The Los Angeles Kings missed the playoffs last year after winning the Stanley Cup in 2012 and 2014. Then, they went out and did something really smart.
They brought in Milan Lucic.
Milan is one of those guys (And there's a lot out there that support it both ways) that you either love or hate. You love 'em if he's on your team, and hate him if he's in one of the 29 other cities. The Kings are facing a bit of a tough situation with him.
Were I around King-Land, I'd sure be trying my best to have Lucic around for a while.
Lucic took a bit to get going this season, but soon the Kings (Who lost their first three games in 2015/16) and the new guy in town hit their stride. They're going to the postseason and they are poised for a deep run. It would not surprise me, in all honesty, if they win it all this year.
Lucic will be one of the keys to all that, mark my words.
For one, Milan and Los Angeles are both in the same boat. Lucic's Bruins missed the playoffs last year (Sidenote: The Bruins, sans Milan this year are slumping right now), so he's wants to prove last year was just a blip in the radar. Almost everyone on the Kings this season know the feeling all too well. Also, Lucic has a Stanley Cup ring of his own, having won it all in Boston in 2011. Beat Vancouver right there in game seven.
Lucic also brings some toughness to Los Angeles. The team might me a tad bit on the soft side. Sure, they got guys who are tough. But how about a comparison of last season to this for all you who like Fisticuffs. The Kings had all of 31 last year, including in the preseason. This year, they are at 42 already. Lucic has only been in three so far, but will be more than willing to go in the postseason. He's been in 68 career first, again including the preseason. This guy lives for the postseason and will do anything to win.
Also, somewhere down the road, Lucic would love nothing better for a crack at Dale Weiss and / or Vancouver. While many were appalled at the handshake incident two years ago where Lucic issued a warning to Weiss, as luck would have it, their paths could cross again. Which would make for an interesting storyline. Weiss was traded by Montreal to Chicago this year. And the Blackhawks just so happen to be the defending Stanley Cup champions. Consider this now a rivalry (Not that the two teams didn't meet in 2013 and 2014) now. Add to that the Hawks beat Lucic and Boston in the Stanley Cup in 2013, and Lucic has all the motivation he needs to hate the Hawks. With a passion!
Oh, and that incident with a fan in Vancouver a few years back? Well Lucic, who happens to hail from Vancouver, isn't going to be facing the Canucks in the postseason this year (And actually, he won't be facing any Canadian team period in the playoffs of 2016). But again, given that he's had his share of moments against that team on and off the ice, I'm willing to bet he'll be more than a bit motivated to face them anytime, anyplace.
Stanley Cups are won via character, and not just talent. Los Angeles is a team loaded with talent. Jonathan Quick, Anze Kopita, Jeff Carter. Tyler Toffoli, Drew Doughty. The list goes on. The team has shown heart all season long. Despite a three-game losing streak as of the time of this writing, this team has the talent and heart to overcome that. Lucic is one of the reasons. That game at home against Washington back there on the 9th of this month. It could have been a disaster. Nothings' worse than a three-goal lead blown at home with less than twenty minutes to play. But, although the Capitals got a point by sending it to overtime, the Kings pulled it out with a huge, character-driven final result.
Lucic had scored the goal to make it 3-0 Los Angeles. He was showing the way. And then, when things got tough, he showed his new team the way again, getting the assist with a great feed to a streaking Carter. It's games like that prove this might just be the destiny of the Kings to win it all this year. The addition of Lucic (And Vinny Lecavalier, I must add) has given Los Angeles the lift they needed. Keeping Lucic around in the coming seasons will ensure they have that extra jump in crunch time.
References
"Official Site of the National Hockey League" | NHL.com. National Hockey League. Web. 25 Mar. 2016. <https://www.nhl.com>.
Sports Reference LLC. Hockey-Reference.com - Hockey Statistics and History. http://www.hockey-reference.com/. Web. 25 Mar. 2016
They brought in Milan Lucic.
Milan is one of those guys (And there's a lot out there that support it both ways) that you either love or hate. You love 'em if he's on your team, and hate him if he's in one of the 29 other cities. The Kings are facing a bit of a tough situation with him.
Were I around King-Land, I'd sure be trying my best to have Lucic around for a while.
Lucic took a bit to get going this season, but soon the Kings (Who lost their first three games in 2015/16) and the new guy in town hit their stride. They're going to the postseason and they are poised for a deep run. It would not surprise me, in all honesty, if they win it all this year.
Lucic will be one of the keys to all that, mark my words.
For one, Milan and Los Angeles are both in the same boat. Lucic's Bruins missed the playoffs last year (Sidenote: The Bruins, sans Milan this year are slumping right now), so he's wants to prove last year was just a blip in the radar. Almost everyone on the Kings this season know the feeling all too well. Also, Lucic has a Stanley Cup ring of his own, having won it all in Boston in 2011. Beat Vancouver right there in game seven.
Lucic also brings some toughness to Los Angeles. The team might me a tad bit on the soft side. Sure, they got guys who are tough. But how about a comparison of last season to this for all you who like Fisticuffs. The Kings had all of 31 last year, including in the preseason. This year, they are at 42 already. Lucic has only been in three so far, but will be more than willing to go in the postseason. He's been in 68 career first, again including the preseason. This guy lives for the postseason and will do anything to win.
Also, somewhere down the road, Lucic would love nothing better for a crack at Dale Weiss and / or Vancouver. While many were appalled at the handshake incident two years ago where Lucic issued a warning to Weiss, as luck would have it, their paths could cross again. Which would make for an interesting storyline. Weiss was traded by Montreal to Chicago this year. And the Blackhawks just so happen to be the defending Stanley Cup champions. Consider this now a rivalry (Not that the two teams didn't meet in 2013 and 2014) now. Add to that the Hawks beat Lucic and Boston in the Stanley Cup in 2013, and Lucic has all the motivation he needs to hate the Hawks. With a passion!
Oh, and that incident with a fan in Vancouver a few years back? Well Lucic, who happens to hail from Vancouver, isn't going to be facing the Canucks in the postseason this year (And actually, he won't be facing any Canadian team period in the playoffs of 2016). But again, given that he's had his share of moments against that team on and off the ice, I'm willing to bet he'll be more than a bit motivated to face them anytime, anyplace.
Stanley Cups are won via character, and not just talent. Los Angeles is a team loaded with talent. Jonathan Quick, Anze Kopita, Jeff Carter. Tyler Toffoli, Drew Doughty. The list goes on. The team has shown heart all season long. Despite a three-game losing streak as of the time of this writing, this team has the talent and heart to overcome that. Lucic is one of the reasons. That game at home against Washington back there on the 9th of this month. It could have been a disaster. Nothings' worse than a three-goal lead blown at home with less than twenty minutes to play. But, although the Capitals got a point by sending it to overtime, the Kings pulled it out with a huge, character-driven final result.
Lucic had scored the goal to make it 3-0 Los Angeles. He was showing the way. And then, when things got tough, he showed his new team the way again, getting the assist with a great feed to a streaking Carter. It's games like that prove this might just be the destiny of the Kings to win it all this year. The addition of Lucic (And Vinny Lecavalier, I must add) has given Los Angeles the lift they needed. Keeping Lucic around in the coming seasons will ensure they have that extra jump in crunch time.
References
"Official Site of the National Hockey League" | NHL.com. National Hockey League. Web. 25 Mar. 2016. <https://www.nhl.com>.
Sports Reference LLC. Hockey-Reference.com - Hockey Statistics and History. http://www.hockey-reference.com/. Web. 25 Mar. 2016
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