Can Kings finally find some balance?

When the Kings acquired Jeff Carter from Columbus last week, it wasn’t just about adding one top scorer to the lineup. It was about the idea that a rising tide lifts all boats. Meaning, if Carter could be productive, he would be part of a formidable second line with Mike Richards, which would take some of the pressure off the Anze Kopitar-centered first line and make the Kings more balanced and tougher to defend. Time will only tell, as to whether that theory actually becomes reality, but for the first time in a while, the Kings have a chance at being more than a one-line team. Darryl Sutter today talked about having the Penner-Stoll-Lewis line as a defensive “stopper’’ line, but that depends in large part on the top two lines’ ability to consistently generate offense.

SUTTER: “Just having Carter in the lineup gives you more of that balance. It’s a better team. From ice level, you see more size, more speed, more hockey sense. So that’s the balance right there. It’s not so much what he can do, but how it spreads it out then.’’

Question: And maybe it changes how other teams have to play against you…

SUTTER: “Well, they’re going to talk about it.’’