Do the Kings Look Internally or Externally to Change Drew Doughty?
Dave Pagnotta of the Fourth Interval joined Scott Laughlin and Gord Stellick on Sirius XM NHL Community Radio Morning Skate and was requested what the Los Angeles Kings will do to exchange injured defenseman Drew Doughty. He acknowledged there are a few choices on the desk.
NHLRumors.com Transcriptions
NHL Rumors: Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Los Angeles Kings
Scott Laughlin: “Dave Pagnotta with us right here on the NHL Morning Skate. And Dave You and DB Dennis Bernstein have all the time been fairly near that Los Angeles state of affairs. Are you able to provide up opinion right here on how the Kings go ahead with out Drew Doughty, presumably for a few months?
So it feels like, and I feel that is the fitting strategy to go about it, at the very least in the intervening time, that they’re going to attempt to backfill internally in attempting to exchange all of the minutes and duty he takes on, even into the latter phases of his profession. So whether or not it’s Jordan Spence or Brandt Clarke. What do you consider the Kings, at the very least, having the ability to tread water till they get their primary defenseman again.”
Dave Pagnotta: “Yeah. And the largest factor for them is the truth that, I assume, Drew’s not going to be out for the complete season. The anticipation that he’s going to be again in two or three months. And that provides sure alternative for some guys to step up.
NHL Rumors: NHL Enlargement Speak Ought to Embody Toronto, However It Received’t Below Gary Bettman
And you understand when the mindset, the planning phases had been in place, they introduced in Joel Edmondson. They wished him to be the anchor on a pair with Brandt Clarke, permit Clarke to do his factor offensively. And at the very least, you’ve obtained a man who’s huge, bodily and may maintain his personal, he can maintain his personal within the zone, there’s going to be a possibility for grant Clarke, and as you mentioned, Jordan Spence and so they initially began Kyle Burroughs subsequent to Mikey Anderson on the highest there to see if they’ll, at the very least, type of maintain the fort.
You’re not going to exchange a Drew Doughty. No crew shouldn’t be going to have the ability to do this. However you are able to do sufficient over the two-three months he’s going to be out to maintain a strong sufficient tempo of play, however you possibly can nonetheless be a part of the playoff image. After which, as soon as Drew comes again and permit your self to propel from there.
NHL Rumors: New York Rangers Have Wage Cap Issues Subsequent Offseason
It’s a unique sort of state of affairs versus dropping certainly one of their top-tier guys. You already know, it’s a trickier state of affairs. This crew has an honest quantity of depth up entrance, however on the again finish, how will they replicate any sort of tempo of play that Drew Doughty can convey?
Nicely, you possibly can’t. So, are you able to modify your recreation a bit of bit, and may a few of their guys step up with a view to present not solely a two-way fashion, but in addition type of concentrate on the offense, and, you understand, taking a look at a few of the offense that they misplaced and taking into consideration what Drew can do for those who can type of replicate a few of that offense within the first third of the season, they need to be in good condition by way of playoff competition, however numerous it’s going to rely upon a few of their youthful guys.
NHL Rumors: Brock Boeser Has One-12 months Left on his Contract
Such as you mentioned Brandt Clarke and Jordan Spence. On the identical time, how is Darcy Kuemper going to carry out? Is he going to have the ability to step up? You’re going to wish a couple of guys on the Kings crew to step up with out Doughty the lineup. They really feel they’ve obtained sufficient depth to do it, and so they’ve obtained a tiny little bit of cap house.
What they notice that, you understand, the primary month that they’re not in a position to do one thing, they’ll discover and take a look at to herald any person in that, 1.5 to $2 million vary. That’s realistically the kind of cap house that they’ve on the identical time, guys, we’ve additionally been type of exploring the fourth line heart place.
They had been type of seeking to see if they’ll fill that void internally. It appears like they’re going to finally look exterior the membership to attempt to handle that want in a while within the season.”
