As anticipated, the Detroit Red Wings are bottom dwellers of the league; along with LA…?! Now, I’m not sure that anyone thought the Kings were the team to beat in the Pacific, let alone the West, but to have 7 points through 11 is definitely a huge WTF! Then again, when you’re relying on Jonathan Quick’s barely existent groin and one of the oldest rosters in the NHL, it stands to reason that this sort of thing will happen.
Now, as I continue to talk out of both sides of my mouth, there’s still plenty of games left and when you factor in Selke- and Norris-trophy winning players like Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty, respectively, along with a top flight winger like Ilya Kovalchuk, you’ll always have a fighting chance. Unless, of course, the rest of the team continues to be an absolute gong show and Quick doesn’t return before December. Then you’re looking at a bona fide top 5 pick for a team that fancies themselves as Cup contenders.
Continuing along this losing path might be just what the Kings need. Hear me out. You tank this year. Sergei Bobrovsky becomes a free agent and you have Kovalchuk sit down with him and be like, “Da, dis ees beest plaece een aall of US. Come plaey weeth me een LA.” Now you have two elite goalies, no cap space, and… well I guess you’d have to win the lottery first, but in theory, Jack Hughes! It’s the perfect plan for getting back to the Cup.