Los Angeles Kings right wing Dustin Brown celebrates after scoring the game-winning shoot out goal against the Colorado Avalanche during a preseason NHL hockey game Sunday, Sept. 27, 2015. Justin Williams, Slava Voynov and Mike Richards are gone, and so is the aura that surrounded the Los Angeles Kings as a seemingly unstoppable force in the Western Conference. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ AP/Jack Dempsey
September 29, 2015 - 10:09 AM
Justin Williams, Slava Voynov and Mike Richards are gone, and so is the aura that surrounded the Los Angeles Kings as a seemingly unstoppable force in the Western Conference.
The days of the Kings missing the playoffs, however, should be short-lived. The 2012 and 2014 Stanley Cup champions are back and determined not to make the same mistakes they did last season.
"We're still rolling," defenceman Drew Doughty said. "We didn't make the playoffs last year, but that's in the past now. We want to come back, we want to try to be a dominant team in the league again, and I think we can be."
Voynov self-deported to Russia after his domestic violence case caused immigration questions, and the Kings let Williams — Mr. Game 7 — walk in free agency. So this will be a different-looking despite having many of the same holdover stars.
Doughty, who was a Norris Trophy finalist, leads a blue line that includes underrated Jake Muzzin and newcomer Christian Ehrhoff, and Los Angeles still has Anze Kopitar and Jeff Carter up front and Jonathan Quick in goal.
Players believe missing the playoffs will be a wake-up call.
"Just didn't think we had the fire in our bellies that we needed to," Kopitar said. "We definitely don't want to have that sour taste in our mouth like we did last year. Everybody's going to be fired up and ready to go."
One thing the NHL has learned is when the Kings get fired up, they're hard to beat.
Here's a look at the Western Conference in the predicted order of finish by division (asterisk indicates wild-card playoff teams):
CENTRAL DIVISION
1. Minnesota Wild
Last season: 46-28-8, 100 points, fourth in Central, lost in division final to Chicago
Who's gone: RW Chris Stewart, LW Matt Cooke, F Kyle Brodziak
Who's new: D Mike Reilly
Outlook: The Wild's pace after acquiring goaltender Devan Dubnyk midway through last season portends some great things to come. Minnesota has a crazy deep blue line from Ryan Suter down and star power in the form of Zach Parise that makes it a Cup contender.
2. Chicago Blackhawks
Last season: 48-28-6, 102 points, third in Central, won Stanley Cup
Who's gone: LW Brandon Saad, F Patrick Sharp, D Johnny Oduya, G Antti Raanta, C Antoine Vermette, RW Kris Versteeg, LW Daniel Carcillo, C Joakim Nordstrom, D Kimmo Timonen
Who's new: C Artem Anisimov, D Trevor Daley, RW Marko Dano, LW Artemi Panarin, F Viktor Tikhonov
Outlook: The Patrick Kane sexual assault investigation must unfold off the ice. On the ice, the Blackhawks are a little like they were in 2010-11: in the process of mixing in new players, something that could take time — even a season — to happen.
3. St. Louis Blues
Last season: 51-24-7, 109 points, first in Central, lost in division semifinal to Minnesota
Who's gone: RW T.J. Oshie, D Barret Jackman
Who's new: RW Troy Brouwer, F Kyle Brodziak
Outlook: The Blues hope some small tweaks make a major difference come playoff time. The regular season has been the place for them to shine, so perhaps letting off the gas a bit over 82 games will help them get closer to winning 16 games later.
4. Winnipeg Jets*
Last season: 43-26-13, 99 points, fifth in Central
Who's gone: F Michael Frolik, LW Jiri Tlusty, RW Lee Stempniak, C Jim Slater
Who's new: F Alexander Burmistrov, RW Nikolaj Ehlers, C Andrew Copp, F Matt Fraser
Outlook: The Jets at one point last season were missing half of their regular defence and still made the playoffs. Throw out a first-round sweep because of even more injuries and some notable departures when considering this season, because Winnipeg will be just as good thanks to coach Paul Maurice.
5. Dallas Stars*
Last season: 41-31-10, 92 points, sixth in Central
Who's gone: D Trevor Daley, LW Ryan Garbutt, G Jhonas Enroth
Who's new: F Patrick Sharp, D Johnny Oduya, G Antti Niemi
Outlook: The return of young Valeri Nichushkin and the additions of Sharp and Oduya should make the Stars take the next step, according to GM Jim Nill. That next step should be back into the playoffs with Lehtonen and Niemi splitting time in goal.
6. Nashville Predators
Last season: 47-25-10, 104 points, second in Central, lost in division semifinal to Chicago
Who's gone: F Matt Cullen, LW Taylor Beck, D Cody Franson, F Mike Santorelli
Who's new: F Cody Hodgson, D Barret Jackman, RW Steve Moses
Outlook: The Peter Laviolette effect happened to the Predators as it did to the coach's previous NHL teams, but the Central Division is probably the deepest in hockey. Nashville could hit 90 points and still miss out because of the playoff format.
7. Colorado Avalanche
Last season: 39-31-12, 90 points, seventh in Central, missed playoffs
Who's gone: C Ryan O'Reilly, D Jan Hejda, F Daniel Briere
Who's new: D Francois Beauchemin, C Carl Soderberg, D Nikita Zadorov, C Mikhail Grigorenko, LW Blake Comeau
Outlook: The building blocks are there for future winning seasons, most notably Nathan MacKinnon and captain Gabriel Landeskog. Colorado will be competitive under Patrick Roy, but it's hard to envision a return to the playoffs just yet.
PACIFIC DIVISION
1. Anaheim Ducks
Last season: 51-24-7, 109 points, first in Pacific, lost in conference final to Chicago
Who's gone: D Francois Beauchemin, LW Matt Beleskey, C Kyle Palmieri, LW Tomas Fleischmann, RW Emerson Etem, D James Wisniewski
Who's new: LW Carl Hagelin, D Kevin Bieksa, G Anton Khudobin, F Mike Santorelli, RW Chris Stewart, C Shawn Horcoff
Outlook: Some teams give and take in the off-season, while the Ducks just seem to get better and deeper. Beauchemin played big minutes for them, but he and others can and will be replaced as Anaheim wins another Pacific Division title.
2. Calgary Flames
Last season: 45-30-7, 97 points, third in Pacific, lost in division final to Anaheim
Who's gone: D Raphael Diaz
Who's new: D Dougie Hamilton, F Michael Frolik
Outlook: A healthy Mark Giordano, even with T.J. Brodie out early, plus Hamilton immediately makes Calgary better. Coach of the year Bob Hartley got so much out of the young Flames last season, and he'll do even more with bigger expectations.
3. Los Angeles Kings
Last season: 40-27-15, 95 points, fourth in Pacific, missed playoffs
Who's gone: D Slava Voynov, RW Justin Williams, C Mike Richards, C Jarret Stoll, D Robyn Regehr, G Martin Jones, D Andrej Sekera
Who's new: LW Milan Lucic, D Christian Ehrhoff
Outlook: Distractions are gone, and the Kings will rely on younger players more than ever before. But there's too much talent on the roster to think two-time Stanley Cup-champion Los Angeles will miss the playoffs for a second straight season.
4. San Jose Sharks
Last season: 40-33-9, 89 points, fifth in Pacific, missed playoffs
Who's gone: G Antti Niemi, D Matt Irwin
Who's new: D Paul Martin, G Martin Jones, RW Joel Ward
Outlook: The Sharks went into youth mode and now seem to be more concentrated on winning in the present. That's a good thing because Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau aren't getting any younger, but they're only a playoff team if Jones can be a legitimate starter.
5. Edmonton Oilers
Last season: 24-44-14, 62 points, sixth in Pacific, missed playoffs
Who's gone: G Viktor Fasth, C Derek Roy, C Boyd Gordon
Who's new: C Connor McDavid, D Andrej Sekera, G Cam Talbot, D Darnell Nurse, D Griffin Reinhart, D Erik Gryba, LW Lauri Korpikoski
Outlook: McDavid ushers in a new era of Oilers hockey, even if it takes a year or two to come together. This is a better team all around, from the net out, and coach Todd McLellan will make sure the results are substantially better than last season.
6. Arizona Coyotes
Last season: 24-50-8, 56 points, seventh in Pacific, missed playoffs
Who's gone: F Sam Gagner, LW Martin Erat, LW Lauri Korpikoski, F Mark Arcobello, D John Moore
Who's new: C Max Domi, LW Anthony Duclair, RW Steve Downie, C Antoine Vermette, G Anders Lindback, D Zbynek Michalek, D Stefan Elliott, D Nicklas Grossmann, C Boyd Gordon
Outlook: Arizona won't suddenly go from one of the worst teams in the NHL to a playoff contender, but the infusion of talent to this roster, including veterans and prospects, will help. Dave Tippett can coach 'em up, too.
7. Vancouver Canucks
Last season: 48-29-5, 101 points, second in Pacific, lost in division semifinal to Calgary
Who's gone: D Kevin Bieksa, C Nick Bonino, G Eddie Lack, F Shawn Matthias, RW Zack Kassian
Who's new: C Brandon Sutter, D Matt Bartkowski, LW Brandon Prust
Outlook: The Canucks shook off one missed playoff appearance under John Tortorella and got back last year, but this is indeed a team in transition. Daniel and Henrik Sedin can still produce, but goalie Ryan Miller and this roster is aging all too fast.
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