Mitch Michals

The End of the Line for the 2015-16 Kings

Mitch Michals | April 27, 2016

All of the lights are off in the Kings’ locker room. Another season has concluded, and for the second consecutive year it has yielded results that failed to meet lofty…

One Last Chance for L.A.’s Stanley Cup Dreams

Mitch Michals | April 22, 2016

This is it. The margin for error is long gone. All of the trials and tribulations, successes, and Stanley Cup dreams for the 2015-16 Los Angeles Kings comes down to…

Kings Facing a Stacked Deck

Mitch Michals | April 18, 2016

Somewhere in the L.A. Kings organizational mantra, there is a section about doing things the hard way. There has to be right? It would have been much easier in 2012…

How the Kings Can Avoid a Shark Attack in Round 1

Mitch Michals | April 14, 2016

When the Anaheim Ducks defeated the junior varsity Washington Capitals in the final game of the 2015-16 NHL season, the playoff picture was officially set. The win gave Anaheim their…

5 Reasons the Kings Are Back on the Playoff Trail

Mitch Michals | April 12, 2016

There is nothing easy about having to change ideas on the fly. Sometimes even the best laid plans are scrapped, and the creative process must be restarted at a much…

The Russian Meldonium Scandal: A Dark Hour for Sports

Mitch Michals | April 8, 2016

I prefer to enjoy the humor in sports. The athletic industry has its own wing in the entertainment sector of the world, and as such there are plenty of feel-good…

The Flaws of Each Stanley Cup Contender

Mitch Michals | April 6, 2016

It’s not hyperbole when I say that this year might feature the most wide-open Stanley Cup Playoffs in recent memory. Anybody can win the NHL postseason tournament, similar to an…

Lecavalier’s Last Stand: The Final Role in a Storied Career

Mitch Michals | March 30, 2016

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: father time is undefeated. No matter how hard you train, how disciplined you remain, or how much you preserve your physical and…

Going for the Division Is the Best Play for L.A.

Mitch Michals | March 25, 2016

The clock is winding down on the NHL season, which means the real marathon is about to begin. In less than a month, you’ll hear those special words. No more…

The NHL’s Best Rookies in 2015-16

Mitch Michals | March 21, 2016

Hockey has always been a game that thrives when young talent skates through its open door, and into the vernacular and hearts of their fan base. In the 2015-16 NHL…

A Lyrical Look at How the Kings Regained the “Eye of the Tiger”

Mitch Michals | March 17, 2016

Championships are earned. It makes no difference if you are a perennial titan or a unaccomplished newcomer in the grand scheme of athletics. Nothing will be handed out, and no…

6 Dream Stanley Cup Matchups in 2016

Mitch Michals | March 11, 2016

Trust me when I say this; the next three months are going to fly by. It may seem like a long period of time exists between mid-March and the Stanley…