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Los Angeles Kings had some salary cap issues this summer.
Unlike many NHL teams the rebuilding Kings weren't worried about going over the cap, but making sure they spent enough money to get above the mandatory minimum.
The Kings and general manager Dean Lombardi are still on course with a full- fledged youth movement and after recording just 139 total points in the standings over the last two seasons, it's still uncertain if LA has hit rock- bottom yet.
Los Angeles is not expected to contend for a playoff spot once again. The team actually got younger this summer after dealing away veteran defensemen Rob Blake and Lubomir Visnovsky as well as 26-year-old winger Mike Cammalleri. Lombardi also opted to change coaches after the season, firing Marc Crawford and replacing him with Terry Murray.
The Kings are still living for the future and this year they could further that cause by earning the first overall pick in next summer's draft.
FORWARDS - The Kings' impressive array of young talent is led by the stunning play of Anze Kopitar, who at just 21 years of age will try to improve yet again in his third NHL campaign.
The Slovenian centerman had 61 points (20 goals, 41 assists) as a rookie in 2006-07 and upped the ante last year with 77 points on 32 goals and 45 assists.
Blessed with excellent size at 6-4, 220 pounds, Kopitar's vision and stickhandling ability make him a tremendous playmaker and goal-scoring threat. It's no surprise that LA's rebuilding phase is centered around him.
Playing opposite Kopitar on the top line are wingers Dustin Brown and Patrick O''Sullivan, who are both just 23 years of age heading into the 2008-09 season.
Brown led the Kings with 33 goals last season, while O'Sullivan was fourth on the team with 53 points (22g, 31a).
The second line should be centered by veteran Michal Handzus, who needs to rebound after turning in just 21 points (7g, 14a) last season while playing in all 82 games in the first year of a four-year, $16 million deal.
Right wing Alexander Frolov will also be back on the second line after finishing second to Kopitar last year with 67 points (23g, 44a). Kyle Calder is scheduled to play the left wing after disappointing with just seven goals and 13 assists last season.
If Handzus fails to deliver in the second-line center spot, the Kings could turn to Jarret Stoll to fill the role. Stoll, who was acquired in the trade that sent Visnovsky to Edmonton over the summer, had 36 points (14g, 22a) for the Oilers last season.
It will also be interesting to watch Brian Boyle, a 23-year-old centerman, play a full season this year. Boyle, a first-round pick by LA in 2003, has monster size at 6-6, 222 pounds and impressed with four goals in an eight-game stretch with the Kings last season.
Murray will have to choose between a group of young talents and journeymen forwards to fill out the remaining lines.
DEFENSE - What Kopitar has been to the Kings offense, Lombardi hopes 21-year- old Jack Johnson will be for the future of LA's defense.
Johnson, the third overall pick by Carolina in the 2005 draft, was traded to Los Angeles prior to the 2006-07 campaign. His first full season in the NHL came last year and the youngster struggled with just 11 points (3g, 8a) to go along with a minus-19 rating in 74 games.
Tom Preissing, 29, is the Kings top-scoring defensemen remaining from last year's squad after notching 24 points (8g, 16a). It would be asking too much of the steady veteran this season to match the 41 points Visnovsky put up from the blue line a year ago.
Matt Greene, another player who came over in the Visnovsky deal, will get plenty of ice time for the Kings despite registering just one point in 46 games during an injury-plagued 2007-08 campaign for the Oilers.
The Kings also added Denis Gauthier to the mix in the offseason, picking the 31-year-old up off waivers from Philadelphia. Gauthier played in 78 games for Philadelphia's AHL affiliate last year, but does have 489 NHL games under his belt.
In addition to Johnson, LA has three other defensemen in Drew Doughty, Thomas Hickey and Colton Teubert, who were each selected in the top-13 of the last two drafts, but none of those players are expected to see significant time with the NHL club this season.
GOALTENDING - The Kings used a total of seven goaltenders last season, but they hope Jason LaBarbera can solidify the situation between the pipes in 2008-09.
The 28-year-old LaBarbera, who is in the final season of a two-year contract, was not very good last year, going 17-23-2 with a 2.99 goals against average and .910 save percentage. He missed the last 20 games of the season after suffering a sports hernia.
Erik Ersberg, 26, is scheduled to back up LaBarbera this season after going 6-5-3 with a 2.47 GAA and .927 save percentage in his first 14 career NHL contest in 2007-08.
In terms of goaltending, the Kings are simply trying to bridge the gap until 20-year-old backstop Jonathan Bernier, the 11th overall pick in the 2006 draft, is ready to play at the NHL level.
WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE - The Kings are prepared to take their lumps once again this season if it means building a winner down the road. The biggest prize could lie ahead if LA manages to be bad enough in 2008-09 to set themselves up for the No. 1 pick and a shot at junior superstar John Tavares. Other than the draft sweepstakes, there isn't a whole lot to look forward to for Kings fans this season.
