"Having lost their second-highest point producer in Kevin Fiala to injury for the rest of the season, followed by injuries that are keeping Andrei Kuzmenko and Joel Armia out for an extended period of time, the Kings haven't had the chance and won't get the chance to push toward the playoffs with a healthy roster."
"Why add a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) if there wasn't any hope or faith that the Kings could somehow get their train back on the tracks and continue to push forward? After all, they were only three points out when the clock struck 1 pm PST on March 6."
"Under Smith, there's been a different approach in the way this team plays. There's none of that sitting back and defending till you're blue in the face and hoping you can capitalize on your opponents' mistakes. This new version of the Kings is quite literally the definition of aggression and tenacity."
The Los Angeles Kings entered March seeking a playoff spark while dealing with significant injuries to Kevin Fiala, Andrei Kuzmenko, and Joel Armia. Following the trade deadline departures of Corey Perry and Warren Foegele, general manager Ken Holland acquired forward Scott Laughton from Toronto, signaling continued playoff aspirations despite the team being only three points out of contention. The most impactful change came on March 1 when D.J. Smith replaced Jim Hiller as head coach. Under Smith's leadership, the Kings adopted a more aggressive, tenacious playing style, moving away from passive defensive strategies toward a team that actively makes its presence known on the ice.
Read at The Hockey Writers
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