He underwent hip replacement surgery, the hip that he used with profound force during his playing career, and in the early summer pronounced himself good as new.
They actually upped their scoring and played faster under first-year coach John Stevens, in a year that showcased MVP candidate Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty, but again that didn’t translate into a long playoff run.
“Last year, arguably, we played the best hockey we’ve played in a long, long time, even in the regular season in ’12 and ’14,” Kopitar said. “I’m sure we can do it again and go deeper in the playoffs … it’s still pretty much the same team.