Los Angeles Kings are back with a bang after a poor previous season

If ever a team needed a new season to start after a poor year, just to change the conversation, they were the Kings, writes Gregg Patton.

The Los Angeles Kings seem to be on a comeback after a poor season. Chris Young / AP Photo

The Los Angeles Kings could not have had a more embarrassing fall from grace last year.

Stanley Cup champions in 2012 and 2014, the Kings followed up that success by sliding out of the play-off picture, losing any chance to defend their title. Their off-ice problems were even more disturbing.

First, defenceman Slava Voynov’s season vaporised after his arrest for domestic abuse. Eventually, as part of the judicial wrangling, he agreed to deport himself back to Russia.

The Kings also severed ties with former cup mainstays Jarret Stoll and Mike Richards, both of whom were charged with drug possession.

No surprise that one of the Kings most significant off-season moves was to hire a special consultant, former player – and former substance abuser – Brantt Myhres, to work with players on addiction and abuse issues, the first team to do so.

ALSO READ: Despite Canucks strategy, three-on-three overtime format in NHL still innovative

If ever a team needed a new season to start, just to change the conversation, they were the Kings. Fortunately for them, hockey is a happy topic again. The Kings shook off a 0-3 start and climbed straight to the top of the Pacific Division, with a commanding eight-point lead over second-place San Jose. Their 20-10-2 record has them second overall in the Western Conference.

They even look a lot like the solid, consistent team that won it all 18 months ago, the one that plays the game coach Darryl Sutter insists upon: stifling defence and patient offence.

As Toronto Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock told the Los Angeles Times at the end of the Kings' recent six-game (3-2-1) trip through the East: "You see them do the same thing over and over. Good teams don't trick you. They just beat you."

No team has given up fewer goals this season than the Kings, whose best player, fittingly, is a blue-line star. Drew Doughty, 26, finished second in the Norris Trophy voting – the award for best defenceman – last year, despite the annual, reputed bias that favours players in the media-heavy East.

Doughty says he has designs on winning the trophy, but shrugs off the East-bias issue.

“I think I’ve played at a very high level,” he said. “I’ve really brought consistency to my game.”

Long-time admirer Babcock, who coached Doughty on two Olympic gold medal- winning Canadian teams, said: “The bigger the game, the better he plays. He can stickhandle in a phone booth.”

Kings captain Dustin Brown told ESPN that Doughty’s skills on the ice and as a team leader continue to grow, but he added: “It’s never been one guy. It’s always been a group of guys and that’s what makes us able to get through stretches where we are not at the top of our game.”

Veteran goaltender Jonathan Quick remains dependable in the net with a 92 per cent save rate, 2.19 goals against average, and the team spreads their scoring around. Centre Jeff Carter, with 11 goals and 16 assists, is the only King among the league’s top 75 scorers. But forwards Tyler Toffoli (12 goals), Milan Lucic (11) and Anze Kopitar (nine) have effectively picked their moments, too.

The Kings’ consistency is reflected in their home and away splits, as well. They are 11-5 in Los Angeles, and 9-5-2 on the road.

Safe to say, the Kings look dangerous, in the good way, again.

Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE

Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TheNationalSport