5 Questions the Los Angeles Kings Must Answer By October

The former All-Star was demoted to the fourth line in the playoffs and was rumored to be on his way out of town during the offseason before the Kings decided to keep the former Flyers captain. Now that Richards is back, the Kings must decide where he plays in their lineup, as his $5.75 million is way too high for him to play on the fourth line.

Piggybacking on the Richards question is will Jeff Carter, Tyler Toffoli and Tanner Pearson stay together? Their popularly named line was key in the Kings’ cup run, but with Richards back, could one of the young players be demoted down a line? What young defenseman makes the team? Giving Richards another shot with Jeff Carter could be best for both former Flyers entering the season.

After coming up aces offensively in the playoffs and inking a long-term extension to stay in L.A., star winger Marian Gaborik will be entering his first full season with the Kings. Will defense-first Head Coach Darryl Sutter allow Gaborik to play his game with more offensive freedom than most other forwards.

Jonathan Quick is one of the most elite goalies in the entire NHL, but Martin Jones is an up and comer that can spell Quick effectively. Allowing Jones to play a fair amount of games keeps Quick fresh and showcases the young Jones for a possible trade to allow the Kings to address other areas of need without a drop off on the ice.