DWIGHT KING
This season: 27 games, 5 goals, 9 assists, plus-3 rating.
The good: Expectations were low when the Kings called up King from the AHL on Feb. 10. King had played six games with the Kings the previous season and, frankly, didn’t show much, not unexpected for a player getting his first taste of the NHL. But reports on King from Manchester had been positive early in the season, and he quickly showed why. King looked far more comfortable, with the puck and away from it. He used his size well, had good instincts for loose pucks and settled nicely into a third-line role. King even made a huge impact in the playoffs, as he scored four goals in the Western Conference Finals.
The bad: King’s game did taper off a bit at times, so he’s going to have to prove he can be strong and consistent for a full 82-game season in the NHL. Also, it’s not so much “bad’’ as a question of, where is King’s ceiling? His single-season high in the AHL was 24 goals. Projecting out last season’s NHL numbers to a full season would give King 17-18 goals. The Kings would certainly take that from a third-line winger who also brings physical play, but is King really an 18-goal scorer in the NHL? King also needs to be mindful of using his size and strength the proper way, as to not take bad, unnecessary penalties.
Going forward: It will be interesting to see where King fits into the left-wing mix, assuming the Kings keep Dustin Brown on the left side and assuming Simon Gagne is healthy. Dustin Penner is also in the mix. Is it possible that King would slot into a fourth-line role, next to Colin Fraser and opposite Jordan Nolan? Or did the Kings like the chemistry between King, Jarret Stoll and Trevor Lewis so much that they won’t break up the line? Again, King has to show that he can be a regular NHL player for a full season, but he certainly made a great impression in 2011-12 and was one of the surprise standouts of the season.
The young man improved with every game and put it all together in the playoffs and Finals. He is only going to improve for the next few seasons. Plus, he has the perfect name.
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BringBackButchGoring Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 11:03 am
@DesertKing, Although Rich mentioned his game tapered off at times or he was inconsistent, I never noticed that about him. As a matter of fact, I thought he was amazingly consistent for a rookie. Reminded me of how solid AM was the season before last when he got his shot. It’s amazing how consistent guys are when they play their butts off every shift versus a certain other left wing…
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Dan Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 11:20 am
@BringBackButchGoring, Totally agree with you. He brought effort to every shift and every game. He does have a little scoring touch too, and his prowess in the corners got better and better. This guy doesn’t need to score every game to show his worth, and he did. I gave him an “A” based upon always being ready to play…a very honest player…
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luc20rules Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 11:23 am
@BringBackButchGoring, Like the finals lineup. Gagne on the 4th line getting double shifted if as you put it a certain other left wing doesn’t give max effort. Well lets just say it Penner may need the Gagne threat to be productive. There is a possibility that he was just so confused by TM system that he was hesitant and ineffective. King’s energy, size, and speed will make him a factor no matter which LW slot the Kings place him. Solid play and is the type of big, gritty, and fast player that usually steps up in the playoffs as the games get morre physical.
Go King Go!
Go Kings Go!
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B+ from me . He was pretty solid for a young guy .Plus he held his own in the playoffs , and who doesent like his last name. He was born to be a KING.
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i was at game 3 against st louis when he got that half break away.
to be honest i didnt think it was going to go in and all of the sudden
SNIPE!
sick goal, sick player
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Stuart Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 11:14 am
@7MILforHickey, how about that corner he picked after coming off the wall against PHO??? Man that shot was a thing of beauty! two strides to the middle a wickedwrister BOOM!
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Duncanz Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 11:47 am
@Stuart, Jeez!
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Kissmyblarneystones Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 5:40 pm
@Duncanz,
Not that type of wrister!! You fiend!
This kid made so many clutch plays in the playoffs. he played like an NHL veteran. A.
5 goals, 3 assists, 2 game winning goals…not bad for a rookie.
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luc20rules Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 11:29 am
@Sebastian, Not to mention he was on a line that no other player could kick start. Once King joined Stoll & Lewis they started to be more effective players. King was a force multipier in how he kickstarted his linemates this year.
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From what I can gather so far, Kings fans think a ‘B’ or even ‘C’ team won the Stanley Cup.
It’s like a homeless person getting a fed a lobster dinner for the first time in their life, and saying:
“I expected the service to be better.”
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Perro Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 10:53 am
@jess, Fo myself I’m grading based on the regular seaosn.
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Steve Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 10:54 am
@jess, Some Kings did underachieve this year. I’ve given A grades to those that more than made up for it in the playoffs. Like Brown, I gave him an A. Even though his regular season performance was forgettable before the trade deadline, his playoff performance was almost perfect. If Quick’s hadn’t been perfect, Brown would have gotten the Conn Smythe. As another example, if the Kings had missed the playoffs, I would have given Penner a D+ or F. Considering the playoffs, I think I will give him a B+ or so.
I agree with you that people have been a little harsh. A perfect example is this post. Dwight King’s grade right now is surprisingly a B+. I absolutely cannot believe that. He is A all the way!
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jess Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 11:00 am
@Steve,
I don’t understand. We had two separate regular season’s under two separate coaches. Highly confusing and unusual circumstances, so why even bother to grade that?
All that counts is the end result.
Thanks for your reply.
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puck73 Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 11:07 am
@jess, Remember this though, Last season, D.King played 6 games under TM, played on a line with Kopitar, and was invisible. This season, he was recruited by Jack Ferriera and Sutter during the all star break and came in here and made a difference on this team.
Bottom line…Leslie Neilson was a great actor, but he sure wasnt much of a strategist or coach.
PP Anybody? Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 11:51 am
@jess, Personally, I see it like this: This team is not comprised mostly of Hall of Fame All-Stars, but rather, very good players who were very competent in their roles. When judging each player individually, I just can’t see giving too many of them A+’s for their overall game during the whole season, for as I think many of the players could’ve been much better as a whole.
If we were grading the whole team, I’d obviously give them an A++, for they couldn’t have done any better. But since this is supposed to be an objective appraisal of each players individual performance, I tend to be a little more critical when evaluating them. Just my take.
Deke'r Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 1:22 pm
@jess, ….you mean not everyone sees things the same??….shocking…..
Michael J. Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 11:12 am
@jess,
Made me laugh… “I was expecting the service to be better”
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DesertKing Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 11:57 am
@jess,
Of course the service could have been better. My dipping butter was cold. Now stop knocking on my cardboard box door and make sure you leave some money in the cup outside
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Kingsfanone Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 2:13 pm
@DesertKing,
Follow me.
I’ll buy you something you detest…….NACHOS!
Slathered in cheese! Need I say more?
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Bob Bobson Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 3:13 pm
@jess, I graded players on their overall performance throughout the entire season. The media and fans are not exaggerating when they say the team got “hot” at the right time. They were not an “A” team throughout most of the season and barely snuck in.
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B+ for super Beast? Nah man, I give him an A. A third line of
King Stoll Toffoli
would be scary in the coming years. Big body grinder + play maker + sniper, mirror image of our second line with Penner actually playing.
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Kenny44 Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 12:32 pm
@DEH,
The formula is classic, proven and my favorite. But who’s the playmaker on that line? Stoll thinks he’s the sniper and that’s how he plays.
I’d keep the line together with Lewis. It was that relentless forecheck and taking pucks to the net that made the unit so effective as a third line. The three really played well together causing turnovers and recovering pucks on the forecheck. Without Lewis’ speed and relentlessnessity, I don’t think they’d be nearly as effective. Lewis is often the first man on the puck, allowing Stoll or King to come get it. Toffoli won’t fit that role. You’d have a line that isn’t great at puck possession (skating, passing, receiving) and doesn’t forecheck as well, either.
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Kissmyblarneystones Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 5:47 pm
@Kenny44,
relentlessnessity? Really?
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HUGE fan of this dude. I feel like his upside is very, very good. Sincerely looking forward to a full season of this guy on our team. Our third line went from being a total non-producer to something that had some teeth when he showed up, especially in the cup run. Unsung hero of the LA Kings championship.
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Toughest forward for the Kings (with the exception of maybe Brown).
Revitalized Scoring Line 3.
Performed decently on Scoring Line 2 while waiting for a replacement.
Scored 5 goals (I think) in the Western Conference Finals, including a game-winner.
ZERO expectations.
Grade = A+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++=
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I never did see if King was resigned. Does anyone know much about his contract for 2012-2013? I really like his play and his size. I think he will be an asset to the Kings. I think DS can help him get control over hits, so that they are clean without penalties. He has the size we need and of course the enthusiasm that only a rookie can have. He also has a great name, he was meant for the team. He showed a lot of improvement in the finals. Good luck to him this season
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Dan Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 11:22 am
@Debra Turull, King was qualified by the Kings, meaning they have the right to match any offer from other teams. I don’t see how the Kings won’t resign him.
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TJM Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 12:18 pm
@Dan, Agreed. He’s coming back barring something really unprecedented.
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The Kings also put Simmonds on the 3rd line too because he was not expected to score much and he potted 28 goals in PHI. King’s game reminds me a lot of Simmond’s game so it would not be bad to give him some a legit shot at a top 6 role.
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TJM Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 12:20 pm
@Bob Bobson, Simmonds benefited from playing for a team that is offense-first. His stats this past year were inflated because of it (as were Giroux, Hartnell and everyone else over there). They’re all good players, but I wouldn’t read into the numbers that much. He absolutely wouldn’t have been in that ballpark if he were in LA still because we play a drastically different game.
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Bob Bobson Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 3:12 pm
@TJM, Yah I did consider the talent Simmonds was surrounded with and the system he was playing in. But Kopitar and Richards (hopefully a more consistent Richards) are both pretty good centers and King may benefit from it.
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A tossup between B+ and A.
I’m a tough grader so I give a B+ but based on last year, I expected an F when he was called up. He was definitely an F player last year.
By the way where’s his contract?
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DEH Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 10:55 am
@5buckcolonnade, King is a RFA, DL is going to take his time. King doesn’t sign until at least after Doan signs somewhere.
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BringBackButchGoring Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 11:16 am
@DEH, Curious what your thinking is about the relationship between King signing and Doan. Doan is a RW and wouldn’t seem to impact King much. Obviously King will be retained as he can play 2nd-4th line LW and is an insurance policy for both Gagne and Penner. If Doan does sign with us, a third line of King Stoll Doan ought to be one of the best 3rd lines in the league.
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DEH Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 11:45 am
@BringBackButchGoring, the cap. I don’t know how much money is being thrown at Doan or for how long. If it’s a multi year contract then DL would like to know his cap situation before signing King.
Like Matt Greene, this is another player that improved under Daryl Sutter. His play, and his presence in the post season were outstanding as well. Not only did he score some big goals, and get some key assists, but this guy more times then not, didnt lose many board battles, and wasnt afraid to go to the net.
I would be shocked if this guy’s game tailed off, I just dont see that happening. He is only 22, and hasnt even hit his prime yet. I believe he improves at least 3% like DL has hoped for most of the players. This guy is going to be very difficult to play against. Not only his size, but the fact that quite a few of his goals were “goal scorers” goals.
Love what this kid is, and what he may become.
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jess Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 11:09 am
@puck73,
King showed up with Nolan when most of our regular season was already behind us. What was our record after he showed up?
IMO he was a critical part of us winning the cup. I cannot see how he can get anything other than an ‘A’..
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puck73 Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 11:13 am
@jess, I just gave this guy a glowing review on this blog, why would you post something like this? I never said King sucked in this post, re read it please.
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jess Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 11:21 am
@puck73,
Hey re-read what I posted. There is nothing in there criticizing you buddy. I was literally asking you a question, then posted my opinion basically agreeing with what you said.
jess Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 11:24 am
@puck73,
Rost in tlansration?
HockeyNerd Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 11:28 am
@puck73, You both get coincidental minors for misinterpretation!
jess Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 11:31 am
@puck73,
Heh-Roh! Puck Sebeny TLEE, I rike-a-meet u five O crock on flyday foh ROBSTA happy rucky fun!
vegasking Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 11:19 am
@puck73, Totally agree with you on that puck73.
I see great upside when I look at King.
Only gonna get better.
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Michael J. Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 11:20 am
@puck73,
I think his ceiling is pretty high. Higher than Lokti, higher than Richardson, higher than Lewis, higher than Nolan.
This kid could be around for a while.
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DesertKing Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 11:58 am
@puck73,
I am beginning to see a pattern here – “his play improved under DS.” Hmmmmmmmmm……….
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Stuart Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 12:19 pm
@DesertKing, LOL!
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Kenny44 Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 12:19 pm
@puck73,
I’m with you. King learned to announce his presence with authority in the playoffs. The KIND of goals he scored were just will killers for the other team. He was an irresistible force with those power moves to the net and opponents could do nothing to stop him.
Remember the days of begging on street corners for a power forward – taking on twilight stars like Stevens, Tocchet, Olczyk out of desperation? Now, we’re totally stacked! And even the guys who aren’t power forwards play like they are.
This year’s team was like watching “that kid” in the neighborhood grow up – one day he rolled out of bed and just started dominating.
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Duncanz Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 4:29 pm
@Kenny44, +44
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I think Kinger was huge coming in. Next season will show if he stays, which I truly think he will. The confidence he gained through the playoffs proved to himself that he belongs at this level. GKG
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It couldn’t have been been a better situation for him when Dustin Penner finally came into his own because it took a lot of the pressure off of Dwight King to carry the day as the 2nd line left wing – not that he didn’t fill the role quite adequately.
But it was in a 3rd line role that he really operated most comfortably and effectively.
In the future however there are extremely good things for this guy and it is not difficult to imagine him ending up as a legit top 6 forward in this league.
Along with the requisite height and strength, he showed plenty of talent and a good deal of hockey smarts. All very necessary if he is to continue on that sort of trajectory.
This time round he showed the type of confidence and enthusiasm that made him unrecognizable from the withdrawn, almost reluctant call-up he was the season before.
With the same attitude and, effort and good fortune avoiding injuries, thiings are looking quite bright for Kinger the Kings, indeed!
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I grade on expectations and there were virtually no expectations at all for this guy, really just a case of “well let’s try this and see what happens”.
Well we all know what happened.
An A from me!
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I really like Dwight. I gave him a B+ solely on the fact that there were times that he seemed a step behind the play for an entire game or two.
Go King Go!
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Loved this kid here in Manchester and knew he had the goods to do it at the next level.
A from me.
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Came in with little experience yet executed his role (size, energy and scoring chances) like a pro, not too many mistakes, put up some points, and was a difference maker on a couple of important occasions: A
Loved the goal against the Blues and the big game against the Yotes, and that goal against the Yotes where he walked it out of the corner and roofed it was dominant. This kid has set the bar high for himself, hope he continues on this trajectory.
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Just another player who earned his stripes in the playoffs and prospered under Sutter. Amazingly Sutter was able to play 4 lines effectively which may be why the SC belongs to LA. it would be exciting if these lines stayed the same come October. Where would Doan fit in???? This would be tantamount to TM changing the lines so no chemistry could be attained. Who would you bounce out? First line? Second line? Third line? Fourth line? They all proved their effectiveness and Doan would only be a festering sore in the locker room. I say nay to him
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BringBackButchGoring Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 11:34 am
@Optomistic, We are going to have a problem anyway if Gagne comes back because he obviously is not a 4th line guy. I have to believe you have a Gagne Stoll Doan third line and King Fraser Lewis 4th line. Cliffy, Richardson, Nolan fighting for a spot
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Michael J. Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 11:38 am
@BringBackButchGoring,
Toffoli??? I think he will get a long look in camp.
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BringBackButchGoring Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 11:59 am
@Michael J., I would say most people think he is at least a year away. Obviously, in the unlikely chance Doan signs with us, there is no spot for him anyway. Otherwise, I suppose he would be competing with Lewis for 3rd line RW
Kenny44 Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 12:40 pm
@BringBackButchGoring, 4th line may be right for Gagne, though, given his injury history. He’s the kind of player that can make his own scoring chances – doesn’t necessarily need a playmaker with him. He could get extra minutes on the PP in certain spots (though I prefer the regular top two lines as PP units). If we didn’t have big bodies throughout the lineup, I might want more of a crash and bang fourth line, but I’m OK with having Fraser and Nolan do that with a little danger on their left wing.
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Deke'r Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 1:15 pm
@BringBackButchGoring, ….really think an ex captain would settle for a third line position…..highly doubtful….Doan’s gotta a extra large ego as shown in playoffs…
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Duncanz Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 4:26 pm
@Deke’r,
Arnott, Langenbruner..
TiredOfIt Reply:
July 14th, 2012 at 2:10 am
@Deke’r, Doan…LOL
#unclewillyson Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 11:44 am
@Optomistic, these are professional athletes, there is no sure fact that if we got doan it’d be a cancer in the room… You guys all look at it from winey fans point of views.. Doan is a great player, and is just competitive. You should want a player who sticks up for his team and hates to lose.
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The question is
..did king peak or can he get better…he wasnt a high profile prospect.bottom six at most…but a good player for the bottom 6
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Duncanz Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 11:42 am
@neil, Well, bang goes my theory then…
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He vastly exceeded my low expectations.
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Man, who would have thought a couple years ago that we’d be worrying about where to slot in all our talented players. Me thinks this is a good problem to have!! (with hopefully more to come)
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FKA PakiFro Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 12:04 pm
@Mudfish4,
I think a lot of people thought this a couple of years ago…
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Stuart Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 12:21 pm
@FKA PakiFro, more like “wished” or “hoped to” have these problems…
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FKA PakiFro Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 1:37 pm
@Stuart,
I stand corrected.
Big contributor to our playoffs and stanley cup run..Gotta locked him up for3-4yrs to see if it pans out if it does reward him bid $$$..
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lakingsphan0427 Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 12:04 pm
@lakingsphan0427,
big*
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I gave him an A because his hit on Petro during game 1 really shook up that game and the Blues. I won’t get into the debate of good hit/bad hit, but no doubt that rattled STL. The next game, when the Kings scored that first shift, then three others in the period, was when it seriously hit me that this could be the year.
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BringBackButchGoring Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 12:15 pm
@FKA PakiFro, My epiphany came with Brown’s hit on Sedin. I thought from that moment forward, the Kings realized the Whup they were putting on the Canucks was not luck but talent. I thought that was the turning point of the whole series and we just played with more confidence from that point forward.
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Kenny44 Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 12:21 pm
@BringBackButchGoring,
knock knock knock
that image still makes me chuckle
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Stuart Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 12:23 pm
@Kenny44, it was like a wet cat scratching at the door to be let in HA!
Keep on knocking but you can’t come in!
DesertKing Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 12:29 pm
@BringBackButchGoring,
Sedins – whupped! Kings win!
Petro and Backes – whupped! Kings win!
Doan – whupped! Kings win!
Parise and Kovi – whupped! Kings win!
Gee, another pattern there!
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Kingsfanone Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 2:02 pm
@DesertKing,
Crocheting? That pattern?
Sebastian Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 1:04 pm
@FKA PakiFro, good call, that hit changed the series, and he backed it up by fighting Crombeen in the next game.
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FKA PakiFro Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 1:38 pm
@Sebastian,
yes! good call. i forgot about that. can i change it to A+?
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The season does not end when the playoffs begin so I grade on the entire season including the playoffs (the most important part of the season).
Dwight King is simply awesome! The kid is strong as an ox and smart as a crow. He makes players around him better!
Three major things happened to transform our Kings from the maybe next year team to the Kings Juggernaut that crushes all teams in their path. 1) coach Sutter 2) Jeff Carter and 3) the dynamic duo of Jordy and DWIGHT KING!!!
Without King, simply put we don’t even make the playoffs.
Grade = A
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B+
Gave us mroe than we could have reasonably hoped for.
He still has things to learn and his lack of experience showed up a few times, but he’s got a bright future ahead of him. Seems like a good, hard working kid…certainly an asset to the organization.
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Gave the King of Kings a B+. Looking forward to his efforts this next season… Thank you for your hard work and some very timely goals.
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we should grade bloggers next
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puck73 Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 1:55 pm
@Shakes, Wow, that could get dicey !
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Kingsfanone Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 1:59 pm
@puck73,
Easy……..remember the hernia thing!
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Kingsfanone Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 1:58 pm
@Shakes,
Yeah……..I want a Porsche also!
Good luck with that btw!
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DesertKing Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 2:26 pm
@Shakes,
I would give myself a “G” for “Geez, what the heck was he thinking with that post?”
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TiredOfIt Reply:
July 14th, 2012 at 2:11 am
@Shakes, What’s worse than an “F”
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Any rookie playing that well in the SC Playoffs gets an A from me. His poise, determination and skill level will only improve under the guidance of DS. The kid plays playoff style hockey and we need this mixture to continue the quest for CUP #2. GO KINGS GO!!!
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puck73 Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 2:00 pm
@Forum Gold, He was awesome, and certainly a factor in those 20 playoff games. He was a part of some of the biggest goals in that playoff run. In game 5 vs Van, he was out there with Stoll on the 2 on 1. In game 3 vs Phoenix, he came out from the corner and roofed a beautiful shot against one of the hottest goalies going. And in game 6 vs New Jersey, he powered his way to the net that caused a disruption and allowed Lewis to have a tap in.
This kid was great!
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Forum Gold Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 2:04 pm
@puck73, I did not see a grade in your earlier excellent post but I’m thinking you agree with the A. GO KINGS GO!!!
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A….for his smile
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It may be a little late to mention this, but the voting might be more meaningful if it is clarified whether the voting should be based on that player’s results in comparison with others on the team or based on the role that that player fills on the team.
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Stuart Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 2:09 pm
@JackKentCooke, something tells me you’re taking these evals way too seriously. LOL
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JackKentCooke Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 4:12 pm
@Stuart,
Actually this is a response to others who question why someone graded a player higher or lower than they thought appropriate.
I personally don’t get exercised over what grade Nolan gets on a blog in July.
I am just glad to read about something this time of year other than the Dogers.
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HockeyNerd Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 4:24 pm
@JackKentCooke, I don’t think Rich feels that its his place to tell us which of the 2 our vote should mean. I (and seemingly most others here) are going by what the organization (and us fans) expected of that player, and in my case I do try to clarify that each time I post.
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JackKentCooke Reply:
July 13th, 2012 at 4:40 pm
@HockeyNerd,I think this should be on the agenda for the next Insider Board of Directors meeting.
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To me King did more than anybody possibly could have expected from him. I remember when he came up last season and TM put him on the first line with Kopi and in all honesty he sucked. This time around he was great. He did well playing with Richie before he was put on Stoll’s line. As has been mentioned, King had some really clutch goals and even though he didn’t intend to injure, his hit on Pieterangelo changed the course of that series. King isn’t a 1st line player but in a 3rd or 4th line role he can be very effective. King gets an A not for pure numbers (which were solid) but because of what he did relative to expectations.
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Almost gave him an A but settled on a B+. Based on his expectations, he probably should get an A but he still has a lot of room to improve and be more consistent so i’ll stick to my B+.
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Let’s face it once and for all. The only LA Kings that DID NOT improve their play after DS took over were Bob Miller and Jim Fox, lol…Proof is in the pudding, as they were benched for the crucial portion of the playoff run. Any arguments?
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King was very good this year under DS and made some HUGE plays during our playoff run. I love him as a 3rd line LW. Plays with grit and toughness and has enough skill to score 15-20 goals a year.
Also he a beast on the boards, I can’t remember a battle along the boards that he lost during the playoffs. Great job Kinger
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A King on the King’s this kid, to keep and nurture, is a no brainer. Smarts, size, with good hands, a top six forward in the very near future. On the third goal of the final he abused the Jersey ‘D’ getting the puck in tight on MB. King is only going to get better, the King on the King’s has an awesome future to look forward to and hopefully we can all enjoy his play for many years to come…………
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