The Kings' rebuild is arriving early while long-time LA veterans, two-way center Anze Kopitar (16 goals, 39 assists) and goalie Jonathan Quick (17-12-8 record with .909 save percentage), are doing their part. GM Rob Blake traded for Viktor Arvidsson in the offseason. The former Nashville forward is LAK's fifth leading scorer (18 G, 21 A).
An even better move by Blake: Signing free agent Phillip Danault, an elite defensive center who has scored a career-high 21 goals. Danault does strong work in front of the opposing net, he will be prowling near the Kraken crease in the upcoming games Saturday and again Monday in LA.
Los Angeles will be hungry for points in the two contests. Their second-place standing with 79 points in the Pacific Division has dangerous intersections. Edmonton has two games in hand and is only two standings points behind LA. Vegas is in fourth-place with 74 points but the Kings do have one game in hand.
Finishing fourth in the Pacific is not a good plan to make the playoffs. The Central Division is topped by Colorado but then bunched with Minnesota, St. Louis, Dallas - all with significant games in hand on both Los Angeles and Vegas. Plus, Nashville, fourth in the Central, has 78 points. As it stands, only three Pacific teams are trending to a postseason bid (each division is guaranteed a minimum of three). The other five teams in the Western Conference playoffs would be from the Central.