Ben Shelley: Which defensemen will earn a spot on the Kings’ blue line?

Jordan Spence is too good for the AHL and I believe if he got a start in LA this year he would run with it and keep improving. He is unreal on the power play and can move the puck out of his own zone with ease. Bjornfoot appears to be the most solid defensively but kinda clumsy with the puck. Either way Spence and Clarke have great futures.

englund is ontario bound. top 4 is set in stone atm. 3rd pair is a rotation of clarke, spence and bjornfot. unless clarke struggles to much. hes ahl eligible now. so we have that going for us.

It should be Clarke, I think he'll end up as the best player of that draft when all is said and done.

I think Toby might need more handholding than Clarke or Spence. While I'm guessing the team wants him to become a pairing with Clarke and/or Spence, I think the primary goal is to make him an NHL regular. Putting him in a pairing with two inexperienced players might be too much responsibility. It might be taking 1 step back in order to take 2 steps forward, but maybe that Gavrikov/Roy line should get mixed with Bjorfot/Clark/Spence?

My vote is for Spence. He did everything that was asked of him in Ontario and deserves his shot. I also enjoyed the limited time I saw Clarke play in Ontario at the end but unless he's lights out in preseason I would give him a year Ontario really get his feet wet. The other ones haven't really shown they're anything but temp players or career AHLers so use them as injury call ups.

Tobias Bjornfot must be feeling the pressure.. Spence and Clarke are going to push for the final 2 spots and i think they are more than capable of doing just as good, if not, better job than Bjornfot.

My vote is for Spence. He did everything that was asked of him in Ontario and deserves his shot. I also enjoyed the limited time I saw Clarke play in Ontario at the end but unless he's lights out in preseason I would give him a year Ontario really get his feet wet. The other ones haven't really shown they're anything but temp players or career AHLers so use them as injury call ups.
- kingsfan626

I just don't see Spence being the answer. he might a "shot" but he couldn't move a pee-wee kid off the puck around the net. Not that the other two are hulking beasts of players, but I just don't see taking a spot. He'll rotate as the 7th this season.

Tobias Bjornfot must be feeling the pressure.. Spence and Clarke are going to push for the final 2 spots and i think they are more than capable of doing just as good, if not, better job than Bjornfot.
- stefano76

Bjornfot is LHD while the other 2 are RHD. So he has a leg up on those two. Would be tough to come in and play on the offhand as a rookie.

I know it both won’t and can’t happen, but the obvious solution is to trade Doughty and extend Roy.
Clarke-Roy-Spence up the right side.

I just don't see Spence being the answer. he might a "shot" but he couldn't move a pee-wee kid off the puck around the net. Not that the other two are hulking beasts of players, but I just don't see taking a spot. He'll rotate as the 7th this season.
- Stu17

Spence has put up top 4 numbers in his sample size so far

Spence has put up top 4 numbers in his sample size so far
- Rexypoo

in a small sample size with very sheltered minutes, is my guess. He'll be propped up by PP minutes, but I can't see a 3rd pairing with one of the other two playing anything more than 11 minutes a night of 5v5 play. And in a tight game? you cant roll two pairings out there for the last 5 minutes... first 20 games will tell a lot.

in a small sample size with very sheltered minutes, is my guess. He'll be propped up by PP minutes, but I can't see a 3rd pairing with one of the other two playing anything more than 11 minutes a night of 5v5 play. And in a tight game? you cant roll two pairings out there for the last 5 minutes... first 20 games will tell a lot.
- Stu17

He saw heavy minutes when your whole right side was injured.
Typically strong performances by young players continue to improve when the minutes increase, not the other way around

He saw heavy minutes when your whole right side was injured.
Typically strong performances by young players continue to improve when the minutes increase, not the other way around
- Rexypoo

He's played 33 games, with 24 being the 21-22 regular season. Opinions are like bumholes, we all have them. Mine is that he'll rotate as the 7th.

He's played 33 games, with 24 being the 21-22 regular season. Opinions are like bumholes, we all have them. Mine is that he'll rotate as the 7th.
- Stu17

He’ll be a regular, or be sent down. You don’t sit a 22 year old with a claim to top 4 capability as is