Camp preview: defensemen

Following yesterday’s training-camp preview look at the Kings’ forwards, here’s a breakdown of where things stand with the defense…

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DEFENSE

If the Kings could fast-forward through the first month of the season, they would probably be thrilled with their defense, which is shaping up to be the best unit of the Dean Lombardi era. There is, however, the pesky matter of Matt Greene’s shoulder.

The Kings have a clear top four in Drew Doughty, Jack Johnson, Rob Scuderi and Willie Mitchell. Those two pairings have the potential to eat up at least 46 minutes per game with some stellar two-way play, which would put less pressure on the third pairing (and the goalie).

At the start of the season, however, that third pairing will feel some heat. Greene is expected to miss the first month after undergoing shoulder surgery in July. That, most likely, will leave the Kings in the situation of having a 5/6 defensive pair without a full season of NHL experience. Davis Drewiske and Peter Harrold are the two holdovers who could step in, but a long list of prospects will also get a look.

First, the sure things. Doughty was a Norris Trophy finalist at age 20 last season and still has room for improvement, a sobering prospect for opposing teams. An improvement in fitness, and a natural elevation of his game, with age and experience, will make Doughty a force this season.

It’s easy to forget that Johnson is only 23, an age at which many defensemen are just starting to figure out the NHL game.  After an uneven first half of last season, Johnson was very strong after the Olympics, giving hope to the idea that he’s ready for a major breakthrough.

Scuderi was quietly excellent last season, and provided the kind of low-key support that allowed Doughty to shine. If, as is highly possible, the Kings pair Doughty with Mitchell this season, Scuderi could provide the same type of boost to Johnson.

Mitchell is presumed to be ready to go, after missing half of last season with a concussion. A leader, a physical player and an underrated puck-mover, Mitchell could be a great fit with Doughty, although all eyes will be on Mitchell to see if he can stay healthy.

Greene, when healthy, will be where the Kings want him: playing as a hard-nosed, responsible fifth defenseman. Who his partner will be, upon his return, will be one of the most compelling questions in training camp.

So plentiful are the candidates for the sixth and seventh defensive spots that the Kings could practically do a “Surivivor”-style reality show. There are incumbents Drewiske and Harrold. There is European import Johan Fransson. There are last year’s Manchester Monarchs and junior players, such as Jake Muzzin, David Kolomatis, Thomas Hickey, Alec Martinez, Viatcheslav Voynov, Colten Teubert and Andrew Campbell.

For the first month, without Greene, the Kings will likely turn to at least one player with solid NHL experience. That’s good news for Drewiske, who played 42 games last season but couldn’t stick full-time because Murray wanted more consistency in Drewiske’s physical play.

Harrold, by virtue of his ability to play a “utility,” defense/forward role, might have the inside track on the seventh spot, leaving one spot open — for at least the first month — for a handful of rookies.

All have questions. Can Hickey, Teubert and/or Voynov stay healthy? Is Muzzin, one of the OHL’s top defensemen last season, ready for the jump? Would the transition from Sweden be too much for Fransson?