Examining Kings’ new-look defense

The Kings have been eliminated by the Oilers in the Stanley Cup Playoffs in each of the last four seasons and were expected to make changes this summer as they try to get past the first round. Newly hired general manager Ken Holland moved quickly to address concerns with the defensive unit, making several early summer moves to revamp the group. Holland has moved on from a couple of twenty-something defensemen to acquire defensively minded veterans in their 30s, which will bring a different dynamic to the back end. However, since the Oilers’ speed exposed the Kings’ slower, heavier parts of the defense, the changes the Kings have made are unlikely to push them past Edmonton if they face each other in the playoffs again. Los Angeles struggled to deal with the Oilers’ transition game in the playoffs, as well as their puck movement and speed. The faster Oilers were able to expose the Kings, leading to some head-scratching decisions. They were unable to keep Vladislav Gavrikov, one of the few Kings defenders whoRead More