The year 2021 marked a significant turning point for two franchises in the NHL: the Los Angeles Kings and the Edmonton Oilers. The Kings were finally making strides toward competing for a playoff spot after a long time away from the postseason, while the Oilers, after a brief taste in 2017, aimed for a deep playoff run as their core players entered their primes.
At the time, the Kings’ core included established players from their championship era: Jonathan Quick, Dustin Brown, Anze Kopitar, and Drew Doughty. While some of these players seemed ageless, Brown would retire after the 2021-22 season, and Quick would not finish the 2022-23 season with the Kings. Leading up to the 2021-22 season, General Manager Rob Blake had begun to gather some young players with promising futures. However the cultivated group of assets accrued have not only been lessened over the years, but have yet to make a significant impact in the playoffs.
During their first playoff matchup in 2021-22 between the Oilers and the Kings, Jordan Spence played in three games, and Quinton Byfield participated in two, while Mikey Anderson played in all seven games. With the exception of Anderson, the future core players have not made much of an impact in the playoffs or given the trust to play regularly. Notably, this discussion excludes Alex Turcotte, Alex Laferriere, Brandt Clarke, and to an extent, even Erik Portillo. It also omits Arthur Kaliyev, who has played in a career nine playoff games but has also been a healthy scratch for nine.
On the other hand, the Oilers possess a core that is ripe for contention, led by Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. McDavid is 27, Draisaitl is 29, Zach Hyman is 32, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is 31, Darnell Nurse is 29, and Evan Bouchard is 25. Most of these players were given a one-way ticket to leading their team while at a young age. This seasoned and talented core, even considering some bad contracts, has played in nine playoff series over the last three seasons.
In contrast, the Kings have only played in three series over that timeframe. They rely heavily on their remaining core members, Kopitar (37) and Doughty (35), even with Doughty absent for the season thus far. There is a significant divide between the aging core and the emerging younger players. Byfield (22), Laferriere (23), Turcotte (23), Spence (23), and Clarke (21) have combined for just 11 points, two goals in 26 playoff games, with a -5 rating. Portillo (24), Clarke, and Turcotte have yet to…