3 Kings Entering Their Final Year With The Team

The Los Angeles Kings have failed to get over the hump for a number of years, always running into the Edmonton Oilers in the first round of the playoffs. There have been changes year after year and nothing seems to hit right. There were multiple additions and a subtraction of Vladislav Gavrikov who will be missed. This may be the last season in which there is a real chance of doing anything in the playoffs. These are three players who are expected to be entering their final year with the Kings.

Anze Kopitar

There have been rumors and reports that this is Anze Kopitar's last season in the NHL. He is expected to retire at 39 years old after the season and after winning multiple Stanley Cups as well as multiple Selke Trophies and Lady Byng Trophies. He has been an elite two-way center in the NHL for many years and the Kings haven't done anything significant since they won the Cup in 2014, not even registering a playoff series win since. He scored 21 goals and 67 points last season, so he is still very effective, but if he's done, the Kings will be in trouble, even with Quinton Byfield coming into his own.

Corey Perry

Corey Perry left the Oilers this offseason as they didn't have the money to sign him to the type of deal the Kings could. Perry is under contract for just next season and at 40 years old, he is still chasing another Stanley Cup. Perry can still play, but his role is going to be much different than it was on the Oilers. I don't think the Kings will go very far again and it will either call for the end of Perry's career, or he will move on and sign with another contender for a season.

Akil Thomas

The Kings have some solid depth at forward, so I don't see a need for Akil Thomas moving forward. He wasn't very useful last season for LA, playing 25 games, under 10 minutes per game, and he scored one goal and three points. With young players like Alex Turcotte, Samuel Helenius, Francesco Pinelli, Martin Cormiak, Cole Guttman, and even Liam Greentree, there just isn't a spot even this season, never mind after his contract expires following this season.