Kings’ dormant offense needs a shake-up against Seattle – Orange County Register

The Kings came into Saturday’s three-game home rubber with serious concerns about their power play and some individual offensive players as they hoped to regain standing against the surging Seattle Kraken.

Them We eliminated the exhausted Detroit Red Wings to kick off the homestand, which is part of nine games to be played in California. Closed for the first time this season on Wednesday by the Buffalo Sabers.

The Black-and-Silver became the not-so-proud recipients of the NHL’s worst power play since Nov. 10 — they haven’t scored a power play goal since Nov. 9, and that was an open goal scorer — and finished fourth. Worst conversion rate in the entire 2024-25.

Their 0-for-5 performance in a 1-0 loss by Buffalo was their third showing of the season; This includes 0 for 6. a loss to vile San Jose. They went 0-for-4 in the other four contests and have not conceded a power-play goal in 13 of their 20 games so far.

Their newly assembled senior unit of five forwards at times had the flavor of Dean Smith’s four-corner attack and produced nothing more than near-misses at best. The second unit’s struggles continued throughout the season; Ineffective play from both groups rendered the Kings’ numerous bromides about “look” and “action” meaningless.

Their struggle is not limited to the power game. Overall, they have lost four of the last six matches and managed to score a meager 1.25 goals per game in these defeats.

Forward Quinton Byfield signed a lucrative extension this summer with the expectation that he would move to the top of the Kings’ scoring leaderboard. However, rather than chasing captain Anže Kopitar, Byfield’s production more closely mirrors that of Trevor Lewis at the checkers.

The No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 Draft has overcome many setbacks: a broken ankle and not one but two viral illnesses, one of which took nearly 25 pounds off him. He looked set to make a breakthrough last season but mixed form, indecision and tough luck hindered him in the first quarter of this season.

“He had some tough stretches before he came out,” Kings coach Jim Hiller said. “If anyone has faced adversity, it’s him in the early part of his career here. I mean, he’s been through this, he’ll get through it.”

Hiller noted that Byfield “is not alone” among the players unable to return on Wednesday. And he wasn’t alone in the collapsing Kings crowd, either.

Winger Kevin Fiala has been pointless in six straight games, and defenseman Jordan Spence has spent much of the season turning the puck over as if he were grilling it. Meanwhile, Brock Faber, with whom the Kings traded a first-round pick for Fiala, has become the No. 1 defenseman for the Minnesota Wild, the second-best team in the West to date.

Even the Kings’ early-season scorcher has cooled significantly. Brandt Clarke has been held goalless in four consecutive games and six of the last seven. In his last two games, he and his best power play unit clearly missed each other.