The Los Angeles Kings remain one of the top teams in the Pacific Division. After making the playoffs last year, they have a strong chance of returning to the postseason. They have retained their core which should help them repeat last season’s feat.
However, while the Kings will be looking to take things a step further this season, they will likely make it as a low seed and won’t enjoy a home-court advantage in the first round, which is something for fans of NHL betting to think about when making their picks.
Anze Kopitar is the team’s captain again in 2022-23 and has been with the squad since 2006. Meanwhile, Kevin Fiala looks strong, and took a lead at the beginning of the season on total points. In terms of goals, Gabriel Vilardi is one to watch, while Viktor Arvidsson also brings an attacking advantage.
Phillip Danault, Trevor Moore, and Drew Doughty are steady contributors to head coach Todd McLellan. Adrian Kempe and Mikey Anderson are also mainstays in their starting rotation. In terms of goaltending, Jonathan Quick has a reasonable save rate, surrendering about 3.28 goals per game.
The Kings won 44 games last season but lost to the Edmonton Oilers in seven games during Round 1 of their playoff series. That’s the first time Los Angeles qualified for the playoffs in the last four seasons.
Before that drought, they were swept by the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2017-2018 NHL playoffs opening round.
The Kings were one of the six teams that started to play in 196. Jack Kent Cooke was the team’s original owner, and the team began to make an impact in the 1970s. However, early playoff exits always negated their strong regular-season performance.
They became one of the premiere NHL franchises when they traded for the legendary Wayne Gretzky in 1988. The sport grew in one of the USA’s biggest cities, and the team won its only division title during the 1990-91 season. The team also nearly added another title in 1993, but lost Stanley Cup Final to the Montreal Canadiens. Almost two decades later, the Kings won their first Stanley Cup and got another in 2013-14.
While the Kings have won three conference championships, they haven’t won the Presidents’ Trophy yet. The Kings’ minor league affiliates are the Ontario Reign in the American Hockey League and Greenville Swamp Rabbits in the East Coast Hockey League.
The Kings started to play their home games at Crypto.com Arena in 1999 after transferring from The Great Western Forum. Formerly known as Staples Center, the venue can accommodate up to 18,230 spectators for an ice hockey game.
Playing in Los Angeles is always a glamorous experience, especially with the who’s who in entertainment cheering for the Kings. The crowd gets loud, especially when the Kings have the momentum, and it can be challenging for the visiting team.
As you’d expect, the Kings have established rivalries with their fellow California-based teams. Their rivalry with the Anaheim Ducks is dubbed “Freeway Face-Off.” Meanwhile, their battles with the San Jose Sharks get Northern and Southern California pumped up.
The Kings eliminated both squads during their memorable championship run in 2014. The Kings also have an ongoing rivalry with the Vegas Golden Knights since the franchise entered the league in 2017.
