6 Bold Predictions for the 2016 LA Kings
- Updated: October 22, 2015
Because I’m a glutton for punishment, and will almost certainly look back at these predictions at the end of the year and laugh at myself, I’ve decided to make some bold(ish) predictions for the 2015-2016 season. There’s nothing outlandish, like predicting that Dwight King will win the Hart Trophy or something, but I would say that most Kings fans would probably disagree with my predictions, and so I’ll stand by my argument that these are bold(ish).
- Tyler Toffoli will lead the Kings in points
This prediction was a lot bolder when I had these points outlined BEFORE the season started and he scored 3 goals right out of the gate, but that’s what I get for procrastinating. Anyway, this prediction is very dependent on playing time, but I think this is finally the season that Sutter stops treating Toffoli with kid gloves and lets him loose. I mean, for the last 3 years he has been getting 4th line minutes despite 1st line production.
I think one of the reasons the Kings were so willing to let Williams walk (let’s face it – the guy signed for peanuts in Washington) was because they believe Toffoli can and will replace or even exceed Williams’ production on the right-wing. I still wouldn’t have let Williams walk, but I do agree that Toffoli will be the better of the two players in both possession and point production going forward. This is the season Toffoli truly breaks out and becomes a star. I’m saying he finishes with 33 goals and 66 points to lead the Kings in both categories. Kopitar will be right behind him, and Carter will finish a distant 3rd.
- Jake Muzzin will lead Kings defensemen in points and will get some Norris votes
I’m a big Jake Muzzin fan. In fact, I’m probably the only person who sees Jake Muzzin as worthy of the Norris trophy, aside from his own mother and maybe @andrewleafman over at Jewels from the Crown. Part of that is because the mistakes always seem to be super egregious. Most Kings fans kind of think of him as a gaffe-prone goofball rather than one of the best defensemen in the league. But there are almost no players in the league – and that includes Drew Doughty – who put up shots and repress shots at such an elite level. He makes pretty much everyone on the Kings better.
He hasn’t had the playing time, games played or puck luck to give him the scoring totals that he needs to be widely recognized, but I think that changes this year.
- Kings finish with 6 more points than last year, despite the same number of regulation losses
How is this possible? They’ll have better luck in overtime and shootout. Last year, the Kings were historic in their ineptitude in both those areas, but research has shown that both overtime and the shootout are basically just a coin flip. The Kings just got the wrong side of the coin a bunch last year, and it cost them the playoffs. I think their luck is better this year. This prediction is already off to a (sort-of) good start. Kings have lost in regulation 3 times already (boo), but have already won the only game that went to overtime (yay!).
- Michael Mersch will find his way onto the club this year and won’t look back
Dang it! Another prediction that looked bolder before the season. I made this based on a hunch that winger help would be needed due to an injury and that Mersch would be the first called up based on how amazing he looked in the preseason. Well, he hasn’t slowed down a bit with the Ontario Reign (the Kings new AHL affiliate). If anything, he has only strengthened his case that he should be with the big club. It’s not just his offensive production, which has been outstanding. (He leads the league in shots on goal) But it’s also his forechecking ability and general two-way game. Here, have a gander at a couple of these gifs.
Courtesy of Jewels from the Crown
Here he hustles like hell to get back and stop a certain goal on a 2-on-1 rush.
But a useful trick he seems to have mastered is the art of picking the pocket while on the forecheck.
Courtesy of Jewels from the Crown
Courtesy of @sheng_peng at Jewels from the Crown
I have no doubt in my mind that he is already better than Jordan Nolan and Andy Andreoff, and I think he’ll get the chance to prove that sooner rather than later. Once he does, I think he’ll be too good for the Kings to send back down.
- Kings will trade someone from their bottom 6
This is related to #4, as I think Mersch will force the Kings’ hand as they need to make room for him on the big club. Though I’d prefer it be Nolan or Andreoff, Kyle Clifford is the most likely candidate, as the combination of his team-friendly contract and his experience, youth, and strong possession game (for a 4th liner, mind you), make him an attractive complementary part to many teams. The Kings minor league system is a bit barren at the moment, and they could afford a bottom 6 player to help restock the cupboard. I don’t think getting a second-round pick in return is out of the question (remember what 25-year-old Zac Rinaldo fetched during the offseason).
- Dustin Brown will score more goals than Milan Lucic
Yet another prediction that was bolder before the season started. Brown looked terrific in the pre-season, and has continued to look excellent at the start of this season. Lucic, on the other hand, has struggled to fit in with both the first and second lines. Brown has been promoted from the 3rd line to the 1st, and Lucic was demoted from the 1st to the 2nd. Lucic will still have ample opportunities to score, but so will Brown, and his luck will turn around this season. His low point totals have somewhat masked the fact that his game hadn’t really dropped off THAT dramatically. I think his point total takes a big jump back up this year, and Lucic – who has been declining in play for a few years now – disappoints many by failing to hit 20 goals yet again.
I promise to revisit these predictions after the season and let you all make fun of me if I’m way off. If I’m right though, I expect a statue built-in my honor outside of Staples Center. Seems fair to me.
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3 Comments
About Phil Loos
KF in St. Louis
October 23, 2015 at 7:02 am
After the way Andreoff, Clifford, Nolan played last night, who would want them?
ginadblasck
December 15, 2015 at 7:06 pm
Very true! That right shot defender is what the Kings need! As well as a right winger to fill our third line.
lenadanderson
December 21, 2015 at 10:34 am
For the fun and random questions not fit for the other channels