In the post-trade deadline NHL world one of the best kept secrets around the league is the change in the LA Kings.
For most out of town markets, they don’t realize that the Kings team that they will be seeing now and into the playoffs will not be the same as they’ve seen all year.
No, the Kings didn’t do anything at the deadline, but they were the most active team leading up to it.
The moves to get Torrey Mitchell, Dion Phaneuf, and Tobias Reider can only be viewed as additions to a team that compliments the strong core that they already had. If you combine that with the return of Jeff Carter last Saturday, it is almost like the Kings made a deadline blockbuster.
We’ve started to see this already on the ice.
After a very slow start against Edmonton, in the third period the Kings looked like a team possessed and almost managed to come back to tie it up. We all know how the ended of that game wound up but the never say die attitude was there.
That same feeling happened during the home-and-home with the Vegas Golden Knights. Despite getting down 2-0 at home, the team roared back and won in overtime in one of the most exciting games this season. The following day, Vegas took the lead again but the Kings were able to find themselves quicker and dominate from the second half of the first period onward.
Then we get to last night’s 5-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Kings, once again, spotted CBJ a two goal lead, but the Kings gave out such a confident vibe that viewers knew this game wasn’t done.
LA dominated the final two period by scoring five unanswered goals including two from Alex Iafallo and one from Carter shorthanded. Iafallo has been one of the Kings best players since the Christmas break scoring six goals and 13 points in 26 games, while consistently creating high quality chances using his speed.
As for Carter, we all know what he can do on the ice, he’s a true star in the NHL. It will take him some time to truly get his legs back to game speed but he is already on the right track.
This confidence that the Kings are displaying right now is very similar to what we saw early in the season. There has been a lot of talk about how the Kings have given up the first goal in many of the games this year, but early in the season they just overcame it.
If the Kings finish off the season the way they started it, it puts them in a perfect position not only to make the playoffs, but get home ice at least in the first round.
Right now, the Kings sit third in the Pacific Division, three points up on the Anaheim Ducks and two points behind the San Jose Sharks. It would be a stretch to for anyone in the Pacific to think they can catch the Golden Knights but getting that second seed is important to get the home ice against a San Jose or Anaheim.
Coming up next is an afternoon game at Staples Center with the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday. This will be the third and final game between the two clubs where the Kings have won 3-1 in the first two meetings this season. Chicago is coming off an embarrassing 7-2 loss to the Sharks on Thursday night and it is the third time in nine games where they’ve lost by five goals or more.
Before I wrap this up, I want to apologize once again for not being consistent over the last week or so. As I mentioned at the Trade Deadline, I’ve been getting over some form of flu and getting out of bed has been a hard thing to do during that time. I’m much better now and looking forward to the push for the playoffs.- AK