March 3, 2012
by Gann Matsuda
What impact has newly-acquired forward Jeff Carter had
on the Los Angeles Kings’ offensive attack in his
first three games with the team?
Photo: David Sheehan
LOS ANGELES AND EL SEGUNDO, CA — With 18 games remaining in the
Los Angeles Kings’ 2011-12 season, the numbers are certainly not their friend.
Last season, the eighth place Chicago Blackhawks earned the final playoff spot in the Western Conference with 97 points, and if you look at that as a benchmark of sorts for this season, it doesn’t take much to figure out that the Kings are in deep, deep trouble in terms of earning an invitation to the National Hockey League’s post-season party.
Although it does not appear that it will take 97 points this season, as the teams ranked from sixth to 13th in the conference have been up and down in recent games, for argument’s sake, if they all continue at their current pace, the Phoenix Coyotes would finish atop the Pacific Division with 96 points, which would rank them third in the Western Conference.
The Vancouver Canucks and Detroit Red Wings are likely to battle it out for the conference championship, with the St. Louis Blues right behind them, possibly sneaking into the top spot in the conference. In any case, those three teams would take the first, second and fourth spots in the West. Read more of this post
