Kings ready for another run at the Cup

Free agents signees, new coachs but same goals : WIN the CUP.  That was the message GM Lemyre sent to his troops.  At both opening days, GM Lemyre went to both dressing rooms in California and told his players what he wanted: Full effort and a no quit attitude.

Other teams improved, some are going for that high price draft pick.  Here in LA, we are already at the top so its tough to improve but looking at GM Lemyre moves this summer, the team got better.

In net, Bernier got better and now he has a better quality backup in Mike McKenna.  Clemmensen was good last year but McKenna should definitely wins more games.  Bernier should be better rested for the playoffs where last year,  he needed to be scratched for one game and that might have a cost the Kings a place at the Stanley Cup finals.

On defense,  Markov-Burns-Klein-Tanev are one of the best top 4 in the league plus the team added Lovejoy and Colaiacovo as depth players.  They are happy that veteran Leopold came back for another year.  He is a fun guy to be around and Jonathan Ericsson will always be reliable and could play in all situations.  These guys knows how to play defense.

Upfront, the Kings owns probably the best duo of two-way player that exists in Toews and Bergeron.  At 43, Jagr still has his mojo going (you could ask that girl that tweeted the picture in bed with him, she might know a thing or two about it). Plus, its has been reported that he is growing his old mullet back again.  Just what the team needed.  Pirri and Nyquist should be riding shutgun and causing nightmares to opposing goalies again this year.  Free agents signees Upshall and Umberger are bringing some much needed depth with Fehr that should be able to score around 15 goals this year.  Hopefully coach Boudreau will have the right system in place to allow them to be productive.

In the minors, the Kings has some interesting prospects that should blossomed this year under new coach Housley. Dumoulin, Morrow, Gostisbehere, Pateryn, McGinn and Straka are all about a year away from being full time NHLers while prospects and recent draft picks like Werenski, Point, Erne and McDonald are a couple years away.

In all cases, the future looks great in LA but clearly winning is now.