall in? Maybe Voynov has a big year also. Shoot maybe Dwight King emerges as a legitimate power forward and steps his 15-goal season game up into a 25-goal one. Maybe Adam Cracknell makes the team and scores 40. Okay, maybe not that.
Make your case in the comments section.
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Second round of cuts on Saturday were fairly unsurprising. In case you missed them, here you go.
Per LA Kings Insider
Heading to Manchester are Justin Auger (LW), Kevin Gravel (D), Ryan Horvat (C), Maxim Kitsyn (LW), Zachary Leslie (D), Kurtis MacDermid (D) Michael Mersch (LW), Colin Miller (D), Alex Roach (D) and Scott Sabourin (RW).
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