Kings will learn postseason foe after regular-season finale
In a season that's felt more like three campaigns than one for the Kings, it seemed fitting that their destiny and destination would come down to the final date on the NHL's calendar today, when they'll welcome the Chicago Blackhawks.
After soaring early, plummeting in January and regaining at least some of their touch from the fall following a coaching change, the Kings will not be able to make spring travel plans until the very second. Today's docket will determine if they are headed to Dallas to face the Central Division champion Stars or to Edmonton to kick off the postseason against an Oilers squad that's knocked them out in each of the past two years.
“Everyone is a wagon. Dallas is a good team, Edmonton is a good team,” Kings center Phillip Danault said. “There's no real ideal scenario. We just have to play hard in the next game.”
Edmonton not only eliminated the Kings in two straight tournaments but it won three of four meetings this year, with the Kings averaging 2.33 goals per game and allowing 3.75 against the Oilers despite winning one game 4-0. Against Dallas, the results were even more lopsided, with Dallas putting up 4.33 goals per game on the Kings and surrendering just one per game in a sweep of three meetings.
To decide their fate, the Kings will face one rival, the Blackhawks, and need help from another, the Ducks, tonight when the regular season concludes.
What the Kings can control is their own point total, as a victory of any kind in regulation would allow them to narrowly clear the bar set by the
UP NEXT
Today: Blackhawks at Kings, 7:30 p.m., BSW
Vegas Golden Knights. But Vegas will be in action against the Ducks and a win of any kind for Vegas would keep the Kings at bay, sending them to Dallas for a showdown with the No. 1-seeded Stars.
While the Ducks have struggled this season and improved only from dead last to placing 30th among 32 franchises, they have beaten Vegas in two of three meetings. They'll also have a new weapon in their arsenal with 2022's No. 5 overall draft pick, Cutter Gauthier, making his pro debut.
The Kings will have their own former No. 5 overall pick back in the fold, Alex Turcotte, who returned to the parent club at the expense of Akil Thomas, who had three goals and an assist in seven games but was returned to the minors anyway.
Turcotte could join Pierre-Luc Dubois and Quinton Byfield on the fourth line, which would give the Kings a bottom trio consisting entirely of centers who were top-five selections in their respective drafts.
While Turcotte has been trying to resuscitate his game after multiple concussions and other injuries, the small roles for the large Byfield and Dubois could be seen as something of a concern.
Though Dubois has been productive at times, his 40 points represented a steep decline (he's topped 60 in three of his six prior seasons in the NHL). He has compiled half his points since the All-Star break, responding well to some of the tweaks made by interim coach Jim Hiller.
Byfield compiled that same total of 40 points between Nov. 2 and Feb. 29 alone, during a period in which he emerged as the force the Kings had hoped he could be when they drafted him second overall in 2020, the franchise's highest pick since Drew Doughty in 2008.
Yet getting both players going simultaneously has proven onerous. While Dubois has contributed more in some of the past 33 games, Byfield's production has cratered. He has gone pointless in his past nine games and goalless in his last 19, all in a contract year for the hulking forward.
That hasn't been for lack of support, as Byfield had primarily skated opposite Adrian Kempe as they flanked Anze Kopitar. Since Byfield's last goal March 7, Kempe paced the Kings with 22 points and Kopitar placed second with 19 as both players competed in 19 contests (having missed one each due to injury during that span).
“I think he's putting a little too much pressure on himself through this stretch. It doesn't feel good for him, I'm sure,” Hiller told reporters Wednesday. “We just want him to take a break from that pressure of playing with Kopi and Juice and just go play his game.”
It would be particularly critical for Byfield to find his game if the Kings were to confront Edmonton. He led them in scoring against the Oilers with six points during the regular season. Against Dallas, Byfield did not register a point, but only five Kings players did across all three less-than-competitive matchups.
In two prior clashes with surefire Calder Trophy winner Connor Bedard and Chicago, the Kings won both decisions by an 11-2 aggregate result. Dubois contributed four points and Byfield had two, while Kopitar and Kempe led the way with five points apiece.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
PACIFIC DIVISION
y-Vancouver x-Edmonton x-Vegas x-Kings Calgary Seattle Ducks
San Jose
CENTRAL DIVISION
z-Dallas x-Winnipeg x-Colorado x-Nashville St. Louis Minnesota Arizona Chicago
GP W
81 50 81 49 81 45 81 43 81 37 81 33 81 26 81 19
GP W
82 81 81 82 82 81 82 81
METROPOLITAN DIVISION
x-clinched playoff spot; y-clinched division; z-clinched conference
Wednesday's results
Tampa Bay 6, Toronto 4
N.Y. Islanders 5, Pittsburgh 4 Dallas 2, St. Louis 1, SO Arizona 5, Edmonton 2
Today's games
52 51 49 47 43 39 36 23
L OT Pts GF GA
22 26 28 27 39 35 50 53 9 109 277 219 6 104 293 232 8 98 266 241 11 97 251 211 5 79 248 270 13 79 213 233 5 57 200 294 9 47 180 326
L OT Pts GF GA
21 24 25 30 33 33 41 53 9 113 298 234 6 108 255 197 7 105 299 253 5 99 269 248 6 92 239 250 9 87 248 259 5 77 256 274 5 51 175 285
Seattle at Minnesota, 4 p.m.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
ATLANTIC DIVISION
y-Florida x-Boston x-Toronto x-Tampa Bay Detroit Buffalo Ottawa Montreal
GP W
82 52 82 47 82 46 82 45 82 41 82 39 82 37 82 30
GP W
z-N.Y. Rangers 82 55 x-Carolina 82 52 x-N.Y. Islanders 82 39 x-Washington 82 40 Pittsburgh 82 38 Philadelphia 82 38 New Jersey 82 38 Columbus 82 27
L OT Pts GF GA
Vancouver at Winnipeg, 5 p.m.
San Jose at Calgary, 6 p.m.
Edmonton at Colorado, 6:30 p.m.
Ducks at Vegas, 7 p.m.
Chicago at Kings, 7:30 p.m.
End of regular season
L OT Pts GF GA
24 20 26 29 32 37 41 36 23 23 27 31 32 33 39 43
6 110 268 200 15 109 267 224 10 102 303 263 8 98 291 268 9 91 278 274 6 84 246 244 4 78 255 281 16 76 236 289 4 114 282 229 7 111 279 216 16 94 246 263 11 91 220 257 12 88 255 251 11 87 235 261 5 81 264 283 12 66 237 300