Harrold's opportunity

As previously posted, Peter Harrold will go back into the Kings’ lineup as a defenseman on Thursday night. A natural defenseman, Harrold became a part-time forward last season and, essentially, a full-time forward this season, with his only game on defense this season being on Oct. 6.

MURRAY: “He deserves an opportunity. He’s been here for the year and a half. He’s worked hard, he’s in great shape, he’s ready to go, and I think that putting in a player who has been here and knows what we’re doing and knows the pace of the game and the speed of the game, through practicing a lot, is a better decision than making another change with someone that’s in the minors. That’s my opinion.”

Even when he was playing forward, Harrold periodically practiced as a defenseman, and he has been practicing exclusively as a defenseman, if my faulty memory serves, for about two weeks now. Here’s what Murray said, when asked if coaches would talk to Harrold to make sure he’s still well-versed in the defensive system…

MURRAY: “I think it’s important, just to bring awareness. He’s got a heads up on going back in. He’s been on the blue line practicing the last week or so. That’s the best that we can do. The other part, with his conditioning, he’s been doing a lot of extra skating. So conditioning-wise, he’s real good. But certainly bringing awareness to some areas of the game that you don’t get through in practice, because of a short time between games, that would be an important conversation.”