Kings' Carter creeping into Rocket Richard conversation

Add another name to the growing list of potential Rocket Richard Trophy winners.

With another goal in the Los Angeles Kings' 4-0 thumping of the Nashville Predators on Thursday, Jeff Carter climbed a little higher on the list of the league's top goal-scorers.

The 31-year-old now has 17 on the campaign - six behind Sidney Crosby, but just two back of David Pastrnak and Patrik Laine and the second overall spot.

Carter has been on a tear of late, with six goals in his last seven games, and has proven to be the Kings' most dependable option on offense. He's the only member of the team to hit double digits in goals, and has more than twice as many as the next-highest teammate, Tyler Toffoli, who has eight to date.

Carter is likely going to need Crosby to hit a wall if he hopes to dethrone the Pittsburgh Penguins captain and capture the honor. In the meantime, he can rest his hat on the fact that he's on pace to eclipse the 40-goal mark for the second time in his career, and should at least be in the running at season's end.