The Los Angeles Kings have finally found a true No. 1 center in Anze Kopitar, a role the franchise sought for over two decades. Alongside Jonathan Quick and Drew Doughty, Kopitar formed a core trio that propelled the Kings to two Stanley Cup victories within three years. However, issues with Mike Richards and Slava Voynov later destabilized the team. Currently, Quick is a reserve with the New York Rangers, Doughty is still playing but aging, and Kopitar has announced he will retire after this season, signaling the end of an era. The Kings’ plan to replace their key center position is falling apart, reminiscent of the decline seen at the end of the Lombardi administration.
The Kings tried to secure their future at the draft by selecting Alex Turcotte and Quinton Byfield, who were expected to lead the team’s next chapter at center. During Rob Blake’s tenure, many centers came and went through various means, leaving Byfield and Turcotte as the main internal options. Unfortunately, these two have not lived up to expectations, casting doubt on the franchise’s trajectory, which risks drifting into mediocrity. Byfield was picked to succeed Kopitar with hopes his size and skill would make him a legitimate first-line center, while Turcotte, hampered by injuries and inconsistency, looks more like a reliable third-line center. Both have underwhelmed compared to their draft positions, and the Kings’ goal to internally replace their top-six centers remains unfulfilled.
Byfield showed promise in past seasons but is currently not matching his previous career-best performance. Turcotte, stepping up after the removal of Phillip Danault, has been defensively solid but lacks offensive impact. The reality is a struggling Byfield who may only be a mid-to-low ceiling second-line center and a developing shutdown third-line center in Turcotte, a combination reflecting the team’s worst scoring output in over a decade despite strong defensive play. The Kings continue to rely on tight checking, structured defensive play, and systematic approaches rather than creative offense, which limits their scoring chances. This environment demands that centers focus on defense and sustain offensive pressure primarily through persistence rather than flair, needing elite talent which the team currently lacks.
Although Byfield is often viewed as a disappointment, player development is rarely straightforward. Some players, like Sam Reinhart, have surged in different environments, showing that early setbacks don’t always define a career. Turcotte’s progress, however, is less encouraging given expectations and his fit within the Kings’ system. The broader concern is that the Kings’ succession planning has failed, leaving the team with aging top scorers and underperforming supporting centers, creating a fragile roster with limited flexibility. Amidst this, promising prospect Alex Laferrière is gaining attention, but the idea of converting him to center underscores deeper issues with the team’s strategy.
Laferrière is a capable NHL middle-six forward but is not a first or second-line center solution, highlighting the lack of clear answers for the Kings’ center position. While Byfield and Turcotte remain NHL-level centers, they are not the franchise foundation players originally hoped for, with Byfield especially viewed as a disappointment given his potential. Despite still competing, the Kings’ goals of postseason success appear unlikely under current circumstances. The organization maintains a competitive outlook, but recent performances reveal a team stuck in a middle ground, often falling short in critical games. Addressing the center position deficit, especially as Kopitar retires, will demand innovation and a willingness to confront past mistakes from management.
Financially, Kopitar’s departure frees up salary cap space amid an increasing league cap, offering some flexibility for the Kings this offseason. However, extra cap room does not guarantee solutions, especially since the franchise has historically favored short-term fixes over full rebuilds. This situation is fraught with risk; the team must avoid mistaking financial relief for genuine progress. The failed succession plan means the Kings must now decide whether to accept the reality of their rebuilding needs or continue to patch problems under a new salary cap structure. With Kopitar gone, the transition is urgent, requiring clear direction, discipline, and acknowledgment that lingering in mediocrity jeopardizes the franchise’s future success.
Fan Take: This story matters deeply to hockey fans because it highlights the challenges of rebuilding around key positions like center, which are critical to a team’s success. The Kings’ struggles and management decisions could serve as a cautionary tale in the sport about how crucial it is to balance long-term development with strategic patience to avoid falling into an uncompetitive middle tier.
