The Kings will bring 10, left-shot defensemen to training camp with NHL contracts. While I think we can safely point to a few of them as being on the NHL roster, there’s actually a lot of intrigue with this group both short and long term. I think you can look at the group of defensemen in play here and point to seven of them as possibly playing NHL games this season. Honestly, maybe even a little bit deeper than that.
It’s a position similar to the goaltenders in that there are a lot more questions this fall than last fall. Last fall, I think we had a pretty good expectation of who would make the NHL roster and where they would slot in on that roster. Maybe a couple of things to be decided, but ultimately, everything was expected to go one way and as camp progressed, things moved definitively in that direction.
This year, I think there are more questions to be asked. We could very well see the exact same three pairings on Day 1 of camp that we saw in Game 4 against Colorado in April. We could see the same six players but a different arrangement. However, we could see a new face or two mixed in, which creates some additional options for the Kings. Maybe that’s the theme of things this time around, after writing about the goaltending and left-shot blueliners. Questions. Questions aren’t always bad, but questions need answers. More to come, hopefully, on that front.
One distinction here is that these are defensemen who shoot left, not necessarily defensemen who will play on the left side. There is a disparity here, with the Kings simply having more left-shot defensemen under contract than right-shot defensemen under contract. I count just five players in the RHD category, so we’ll see guys on this list, in this article, who will play on the right side this season, either at the NHL or AHL levels.
Looking here at the ten players under contract with the Kings for this coming season –
NHL Contracted LHD, Pro: Mikey Anderson, Angus Booth, Brian Dumoulin, Jakub Dvorak, Joel Edmundson, Erik Gustafsson, Joe Hicketts, Kirill Kirsanov, Scott Perunovich, Jared Woolley
NHL Contract Goaltenders, Junior: None
AHL Contracted LHD: None
Where They’re At
The Kings group of six returning defensemen across the board last season provided a pretty defined outlook as a group last season. Defensively, the Kings were among the NHL’s best teams in terms of keeping the puck out of their net, especially playing 5-on-5. Offensively, the Kings were among the NHL’s worst teams in terms of getting production from their defensemen, ranking 30th in points and 32nd in goals.
I think that sentiment goes especially for the three left-shot defensemen returning.
8 goals, 52 assists, 60 points.
One more goal than Quinn Hughes. One more assist than Erik Karlsson. One more point than Matthew Schaefer.
Problem in Los Angeles is that those are the combined totals from Mikey Anderson, Joel Edmundson and Brian Dumoulin offensively last season.
Not every player is there to collect points and I think that all three can play their style of game effectively when put in the proper positions to do so. It’s not the fault of any individual player that the Kings have several defenseman with a similar build but the fact is that they do.
Anderson and Edmundson, while different players, both deliver a defensive-first approach on the left side for the Kings. Both played in the Top-4 for the bulk of last season. Both bring good defensive traits while not adding a ton at the offensive end.
For Dumoulin, he now comes into camp for his second season in Los Angeles. He was often paired with fellow new acquisition Cody Ceci for the bulk of last season and that pair was not particularly effective. Both players had far better numbers playing apart than together, specifically in Dumoulin’s case. Playing apart from Ceci, Dumoulin’s underlying numbers were quite good and he was effective on zone entries and zone exits. Same goes in reverse. A fresh start and an important camp ahead for him, perhaps in a different role. Saw flashes from Dumoulin last season that suggested to me he could deliver more in a different role or system. See how it goes with new direction.
To management’s credit, the two left-shot blueliners signed this summer are quite different. Erik Gustafsson and Scott Perunovich are expected to come into camp to compete for a job. With each other, sure, but also with players who were here last season. Both players can skate, both players can move the puck and both players play a style of hockey that seems to align with what new Head Coach Peter Laviolette is in search of. Gustafsson had a ton of success under Laviolette in New York and Washington while Perunovich was arguably the best defenseman in the AHL last season.
Beyond the veteran five are five players with varying degrees of experience and involvement. Angus Booth didn’t look out of place in his NHL debut last spring and was routinely trusted to play against top AHL lines in Ontario, often paired with fellow left-shot blueliner Kirill Kirsanov, who has some fans internally as well. Joe Hicketts captains the Reign and is a well-respective veteran on the blueline who plays both sides of the ice. He earned a callup last season and though he didn’t play, he’s certainly in that conversation. Dvorak has been one of the youngest players in the AHL over the last two seasons and is still trying to cement a spot in the lineup, while Woolley is coming off a distinguished junior hockey career and will now look to do the same.
There’s a lot here and that will factor in both at the NHL and AHL levels. Would look at guys like Hicketts and perhaps Gustafsson/Perunovich as being guys who we could see both on the left and right sides. Versatility is a good thing, as is experience. Lots in the mix here.
What To Look For
The Kings went into the offseason publicly stating a desire to change the mix on the blueline and they did not do that, at least in terms of adding an established, top-four defenseman with mobility. I don’t believe it was due to a lack of trying, but ultimately the same six defensemen who were here last spring are still here. I still think the Kings would like to change the makeup of that group, but as we enter camp, it’s the group from last season plus a couple of depth pieces with intrigue.
Question number one entering training camp with the defensemen – will the pairs look the same as they did last season?
If yes, it starts with Anderson on the left side, with Edmundson and Dumoulin playing behind him. Personally, I’d like to see the pairs shuffled. In speaking with Associate Coach Phil Housley, it sounds like we could see a bit of both throughout the preseason as they assess the group as a whole.
I think this is a big camp for this group specifically. On paper, the way that Laviolette’s teams play and the strengths of the three blueliners on the left side don’t exactly align. The strengths of the players signed to one-year contracts as free agents do seem to align with that brand of hockey. You shouldn’t assume in hockey. On paper is on paper. Those who were here will get the opportunity to show they can adapt and adjust to a new system. We’ve seen exactly zero practices or games after all.
The Kings can’t simply stop playing defense but they can’t continue to do so at all costs, either. Finishing 32nd in points from the blueline won’t be acceptable under Laviolette. Neither will one goal and one assist in four playoff games. If the former happens, the latter probably doesn’t get the opportunity to. The Kings need to get more production on the left side this season and that starts with getting more from the players who are here. With system fits in the wings behind them, there should be more competition and more pressure to perform this season than last, when everything felt solidified from the start.
Gustafsson is at the top of my list for players to watch during camp, considering his production in Laviolette’s system and the different skillset he brings. Perunovich is on that list too. I think that both players will get a chance during camp to win spot, not just on the team but in the Opening Night six.
Behind the veterans, Booth has shown he’s deserving of being in the NHL mix, while Kirsanov took strides last season as well. While the top-8 feels somewhat set, those guys are in the conversation, as they should be. Hicketts is an excellent leader in Ontario and can spot start in the NHL as well while Dvorak will look to establish himself as more of an AHL regular.
Woolley is also a player I have a lot of time for. He’s won everything he can win in junior hockey with three OHL championships and two Memorial Cup titles. Probably gets a preseason game or two and he is highly thought of within the organization. If there’s a diamond in the rough in the system, Woolley could be that player. Excited to see how he makes the jump as a physical defenseman who can both move and move the puck.
Looking Ahead
September is nearly upon us which means it’s almost officially camp month. Moving over to the right side early next week before a look at the forwards heading into camp as well. Almost there, Insiders!
