NHL: Three Sleeper Picks To Win The Stanley Cup In 2022

The Los Angeles Kings

The Los Angeles Kings boomed out of nowhere. This year was supposed to be the beginning of a better year for them, yet they managed to exceed all expectations and push for a playoff spot. The Pacific division standings dramatically shift all the time. Teams like the Edmonton Oilers and the Calgary Flames have fallen below the San Jose Sharks and the Anaheim Ducks. Consistency is not present in the Pacific division.

Without a doubt, the most significant contributing factor to the resurgence of the Kings is Johnathan Quick, Drew Doughty, and Anze Kopitar returning to form. Each of these veterans was considered to be on the decline for years. Despite that, each of them has bounced back tremendously. Quick regained the starting-goalie position, and Kopitar and Doughty are burying pucks at super-star rates.

The main issue for the Kings is inconsistency on the goal-scoring front. Kopitar currently leads the team in points with 36 in 41 games. However, there is a quick drop-off in point totals outside the top five. If they can make some deals to gather more players for a playoff run, they have a decent shot at winning the Stanley Cup for the third time in ten years.