Offseason Review: Los Angeles Kings

Now that the dust has settled on a wild NHL offseason, let's take a look at how each team did in regards to drafting and free-agent signings. Today, we'll look at the LA Kings.

The Kings are in a similar situation to Chicago and are handling it in a similar fashion. The dynasty team that won them two Stanley Cups still has most of its core together, with players like Drew Doughty and Anze Kopitar looking like they'll be playing the rest of their careers in LA. GM Rob Blake has amassed a squad of extremely talented young prospects, and this year he went to work filling out his team's roster in the hopes of making a push for one last Stanley Cup. He didn't light the hockey world on fire quite like the Blackhawks did, but the team still took strides to improve and lift themselves out of another draft lottery appearance, and in the much weaker Pacific Division, the Kings could challenge for a wild card spot. Let's see how things shook out this summer.

Free Agency:

Blake got to work early this offseason, going out on July 1st and trading a 2021 2nd round pick and a 2022 3rd round pick to Nashville in exchange for Victor Arvidsson. Arvidsson has seen his production stagnate in the last couple of seasons, but it was only two years ago that he put up 34 goals in 58 games for the Preds. He is a good bet to slot in alongside Anze Kopitar on the Kings' top line. Another trade was made just before free agency, with prospects Bokondji Imama and Cole Hults sent to Arizona in exchange for prospects Brayden Burke and Tyler Steenbergen. Steenbergen was not tendered a qualifying offer and became a UFA shortly afterward.

Now on to signings. The biggest name coming to LA this summer is Phillip Danault, the star defensive centre from the Montreal Canadiens whose impressive showing in this year's playoffs was a significant factor in getting the Habs all the way to the Cup finals. He signed with the Kings for six years, which will carry him through to age 34. Danault projects as LA's second-line centre, but that all hinges on the progression of star prospect Quinton Byfield. The Kings also picked up veteran defenceman Alex Edler for one year, as well as re-signed winger Andreas Athanasiou, also for one year. Depth forward Trevor Moore was extended on a two-year deal.

After that, it was all two-way deals for LA. T.J. Tynan and Garrett Sparks were picked up off the market for one year each. The Kings then signed prospects Christian Wolanin, Lias Andersson, Brayden Burke, Austin Strand, Kale Clague, and Jacob Moverare, all to one-year two-way deals. 

Grade: B-; The Kings brought in Danault to get deeper down the middle, and that much was successful, but the places where they've had issues these last few years - on defence and in goal - continue to be concerns for the team. However, with plenty of prospects ready to break in, things may work out this year in LA.

Draft:

The Kings did some trading around with their draft picks this year, and wound up only selecting four players, all of them picked in the first three rounds. They lost their seventh-rounder in a pick swap with Carolina at last year's draft, lost their fourth to the Rangers in the Brendan Lemieux trade, and their own second-round pick went to Nashville to bring in Victor Arvidsson. They lost their 5th to Ottawa in a trade to move up in the second round, swapped their 4th with another 3rd to get themselves another pick in the second round, and then gave up a 3rd and a 6th to Calgary to move up in the third round. That's a lot of moves to end up with four total picks. Let's see how they did.

In the first round, at 8th overall, the Kings picked Brandt Clarke. Clarke is a 6'2" right-shot defenceman from Nepean, Ontario. His calling card is his adept puck-moving ability from the backend. He sees the ice exceptionally well and spots plays that others do not. His hockey IQ is already at an elite level, and he brings size to his defensive game as well. He was easily the best right-shot defenceman in this year's draft.

In the second round, 42nd overall, the Kings chose Francesco Pinelli. Pinelli is an all-fundamentals two-way centreman. His zone entries are clean, his passes are crisp, and he excels at finding open ice. He has a knack for one- and two-touch finishing that may see him scoring goals at a high pace a few years from now. Also in the second round, 59th overall, LA drafted Samuel Helenius. The son of 155-game NHL veteran and enforcer Sami Helenius, Samuel is a tough customer. Standing 6'6" and 201lbs, he is a massive centreman whose physical game is likely to make any NHLer hesitate. He's got a huge wingspan and loves to muck it up along the boards. Lastly, in the third round at 84th overall, the Kings picked defenceman Kirill Kirsanov. He has an excellent defensive stick and great hands with the puck, able to challenge defenders one-on-one. While he is adept at getting the puck into the offensive zone, once there his game becomes fairly predictable, and his creativity will need some work in this regard.

Grade: B; The Kings got a lot bigger in this year's draft, but outside of top pick Brandt Clarke, there isn't a lot of high-end potential from this group of prospects. Size doesn't hurt though (unless you're the other team), and the Kings have plenty of elite players already brewing in their pipeline.

Overall grade: B-; The Kings still clearly believe they can compete for a playoff spot, and once they get in make a run for the Cup. However, none of their additions this year are truly game-changing, and most are just filler for the positions with big holes from last season. While this team still looks to be an improvement from last year, the Kings may be relying a little too much on their weaker division to get them where they want to be.

What do you think about the offseason in Los Angeles?

Photo credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports