Height advantage

The Kings certainly won’t be caught short when their third line is on the ice. In Fredrik Modin (listed at 6-foot-4), Michal Handzus (6-3) and Wayne Simmonds (6-2), the Kings have put together a trio with size that could be very strong in the defensive end. With Handzus’ and Simmonds’ ability to go to the net, and Modin’s slap shot, it could have offensive potential as well. Of course it’s hard to predict, on paper, how a line will come together, but here are Terry Murray’s thoughts about the new-look line…

MURRAY: “I just felt, after last night, that I needed to make a few changes with our look. We started the right way. The first 10 minutes or so were good. We executed, we got the first goal of the game, but we gave up the tying goal and then we got a little unraveled from that point, not executing the right way. So this is a change for a change, maybe. It’s a change to give a big body like Modin an opportunity to fit into a role where I see he has been playing the last couple years. It gives me a line that I feel very comfortable with, that can play against anybody in the league now, with three big bodies.

“I know, when I go back looking at Modin through Tampa Bay and even when he went to Columbus as an unrestricted free agent his first year, he had a tremendous year. He has a nice offensive side to his game. He’s got a big shot that we want to take advantage of, and this hopefully will kind of get him settled in and bring that game out.”