n down. That also takes a toll on the players.Dustin Browns game has fallen off a cliff. He has now scored just 11 goals in consecutive seasons and i

It hasnt been all that long since teams were patterning themselves after the Los Angeles Kings. The St. Louis Blues were basically a Missouri version of the Kings. The Washington Capitals became the Eastern Conference version.But that was so 2014. Speed is the thing now and the Kings suddenly look a little slow.Well, not to everybody.We have four or five world-class skaters, said Kings GM Dean Lombardi. You think Jeff Carter cant skate? You think Anze Kopitar cant skate? Drew Doughty cant skate? Trevor Lewis is a world-class skater. Were not slow. Were big ... Because were big and physical, thats all people look at.And we hadnt even told him yet that were concerned the Kings are getting old too.Thats the Kings in 2016 in a nutshell. There is still greatness there. Doughty and Kopitar are in the top three in their respective positions in the NHL. Jonathan Quick is on the short list of goalies most would be thrilled to start a Game 7.Theres a championship DNA.But boy, are there questions. Have the players tired of coach Darryl Sutter? Is there enough speed to keep up with the next-generation Calgary Flames, Arizona Coyotes and Edmonton Oilers? When did the San Jose Sharks pass them as the better team?This will either be the season that the Kings squeeze another chance at glory out of their Stanley Cup roster or the season it becomes apparent it needs to do a San Jose- and Boston-like rebuild to pump young talent into the roster.There are too many proven winners to take the Kings lightly this season -- but too many real concerns about depth, durability and depreciation to feel great about them.Best new facesIf the Kings are to return to glory, its the old faces who will get them there. Last year, Lombardi made a splash in acquiring Milan Lucic but couldnt make the finances work to keep him around long term. Finances were a big reason that Lombardi couldnt aggressively improve his team from last year. Los Angeles locked up its core, along with many of the depth players from the Stanley Cup teams, and is betting they can keep it going moving forward.Teddy Purcell was a nice depth signing and has shown an ability to play up and down the lineup in his career. Hes probably best suited on a third line but has played with high-end talent like Connor McDavid and Steven Stamkos in the past and is capable of filling a spot in the top six if necessary.Lombardi continued his value shopping by adding depth on defense with the signing of Tom Gilbert. A knee injury shortened Gilberts 2015-16 season, but if he can stay healthy and return to form, the 33-year-old could be a nice addition. At Gilberts age though, those are big ifs.Biggest unknownsWhat made the Kings great in the past is you knew exactly what you were getting. This was a big, heavy team that played a demanding but effective brand of hockey that resulted in them dominating possession for long stretches. They were relentless, and by the third period, they usually wore the opposition down. That also takes a toll on the players.Dustin Browns game has fallen off a cliff. He has now scored just 11 goals in consecutive seasons and its clear his production wont match his contract. Marian Gaborik?isnt healthy -- again. His speed changes the dynamic of the Kings lineup, and its a huge unknown how many games hell play during the course of the season. The Kings lean heavily on Quick, who has settled in as a goalie who can be expected to produce a .917 save percentage each year. For a guy considered one of the best in the world, thats underwhelming.Sure thingsThe Kings have two sure things, and theyre what makes this a team that you can never count out: Doughty and Kopitar. Its such an advantage to have a world-class No. 1 defenseman and No. 1 center on the roster. Good teams have one. Only the lucky few have two and those are the teams usually playing well into the spring.Despite all the questions surrounding the Kings, Sutter can count on getting nearly half a game out of Doughty each night -- and that the Kings will control play during his shifts.And in Kopitar, the Kings have a premier two-way center who stacks up with Sidney Crosby and Jonathan Toews as the best in the world.When Kopitar is on the ice, the Kings can count on him shutting down the opposing center and thats invaluable.He always focuses on the defensive game, said Canucks center Henrik Sedin. Hes a terrific player. Its a tough matchup for anyone who goes against him.PredictionThese are no longer the powerhouse Kings you could comfortably pencil in as a Western Conference finalist, but as long as Doughty and Kopitar are around, theyre going to be competitive. Third place in the Pacific. Bart Starr Jersey .C. -- Rodney Hood connected from all over the court while freshman Jabari Parker was busy swatting shots and scoring in transition. Dave Robinson Packers Jersey . The incident occurred at 19:56 of the second period of the Kings 4-2 road win over Edmonton on Sunday. Nolan punched Oilers forward Jesse Joensuu in the jaw in front of the Kings goal during a scrum. http://www.packersrookiestore.com/Packers-Jace-Sternberger-Jersey/ . -- The Bishops Gaiters are showing they belong among the countrys top varsity football teams. Jaire Alexander Youth Jersey . The deal is pending a physical, assistant general manager Bobby Evans said. Traded from Seattle to Baltimore on Aug. 30, Morse also can play first base and right field to give manager Bruce Bochy some flexibility in writing his lineup. Custom Green Bay Packers Jerseys . -- James Young couldnt wait to apply those tweaks to his jump shot, and the first one he made against UT Arlington told him it could be a good night. PHOENIX -- Brittney Griner had 22 points, eight rebounds and five blocks, Sonja Petrovic made a go-ahead basket with 29.9 seconds left and the Phoenix Mercury beat the Washington Mystics 78-74 on Wednesday.After Petrovics floater in the lane, Emma Meesseman missed a left-handed hook shot and Griner made two free throws. Washingtons Tayler Hill had an open 3-pointer rattle out with 7 seconds left.Diana Taurasi added 18 points on 4-of-18 shooting for Phoenix (9-13), ninth in the AP power poll. DeWanna Bonner had 16 points, Mistie Bass scored 12 and Petrrovic finished with four.dddddddddddd. Griner topped the 20-point mark for the fourth time this season.Meesseman scored 22 points and Hill added 15 points for eighth-ranked Washington (9-12).Meesseman hit a 3-pointer with 4:06 remaining and after two empty Phoenix possessions, Hill made a pull-up jumper to give Washington a 72-71 lead -- its first since 30-28. But the Mystics only made one field goal in the final 3 minutes. ' ' '