With the Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks set to resume action this weekend, and the San Jose Sharks not far behind, just more than two months remain to determine whether 2023–24 will mark another completely lost season for California’s three National Hockey League franchises.
The Ducks and Sharks, who have not reached the Stanley Cup playoffs since 2018 and 2019, respectively, have once again fallen well out of post-season contention, leaving it to the Kings to carry the flag for the Golden State.
Playoff hockey in California, which once was a reliable rite of spring, has become increasingly rare. Twice in the past four seasons, the Kings, Ducks, and Sharks have all been shut out. At least one had reached the playoffs in all but one of the previous 25 campaigns since Anaheim joined Los Angeles and San Jose in the NHL in 1993–94.
The Kings, who return from the league’s all-star break and their bye week to face the red-hot Edmonton Oilers at 7 p.m. Feb. 10 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, currently hold the first of two Western Conference wild-card playoff positions. At 23–15–10, however, they are in a precarious spot, having followed up an outstanding start by stumbling to a 3–8–6 record since shortly after Christmas.
The freefall resulted in General Manager Rob Blake on Feb. 2 firing Coach Todd McLellan and tabbing former assistant Jim Hiller to take over on an interim basis for the remainder of the season. The Kings subsequently brought in former Ottawa Senators Coach D.J. Smith as an assistant.
In a Feb. 5 media session, Mr. Blake acknowledged that the job he has held for nearly seven years might also be on the line if Los Angeles misses the post-season.
“We need to be better,” he told reporters. “Our job is to get into the playoffs. Our team was built to get into playoffs, and that’s what we need to do.”
After three consecutive years missing post-season play, the Kings qualified each of the past two seasons, but lost to the Oilers in the first round each time. Still, Los Angeles entered this season talking of Stanley Cup contention.
After hosting Edmonton, the Kings will begin a key four-game road trip Feb. 13 in Buffalo. They will also visit New Jersey, Boston, and Pittsburgh before opening a three-game homestand Feb. 20 against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Prior to facing the Kings, the Oilers will be at Honda Center in Anaheim to take on the Ducks at 7 p.m. Feb. 9. Edmonton had put together a 16-game winning streak, one short of the NHL record set by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1992–93, before dropping a 3–1, road decision to the Vegas Golden Knights on Feb. 6.
While the Oilers have vaulted past the Kings into third place in the Pacific Division at 29–16–1, the Ducks are languishing in seventh at 18–30–2. After having finished last in the NHL overall standings last season, Anaheim is third from the bottom this year.
Immediately behind the Ducks, in both the division and the league, are the Sharks at 14–32–5. San Jose’s first game following the all-star break and its bye week is Feb. 14 at Winnipeg.
The Ducks and Sharks appear headed once again for prime positions in the NHL’s draft lottery, which is the consolation prize for teams that don’t reach the playoffs—or clubs that have acquired their first-round draft picks.
Despite entering last year’s lottery with the best odds of landing the No. 1 overall selection, Anaheim dropped to the second pick, missing out on wunderkind Connor Bedard, who went to the Chicago Blackhawks.
The Ducks instead selected Swedish center Leo Carlsson, who has been impressive this season despite having missed time with an injury. San Jose wound up fourth in the draft order and chose center Will Smith, who is currently a freshman at Boston College.
The NHL has yet to announce a date for this year’s lottery. The draft is scheduled for June 28–29 in Las Vegas.
