Clifford enjoying life in NHL playoffs

If things had broken a bit differently, Kyle Clifford might have just completed his junior-hockey career and might just be starting on a stint in the AHL playoffs. Instead, after making the Kings’ roster coming out of training camp and establishing himself as a lineup regular, Clifford is in the Stanley Cup playoffs at age 20, as the Kings’ youngest player. So far, the moment has not been too big for Clifford, who didn’t have a multi-point game in the regular season but had one goal and one assist in Game 2 against San Jose and, in general, was a forechecking force. That’s Clifford’s game, and to the relief of the Kings, he hasn’t attempted to alter it, because that’s exactly what the Kings want to see from Clifford. Not surprisingly, given his nature, Clifford was quick to deflect praise for his Game 2 effort, but talked about his season so far, and Terry Murray had some strong praise for Clifford as well.

CLIFFORD: “It was a big win for us (in Game 2). It was nice to get that first playoff win under my belt. Our line was really good. We had a couple chances there and it was just a good feeling.”

Question: How has this season gone for you?

CLIFFORD: “I came in and it’s a whole different place here, a lot more intense, so I just tried to learn as much as I could from the coaches and the veterans and pick it up as quick as possible so I could make myself a regular.”

Question: Is there anyone in particular who has helped you out?

CLIFFORD: “There’s been a couple guys. Ryan Smyth has definitely helped me out a little bit, and guys like Matt Greene, he’s a defenseman but he helps me with the off-ice stuff. We have a great leadership group and they have helped me along the way.”

And here’s what Murray had to say about Clifford’s development this season…

MURRAY: “The line is an interesting line. All three of them are able to get around the ice with speed, quickness. They really like to play with each other. You’ve got two guys there on the wings that are pretty physical, gritty, hard tough guys. Clifford, his growth over the year, I don’t want to say that that’s what we expected, but it’s certainly what we needed. He has never let up, from the first day, with wanting to be a hockey player. He comes every day. He’s early, he does the work the right way. He’s one of the first guys to the rink every day, to the games. He’s got a dream and he’s living his dream and he’s going to become a really good player, because this is who he wants to be. And we’re seeing results.”

Question: Going into training camp, did you think he would be able to fill a role like this?

MURRAY: “I was starting to think that way from the first day he got here, from when I saw him in the off-ice workouts. This is a man. When you see him do all the stuff that (strength and conditioning coach) Tim Adams asks the players to prepare for the start of the training camp, he literally — and it’s not a slight against any other player — he was literally blowing guys away. Men, who have been in the pro game for quite a few years. He has that kind of power and that kind of endurance. It’s phenomenal, some of the test results that he put up. I had Scott Stevens as an 18-year-old, and I said this in our meetings, that this is the same thing for me. He’s a young man in a man’s body. You’re always fearing that these young guys are not physically strong enough to play the game. That’s always the hesitancy. They’re skilled, they’re high picks, they have that ability, but can they match up on that physical-strength side of it? There was never a doubt in my mind that he could do that.”

Question: Do you think he has potential to play on the top two lines one day?

MURRAY: “He will push that someday. He goes to the hard areas.”