The top of the Western Conference is loaded with Stanley Cup contenders, and you can now include the Los Angeles Kings in that group. The Kings are an elite defensive team, and they keep rising in our NHL Power Rankings.
Coming off back-to-back-to-back playoff losses to the Edmonton Oilers, the Kings looked like a team that was good but not quite good enough. A relatively quiet offseason didn’t do much to inspire confidence that things would be any different in 2024-25, but Los Angeles has been one of the NHL’s best teams through the first half.
The Kings are led by ageless wonder Anze Kopitar, who remains one of the best two-way centers in the game today. The 37-year-old has 39 points in 38 games while posting a plus-16 goal differential at five-on-five. Then there’s Adrian Kempe, who is on a 41-goal pace and boasts a plus-19 goal differential with both teams at five-on-five.
Outside of those two, Los Angeles doesn’t have many players putting up big offensive numbers, but it does have a team committed to playing defense from top to bottom. The Kings surrender expected goals and actual goals at the lowest rate in the NHL, and they’ve managed to pull that off without Drew Doughty even touching the ice.
Doughty is expected to make his return in the coming weeks, and he should only make an already suffocating defense even more stifling.
With their defense leading the charge, the Kings are one of a few teams equipped to slow down offensive juggernauts like the Oilers, Vegas Golden Knights, Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars. Expect them to be a royal pain for those teams when the playoffs arrive.
With the Kings riding their defense higher and higher, here are the updated NHL Power Rankings.
7
Red Wings
1 |
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Pavel Dorofeyev is starting to look like a third-round steal for the Golden Knights. He’s up to 14 goals in 40 games, which has already surpassed the 13 goals he scored in 47 games last season. Now without Jonathan Marchessault, Vegas needed someone to step up and provide secondary scoring this season, and Dorofeyev has done just that. | — | 28-9-3 |
2 |
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Last week, the Kings scored wins over the Devils and Lightning while holding those two explosive offenses to a total of one goal. The defense has been nothing short of suffocating all year long, allowing just 2.09 xGA/60 at five-on-five, and Drew Doughty’s return might be on the horizon. | 2 | 23-10-5 |
3 |
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Leon Draisaitl is a machine. He just rattled off a 14-game point streak in which he had 12 goals and 15 assists in that span. He leads the NHL with 29 goals, which also happens to make up 21.9% of the total goals the Oilers have scored this season. With the bottom-six forwards not pulling their weight in the scoring department, Drasaitl has picked up the slack and then some. | — | 25-12-3 |
4 |
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Few defensemen are dominating games like Cale Makar is right now. He’s on pace for career highs in goals, assists and points while absolutely mauling opponents at five-on-five. With Makar on the ice, Colorado has a plus-8 goal differential and a 57.0% expected goals share. Without Makar, the team has a minus-14 differential and a 46.3% expected goals share. | 2 | 25-15-1 |
5 |
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Much to the delight of the Maple Leafs and their fans, Auston Matthews is back on the ice, and it took him no time to get reacclimated. Matthews returned for back-to-back games against the Bruins and Flyers last weekend, and he totaled five points. Toronto, which has won five in a row, now looks like the team to beat in the Atlantic Division. | 2 | 27-13-2 |
6 |
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Has Nils Lundkvist finally solidified himself in Dallas? Lundkvist has spent the last couple years in and out of Peter DeBoer’s dog house, but he has been excellent in a somewhat limited role this season. Over the last month, Lundkvist owns a 60.1% expected goals share at five-on-five, which is first among regular skaters. He’s making the case for more ice time. | 6 | 25-13-1 |
7 |
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Marco Rossi is reportedly on the trade block, and I have no idea why. The 22-year-old center has taken the next step and a couple more, posting 15 goals and 22 assists in 41 games. Even the underlying numbers are sparkling. Other than perhaps his size, there is nothing to dislike about Rossi’s game. If Minnesota is going to trade a young player like Rossi, it better get a major haul in return. | 3 | 26-11-4 |
8 |
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A big part of the Jets’ success this season can be placed on the shoulders of a brilliant season from Mark Scheifele. At the age of 31, Scheifele is on pace for 46 goals, which would be a career high. The question for Winnipeg is whether he can avoid regression and keep that pace up. Scheifele is shooting 24.2%, which is over seven points higher than his career high. | 6 | 28-12-2 |
9 |
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It’s time to put some respect on Aliaksei Protas’ name. The 6-foot-6 and 225-pound Belarusian is a force to be reckoned with on the ice. Protas showed flashes of potential last year, and he has now realized that potential. Protas has 18 goals and 35 points in 40 games while boasting a five-on-five goal differential of plus-15. | 4 | 26-10-4 |
10 |
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Seth Jarvis might be finding his groove after missing significant time with an injury in November. The 22-year-old forward has two goals and six assists in his last six games, which is good news for a Carolina team that has been stuck in neutral for a while. Jarvis’ five-on-five numbers have been strong all season, but the production is starting to match. | 4 | 24-15-2 |
11 |
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Over the last couple weeks, the Panthers’ offense has completely gone by the wayside. Since Dec. 23, they’ve been shutout twice and have scored one goal twice. In that span, Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Reinhart have combined for a goal and an assist. We haven’t seen many cold streaks from those two, so I can’t imagine this drought goes on much longer. | 2 | 24-15-2 |
12 |
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Much like the Panthers, the Devils have also had their offensive powers sapped recently. Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, Nico Hischier and Timo Meier have combined for two goals in the last five games. It’s so odd to see New Jersey struggling to light the lamp, but every team goes through this in an 82-game season. | 4 | 25-15-3 |
13 |
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Cam Fowler has 13 points this season, and nine of them have come since getting traded to the Blues on Dec. 14. Beyond that, Fowler’s underlying five-on-five metrics have been encouraging too. It looked like Fowler was toast toward the end of his time in Anaheim, but maybe getting out of that mess of a defensive environment was exactly what he needed. He seems to have found new life in St. Louis. | 4 | 19-19-4 |
14 |
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Josh Norris came out of the gates looking like a new man, but things have gone south as the season has progressed. Norris has two goals and two assists in his last 11 games, and his five-on-five expected goals share has dropped to a dismal 45.9%. Ottawa is counting on Norris to be a top-six center in order for the team to get where it wants to go, but he has been trending in the wrong direction. | 1 | 19-17-3 |
15 |
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Toward the end of December, the Lightning were rolling and looked like one of the best teams in the league. Then, the Bolts have lost four in a row in miserable fashion. Throughout the skid, Tampa scored a total of five goals. Not great considering three of the games were against the Canadiens, Sharks and Ducks. | 4 | 21-15-2 |
16 |
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Over the last few years, J.T. Miller has been a weapon on the power play. From 2021-2024, Miller recorded 29 goals and 108 points on the man advantage. The latter number ranked eighth in the NHL over that span. This season, Miller has one goal and 10 points on the power play through 29 games. That’s part of the reason why Vancouver’s scoring has dipped. | 1 | 18-12-9 |
17 |
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Karel Vejmelka had a disastrous 2023-24 season, putting up some of the worst numbers of any goaltender in the league. Now, with Connor Ingram on the shelf due to injury, Vejmelka has elevated his game. He is eighth in the NHL with 9.17 goals saved above average, and his .833 high-danger save percentage compares favorably to the rest of the league. | 2 | 17-15-7 |
18 |
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Only two Bruins have more ice time than Brandon Carlo, and that might need to change because the usually dependable defenseman has been anything but that. Carlo’s expected goals share of 44.8% is one of the worst marks on the team, and Boston has been outscored 28-25 with him on the ice in those situations. The issue for the B’s is that they may not have other options. | 2 | 20-18-5 |
19 |
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The Canadiens are absolutely cooking right now. They’ve won eight of their last 10 games, and Lane Hutson has begun his ascent. The No. 62 overall pick in the 2022 draft, Hutson leads all rookies in scoring with 30 points. To put up those totals at any position as a rookie is impressive, but that’s especially the case for a rookie defenseman. Hutson asserting himself in the Calder Trophy race. | 6 | 19-18-3 |
20 |
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In Todd McLellan’s debut as the Red Wings’ coach, the team got smacked in a 5-2 loss to the Maple Leafs. Since then, Detroit has rattled off five straight wins and gotten itself back into the thick of the playoff race. Captain Dylan Larkin has really taken to the change with five goals and four assists since McLellan took over. | 7 | 18-18-4 |
21 |
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Of all the skilled young Russians in Columbus, Dmitri Voronkov might be the hottest. Since Dec. 15, Voronkov has caught fire with 10 goals and six assists in 11 games. Voronkov was a fourth-round pick by the Blue Jackets in 2019, and he is now in the midst of two straight productive seasons to begin his NHL career. | 1 | 18-17-6 |
22 |
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Everyone on the Penguins is having a tough time, but Evgeni Malkin has really sputtered. Malkin is on pace for 16 goals, which would be the lowest full-season total of his entire career. To make matters worse, those results are earned. The Penguins have been getting caved in with Malkin on the ice at five-on-five. I wonder if his name will start coming up in trade discussions as the trade deadline approaches. | 4 | 17-17-8 |
23 |
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As is an annual tradition now, John Gibson’s name is coming up in trade rumors. At one point, Gibson was one of the elite goaltenders in the world, but that hasn’t been the case for a while now. Over the last three seasons, his 24.9 goals allowed above average ranks 124th out of 131 goaltenders. Maybe Gibson can improve behind a better defense, but his numbers have been trending downward for some time. | 3 | 17-18-5 |
24 |
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Dustin Wolf deserves a mention in the Calder Trophy race. He’s been tremendous between the pipes for Calgary at the age of 23. Wolf has posted 7.78 goals save above average to go along with his .913 save percentage. If not for exceptional seasons by Macklin Celebrini, Lane Hutson and Macklin Celebrini, Wolf would be getting more love for the award. | 4 | 19-14-7 |
25 |
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The Flyers were probably hoping to get a little more out of Joel Farabee this season, but he hasn’t been able to get any traction. Farabee has two goals in his last 13 games, and he’s got just 14 points in 41 games. His minus-11 goal differential at five-on-five isn’t doing him any favors either. | 4 | 17-19-5 |
26 |
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Out of nowhere, Jason Zucker has given the Sabres some excellent secondary scoring. In his last eight games, Zucker has notched seven goals and three assists. Because of this scoring burst, Zucker is now on pace for his first 30-goal campaign since the 2017-18 season. | 2 | 15-21-5 |
27 |
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Mat Barzal has only scored one goal since making his return on Dec. 15, but he’s been pretty effective. His expected goals share is up to an eye-popping 63.2%, but Barzal hasn’t gotten much help. The results will eventually come for Barzal if he keeps playing like this, but I’m not sure I can say the same thing for the rest of the team. | 3 | 15-18-7 |
28 |
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There was almost no chance Gus Nyquist was going to be able to repeat his 75-point season from last year, but he has fallen back to Earth and to its core. Nyquist has seven goals and 10 assists on the season, which puts him on pace for 34 points. In a season where the Preds have been unable to find consistent scoring, they’ve needed a little more from Nyquist. | 1 | 13-21-7 |
29 |
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The last month has not been pretty for the Kraken. They’ve gone 4-7-2, and that record is very well deserved. Seattle has a five-on-five expected goals share of 39.1%, which is clearly the worst in the league. The Kraken got off to a promising start under Dan Bylsma, but they have hit a wall at the halfway point. | 6 | 17-21-3 |
30 |
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Yaroslav has only started seven games for the Sharks, but the very early results for the young goaltender have been superb. Askarov has posted a .923 save percentage and 4.75 goals saved above average. Much attention has been paid to the young talent in front of Askarov, and for good reason, but he already looks like a possible franchise cornerstone in net. | 2 | 13-24-6 |
31 |
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On Tuesday night, the Rangers blew a 3-0 lead and a 4-3 lead in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Stars. The line of Alexis Lafreniere, Vincent Trocheck and Artemi Panarin did all the heavy lifting and deserved a better outcome. Unfortunately, they were undone by the rest of the lineup, which is becoming the story of the season in New York. | — | 18-20-2 |
32 |
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No one watched the Winter Classic, and it’s a true mystery as to why. Could it be that the absolute worst team in the league was featured in a venue that has already been used before? I guess we’ll never know. Anyway, I look forward to Chicago’s next outdoor game appearance. | 2 | 13-25-2 |
The Los Angeles Kings have quietly been making a name for themselves in the Western Conference of the NHL this season. After a slow start, the Kings have been on a tear in recent weeks, climbing up the standings and establishing themselves as a legitimate threat to the top teams in the conference.
One of the key factors in the Kings’ recent success has been their strong play on both ends of the ice. Offensively, they have been getting contributions from all four lines, with players like Anze Kopitar, Dustin Brown, and Adrian Kempe leading the way. Defensively, the Kings have been stingy, allowing the fewest goals per game in the entire league. Goalie Jonathan Quick has been a big reason for their defensive success, posting a .920 save percentage and three shutouts so far this season.
Another reason for the Kings’ emergence as a contender in the Western Conference has been their ability to win close games. They have shown a knack for coming out on top in tight contests, with a number of their wins coming by just one goal. This ability to grind out wins in close games will be crucial as the season progresses and the competition gets tougher.
In addition to their strong play on the ice, the Kings have also shown resilience and mental toughness. They have bounced back from tough losses and injuries to key players, showing that they have the mental fortitude to overcome adversity and keep pushing forward.
As a result of their strong play, the Kings have been steadily climbing up the power rankings in the Western Conference. They are currently sitting near the top of the standings and are within striking distance of the division leaders. With their balanced scoring, solid defense, and mental toughness, the Kings are proving that they are a team to be reckoned with in the Western Conference this season.
Overall, the Los Angeles Kings are emerging as a formidable threat in the Western Conference of the NHL. With their strong play on both ends of the ice, ability to win close games, and resilience in the face of adversity, the Kings are proving that they are a team to watch as the season progresses. Fans and analysts alike should keep an eye on the Kings as they continue to make their mark on the Western Conference.
