The endearment with Luff, stemming from coaches, teammates and fans alike, has been most widely broadcast from the young forward's ability to find the back of the net, which he has done seven times in his first 21 games, a 27-goal pace translated out over an 82-game season.
What Luff has brought is what the Kings have lacked: Goalscoring.
"Matt Luff, he's playing some darn good hockey up there," Ontario Reign Head Coach Mike Stothers said. "They're looking for somebody to score and there's a guy that's figured out, 'Hey, I want to stay', so put the puck in the net, make a contribution, do it consistently, so good on Luffer."
For Luff, it's been a combination of shooting the puck, breakaways that showcase his hands and, yes, one into the empty net (they all count the same!). While seven goals over just 21 games is a small sample size, Luff's ability to find the back of the net has provided him with a niche in the Kings lineup and has kept him up with the big club ever since that mid-November recall.