Can the Kings repeat as Stanley Cup champions?

There are plenty of reasons why no team has repeated as champs since the Detroit Red Wings won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 1997 and ’98. If it was easy to win and win and win again then everyone would be doing it, right? Plus, the growth of the NHL to 30 teams and the parity that accompanied expansion diluted the product. There is more parity than ever. Plus, the salary cap limits how much teams can spend. Rich teams can’t simply outspend the poor ones in search of top talent.

So, the Kings have miles to skate before they can even think about the playoffs or winning a second consecutive championship (and a third in four seasons). They must negotiate the often perilous 82-game regular-season schedule before advancing to the postseason. They also must fight the boredom that comes with knowing the really important games won’t be here until April. It’s something all teams in all sports with championship aspirations must endure.

The Kings are no exception. Because they have won Cups while finishing eighth and sixth in the West, they must resist the notion that they can flip a switch and suddenly play their best hockey. They seemed to be able to do it after making adjustments after losing the first three games of their first-round series last spring against the San Jose Sharks, but that’s a bad trap to fall into if you expect to repeat.