2023-24 season: 44-27-11, 3rd in Pacific Division, 7th in Western Conference, 12th in league, lost 4-1 against Edmonton Oilers in Western Conference 1st Round.
I've never been high on LA's chances of doing anything, but this is the year I believe they'll do less than nothing. I'm not expecting a huge downfall, but let's just say it won't be the Oilers putting them out this year. It's been years since their luck ran out and left them here, not having won anything since 2014, with hardly anything to be excited about for the future. They started the season in a record-setting fashion, by winning their first 11 road games, but they skidded mid-season, and their hold on 1st place fell to Vancouver, who ran with it the rest of the season, and after firing Todd McLellan, they just never seemed to find their stride for the rest of the season. They played well enough, but they made a mistake winning the last game of the regular season against Chicago to move into 3rd. In the playoffs, they failed to take advantage of Stuart Skinner's inconsistency in Game 1, and it cost them when he was back to being good in Games 3 and 4. Winning Game 1 would've made all the difference against an Oilers team that spends every season playing from behind, but they didn't take advantage when they had the chance.
The Kings have the winning experience to get over that hump, but it was evident throughout the season and the playoffs that Drew Doughty can't play the same kind of game he used to when he was an absolute monster on the ice. Anze Kopitar can still play at the same level as before, but with the future centerman of the franchise being Quinton Byfield, I'm not sure that their near future is in good hands. It's not a slight against Byfield, but he just isn't living up to the hype that most 2nd overall picks face. He did take a big step forward this season though, and if he can follow up with a stronger performance next year, I'll give the Kings a chance, but their blue line got undoubtedly weaker with Matt Roy leaving for Washington, and Viktor Arvidsson leaving for the Oilers. Arvidsson missed 64 games this year because of injuries, which affected LA a lot this season, and I believe that negative effect from his departure will be felt again.
This year I am predicting a 40-30-12 record, a 4th place finish in the Pacific Division, 9th place in the Western Conference, and 18th in the league. They just don't have enough to compete with the Pacific Division's top 3, and the Central Division got a lot better.
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