The first half of the 2013-14 regular season is officially in the books as the Kings passed over the 41 game mark last Thursday against the St. Louis Blues. There have been a myriad of talking points surrounding the team from slumping players to injured stars. In brief, here are just a few of the good and the bad for the LA Kings from the first half of the season.
Good: The Standings
The Kings are playing and have been playing tremendous hockey up to this point. Off to their best start in franchise history, the Kings are fighting for the division in a tightly contested Pacific Division and for a playoff spot in a stacked Western Conference. We've become accustomed as Kings fans to see ourselves on the outside looking in most the time at this point of the season, however this year is different. The Kings are a favorite to make the playoffs, however they will definitely have to keep up a high level of play as there seem to be no free lunches being handed out out West. They currently sit in sixth place with 56 points, seven clear of the drop zone.
Bad: ....The Standings
As I stated before the Kings were off to their best start ever. Where does it put them? tied for sixth place. Can I officially say that I hate the Pacific division? Despite tremendous stretches of games by the LA Kings, which included an 11 game point streak, they have never had control of the division. The Anaheim Ducks have played absolutely out of their minds under regular season stalwart Bruce Boudreau, and have lost just eight games in regulation. A staggering 17-0-2 home record has seen the Ducks jump 11 points clear of the Kings at around the halfway mark. If you think we are frustrated as fans, try being a player in the West right now. There is no rest. The Kings sit in sixth place, but a small slump could see them drop out of the playoff picture all together. Phoenix and Minnesota are deadlocked just six points behind the Kings in 8th and 9th place with 49 points, and a talented Dallas team sits just two back of them in 10th. And so they fight on...
Good: Anze Kopitar
Quietly having yet another phenomenal year. With 35 points in 43 games the Slovenian center sits in 33rd in NHL scoring and 18th amongst centers. However, it's always the defensive acumen that makes Kopitar such a valuable asset. His plus-22 rating is tops amongst centers and is behind only Jaden Schwartz with a plus-23 in the entire NHL. He's averaged around 22 minutes of icetime this year which is amongst the best in the league, but also averages over two minutes a game on the penalty kill. This is more than all of his comparables like Ryan Getzlaf or Jonathan Toews. He will also be on his way to Sochi come February to represent Slovenia in the Olympic games which should be quite a thrill for him. As usual, he isn't the most flashy player for the Kings, but has been a consistent force yet again through the first half. If he isn't in the conversation for the Selke by year's end I will be surprised.
Bad: Dustin Brown
Ya know, I don't want to sit behind a computer and call a player "bad" this year, but it's hard to argue a case here when even Dustin Brown himself said, "I could be a hell of a lot better." "I could be a hell of a lot better." The Kings captain started the year as cold as ice with just three goals in his first 21 games, as well as a dip in both hits and shots per game. While the latter two elements of his game have picked up in the second quarter of the season, he is still on pace for some of his lowest point totals since his first two years in the league back in 2003-04 and 2005-06. Brown has also taken a high number of penalties, and is likely going to set a new career high with 80-90 minutes of thinking time. While the Kings are finding success even with him on a bit of a cold streak, Brown is an important offensive fixture that the Kings will need down the stretch and in the playoffs. Perhaps a visit to Sochi can reinvent the wingers confidence and goal scoring ability, because a 15 goal pace this year for one of your top players isn't going to cut it.
Good: Drew Doughty/Jake Muzzin pairing
Drew Doughty is having a monstrous first half and it's no surprise his name is being thrown around with the likes of Subban, Karlsson, Keith, and Pietrangelo for the Norris trophy. Statistically Doughty has been strong and he has been even stronger when seen in person. The comfort level and confidence seems to be back after he looked to struggle at times with an unfamiliar partner in Robyn Regehr. Cue Jake Muzzin. Muzzin has been a rather polarizing figure amongst King fans this year, some hate him some love him. I see Muzzin for what he is, but I also see what he has done for Drew Doughty. An unlikely tandem it may seem, but the similar aggressive and physical styles they play in opposite ends has definitely formed a cohesive relationship. Muzzin is prone to his turnovers now and again, but as a whole he has had a strong second year in the NHL. Most importantly, the pairing has allowed Drew Doughty to flourish yet again due to him having a partner he knows and trusts behind him. This is one experiment from the lab of Sutter that I am glad he stuck with...so far.
Bad: Quick's groin
Very tough to lose your star goaltender for such a long time, especially to an injury that can be somewhat nagging if not treated properly. Quick missed nearly two months of the season with a grade 2 groin strain after having a somewhat tumultuous start. While the Kings defense wasn't exactly putting on a strong showing in front of him, Quick was having some frequent hot and cold starts. Right when he seemed to start putting it together the injury occurred. Fortunately for the Kings they got some stellar goaltending from Martin Jones and Ben Scrivens to keep them from taking on water due to the injury. There is a TBD quality to this entry, as the enforced break may have preserved Quick in a way and also allowed him to get mentally refocused. It also could be something that flares up from time to time if he isn't careful or if he wasn't 100-percent ready to go. He looked strong in his first outing back, so here's to hoping the goalie of Team USA can stay healthy and on top of his game for the remainder.
Good: Unexpected Performances
I briefly touched on it with the performances of Martin Jones and Ben Scrivens but it certainly runs deeper than those two. The Kings goaltending soap opera has been covered ad nauseam at this point, with Jones and Scrivens playing absolutely lights out hockey for their team in need. However, performances from Dwight King, Jordan Nolan, and Tyler Toffoli shouldn't go unnoticed in a year like this. The Kings have managed to stay amongst the leagues best, even when some of their primary scorers ala Carter, Brown, or Richards have gone cold. It has been, without a doubt, due to the depth they have at forward. While it isn't the flashiest group of players, they have certainly got the job done so far. Between the three aforementioned players the Kings have received 26 goals. Compare that to Carter, Stoll, and Brown, who have 28. Or Kopitar, Carter, and Richards, who have 34. They have been as big a part of the Kings offense as any other players, even if they aren't household names.
Bad: Unexpected slumpers
Ya know who we didn't expect to see having a season filled with struggles outside of Dustin Brown? Matt Greene, Trevor Lewis, Matt Frattin. Of the forwards, Lewis has yet to score a goal this season after 34 games. He has been a healthy scratch at times as well, even on a team that has few forwards as versatile and fast as he is. With his level of play, and several young players like Vey, Pearson, and Nic Dislauriers having solid seasons, it's possible Lewis could be considered an asset worth parting with. Frattin is struggling for what seems like very different reasons. His transition from the Eastern game to the Western game has come with a learning curve that must look like Everest. The speedy forward has found himself at odds with much bigger and tougher competition on a nightly basis. The effort level is hit and miss with Frattin, as he looks defeated in some games, and roarin' to go in others. For his critics, I say give him another year to see where he goes. Greene has had his problems with health, which has kept him out of the lineup sporadically throughout the season. He has also been a healthy scratch in a few games in favor of Alex Martinez. He was also called out by Sutter when the team's penalty kill struggled so mightily. He is another key figure the Kings need to stay consistent.
Do you have any good or bad you would like to add? Hit up the comment section and share your thoughts!
Not to be forgotten, a big congrats goes out to the Kings Sochi Olympians in Jeff Carter, Drew Doughty, Jonathan Quick, Dustin Brown, Slava Voynov, and Anze Kopitar.
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