Player evaluation: Westgarth

KEVIN WESTGARTH
This season: 56 games, 0 goals, 3 assists, 105 penalty minutes, 5:26 average ice time.
The good: Until Anze Kopitar got injured late in the regular season, it seemed unlikely that Westgarth would even play in the playoffs. Who would have guessed, then, that not only would Westgarth play but that he would play at his highest level? In the six-game series, Westgarth skated well, was active and had a handful of quality scoring chances. In the regular season, Westgarth respectably filled a limited role and was a clear upgrade from Raitis Ivanans.
The bad: Westgarth’s size — 6-foot-4, 228 pounds — is an asset it itself, but he still needs work on utilizing it to his advantage. Westgarth is a deterrent because of his fighting ability, but he would be more of a deterrent if he could keep up with opposing skaters and hit them in open-ice areas. He also needs to be mindful of fighting at the proper times. Taking a fight when the Kings are leading is honorable, but it also has the ability to negate momentum.
Going forward: The debate about Westgarth’s role is essentially fruitless. Terry Murray has stated, time and again, that he feels it is necessary for an “enforcer” to be in the lineup, so it’s almost certain that Westgarth will have a role on the team. Unlike Ivanans, Westgarth does not have a penchant for taking bad offensive-zone penalties and, frankly, a player who averages just over five minutes of ice time per game does not play a huge role in the outcome of games.