Do the Kings Look Internally or Externally to Substitute 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 interchange injured defenseman Drew Doughty. He acknowledged there are a few choices on the desk.
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Scott Laughlin: “Dave Pagnotta with us right here on the NHL Morning Skate. And Dave You and DB Dennis Bernstein have at all times been fairly near that Los Angeles state of affairs. Are you able to supply up opinion right here on how the Kings go ahead with out Drew Doughty, presumably for a few months?
So it seems like, and I believe that is the proper option to go about it, at the very least in the meanwhile, that they’re going to attempt to backfill internally in attempting to interchange all of the minutes and accountability he takes on, even into the latter levels 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 suppose, Drew’s not going to be out for the total 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.
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And you already know when the mindset, the planning levels have been in place, they introduced in Joel Edmondson. They wished him to be the anchor on a pair with Brandt Clarke, enable Clarke to do his factor offensively. And at the very least, you’ve received a man who’s large, bodily and might maintain his personal, he can maintain his personal within the zone, there’s going to be a chance 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 will, at the very least, form of maintain the fort.
You’re not going to interchange a Drew Doughty. No crew will not be going to have the ability to try 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.
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It’s a unique kind of state of affairs versus dropping considered one of their top-tier guys. You understand, it’s a trickier state of affairs. This crew has a good quantity of depth up entrance, however on the again finish, how will they replicate any kind of tempo of play that Drew Doughty can deliver?
Nicely, you possibly can’t. So, are you able to modify your sport somewhat bit, and might a few of their guys step up in an effort to present not solely a two-way model, but additionally form of give attention to the offense, and, you already know, taking a look at a few of the offense that they misplaced and considering what Drew can do should you can form of replicate a few of that offense within the first third of the season, they need to be in fine condition by way of playoff rivalry, however a variety of it’s going to rely upon a few of their youthful guys.
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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 just a few guys on the Kings crew to step up with out Doughty the lineup. They really feel they’ve received sufficient depth to do it, and so they’ve received a tiny little bit of cap area.
What they notice that, you already know, the primary month that they’re not in a position to do one thing, they will discover and take a look at to usher in anyone in that, 1.5 to $2 million vary. That’s realistically the kind of cap area that they’ve on the identical time, guys, we’ve additionally been form of exploring the fourth line middle place.
They have been form of trying to see if they will fill that void internally. It appears like they’re going to finally look exterior the membership to attempt to deal with that want in a while within the season.”
