LA Kings: Under Pressure

The LA Kings are gearing up for a season that carries immense pressure and expectations. For the last two seasons, the Kings have failed to make it out of the first round. They’ve lost to the Edmonton Oilers in back-to-back years and haven’t made it out of the first round since 2014.

With the investment of Pierre-Luc Dubois, the departure of valuable draft picks, and head coach Todd McLellan entering the last year of his contract, the Kings find themselves under the spotlight as they embark on a crucial campaign. All three facts are crucial for why the LA Kings will be under tremendous pressure in the 2023-24 NHL season.

In this article, we delve into the reasons why the LA Kings are shouldering such a significant burden and the challenges they face in the upcoming season. On top of that, we’ll discuss why the stress is so high for Rob Blake and the Kings and what we may look forward to.

---

The LA Kings made a splash during the offseason by acquiring center Pierre-Luc Dubois from the Winnipeg Jets. In the 2022-23 NHL season, Dubois tallied 63 points in 77 games. While these numbers may not seem amazing, Dubois is a complete game-changer. His ability to play a rough-and-tumble style of hockey while scoring at high paces is important to the Kings’ lineup. Dubois brings a unique skill set to the team, combining playmaking ability with a scoring touch. Top that off with some of his physicality, and you have an unstoppable force.

At just 25 years old, he has already established himself as one of the league’s premier young talents. His acquisition was a clear indication of the Kings’ intent to bolster their offensive capabilities and add depth down the middle. Although it was a much-needed acquisition, it wasn’t cheap.

When Rob Blake traded for Pierre-Luc Dubois, he had to give up a pretty penny. Not only did Blake send off the second-round pick that he acquired for Sean Durzi, but he also gave up three roster players. Blake traded away a former first-rounder in, Rasmus Kupari. While Kupari wasn’t the highest-scoring individual, he brought a fun style of hockey every night. He tallied only 15 points in 63 games but managed to kill penalties consistently while pulling off flashy dekes and breaking the puck in and out of his own zone. While Kupari isn’t a monumental loss, the Kings do lose a penalty killer and a former first-rounder.

LA was also forced to move on from Alex Iafallo. For years, Iafallo has been considered to be one of the league’s best defensive forwards. The Kings were lucky enough to have him kill penalties while still producing. In 59 games, Iafallo scored 36 points. Although it’s tough to move on from one of the most reliable players on the team, his contract made it hard to keep him. Iafallo has two years at an AAV of $4 million remaining on his deal. If it weren’t for his expensive contract, there’s no doubt he would have stayed. But with Dubois’ extension weighing at an AAV of $8.5 million, the move had to be done.

Finally, the Kings lost Gabriel Vilardi. Kings fans can recall how long it took Vilardi to outgrow his injuries and eventually crack the roster. Year after year, Vilardi would have flashes, but it never worked out. When he tore up the 2022 pre-season, it looked like the tide had finally changed. And it did. Gabriel Vilardi took the Kings by storm, scoring 23 goals and 41 points. The Kings were waiting for him to break out for the longest time, and he finally managed to prove himself. While Kings fans were looking to see what the 23-year-old was going to do next season, he was moved. Without a shadow of a doubt, this was the biggest piece lost in the Dubois trade. Vilardi was a key factor to the Kings, and like that, he was gone.

So while Dubois was a significant addition, we must admit that the price wasn’t cheap. The success of Dubois will be critical. Seeing how much LA gave up is our first reason as to why the Kings will have added pressure in 2023-24.

Dubois’ arrival comes with heightened expectations for team success. The pressure on Dubois is twofold: not only must he prove his worth as a valuable addition to the team, but his performance will also be closely scrutinized regarding the cost of his acquisition.

---

To acquire Pierre-Luc Dubois, the Kings had to part ways with a valuable draft pick. They also lost their first-rounder in 2023 in the Vladislav Gavrikov deal (as well as a second in 2024). They also dumped out picks to get rid of Sean Walker and Cal Petersen‘s contracts with the Flyers. 

These picks represent the future of the organization, and their loss poses a significant risk. Trading away draft selections is a high-stakes move, offering immediate improvements to the roster but potentially hampering long-term growth.

But it also shows that the LA Kings are no longer relying on the future. The message they send screams that they’re no longer rebuilding. They want to win now. Draft picks are incredibly valuable, especially nowadays. The drafts keep getting better and better, and there are more NHL-promised players in each draft. For the Kings to be dumping picks like this means one thing: they don’t see a future building anymore. The “rebuild for the future” is now. There’s no looking back, and the Kings expect to put all their chips in for the upcoming season.

The pressure intensifies as the Kings will face evaluation based on the success of these trades. Should the team fall short of expectations, questions about the cost of the Dubois and Gavrikov trades will inevitably arise. The pressure to perform and justify the sacrifices made in the trade will be palpable for the team as a whole. NHL teams don’t value draft picks as much as we think, especially when they want to win. But with the Kings finally exiting a rebuild, they should be the first ones to know how much these picks are truly worth. Hopefully, they’ll remain responsible and not go overboard with dumping picks. After all, with the number of picks they’ve already given up, how is there not an expectation that they want to win it all?

---

Another factor contributing to the pressure on the LA Kings is the presence of head coach Todd McLellan in the final year of his contract. McLellan’s coaching tenure has seen its share of ups and downs, but he has been instrumental in instilling a sense of structure and development within the team. McLellan’s been in LA since the rebuilding days. Not only has he helped the youth of the team, but he’s also helped resurrect the older players. Players like Phillip Danault and Viktor Arvidsson have been playing some of the best hockey of their careers. It’s undeniable that the work Todd’s put in for the Kings has been incredible, but he’s got a job to do.

McLellan’s time in LA has seen him make the playoffs twice in four years without a single second-round appearance. While the Kings are just exiting a rebuilding window, they want to win now. If McLellan fails to help the Kings out of the first round again, his time in LA may be over. Even if he slips in the regular season, he may get the boot. With his contract ending, he’ll need to prove why he deserves a contract extension. In a competitive league like the NHL, that’s hard to do. So for McLellan, he’ll need to put on the best season of his entire coaching career. It’s not easy to stay employed for long in the NHL, and I think he knows that.

With the acquisition of Dubois and the sacrifices made in the trade, the expectations for the Kings have reached new heights. The pressure on the head coach to optimize the roster, make strategic decisions, and cultivate a winning culture will be immense. McLellan’s leadership and coaching acumen will be tested, as the season’s outcome will likely have a direct impact on his future with the organization. McLellan will need to push Dubois to his limit. Additionally, he’ll need to assist the younger players in taking the next step. Players like Quinton Byfield and Arthur Kaliyev are overdue on big seasons, while skaters like Samuel Fagemo and Alex Turcotte are overdue on regular roster spots.

Not to mention, McLellan needs to make sure the older players continue to produce. Players like Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty aren’t getting any younger. So if McLellan wants to see success, he’ll need to find ways to make the veterans play consistently and produce as much as they have in years prior. It’s a hectic and stressful job for Todd this year. But the experienced bench boss has been through this before.

---

Navigating these challenges will require a concerted effort from the entire organization, from the players on the ice to the coaching staff and management. The Kings must rise to the occasion, demonstrating resilience, adaptability, and a commitment to success to meet their lofty expectations.

It won’t be easy, but knowing what’s on the line could push the Kings to the next level. Obviously, the team wants to win now, and if they don’t, we can expect some big changes next summer. Until then, the pressure that the Kings will face from the fans, league, and ownership is inevitable.