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So Far So Good (preseason edition)

September 22, 2018, 9:46 AM ET [5 Comments]
Bobby Kittleberger
Los Angeles Kings Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
There are lies, damn lies and then there are NHL preseason statistics. - Mark Twain

The win-loss column in the preseason is, essentially, meaningless. What I think gives us a better indicator of the state of a team is how individual players are performing, particularly the big names, if and when they get on the ice.

You’re looking for glimpses or small shadows of what might come to pass in a full season of games that count.

We’ve seen some of that from the LA Kings in four preseason losses. Here are a few.


#1: Jeff Carter looks sharp

Carter has put up three goals in the only two Kings preseason games which had him on the roster. He has looked fast and healthy, which is what I want to see after he missed most of last season. He’s become a more forgettable part of this team’s core, despite being only a couple seasons removed from leading the Kings in points.

From what I’ve seen out of his preseason play, he looks like himself - more than capable of anchoring the team’s secondary scoring.


#2: Kovalchuk has already made the highlight reel

I’ll admit, seeing the Knights and Sharks pick up Max Pacioretty and Erik Karlsson made getting Ilya Kovalchuk feel a bit like having a two-year old iPhone. But, seeing him split two Vegas defenders and throw down a highlight reel goal against the Golden Knights helped alleviate that feeling a bit.

In that moment he looked more than NHL ready. We can only hope that he’ll do a lot more of that once the regular season kicks in and he’s playing against better defensive pairings.


#3: Kopitar and Brown had a moment

In a 4-3 loss to Arizona, Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown connected for Brown’s first goal of the preseason on a beautiful cross-crease feed from Kopitar. Brown was able to take the pass and one-time it high in what seemed to be typical Kings first-line offense.

Again, it’s just the preseason, but when you have these small hints of the team being what we’ve expected, it’s an encouraging way to start LA hockey in 2018.


A Couple Rookie Notes

Gabe Vilardi has not yet played in a preseason game due to back issues. Rob Blake has eluded to this being a chronic problem, perhaps similar to what Mario Lemieux dealt with throughout his career. If Vilardi can get healthy, I think he’s still getting a roster spot out of camp, but that’s becoming a very big IF as the preseason rolls on.

In more positive Kings rookie news, Jaret Anderson-Dolan has seen the ice in two of the team’s first four preseason games, grabbing an assist and getting some valuable time with the semi-big club. It’s doubtful the Kings would burn a year off his rookie contract to try and play him this season because he’s only 19, so I don’t expect him to make the team. Still, he’s another young player to keep an eye on, especially if Vilardi’s health continues to be an issue.
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