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The Los Angeles Kings announced today that they’ve assigned defenseman Brandt Clarke to the AHL’s Ontario Reign, along with forwards Alex Turcotte and Alex Laferriere.
Clarke was battling for a bottom-pairing role on the team’s right side in one of the more intriguing preseason storylines, but the move seems to indicate that Jordan Spence is now likely locked in for that spot in the lineup. It was always likely that only one of the defenders would crack the roster, to ensure the remaining defenseman continues to get playing time in the AHL, rather than sitting in the press box (if the Kings were even to carry an extra defenseman).
Assuming the Kings do begin the season with a 21-man roster due to cap implications (of 19 skaters and two goalies), we can expect a couple more cuts. As of now, the team still has 22 skaters and three goalies (though both Tyler Madden and Andre Lee, who are currently injured, are included in those totals). With two other cuts left, we know one of them will be in goal, where we should expect David Rittich to be sent down.
The remaining interesting storyline revolves around the last skater spot. The team could send down Andreas Englund, keeping Tobias Bjornfot on the roster and using him as the third-pairing, left defenseman.
On the flip side though, if the Kings wanted to use Englund, it would almost certainly mean re-assigning Bjornfot, who would then need to go through waivers. With Samuel Fagemo already claimed by the Nashville Predators on waivers earlier, losing Bjornfot as well would be somewhat of a hit to the Kings’ young talent within the organization.
What also factors into this is that the Kings will be without Arthur Kaliyev for the beginning of the season, with the forward being suspended four games for a knee-on-knee hit on Anaheim Ducks forward Chase De Leo.
Half of Kaliyev’s suspension will be served with the team’s remaining preseason games, but the suspension will also force the winger out for the first two regular season contests as well.
The impact of this means that Kaliyev would continue to take up a valuable roster spot despite not being able to play, while his cap hit also counts for the Kings.
As a result, while they would have possibly been able to keep both Bjornfot and Englund on the roster and start the year with 12 forwards and seven defensemen, if they wanted to send down a forward and do that now, it would mean playing the opening games with 11 forwards and seven defense instead.
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In other news, the Kings reportedly also signed head coach Todd McLellan to a one-year contract extension, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. The new deal would take McLellan through the 2024-25 season.
The Kings will wrap up the preseason tomorrow against the Vegas Golden Knights.
Los Angeles Kings Blogger • 
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