A huge factor determining how successful an NHL team will be in any given season is how well they perform against the rest of the teams in their division. With the regular season right around the corner, let’s take a look at how the Los Angeles Kings stack up against all seven of their divisional opponents by comparing position groups.
Anaheim Ducks
Kings were 3-1-0 against Anaheim in 2023-24
Why not start with the Kings’ bitter rivals, the Anaheim Ducks? Hockey in California has generally always been pretty good. Recently, the Kings have taken the top spot as the best team in California with the Ducks and San Jose Sharks still in rebuild mode. The Ducks are at the stage where they are just about done rebuilding.
Related: Analyzing the Kings’ Roster Heading Into 2024-25 Season
The number of prospects and young, talented players they have is ridiculous and it’s just a matter of time before this young group starts to gain experience while continuing to build chemistry. It won’t be long before we see the Ducks back in the playoff conversation.
Forwards: Kings
There is loads of skill throughout the Ducks’ forward group between Troy Terry, Trevor Zegras, Mason McTavish, and Leo Carlsson, but the inexperience and lack of depth give the Kings the edge.
Defensemen: Kings
The Ducks have a couple of intriguing defensemen in Pavel Mintyukov and Olen Zellweger, but the Kings have Brandt Clarke, who is expected to be the best out of the three. The Ducks also only have three defensemen who are proven NHLers: Cam Fowler, Radko Gudas, and newly acquired Brian Dumoulin. The Kings take the cake once again with a more well-rounded and experienced defensive group.
Goaltending: Ducks
Ducks’ goaltender John Gibson and Kings’ goaltender Darcy Kuemper are veterans who are nearing the final stages of their careers. It’s tough to give either team the edge, but what gives the Ducks the advantage is Lukas Dostal, who will be relied on a lot after nearly splitting the load with Gibson last season.
Calgary Flames
Kings were 2-2-0 against Calgary in 2023-24
The Calgary Flames are just entering their “retool” and are not at a stage where they are looking to compete. Apart from Nazem Kadri, Jonathan Huberdeau, MacKenzie Weegar, and Rasmus Andersson, the Flames’ roster is quite weak. It will be another tough season for the Flames, where the goal should be acquiring another top-10 pick.
Forwards: Kings
Kadri and Huberdeau are the only two Flames forwards who can be considered elite, and after the way Huberdeau has performed as a Flame so far, even that might be a stretch. The Kings have a stronger, more talented offensive group and it’s really not close.
Defensemen: Kings
The Flames had one of the best defensive groups in the league a couple of seasons ago, but it has been severely dismantled. Aside from Weegar and Andersson, their blue line is pretty thin and there are many inexperienced players who haven’t had consistent NHL roles to this point in their careers.
Goaltending: Kings
The only reason the Kings get the edge in goaltending is because they have two goaltenders who have proven themselves at the NHL level. Flames’ projected starting goaltender Dustin Wolf has dominated the American Hockey League (AHL) for years and he is just getting his first opportunity as a starter at the NHL level. Kings’ backup David Rittich has better numbers over the course of his career than Flames’ backup Dan Vladar and has played longer in the NHL.
Edmonton Oilers
Kings were 1-2-1 against Edmonton in 2023-24
After an interesting offseason where the Edmonton Oilers chose to once again disregard their need to improve their defense and goaltending, they are heading into the 2024-25 season with the deepest forward group in the Pacific Division. While their defense and continued belief in Stuart Skinner will surely cause them difficulty, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl finally have a very solid supporting cast up front. The Oilers will be a playoff team once again and will most likely go toe-to-toe with the Vancouver Canucks for first place in the Pacific Division.
Forwards: Oilers
This is really a no-brainer. McDavid and Draisaitl have proven to be able to carry this team on their back by themselves, but now with the added depth the Oilers have added, the Kings are no match.
Defensemen: Kings
The Oilers’ blue line will continue to be this team’s biggest issue. Aside from Evan Bouchard and Mattias Ekholm, it’s not promising at all. As supposed “Cup contenders”, losing Philip Broberg and Cody Ceci shouldn’t be a big deal, but without them, that back end looks like it is going to be a major fork in the road if getting back to the Stanley Cup Final is the goal.
Goaltending: Oilers
It isn’t a huge gap, but the Oilers’ tandem of Skinner and Calvin Pickard have better numbers than the Kings’ Kuemper and David Rittich tandem. The Kings’ weakest link is their goaltending and even as shaky as Skinner has been, he has a leg up on Kuemper.
San Jose Sharks
Kings were 3-0-1 against San Jose in 2023-24
Rebuilding is still very much what is going on in San Jose. The Sharks have accumulated lots of high-end talent in Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, William Eklund, and just recently Yaroslav Askarov, but will once again be a bottom feeder. As bad as the Sharks roster is, it’s a step up from what they had last season, now with the additions of Tyler Toffoli, Alex Wennberg, and Barclay Goodrow. Expect them to finish last in the Pacific Division for the second season in a row.
Forwards: Kings
The Sharks don’t have a forward group that competes with any team in the Pacific Division except maybe the Flames. This is a rebuilding group that is incomparable to what the Kings have.
Defensemen: Kings
The defense is even worse for the Sharks. While they have a few promising prospects that will get a chance to play in the NHL this season throughout their forward group, they have none on the back end. It doesn’t get much worse than a number one pairing of Mario Ferraro and Ceci.
Goaltending: Kings
Sharks goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood has had a lot of trouble staying healthy throughout his career. He has shown sparks of great goaltending and had decent numbers last season, considering the team that was in front of him. It was his first season in a while playing over 25 games, so there isn’t enough of a sample size to put him over Kuemper. Askarov is in the same boat as Wolf. The potential and expectations are there, but because he’s only played three NHL games, it’s tough to evaluate.
Seattle Kraken
Kings were 2-1-0 against Seattle in 2023-24
The Seattle Kraken took a step back last season after making the playoffs for the first time in franchise history in 2023. A couple of offseason additions and the fact that a few of their younger players are expected to take that next step in their game will allow this team to take a step forward and possibly compete for a playoff spot this season. Third place in the Pacific Division should be a crazy and interesting battle between the Kings, Kraken, and Vegas Golden Knights.
Forwards: Kings
There isn’t a huge difference in skill between the Kraken and Kings when it comes to which offense is better. Both teams have pretty good depth and decent goal scorers. That being said, the Kings’ top nine is stronger and they have more individual talent.
Defensemen: Kraken
The Kraken are pretty average in every area except their defense. They have one of the strongest defensive groups in the Pacific Division, with the likes of Vince Dunn, Adam Larsson, Jamie Oleksiak, Will Borgen, Ryker Evans, and newly acquired Brandon Montour.
Goaltending: Kings
If there is one thing that both Kraken goaltender Phillip Grubauer and Kuemper have in common, it’s their downfall after leaving Colorado. Grubauer has not been good as a member of the Kraken and will be on thin ice this season with a younger Joey Daccord in their back pocket, continuing to develop and looking to take that starting role.
Vancouver Canucks
Kings were 3-0-1 against Vancouver in 2023-24
There is only one team in the Pacific Division that comes close to the Canucks, and it is not the Kings. They have the strongest, most well-rounded roster in the division and it would be foolish to even try and compare them to the Kings. The Canucks have a star at all three positions (forward – Elias Pettersson, defense – Quinn Hughes, goaltending – Thatcher Demko). They have great forward depth to complement their stars, both Demko and Arturs Silovs are tough to play against, and the size and stability of their defensive core make this team extremely scary. It would be a shock if the Canucks don’t win back-to-back division titles.
Forwards: Canucks
Much like the Oilers, the Canucks’ forward group is incomparable to LA’s. The Canucks’ top six is stacked with Pettersson, Brock Boeser, J.T. Miller, and Jake DeBrusk. They have also created the best third line in hockey with Dakota Joshua and Conor Garland. This forward group is as complete as it gets.
Defensemen: Canucks
The Canucks have done a great job of revamping their defensive group over the past few seasons. They have their X-factor in Hughes which the Kings have no comparables, and lots of size and strength throughout the rest of the lineup.
Goaltending: Canucks
Once again, there isn’t any competition here. Demko is one of the most elite goaltenders in the league and has shown that he is capable of shutting the door whenever the Canucks have needed it. Injuries have slowed Demko down and it’s a big question mark for the Canucks heading into the 2024-25 season, but even then they have Silovs, who was phenomenal when his name was called upon in the playoffs last season.
Vegas Golden Knights
Kings were 1-1-1 against Vegas in 2023-24
Success is the only word the Golden Knights have known ever since their existence, but it will come at a cost at some point. That “win now” mentality that they have played with for the past six seasons has caused them to drain a lot of their draft capital and prospects. Let’s just say that the future doesn’t look too hot for Vegas right now. Losing Jonathan Marchessault and Chandler Stephenson to free agency does make this team worse, but they still have a solid forward group and their defensive core is one of the best in the Pacific Division.
Forwards: Kings
The Golden Knights have certainly downgraded with the departure of Marchessault and Stephenson, but not by a whole lot. This group still has elite talent in Mark Stone, Jack Eichel, and Tomas Hertl. The Kings and Golden Knights’ offensive groups are pretty close in skill. Vegas has some very solid center depth, but the Kings are stronger on the wings and are a faster group. It’s super close, but the edge goes to LA.
Defensemen: Golden Knights
Defense, on the other hand, isn’t close at all. The Golden Knights have an extremely strong group of defensemen with Shea Theodore, Alex Pietrangelo, and Noah Hanifin leading the way, and all three of their pairings can be relied on.
Goaltending: Golden Knights
Adin Hill has been great as a Golden Knight. He emerged as a starting goaltender in Vegas and played a huge part in their Cup run in 2023. There’s no question that he is a stronger goaltender than Kuemper. Ilya Samsonov struggled with the Toronto Maple Leafs last season, but regardless he is a better backup option than Rittich.
2024-25 Pacific Division Standings Prediction
- Vancouver Canucks
- Edmonton Oilers
- Vegas Golden Knights
- Los Angeles Kings
- Seattle Kraken
- Anaheim Ducks
- Calgary Flames
- San Jose Sharks
LA is not projected to do anything spectacular this season, but the chances of them making the playoffs for the fourth year in a row are pretty good. The Kings are one of the better teams in the Pacific Division, but the path to securing a playoff spot won’t be easy with the Canucks, Oilers, Golden Knights, and Kraken all in the mix.
