KEY ADDITIONS				KEY LOSSES
Name Zigmund Palffy Bryan Smolinksi Marcel Cousineau	Pos. F D G	From Islanders Islanders Islanders		Name Olli Jokinen Josh Green Mathieu Biron Manny Legace Ray Ferraro	Pos. F F D G F	To Islanders Islanders Islanders Red Wings Thrashers

Outlook
New coach, new arena and new players. But will the results be the same old disappointment for the Los Angeles Kings?

		The Kings need scoring balance. Their center ice, in particular, is a real question mark for them. The Kings need strength at center from Jozef Stumpel and Bryan Smolinski. Smolinski is capable of being 25-goal scorer and playing two ways. He has to play well as the second-line center. Stumpel must rebound from a very sub-par year. He was excellent two years ago, but injured last year. The Kings can't rely on Luc Robitaille to do the same thing he did last year, given his age. Ziggy Palffy should be excellent. But they need two lines because a team can't go anywhere without two lines. They could go as far as two rounds in the playoffs. They might win the second round.

The Kings suffered a myriad of injuries last season and missed the playoffs. Larry Robinson was fired as head coach and replaced by unknown Andy Murray. But Los Angeles is hoping the blockbuster trade which brought Zigmund Palffy and Bryan Smolinski from the Islanders will improve an offense which finished No. 25 last season and a power play which ranked No. 24. With Palffy, Smolinski, Luc Robitaille and Jozef Stumpel leading the way, that shouldn't be too difficult.

Throw in Donald Audette and Glen Murray and all of the sudden, the Kings have a solid two lines up front.

It looks like Ian Laperriere has been anointed the defensive forward, responsible for stopping top scoring forwards on opposing teams.

Problems on defense, however, continue to linger. The club missed talented youngster Aki Berg all of last season due to a contract dispute. Now that he's back, Mattias Norstrom is now the one holding out without a contract. The Kings need Norstrom back and are hoping his partner, Rob Blake, can stay healthy. Team defense needs to be better if the Kings are to return to the playoffs.

Goalie Stephane Fiset should start, with Jamie Storr and Marcel Cousineau waiting in the wings. The injury bug hit this position hard last season, and Robinson had to use four different netminders.

If injuries are again an issue, the Kings will have problems.

'98-99 PACIFIC STANDINGS
TEAM	W	L	T	Pts.
Dallas	51	19	12	114
Phoenix	39	31	12	90
Anaheim	35	34	13	83
San Jose	31	33	18	80
Los Angeles	32	45	5	69

The bottom line
Better or not: Better
By how much: 3-5 more wins
Most improved: Jozef Stumpel
Most valuable: Zigmund Palffy
Biggest disappointment: Stephane Fiset

Charles Avellino is a lead NHL researcher for ESPN.