Second chance for Lewis?

Trevor Lewis’ 2009-10 season went downhill fast, and dramatically. Lewis made the Kings’ roster, coming out of training camp, as the fourth-line center, but after appearing in five of the first 10 games, he was assigned to Manchester, never to be seen again in Los Angeles.

Even worse, injuries — including a significant shoulder injury — limited Lewis to 23 regular-season games with the Monarchs, although he was able to return to the playoffs and play a significant role, with four goals and four assists in 16 games.

Now, Lewis gets a fresh start with the Kings, and the opening days of camp have made it clear that Lewis will get every opportunity to make the team again. He has started camp on a line with Brad Richardson and Kevin Westgarth, a line that could very easily be the Kings’ fourth line when the season starts.

Lewis, now 23, is a calm steadying presence and a potential team leader. He must be able to stay healthy and show that he can play a steady, defensively responsible game. I caught up with Lewis today to talk about his camp so far…

Question: What are your thoughts on how camp is going?

LEWIS: “I think it’s been pretty good. It took us a little while to get the chemistry going, but I think it’s going pretty good now. We kind of switched up the lines for the games here, but I’m still playing with two good players [Clune and Simmonds], so I’ve just got to keep it up and play like I did last year and stick, instead of getting sent back down.”

Question: Terry has talked about his desire for the fourth line to be a responsible line that’s heavy and hard to play against. Do you think that suits your game?

LEWIS: “Definitely. I think I always take pride in defense first. I definitely think I can step in and play that role. I think I proved it last year in camp, and unfortunately I let it slip a little bit, but I think if I just do the same things and keep it consistent, I can stick.”

Question: There’s clearly a spot to be won here, and you’re in the mix. Does that provide you with a lot of motivation?

LEWIS: “Definitely. I’ve had my chances, and I think I really need to step up and show them that it’s my time to take that spot.”

Question: You’re totally healthy now, entering camp?

LEWIS: “Healthy, feeling good. The shoulder is good and everything, so I should be ready to go.”

Question: Talking to Terry yesterday, he mentioned how you were stronger and more physically mature. Is that something that just comes with age, or have you been working on it?

LEWIS: “After every year, they’ve told me that they want me to get stronger. I really put in an effort this summer. I was here a lot and I’ve here for a while now, so I’ve been working with Tim [Adams, strength coach] and putting a big effort into getting stronger and staying lower, so I can keep battling out there.”