The Los Angeles Kings followed up their championship season with another impressive run that ended with a loss to the Chicago Blackhawks in the Western Conference finals. The Kings finished the lockout-shortened season with a 27-16-5 record and 59 points, which was good for a second-place finish in the Pacific Division and fifth overall in the West. The team did not defend its Stanley Cup Championship but was able to put another very good season in the books. The Kings should return this year ready to make a run at another title.

Los Angeles is yet again one of the favorites to compete for a Stanley Cup title and is receiving the fourth-best odds in the entire league. Let’s take a closer look at the Los Angeles Kings and go over their title odds and a few other prop bets that are on the board. All odds come from Bovada.

Odds to win the Stanley Cup:

Los Angeles Kings +1200

The Kings may have fallen short of another Stanley Cup finals appearance, but they are still a very good team and one of the favorites out West. The team lost a few players over the offseason yet will still be returning its core group of players that helped the Kings win a title two seasons ago. Los Angeles’ goalie, Jonathan Quick, struggled last year and was never able to regain his championship form. At this best, Quick is a top goalie—if not the best—in the league. At his worst, he is just good. So Los Angeles is in a very good position with its goalkeeper. The key for the team will be its ability to score points throughout the season and in the playoffs. Los Angeles will need last year’s top scorer, Anze Kopitar, to continue his stellar play and continue to grow as a player.

LA Kings regular season points

“Over” 98.5 (-115)
“Under” 98.5 (-115)

Los Angeles scored 59 points during the lockout-shortened season and was on pace to pass the 98-point mark. During the previous year—which was their Stanley Cup title year—the team managed to score only 95 points. This is a wager that is hard to predict because there are a number of things that could happen throughout the season. At first glance the over seems like the right play since the team was on pace to pass that mark last season and will essentially have the same core group of players this year. The Kings are still riding the confidence high that comes with winning a Stanley Cup title and are expecting themselves to be contenders this season.

Will the LA Kings make the playoffs?

“Yes”: -850
“No”: +525

Last season the Kings had to battle until the final days of the season to make the playoffs. The team ultimately ended up in the fifth spot in the West, and there is no reason to believe that they cannot do the same this year. The only thing that could derail the team from making the playoffs would be multiple injuries throughout the season. Wagering on a yes at -850 is too expensive and too risky of a play. The only value to bet is on a no at +525, but the Kings are expected to be very good this year, so the best play is to skip this bet.

Read more articles by George Monroy