NHL: The Los Angeles Kings losing focus on players
There has been a lot of activity going on in the National Hockey League (NHL) since the start of July. The free agents’ market was opened on July 1, which provided the teams and players with a fine opportunity to make improved decisions for their upcoming season. NHL teams have been trying to get their hands on the best players in the market for the upcoming Stanley Cup while the players have also been very busy to declare their attachments with respective teams. Huge amounts of money are being offered to players depending on their previous performances and consistent behaviour during past tournaments.
Almost on a daily basis, players are featured in the news on account of their affiliation to their new teams. The air is full of potential speculations about players; who they associate with, the contract periods, and the cash offered to the players.
The two-time 50 goal per season scorer, Russian left-winger Ilya Kovalchuk, was the main free agent available in the market this summer. He was approached by several teams but the Los Angeles Kings and the New Jersey Devils were among those who heavily courted Kovalchuk to join them. After a twist-filled screenplay which lasted the better part of three weeks, Ilya Kovalchuk finally ended the suspense and signed a 17-year 102 million dollar deal with the New Jersey Devils. Ilya Kovalchuk ultimately decided to stay in the Garden State with the Devils. However, NHL’s management decided to over-turn the agreement due to a salary cap issue.
The Los Angeles Kings, who were believed to be the frontrunners for Kovalchuk, made several offers to him last week but they lost the grip in the end. Reportedly, Kovalchuk was not offered enough money by the Kings which became the obvious reason of his attachment with the Devils.
Another option for the Los Angeles Kings was the marginal sixth defenseman, Simon Gagne but he also slipped through their hands. In fact, the signing of the highly desired Ilya Kovalchuk promptly paved the way for the Flyers to deal Simon Gagne to the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Kings should feel terrible about it as they could have drafted a good player in the form of Simon Gagne but again, competitive contract money from another team took the player away from them.
In the current scenario, the Kings are only depending on a group of forwards who presumably won’t make a huge difference from the team that eventually gave in to the favourite Vancouver Canucks in the last season playoffs. The Kings’ fortune would improve greatly if their right-wing player Justin Williams and Ryan Smyth have a good level of fitness and luck stands with them so that they avoid the injuries.
In 2009, Justin Williams was placed on an injured reserve after he broke his leg and it was very disturbing for the team. Williams is considered to be one of the most fragile players in the National Hockey League but if he could manage to avoid the injuries, Williams could be a real advantage for the Los Angeles Kings. He really hopes to shake the injury bug this season. Quite similarly, Ryan Smyth suffered from an upper-body injury to stay out of the season.
But in the case of Gagne, even though he also struggles with injuries, the Kings would have been served in a better manner if he would have played.
Now that Los Angeles Kings have let both the players go, Ilya Kovalchuk and Simon Gagne, they are left with limited options in hand. There are various thoughts and opinions about how they will manage to stay in the championship. Will they try their luck with Alexander Frolov or risk with Lee Stempniak or formulize some other strategy?
This is the time that the Kings have to come up with a final plan and act very sensibly in order to make a good fighting team and survive in the championship.
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