3 questions facing Los Angeles Kings

NHL.com is providing in-depth roster, prospect and fantasy analysis for each of its 32 teams from Aug. 1-Sept. 1. Today, three important questions facing the Los Angeles Kings.

1. Will Quinton Byfield stay at left wing?

Byfield is a true center, but ended up playing left wing last season. It was an adjustment, but with the progress he made there and the Kings being strong down the middle with Phillip Danault, Anze Kopitar (with whom Byfield played last season) and Pierre-Luc Dubois, who the Kings acquired in a trade with the Winnipeg Jets, Byfield seems to have found a new home.

"Where we saw a lot of progress in his game was near the end of the season, alongside Kopitar and (Adrian) Kempe on the (right) wing," Kings general manager Rob Blake said of Byfield, who had 22 points (three goals, 19 assists) in 53 regular-season games and four points (one goal, three assists) in six Stanley Cup Playoff games last season.

"Whether he ends up at center over the years or not, that's still not really laid out firm by any means. But we did like the progression that he showed the second half of the year and will probably start there now."

2. Will Anze Kopitar continue to excel?

There are a few seemingly ageless players in the NHL and the 35-year-old center is one of them. Kopitar has led the Kings in scoring in each of the past six seasons, including last season when he had 74 points (28 goals, 46 assists) in 82 games. He also is one of the League's most durable players, having played 219 of 220 games over the past three seasons.

Sure, part of why Dubois was acquired and signed to an eight-year contract was to give Los Angeles its next No. 1 center when Kopitar's career ends. But he's yet to lose any steam.

"I don't think he'll ever slow down. It's just the day he says, 'I want to go home,'" Kings president Luc Robitaille said of Kopitar. "We've all had to do it. Some of us are good enough to pick our moments and some guys, it just happens. 'Kopy' happens to be one of those players who doesn't seem to slow down. There'll be a day he's going to say physically, probably, he can't do it and I do think we have to be ready."

3. Can a reunion with coach Todd McLellan benefit Cam Talbot?

Talbot said that McLellan being in Los Angeles was an incentive for him to sign a one-year contract with the Kings when free agency opened July 1.

The goalie played for McLellan when each was with the Edmonton Oilers from 2015-19. Talbot was 104-95-19 with a 2.74 goals-against average, .912 save percentage and 12 shutouts in 227 games (222 starts) with the Oilers, including tying for the NHL lead in wins (42) and leading in games played (73) in 2016-17.

"Playing for Todd in Edmonton, I had some of my best years when I was there," the 36-year-old said. "When we were there, he rode me pretty hard and I played the most games I've ever played, had some of my best years and getting to reunite with him was definitely a huge bonus for me."