The LA Kings 2017 off season was successful as the team picked up defenseman Christian Folin and goaltender Darcy Kempuer from the Minnesota Wild. The team also reacquired forward Michael Cammalleri from the New Jersey Devils. The Kings ended up losing former defenseman Brayden McNabb in the NHL Expansion Draft by the Vegas Golden Knights, the team also lost goaltender Ben Bishop in a trade to the Dallas Stars for draft picks. I think these additions will help the Kings this season after only making the playoffs twice in the past three seasons. The addition of Cammalleri to the team will help the Kings with scoring and help provide a skilled veteran to the Kings locker room. Cammalleri played with the Kings from (2002-2008) before going to play for Calgary and New Jersey before redoing the club. Darcy Kempuer will be the backup goalie to Jonathan Quick (who was out most of last season with a groin injury that happened in the opening game of last season.) Kempuer's record all time in the NHL is 41-34-14 in the 5 seasons he has played. Christian Folin can handle the puck good and has a soild right handed shot. These players will try their best to help this Kings team make a push for the playoffs this season.
The Kings had a good draft this year as they picked up two solid prospects in Gabriel Villardi and Jarrett Anderson-Dolan. Villardi was drafted 11th overall in this years draft, he is a solid pick handler and has a really good shot. The only downside in this pick is his skating. He reminds me a lot of how Kings forward Anze Kopitar plays and when Kopi got drafted the analysts said the same thing about Anze's skating. In the 2nd round of the draft the Kings drafted Jarrett Anderson-Dolan at 41st overall. Anderson-Dolan has a very unique story. He was raised in Calgary, Alberta Canada by two mothers. When he was playing in the juniors a lot of teams did not want to draft him due to his upbringing. He showed support to his moms and the LGBTQ+ community in February of 2017 by taping his stick in rainbow pride tape as part of Hockey Is For Everyone month. His teammates on the Spokane Cheifs (Anderson-Dolan's junior team) decided to also tape their sticks in pride tape to show support for Jarrett. Some players even kept the tape for the rest of the game. I think when he plays for the Kings in the next few years he won't only be a skilled player for the Kings but also a voice in the LGBTQ+ community through the sport.
On September 21st and 23rd of 2017 the Kings will face the Vancouver Canucks in two preseason games in Beijing and Shanghai, China. These games are being played to help grow the sport of hockey throughout the world.
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