from Helene Elliott of the LA Times,

A look at what to expect around the league in the new year:

What are the Kings' chances of repeating as Stanley Cup champions?

If it were easy to repeat, someone would have done it since the Red Wings won in 1997 and 1998. The Kings miss the mobility and smarts of suspended defenseman Slava Voynov, who faces a domestic violence charge, and as a team they might have begun to feel the heavy-legged fatigue of playing 64 playoff games the last three seasons. Some players also participated in the Sochi Olympics, increasing their mileage.

If not the Kings, then who will win?

The West still looks stronger than the East, where the Montreal Canadiens, Tampa Bay Lightning and Pittsburgh Penguins look to be the cream of the crop.

n the West, the Chicago Blackhawks — who lost a seven-game conference final to the Kings last spring — have looked formidable. The St. Louis Blues' signing of all-time wins leader Martin Brodeur gave them depth and Stanley Cup championship experience in goal. The Ducks have been among the West leaders most of the season thanks to a young, mobile defense and the off-season addition of Ryan Kesler, who provides depth and strong two-way play at center.

When it comes to outdoor games, can there be too much of a good thing?

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Elliott also looks back at the year in hockey....