What We Learned: Kings’ run blows Pacific race wide open

Don’t look now, but the Los Angeles Kings are comfortably in a playoff spot. They are almost certain to make the postseason by any statistical analysis you want to make, and they have an ability to further power up their roster that is likely unique among contenders in the West.

Sure, you would have to stretch the definition of “contender” to include them, since few would put them in the same kind of tier as, say, Colorado or even Minnesota. But here’s the thing: Maybe we should.

After Saturday night’s win over the Islanders (not exactly the stiffest of competition) the Kings are winners of five straight. And if you go back to the time around the All-Star Break, they’re 9-1-2. And if you go back to the end of the COVID/holiday break, they’re 15-6-2. And if you go back to U.S. Thanksgiving, t