Thoughts on Loktionov

Andrei Loktionov left the Kings today, bound for Manchester, and it’s probable that he will go back to playing center after a couple weeks trying life on the wing with the Kings.

“I would like to see him that position, but that’s not my call,” Terry Murray said today.

It’s an interesting time for Loktionov. His play, both with and without the puck, suggest that he would thrive more at center, but it’s likely that he’s going to need to add strength in order to regularly play center at the NHL level. That’s still very possible, of course, so this should be an important year of development for Loktionov. Loktionov’s departure coincides with Scott Parse’s expected return to the lineup Thursday, but Loktionov had also been a healthy scratch from the previous two games.

“It’s not a numbers thing,” Murray said. “He needs to work on his game. We’re going to keep our best players here. I like a lot of what Loktionov brings. He has a great skill level and he did a great job with his compete level. There’s just a need to keep pushing his game and for him to have success on both sides of the puck.”

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