The Los Angeles Kings have the top collection of prospects in hockey -- some of whom are ready to make contributions at the NHL level. They also have a handful of holdovers from their dynastic days in the 2010s -- forwards Anze Kopitar, Jeff Carter and Dustin Brown, defenseman Drew Doughty and goaltender Jonathan Quick.
It'll be up to coach Todd McLellan and his staff to blend "Young Guns" and "Grumpy Old Men" into a Hollywood blockbuster. No matter what, it should be quite entertaining. Here's our preview for the Kings ahead of opening night:
Big question: Is this the sweet spot?
The Kings have cultivated the deepest collection of prospects in the NHL. Quinton Byfield (the No. 2 pick in the 2020 draft) leads a group of forwards that also includes Alex Turcotte, Arthur Kaliyev and Gabriel Vilardi; the defense group is highlighted by Tobias Bjornfot, Kale Clague and Mikey Anderson. All of them could have roles this season.
But as the next wave of Kings arrive on the roster, can they mesh with the mainstays to return the team to the playoffs?
Did realignment hurt or help?
Hurt. If you concede playoff spots to Vegas, Colorado and St. Louis, that leaves one left for the rest of the West. So not only is it a tougher division, but they lose the wild-card flexibility, too.
Offseason comings and goings, plus the cap situation
GM Rob Blake has been steadfast in not wanting to block the progress of his young players with veterans, so the Kings weren't all that busy in the offseason. They acquired defenseman Olli Maatta from the Blackhawks, who retained salary on the last two years of his contract. They brought in the speedy Andreas Athanasiou on a one-year deal, after the Oilers walked away from him. The Kings have over $12 million in cap space, per Cap Friendly, despite Kopitar ($10 million average annual value) and Doughty ($11 million AAV) having significant cap hits.
Bold prediction
Drew Doughty has a renaissance. Doughty was a Norris Trophy finalist in 2017-18. His next two seasons were a horror show, skating to a minus-50 in 149 games, and watching his possession numbers slip as well. Part of that was the Kings bottoming out, but Doughty hasn't been happy with his own performances. Getting Maatta as his partner will help his game, and any uptick in quality will be trumpeted as a "comeback" by his supporters.
Breakout candidate: Gabriel Vilardi
Given the Kings' patience with development, it's difficult to bestow a "breakout" label to some of their prospects because who knows where they end up? Vilardi is going to have a regular spot in the NHL lineup, and his offseason dedication to conditioning has the Kings hopeful that he delivers on the promise of his brief stint last season.
Biggest strength: The future forwards
The Kings ranked first in Chris Peters' NHL pipeline evaluation for a reason. They are absolutely stacked with prospects, with six of them rated as Grade-A. While Los Angeles lost out on drafting Alexis Lafreniere, Byfield could be a heck of a consolation prize as a franchise center. The prospects are center-heavy, however. A little more variety would be nice.
Biggest weakness: Timing
Alex Iafallo, 27, is the only top Kings player that could be called "in his prime." Anze Kopitar is 33. Dustin Brown is 36, as is Jeff Carter. Drew Doughty is 31. Jonathan Quick is 34. The future is really bright in Los Angeles, but will these holdovers from their Stanley Cup years still be viable -- or on the roster -- when it's time to contend again?
Kings in NHL Rank
No. 66: Drew Doughty, D
No. 71: Anze Kopitar, C
Prospect perspective
Prospects in the top 100: No. 2 Quinton Byfield (C), No. 24 Alex Turcotte (C), No. 33 Arthur Kaliyev (RW), No. 43 Rasmus Kupari (C/W), No. 44 Samuel Fagemo (LW), No. 54 Gabriel Vilardi (C), No. 69 Tobias Bjornfot (D), No. 76 Tyler Madden (C/W)
Fantasy facts to know
Kings fans got an early peak at Quinton Byfield when he skated for Canada at the World Junior Championship. The imposing center has a bright outlook with a team rebuilding for the future. But expecting the 18-year-old to immediately step into a prominent role with his NHL team is a big ask. Outside of dynasty leagues, Byfield isn't likely much of a fantasy consideration yet. Fellow center Gabriel Vilardi is another up-and-comer to watch. The 11th overall pick from 2017 turned heads with three goals and four assists in last year's brief 10-game audition.
As it stands, Kopitar remains the Kings' sole reliable fantasy standout up front. After a dull 2018-19, Kopitar bounced back in 2019-20 with 62 points in 70 games. The veteran center also blocks shots more often than your average forward, a key consideration given the changes to ESPN standard scoring. Defenseman Drew Doughty still has value in most fantasy leagues as the club's top power-play anchor. -- Victoria Matiash