What is the future of the Kings without Anze Kopitar?
Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar’s center had his career come to an end on Sunday as the Kings suffered a sweep at the hands of the Colorado Avalanche.
Much of this season for the Kings was about celebrating Kopitar’s career, as the two-time Stanley Cup champion announced his plan to call it a career before the year started.
Now, with the season in the books and plenty of respect from around the league doled out, general manager Ken Holland and the Kings will turn the page and get started on the next era of the team.
On Monday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, host Tyler Yaremchuk and co-host and former NHL goaltender Carter Hutton discussed where the franchise is heading in terms of its identity now that Kopitar is no longer part of its future.
Tyler Yaremchuk: An #AskDFO from Natty: “What is the future like in LA with Kopitar retiring and for next season?” Well, I think we have a bit of an idea on what their future is for next year, Hutts, because we know that that that $10 million from Kopitar is basically getting funneled right over to Artemi Panarin, like that’s the transition year from the Kings is that they’re going from Kopitar’s team to the Panarin/Fiala/Kempe team, right?
Carter Hutton: Yeah, I think that would be the trajectory of this team, and I think that’s the least of their worries right now. Just the way that this team is structured from the back end out. Ceci, Dumoulin, Edmundson, those guys are good players, but I don’t think they’re guys that are going to carry the mail when you need it most, and I think that is where they’re going to have to start… I don’t know. I just can’t see the Kings continually being good and making the playoffs here, especially with the Sharks coming now. The Sharks aren’t going to take a step back next year. The Ducks seem like they’re there to stay, and there’s going to be a bit more challenge I think for the LA Kings on how they restructure this team moving forward.
Tyler Yaremchuk: I agree, I think it’s hard to think that they can compete in a division where San Jose and Anaheim are getting better, and better, and better.
You can watch the full segment and the rest of the episode below…