Los Angeles Kings: Barely In The Playoffs As Per Usual

Fans of the Los Angeles Kings have enjoyed quite the run of playoff success over the last few seasons.  But that doesn’t mean getting to the NHL‘s second season has been void of tense moments.

The Kings currently sit in 8th in the Western Conference one point ahead of the Calgary Flames.  They have a narrow goal differential (+7), are dominant at home posting a 14-5-4 record and are laboring a bit on the road, currently 5-8-6.  In the loaded West this would normally be cause for concern.  But going back to the 2009-10 season the Los Angeles Kings have made a habit out of slipping under the radar, sneaking into the playoffs and eventually becoming the team opposing coaches and players see in the nightmares.

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The young core of Dustin Brown, Anze Kopitar, Drew Doughty and Jonathan Quick was beginning to gel after six consecutive seasons of missing the playoffs.  Over the years acquisitions such as Jeff Carter, Mike Richards and Marian Gaborik would be brought in to support the talent already on the roster.  But the core has gone on to become arguably the most consistent in terms of playoff success over that span.

Take a look at the regular season results starting with the 2009-10 season.  The numbers next to the year are conference rank, total points, and how the team finished in the playoffs as found on NHL.com.

• 2009-10:  6th, 101 points, lost in first round
• 2010-11: 7th, 98 points, lost in first round
• 2011-12: 8th, 95 points, won Stanley Cup
• 2012-13: 5th, 59 points, lost in third round
• 2013-14: 6th, 100 points, won Stanley Cup

Not once has the team begun the playoffs with home ice advantage in that time period and yet two parades have been thrown.  A Stanley Cup this year and the narrative on the Los Angeles Kings will include the word ‘dynasty’.

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That talk was supposed to end last year, remember?  Being down 3-0 to the San Jose Sharks this team was not supposed to survive the first round.  But there was never a panic with this team.  Never a feeling that the 3-0 hole was insurmountable.  They believed in Quick and each other and did the improbable, leaving the Sharks in their wake while marching on to their second Stanley Cup in three years.

Rob Scuderi is gone.  So is Dustin Penner and playoff stalwart Willie Mitchell.  New standouts include Tyler Toffoli, Jake Muzzin and Tanner Pearson.  The names on the backs of some of the sweaters have changed.  The team continues to flirt with the cut line for playoff qualification.

And that’s fine for the Los Angeles Kings as they continue to plug along and do Los Angeles Kings things.  Theirs is perhaps the only fan base in all of sports that actually relaxes when the playoffs start.  And with the results over the last few seasons why wouldn’t you have an air of confidence about you?

So they will cut it close to get in again. Should the Los Angeles Kings do what they always do and make the playoffs they will immediately become the toughest out in the second season.  You can bet the Western Conference elite would love nothing more than to see this be the season they miss the playoffs.

Don’t count on it.