The odds are against the Kings, who enter the Stanley Cup Playoffs as the No. 3 seed in the Pacific Division after clinching a postseason berth for the first time since 2018. But Los Angeles was also a long shot 10 years ago when it entered as the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference and rolled to its first Stanley Cup championship by going 16-4.
The Kings have surprised some already by qualifying for the playoffs this season with a rebuilding team that had 11 rookies play at least one game, including 20-year-old forward Arthur Kaliyev, who had 27 points (14 goals, 13 assists) in 80 games, and 23-year-old defenseman Sean Durzi, who had 27 points (three goals, 24 assists) in 64 games and picked up the slack after Drew Doughty sustained a season-ending wrist injury March 7.
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Coach Todd McLellan has gotten the most out of this group, which has an average age of 27 years, and it is ready to take the next step.
Although young, the Kings have some players with extensive playoff experience who will be integral in the bid to win the Stanley Cup for the third time.
Forwards Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown and goalie Jonathan Quick remain from the 2012 and 2014 Stanley Cup championship teams (Doughty was also on those teams).
Brown has announced he will retire from the NHL after the playoffs.
Defensemen Olli Maatta (won the Cup with Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016, 2017) and Alexander Edler (reached 2011 Stanley Cup Final with Vancouver Canucks) and forwards Phillip Danault (Cup Final last season with the Montreal Canadiens) and Viktor Arvidsson (2017 Cup Final with Nashville Predators) also know what it takes to go on a long playoff run.
Quick will be the most important player for the Kings. Although it's been a decade since the 36-year-old won the 2012 Conn Smythe Trophy voted as the most valuable player of the playoffs, he had a vintage regular season. Quick was, his most wins and best GAA and save percentage since he was 33-28-3 with a 2.40 GAA and .921 save percentage in 2017-18.
Quick finished the regular season strong, going 6-1-2 with a 2.36 GAA and .913 save percentage in his final 10 games (all starts). He is 46-39 with a 2.23 GAA, .922 save percentage and nine shutouts in 85 NHL playoff games (all starts) and has the blueprint for winning the Cup.
The Kings will follow him to it.
