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Los Angeles Kings’ Free Agent Needs

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Michael Ostrower | Last updated 5/14/24

With the Los Angeles Kings’ offseason now underway, it is becoming increasingly clear what issues they need to address. The team has no one glaring issue, but they need to assess their forward and defensive core, as well as the goaltending tandem if they want to improve for next season. While not all of these issues can be solved in free agency, there are some holes they should look to solve.

How to Fill the Forward Core

The Kings have a surplus of strong forwards. A mix of veterans like Anze Kopitar and Phillip Danault pair well with youth like Quinton Byfield and Alex Laferriere. Despite planning the construction of the team well, development has not gone how general manager Rob Blake has hoped. This is mainly on the right wing, as well as the physicality of the roster. Outside of Laferriere, the forward core is almost entirely left-handed. While this is not the biggest issue, adding an impact right-handed winger who can play physically is one issue the team should address.

Another idea is to add a high-end scorer. When the Kings acquired Piere-Luc Dubois, they were hoping to add a 35-plus goal, 75-plus point scorer who could dominate on their top line; what they got was nothing short of a disappointment. While Dubois’ play improved under interim head coach Jim Hiller, he will need to step up big next season to live up to the hype.

The Kings are not expected to have much salary space, but adding a high-level scorer would be a great way to address their scoring issues. The top free agent is expected to be Florida Panthers forward Sam Reinhart. He scored a career-high 57 goals this regular season. While he is unlikely to repeat this level of success, he would be a great addition to the team. He is also right-handed, helping fix that issue. In addition to Reinhart, there are a ton of right-handed wingers in this free-agent class, so the Kings should discuss all options.

Fill the Defense in House or Free Agency?

The Kings have perhaps done the best job at drafting defensemen in recent seasons. Since 2019, they have drafted Jordan Spence, Helge Grans, Brock Faber, and Brandt Clarke. They have also developed Mikey Anderson and Sean Durzi into capable top-four defensemen. Despite this, their defense has been far from impressive.

The team’s defensive struggles can be attributed to inconsistent coaching, but there is a clear need to round out the defense corps. Heading towards next season, five spots appear to be set in stone. On the left side, Anderson and Vladislav Gavrikov are expected to remain. The right side will have Drew Doughty and Brandt Clarke, as well as one of Spence or Matt Roy. Both are free agents and the front office will need to decide between the two. The sixth spot is currently up for grabs.

The most likely option is to remain in-house, either both Spence and Roy and playing one of them on their offside, or playing one of Andreas Englund or Jacob Moverare in a full-time capacity. If the team looks to shake up the defense, they will look to add a left-handed defenseman for the third pairing. This would likely be a defensively-oriented defenseman who can play a physical game while also carrying the puck through the neutral zone. It will also likely be an experienced player who can help a young defenseman like Clarke or Spence develop.

Are There Goaltenders Available?

There is no hiding the Kings have grown frustrated with their goaltending tandem of Cam Talbot and David Rittich. While both had impressive seasons, it is clear the team needs to add a better goaltender to become a more serious contender. It is hard to analyze the tandem because of the lack of quality options.

Rittich had a career season, finishing eighth in goals saved above expected, according to Money Puck. However, he started the season in the American Hockey League (AHL), so there is clearly reason for concern moving forward. Talbot was incredibly inconsistent, and could not make a save from around the net if his life depended on it. Other than that, he was a stable option but is going to be 37 years old to start next season.

Both Talbot and Rittich are good second options in tandem, but neither is capable of becoming a starter. The Kings also have Erik Portillo in the AHL who finished with impressive numbers in his first professional season. While he has high potential, entering next season with him as the backup would be very risky. The biggest issue in all of this is the fact there are no quality starters set to hit free agency. The top options are comparable to Rittich and Talbot, so making a change just for the sake of it would be irresponsible.

With free agency beginning on July 1, there is still plenty of time to assess the free agent market. Not only do the Kings still have to decide what to do with all of their pending free agents, but other teams will begin negotiating to keep their own as well.

For a more detailed list of which players the Kings could pursue in free agency, be sure to check out The Hockey Writers Substack.

This article first appeared on The Hockey Writers and was syndicated with permission.

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