Kings’ fatal flaw that must be fixed in 2024-25 season

Doughty fractured his ankle in a preseason victory over the Vegas Golden Knights at the end of September, and was labelled month-to-month shortly after. The 34-year-old has been ultra-durable over the last two seasons, playing 81 contests in 2022-23 and a full 82-game slate in 2023-24.

The injury is devastating for both player and club, and it’s exasperated by the loss of Roy in the offseason. This blue line just looks a ton different than it did last year, and until Doughty is ready to return, the Kings could just be treading water to keep pace in the Pacific Division.

It’s hard to understate just how important Doughty is to the Kings. He averaged 35:48 of ice time per game last season, good enough for second in the NHL behind just Capitals’ John Carlson. He also led LA defensemen with 15 goals and 50 points, the fifth time in his career he’s eclipsed the 50-point mark.

“You know, the magnitude of [Doughty] going down, I don’t think it can be just one guy that can shoulder the burden,” captain Anze Kopitar said before the campaign started, per NHL.com’s Dan Greenspan. “It’ll be a lot of us that need to step up and pull a little extra weight.”

At least in the last week, that hasn’t really been the case.

Kings’ fatal flaw is a weak blue line

Although the health of Kuemper is certainly a concern after it was revealed the veteran netminder was day-to-day, he should be able to bounce back from a couple disappointing starts when he returns. And he proved over the first two games of the season he’s still capable of putting together standout performances between the pipes.

But the fatal flaw right now for the Kings is the blue line. Brandt Clarke has stepped up admirably, slowly increasing in ice time per game and providing four assists in four games to start the campaign. He’s been a bright spot, and will likely run the defensive unit in Los Angeles for years to come. Still, Clarke’s defensive game is a work in progress, and there’s really no safety net without Doughty and Roy back there.

Mikey Anderson and Vladislav Gavrikov are still solid pieces, but the rest of the blue line consists of largely unproven NHL players. Kyle Burroughs is playing second-pairing minutes; he’s managed just 18 points over three seasons in the league after breaking out of the American Hockey League. Andreas Englund has only played one full campaign, managing just 10 points in 81 contests with the Kings last year. And Caleb Jones was demoted to the AHL’s Colorado Eagles last season; he ended up with five assists in 25 games for the Avalanche.

Needless to say, it’s not a top-flight NHL blue line as currently constructed. Still, the Kings do play a strong defensive game, and David Rittich is a more-than-serviceable backup despite a tough game against the Leafs on Wednesday night. But it is possible that the front office will have to look externally for another defenseman in Doughty’s absence, especially the way the 2024-25 season has started.

Could Los Angeles bring in another experienced veteran on back end?

There are still a couple of solid veteran defensemen on the market who the Kings could look to bring in. That includes Kevin Shattenkirk, who put up 24 points in 61 games with the Bruins last year and proved he still has some gas in the tank. The 35-year-old earned $1.05 million last season in Boston, and he likely would command even less at this point. He’s a right-handed shot — like Doughty — and has been known as a powerplay specialist in his career.

Another option is former Edmonton Oilers D-man Justin Schultz. The veteran blue liner also remains unsigned and is hoping to land a new contract in 2024-25. A two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Schultz has spent the last two seasons with the Seattle Kraken, recording seven goals and 26 points over 70 games in 2023-24. A former second-round pick, the 34-year-old could be inserted onto the third pairing in Los Angeles.

Regardless of what general manager Rob Blake and the front office decide to do, the Kings need to be better than they have been the last couple of games.

“Unfortunately, at times, players, all of us, the beauty of the game is to make good plays and stuff but they’re just not there very often anymore,” head coach Jim Hiller said after Wednesday’s loss. “So, you just have to accept the fact that you have to go north and do your work. It’s where the game is today.”

It is worth noting that LA has begun the season on a brutal seven-game road trip, and won’t play their home opener until October 24 against the San Jose Sharks. That’s a tough way to start a year, and all things considered, a 1-1-2 record isn’t terrible. But the Kings need to figure out the blue line if they hope to advance to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for a fourth straight time.