1. What's next?
The Kings are energized after pushing the Edmonton Oilers to Game 7 of the Western Conference First Round last season and have the ideal mix of youth and experience to evolve this season. Acquiring forward Kevin Fiala in a trade with the Minnesota Wild on June 29 and signing him to a seven-year contract gives Los Angeles a potential difference-maker; the 26-year-old had an NHL career-high 85 points (33 goals, 52 assists) with Minnesota last season. There's also hope homegrown prospect Adrian Kempe can continue to break through after the 26-year-old forward scored an NHL career-high 35 goals last season.
2. Who's next?
Kempe, Arthur Kaliyev, 21, Rasmus Kupari, 22, and Quinton Byfield, 20, are part of a forward core that will determine long-term success. Byfield, the No. 2 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, enters his first full NHL season healthy and with the highest ceiling. He used the offseason to work on face-offs, met with his skating coach 2-3 times a week and had video calls with player development coach Jarret Stoll to discuss defensive positioning.
3. The old guard
How much longer can captain Anze Kopitar, 35, defenseman Drew Doughty, 32, and goalie Jonathan Quick, 36, stave off Father Time? Kopitar's 67 points (19 goals, 48 assists) were his most since an NHL career-high 92 (35 goals, 57 assists) in 2017-18. Quick enters the final season of a 10-year contract after holding off Cal Petersen with his best totals (23 wins, 2.59 goals-against average, .910 save percentage) since that same season. Doughty led Kings defensemen with 31 points (seven goals, 24 assists) and an average ice time of 25:44 despite being limited to 39 games. He had a knee contusion, was in NHL COVID-19 protocol and did not play after March 7 because of a wrist injury that required surgery April 11.
