Kings' Window Is Slamming Shut, Have Pressure To Make Big Changes

The Los Angeles Kings have a handful of talented younger forwards or those in their primes, but that isn't enough when a few of the best players are nearing the end of their careers or are on the back-9. This team has been eliminated in four consecutive first rounds by the Edmonton Oilers and have really just gone backwards and wasted some good chances to go on a deeper run.

Things aren't going to get any easier. The Oilers remain a top team and there is other competition on the rise. Plus the Kings got worse by losing Vladislav Gavrikov and adding Cody Ceci, Brian Dumoulin, Corey Perry, and Joel Armia for a combined $13 million. Every one of those players are expected to play fourth line or bottom pairing minutes.

Nick Kypreos said that "there's a tremendous amount of pressure on the LA Kings and there's a reason (Luke) Robitaille got Ken Holland...to go out there and get this team in a position to win now." While I think the Kings' new GM has actually done the opposite of that and done a worse job than the last general manager, Rob Blake, so far, it's not easy to make the changes the team needs to win.

The defense is very hard to alter anymore now, especially with newly signed Ceci and Dumoulin having 10-team no-trade clauses on their already poor contracts. The top-6 and top-4 are filled with players in their 20s, so that's a good start. But that also isn't Holland's doing.

Los Angeles has cap space to upgrade, even after they agree on a contract extension with Alex Laferriere. The door could also slam completely shut in no time at all with the entire top line of Anze Kopitar, Adrian Kempe, and Andrei Kuzmenko having one year left on their deals before becoming UFAs. The Kings have been quiet on the trade front this offseason and have missed out on opportunities to grab some players who would definitely help bolster the lineup.