Kings' offseason focus fueled by last year's disappointment

Kristen J Shilton | USATODAY

EL SEGUNDO — When Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty faced the media Friday for the first time since his exit interview in April, the results of his long summer away from hockey were apparent immediately. The 25-year-old was noticeably fitter.

“All the guys kind of laughed at me, they haven’t really seen me look like this, or look this good,” said Doughty, who weighed in at 195 pounds at the start of training camp, 18 pounds lighter than the weight listed on last year's NHL.com player page. “I feel good out there. I worked really hard this offseason. Obviously there was a lot of time to work out and that was beneficial.”

Rejuvenation is a common theme for the Kings as they begin the new season. Missing the playoffs last season and failing to defend their Stanley Cup title left them “embarrassed,” according to Doughty. But it also presented an opportunity to come back stronger.

“The boys put a big emphasis on coming into camp in amazing shape,” Doughty said. “If you come in in amazing shape, then all you have to worry about is sticking to the systems. Everyone made sure to (do their part) in the offseason and it’s great. Now it’s up to us to get back to where we were and make the playoffs.”

L.A.'s front office placed the onus on each player to use the extended break to their advantage. The last time the Kings missed the postseason was 2009.

“There hasn’t been a lot of time off for (our players) in recent years,” Kings assistant GM Rob Blake said. “Unfortunately, this year, there was. We told players to get rested, and to prepare themselves for not just for an 82-game season but for 115, 116 games.”

The players took the challenge to heart.

“You’re not sitting there for five months wondering, ‘What if?’ It’s more looking at it as an opportunity to get better,” captain Dustin Brown said. “If you don’t look at last year and see what wasn’t successful, then ultimately you’re not getting any better. It’s a lot about learning from our mistakes last year. There was a lot of time to think about that.”

Brown said he hasn’t felt this good in “seven or eight years." He also admitted that even the most intense preparation in the gym can’t truly ready a player for what it’s like to take hits on the ice.

The players know the past can be put to bed once the games start.

“Definitely last season was disappointing; it was a long summer, it was a bitter feeling,” said right wing Marian Gaborik. “Everyone worked hard over the summer and wants to bring it to a different level. Everybody wants to play the best they can (already). Everyone wants to have a good start, make the playoffs and go from there.”

The Kings saw several notable players integral to their recent runs depart this summer, including Justin Williams, Mike Richards, Jarrett Stoll and Slava Voynov. They also added Milan Lucic and Christian Ehrhoff.

There are questions about whether they still have what it takes to be a contender.

“We haven’t had much turnover since I got here,” coach Darryl Sutter said. “This is the first year there are four, five, six players who have (gone). It’s the way teams develop and mature. It’s seldom one guy plays in one place his whole career, and there’s an evolution always in the locker room for players to step up. If you’re cut out for that, and you’re ready for it, and you’re mature, then you do it.

"We’re going to miss those guys and what they brought to the locker room, but the next step is the guys in here take on that responsibility."