The 2014 NHL season is officially underway. The Los Angeles Kings have wrapped celebrating their Stanley Cup victory of last season and now focus on an attempt to repeat as champions. The team is coming off their second Cup win in three years and their roster looks just as dominant than ever. Now, the attempt to repeat the success begins as they face off against the San Jose Sharks at home.
If there is one thing the Kings understand it is mental toughness. Los Angeles spent the better portion of the playoffs last year battling back. They were on the verge of getting swept by San Jose in the first round before battling back in the best-of-seven series. They battled back in their series against the Anaheim Ducks and the Chicago Blackhawks before topping the New York Rangers in five games to win the championship. According to several players on the roster, the hunger to keep winning is very alive in the locker room which could mean good things to come in the future.
The Kings return a good portion of their roster for the 2014-15 season. They lost defenseman Willie Mitchell, but are bringing back all four forwards. The top center in the league last year is also back. Anze Kopitar returns after finishing with 29 goals and 70 points last year. The San Jose Sharks are in a similar position with their roster. They made very few changes to the lineup despite losing in the first round of the playoffs.
One thing the Sharks are preparing for is a goalie competition. Antti Niemi is No. 1 on the depth chart for the time being. He had 39 wins last year which was a career high. However, Alex Stalock impressed last year while starting 18 games total. He went 12-5-2 with a 1.87 goals-against average. Meanwhile Jonathan Quick returns for the Kings. His 2013-14 season was inconsistent after he was forced to miss 24 games with a groin injury. He also underwent wrist surgery in the offseason. Martin Jones could see a lot of playing time early on as the Kings intend to take it slow with Quick.