Player evaluation: Frolov

ALEXANDER FROLOV
This season: 81 games, 19 goals, 32 assists, 26 penalty minutes, 18:26 average ice time.
The good: Very little changes in Frolov’s evaluation from year to year. When he’s good, he’s very good. Frolov’s puck-control skills are on par with the NHL’s best, and his immense two-way skills allow him to contribute offensively but still play a key role in a “shutdown line” role or as part of a penalty-kill unit. Frolov was particularly dynamic coming out of the Olympic break in early March, when he had three goals and six assists in six games.
The bad: Frolov’s season hit a low point early, when Terry Murray benched him from an October game in Dallas and publicly called him out for a perceived lack of effort and interest. The situation seemed to improve after that, but the fact that the word “enigma” has been attached to Frolov for several years is no accident or mistake. His tendency to dominate a stretch of games, and then disappear from a stretch of games — or vice versa — is still hard to figure, after all these years.
Going forward: Frolov is the Kings’ most significant unrestricted free agent this summer. Murray said he would welcome Frolov’s return, and Frolov seems to enjoy playing in Los Angeles, but will there be a fit? It might depend on the Kings’ ability/interest in attracting another top forward, and it almost certainly will depend on how much of a raise Frolov is seeking. With Russian players, the KHL can never be ruled out as a possibility also.