Jason Lewis: The Importance of the Kings "Step-Up" Play

Excellent write up! I've been wishing the hawks could adopt this style of play from their defense corps, but it seems like they're encouraged to step back and collapse instead taking it to the opposing puck carrier. Much more passive poke-check-while-retreating system that inevitably leads to more chances against. Watch the last 5 penalty kills from either team and it becomes apparent which system is more effective, regardless of personnel.

Thanks for that JL. You are consistently Givin us in depth stat backed hockey info. I love it!

While I don't disagree, I think a lot of Kings fans would take issue with your assertion that Brayden McNabb was acquired for "relatively cheap." I remember a lot of fans calling for Lombardi's head after giving up such a talented prospect in Hudson Fasching.

While I don't disagree, I think a lot of Kings fans would take issue with your assertion that Brayden McNabb was acquired for "relatively cheap." I remember a lot of fans calling for Lombardi's head after giving up such a talented prospect in Hudson Fasching.
- tkecanuck341

Those people were wrong then and now.

The Kings got McNabb, a top four D, and two second round picks for Deslauriers, a 4th liner, and Fasching who is probably a top 9 winger. Middle six.

That's highway robbery for the Kings.

And for the record, the two picks they got back were the picks they dealt for Robyn Regehr. Which those picks have turned into Alex Lintuniemi and Erik Cernak...two of the Kings better defensive prospects. Again, not bad at all.

Great flipping article !!! As you well know I am not a fan of fancy stats or Mcnaab.

But this was extremely eye opening and confirmed a lot of general thoughts I had.

I still think Mcnaab has quite a bit of progress to make and I am starting to come around on these stats due to you explaining them so well!

I could go off on an uniformed rant about Fasching, Miller, Ebert and the young up and coming D men, but I have a more important question:

Do you see Backman ever cracking the line up? he seems to be that "kings" type of player you laid out so well

Great flipping article !!! As you well know I am not a fan of fancy stats or Mcnaab.

But this was extremely eye opening and confirmed a lot of general thoughts I had.

I still think Mcnaab has quite a bit of progress to make and I am starting to come around on these stats due to you explaining them so well!

I could go off on an uniformed rant about Fasching, Miller, Ebert and the young up and coming D men, but I have a more important question:

Do you see Backman ever cracking the line up? he seems to be that "kings" type of player you laid out so well
- MikeOxbyg

Backman is usually pretty noticeable down with Ontario, but I feel like he still tends to be a little careless with the puck at times. I dunno though he is definitely a guy with NHL 4th line potential. He certainly has enough energy and feistiness to him.

This is why reckless, often irresponsible defensemen can find success in the Kings' system. Their recklessness is used positively and largely mitigated by the responsible centers covering for them. This is why defensemen like Muzzin, Martinez, McBain and even McNabb look like better players in the Kings' system than they would in most other systems. They're actually encouraged to use their aggression without worrying much about the consequences, and the style of play that would likely hurt their team more often than not in other systems ends up helping more often than not in this system. It's awfully maddening for someone like me who appreciates intelligent, responsible defense and hates seeing people being rewarded for being reckless, but it works for the Kings.

i've always been a fan of this approach, closing time and space before the attack can begin. where its slipped in the past is when you have up tempo teams that can send more than just the center as a breakout from the halfwall winger, to beat the covering king's center. then they have numbers and a full head of steam. but lak center play is vital for this to work. and also if the lone d left is not named scuderi...

This is why reckless, often irresponsible defensemen can find success in the Kings' system. Their recklessness is used positively and largely mitigated by the responsible centers covering for them. This is why defensemen like Muzzin, Martinez, McBain and even McNabb look like better players in the Kings' system than they would in most other systems. They're actually encouraged to use their aggression without worrying much about the consequences, and the style of play that would likely hurt their team more often than not in other systems ends up helping more often than not in this system. It's awfully maddening for someone like me who appreciates intelligent, responsible defense and hates seeing people being rewarded for being reckless, but it works for the Kings.
- Osprey

You. Have. No. Basis. For. This. Claim. At. All.

This is why reckless, often irresponsible defensemen can find success in the Kings' system. Their recklessness is used positively and largely mitigated by the responsible centers covering for them. This is why defensemen like Muzzin, Martinez, McBain and even McNabb look like better players in the Kings' system than they would in most other systems. They're actually encouraged to use their aggression without worrying much about the consequences, and the style of play that would likely hurt their team more often than not in other systems ends up helping more often than not in this system. It's awfully maddening for someone like me who appreciates intelligent, responsible defense and hates seeing people being rewarded for being reckless, but it works for the Kings.
- Osprey

This is why reckless, often irresponsible defensemen can find success in the Kings' system. Their recklessness is used positively and largely mitigated by the responsible centers covering for them. This is why defensemen like Muzzin, Martinez, McBain and even McNabb look like better players in the Kings' system than they would in most other systems. They're actually encouraged to use their aggression without worrying much about the consequences, and the style of play that would likely hurt their team more often than not in other systems ends up helping more often than not in this system. It's awfully maddening for someone like me who appreciates intelligent, responsible defense and hates seeing people being rewarded for being reckless, but it works for the Kings.
- Osprey

McNabb is the only one I would consider even remotely wreck less in his decisions. The rest are experienced enough to be able to calculate risk versus reward, which is huge. Altogether though you are correct in feeling like certain players are probably ly better with the Kings than others, but that is largely because they have grown into this system and the Kings have molded them with that in mind

McNabb is the only one I would consider even remotely wreck less in his decisions. The rest are experienced enough to be able to calculate risk versus reward, which is huge. Altogether though you are correct in feeling like certain players are probably ly better with the Kings than others, but that is largely because they have grown into this system and the Kings have molded them with that in mind
- Jason_Lewis

Nicely nuanced reply. The OP can feel anything he or she would like to (even to a high probability), but there is zero empirical evidence for the claim.

Mike Amadio signed ELC with Kings👍🏻🏒

Mike Amadio signed ELC with Kings👍🏻🏒
- KINGS67

Kid is destroying the O.

no gameday blog for a game against the Hawks?

no gameday blog for a game against the Hawks?
- SimpleJack

Zero jump from the Hawks. Strange. I see they are .500 in their last 10. What's going on? New guys aren't meshing?

In 2013 I used this very idea as the foundation of my website logo. holdthepoint dot com, a Kings fansite, since January 2013. The diagram of the play you use is almost an exact match for my logo.

Not saying you copied it, not at all. Just saying that I recognized the importance of this play and technique, and advocated for it before it was common practice. I agree, it is the system hinge-pin, and prolonging possession is good, but even if it goes bad, losing possession in a contested puck battle slows down the opposition attack anyway.