LAK AT 13: THE STRUGGLE TO FIND CONTENDER FORM

LOS ANGELES, CA — Five wins in 13 games is no way to make the playoffs.

No wins in five home games isn’t the path to Stanley Cup contender status.

The Los Angeles Kings begin November with the same uncertainty that surrounded the team following their Opening Night defeat against the Colorado Avalanche.

It is not uncommon for teams to have unresolved questions through the initial month, as the 20-game mark is typically seen as the first meaningful benchmark in an NHL season. However, the Kings’ current 5-4-4 record translates to an 88-point pace over an 82-game schedule, a trajectory that would cause them to miss the playoffs for the first time in five seasons.

With 69 games still left in the marathon regular-season, the Kings have ample opportunity to address their shortcomings and strengthen the areas that have hindered their ability to solidify their standing in the fiercely competitive Western Conference.

One encouraging takeaway from the first month is the lack of a clear frontrunner within the Pacific Division.

The Edmonton Oilers are known for their slow starts, preventing them from gaining an early advantage. Meanwhile, the Vegas Golden Knights have managed six wins in their first 11 games, indicating inconsistency rather than dominance. Unexpectedly, the Anaheim Ducks currently lead the division, capitalizing on the slow starts of other teams.

As for the remaining four teams in the division – Seattle Kraken, Vancouver Canucks, San Jose Sharks and Calgary Flames – none have shown the form or depth required to emerge as a strong playoff contender at this stage of the season. The absence of a dominant team means the division remains wide open, and improvements made in the coming months could be the difference in securing a playoff berth.

The current situation is somewhat fortunate for the Kings, as every aspect of their game requires attention and improvement. When examining the team’s performance across the four primary statistical categories – goals scored, goals surrendered, powerplay efficiency, and penalty kill – they consistently rank in the lower tier of the league, falling between 21st and 25th place in each area. This widespread underperformance suggests their current record might actually be flattering, and the reality could be even more concerning if not for certain mitigating factors. The need for comprehensive improvement is evident if the Kings hope to change their trajectory this season.

Defensive regression from last season was predictable, having lost Vladislav Gavrikov to free agency and Darcy Kuemper replicating his Vezina-nominated season is a big ask. His .910 save percentage at 5-on-5 play is acceptable but not close to the .934 he averaged last season. Anton Forsberg has been incrementally better than his predecessor David Rittich in the backup role (.916 v .905) but the drop from .908 save percentage to .892 in all situations is noticeable.

Along the blueline, Head Coach Jim Hiller has returned to the defensive alignment seen in the season’s opening days. Mikey Anderson has returned to his accustomed role alongside Drew Doughty while the new guys, Brian Dumoulin and Cody Ceci have been reunited after a rocky start (zero goals for, five goals against, 30% Corsi). The moves aimed to restore Anderson’s normal ice time and try new pairings for Ceci and Dumoulin, who may have been mismatched as new teammates in a new system.  

The offense is another story.

There’s enough talent to score goals, so the drop from 3.08 to 2.77 goals scored per game is the more significant factor in the team’s uneven start. The powerplay is a culprit; they are mid-table when it comes to generating high danger chances with the man advantage (Natural Stats Trick pegs the average of two per game), but their 10.53 shooting percentage is sixth worst in the NHL.

Towards that end, Hiller demoted winger Andrei Kuzmenko from the top powerplay unit at Monday’s practice and replaced him with Corey Perry, who presently owns the hottest goal scoring stick. Hiller said his choice of Perry was an admission that of the top powerplay unit’s struggle to create legitimate scoring chances may change with Perry’s net front presence, something not in Kuzmenko’s toolbox. Maybe it’s something as simple as Perry’s nose for the net being a better fit for the top unit than the shiftiness Kuzmenko brought last season that galvanized a moribund power play but the additional move of replacing Kuzmenko with Joel Armia on the Anze Kopitar/Adrian Kempe line is prompted by the lack of effectiveness from Kuzmenko in all situations. Kuzmenko did pot his third of the season – his first at even strength – in the New Jersey loss but that score was a result of a great backhand pass from Kopitar that set him up close in.

While it makes sense that he would be the player removed from the top powerplay unit due to his status as the most easily replaceable member, his challenges have extended beyond special teams. At even strength, Kuzmenko’s performance has declined, resulting in diminished productivity and an increase in risky play. This combination ultimately compelled the coaching staff to make a change and adjust his role within the lineup. However, attributing the team’s offensive difficulties solely to Kuzmenko would be misleading.

Phil Danault, usually a dependable player in his five years with Los Angeles, has been ineffective offensively. His 27-goal first season in Los Angeles stood out as an anomaly and expectations for him to repeat that performance were unrealistic. In contrast, his output last season was significantly lower, managing only eight goals across 80 games. This level of production does not meet the standard required for a modern third-line center in the NHL.

At the start of the season, Hiller defended the paltry goal total suggesting Danault shot in tough luck for much of last season and his production in the Edmonton playoff series was solid (2G, 6A) but zero goals and three assists through 13 games must improve.

In contrast, Alex Turcotte has mirrored Danault’s offensive output despite playing less than half the ice time (17:04 for Danault compared to 9:20 for Turcotte). Turcotte’s improving faceoff efficiency and speed not only highlight his potential but also suggest that he could surpass Danault on the depth chart if this trend continues. The comparison underscores the need for increased contribution from Danault while illustrating Turcotte’s emergence as a viable option in the lineup.

But again, singling out one player for the offensive decline doesn’t tell the story, one of the projected strengths of the roster was its center play – Kopitar, Quinton Byfield, Danault and an improving Turcotte should give Los Angeles an advantage in most games but the foursome has combined for two goals – both from Byfield. Kopitar missing four games is impactful, but the entire group needs to raise its level in the offensive zone.

Asking and expecting more from the forwards is always the first solution and history shows that NHL GMs usually wait until the 20-game mark for a realistic evaluation of the gaps in the roster. But with Kuzmenko’s declining production and the untimely injury to Warren Foegele (23 even strength goals last season, only Kempe had more) affecting goal production in all situations, it is curious to see Marc Bergevin, the Senior Advisor to General Manager Ken Holland, attending multiple Philadelphia Flyers games recently.

Like the Kings, the Flyers have been experiencing significant offensive struggles early in the season. This common issue could open the door for a mutually beneficial trade. Both teams are seeking ways to address their forward depth and scoring inefficiencies, which may prompt discussions between Flyers GM Danny Briere and Holland.

The tough early schedule continues for Los Angeles on the balance of the home stand. The Kings have already suffered a narrow, one-goal defeat to the Winnipeg Jets, and with the Florida Panthers on the horizon, the competition does not get any easier. A pivotal segment of the early season looms just prior to American Thanksgiving. During this stretch, the Kings are set to play five games that will serve as a meaningful indicator of the team’s current standing. This sequence includes home and away matchups against the Ottawa Senators, a contest with the underachieving Washington Capitals, a rematch with the San Jose Sharks, and a showdown with the Boston Bruins, featuring a return by former Ontario Reign coach Marco Sturm.

This grouping of five games, coming against teams that are not considered elite, presents an opportunity to provide a fair barometer of where the team stands at the season’s quarter mark.