On the lines

Given how often Terry Murray changed line combinations last season, it’s fair to take this with a grain of salt, but it appears as though the Kings will start the season with new looks on each of their forward lines. Dustin Brown steps into a first-line role on the right side, next to Anze Kopitar and Ryan Smyth. It’s not a role he’s entirely unfamiliar with, given that he has often played with Kopitar and filled that role for a bit last season when Justin Williams was injured. That leaves a second line of Jarret Stoll, Scott Parse and Williams, and a third line of Alexei Ponikarovsky, Michal Handzus and Wayne Simmonds. Today, Murray talked about the moves and why he wants them to stay together…

MURRAY; “Quite a bit. I spent considerable time over the offseason looking at line combinations. I arrived at what you’re seeing on the ice, and that’s something I want to go with throughout the training camp and get some looks in the exhibition games and see how it comes along. Hopefully the chemistry can develop. I like, right now, Brownie on the right side with Kopi and Smytty. It gives me that real power look in the offensive zone, lots of speed and the ability to come off the wing and shoot the puck. I know that sometimes I need to constantly remind Brownie about staying and using that kind of power-forward mentality. With Kopi dishing him the puck, I hope it comes sooner than later.