After the Los Angeles Kings lost to the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference First Round for the fourth consecutive season, it was clear they needed something more to get over that hump.
The Kings addressed their shortcomings in free agency and now have what they believe to be a stronger group.
“I think they’re a team that can compete for the (Stanley) Cup,” general manager Ken Holland told NHL Network on July 14. Holland was named Los Angeles’ general manager on May 14, replacing Rob Blake, who left the Kings on May 5.
“Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to get by Edmonton the last couple of years. I thought three of the four series L.A. had a chance to win and Edmonton found a way to win. That’s pro sports. We have a good mix of veteran players and youth.”
Holland said Los Angeles needed to address its depth. As the Kings progressed in their playoff series against the Oilers, they were rolling three lines instead of four. So they signed forward Corey Perry to a one-year, $2 million contract on July 1. They also signed forward Joel Armia to a two-year, $5 million contract ($2.5 million AAV) and defensemen Cody Ceci to a four-year, $18 million contract ($4.5 million AAV) and Brian Dumoulin to a three-year, $12 million contract ($4 million AAV).
Between those signings and the growth of forwards including Samuel Helenius, Jeff Malott and Alex Turcotte, Los Angeles feels it will have more substantial depth.
The additions could also help the Kings’ special teams, especially the power play, which ranked 27th in the NHL last season (17.9 percent). They want to remain strong on their penalty kill, which was eighth in the League last season (81.4 percent).
Perry should boost the power play. The 40-year-old, who has gone to the Stanley Cup Final five of the past six seasons, including the past two with Edmonton, has 288 power-play points, including 124 power-play goals, in 1,392 career regular-season games. He had five power-play goals for the Oilers in 22 playoff games last season.
“We played the Kings in the first round the past two years when I was in Edmonton,” Perry told NHL.com on July 23. “And while we won both of those series, L.A. was a great hockey team. Those series could have gone either way. We found a way to beat them in the end, but you could see what they have. And the moves Kenny has subsequently made and the players he’s brought in has helped the team — good acquisitions, good depth.”
Armia, Ceci and Dumoulin will add to their penalty kill.
