With the 2006-2007 NHL season nearly halfway through, the Los Angeles Kings still have a long way to go to emerge from their down season last year in which they missed the playoffs for a third year in a row. The prospects could, however, look promising with players like Alexander Frolov and Anze Kopitar.

So far, the Kings have garnered 10 wins and 16 losses on the season. They lost all three games playing against the Dallas Stars, as well as losing three of four against the Anaheim Ducks thus far. The Ducks and Kings will face off four more times this season.

Anze Kopitar, the 11th draft pick by the Los Angeles Kings in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft could be the team’s most valuable asset this season. The 19-year-old rookie recorded his first goal on Nov. 25 in a game against the Calgary Flames at the Staples Center. New to the NHL, he has already amassed five points in two games setting him among the top in point-getters.

Alexander Frolov, coming from a diversity of experience, is the first Kings player to have three consecutive multi-goal games since 1993 which helped lead the team to a 5-3 victory this season in a game against the Phoenix Coyotes. Frolov was recruited to Russia’s 2006 Men’s Ice Hockey Team for the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy earlier this year, but missed out playing many of the games due to a partially separated shoulder. Frolov is a player with promising potential and many believe that his 18-goal record so far this season does not accurately reflect the greatest of his abilities.

The Kings obviously have much to improve upon collectively as a team in order to avoid making this season, yet another failure. But improvements will likely emerge sooner rather than later with the flashy moves of their new younger players which the rest of the team can take cues from.