New, safer look for Stoll

Jarret Stoll will have a couple new looks on the ice this season, and not just because the Kings have changed jersey styles. Stoll decided this summer to wear a visor during games for the first time in his NHL career, and Stoll will also be making the move to the Kings’ third line, possibly between wingers Kyle Clifford and Scott Parse. Stoll totaled 20 goals last season, his first 20-goal season since 2005-06 with Edmonton, and Terry Murray suggested today that a move from the second to third line could end up benefitting Stoll.

MURRAY: “We have two No. 1 center icemen there with (Anze) Kopitar and (Mike) Richards, and I think this is going to be great for Jarret Stoll, to fit into that No. 3 position. He’s a great checker and I think it’s going to give him more minutes over the long haul, because that’s the look that I go to against the top opposition. So it’s a nice challenge for him. It’s a different challenge and I think he’s going to embrace it.”

Here’s what Stoll had to say today, starting with his decision to wear the visor…

STOLL: “I’ve tried it the last couple summers, and I’ve always taken it off. My mom and girl were all over me, so I thought I better do it. I think I had four good nicks (on the face) last year, around the eyes and nose, and maybe seeing what Manny Malhotra went through kind of opens your eyes a little bit. Hopefully I can stick with it.”

Question: Terry mentioned how your new role might actually end up increasing your ice time. Have you had those conversations with him, about that new role?

STOLL: “We did talk about it during the summer a couple times, when I was around the rink and he was here. Just being in those situations, power play or penalty kill, or being out there for key faceoffs, any of those, that’s going to give you added ice time for sure. But just being a good checker, being on the right side of the puck, offensively and defensively, is going to get you out there. So yeah, we did talk about it. The bottom line is, you’ve got to play well and earn those minutes anyway, but I’m excited about the role. I’m really excited about it, actually. Our line, we’ve been talking a lot, communicating a lot, trying to figure things out.”

Question: If it does end up being you, Clifford and Parse, that seems like a line that can score but also play well in your own end…

STOLL: “We can all play well defensively, I think. It’s all about communicating and talking out there, and we can all shoot the puck, we can all skate. It’s just a matter of getting pucks to the net and just playing well on both sides of the puck and trying to be `plus’ players out there.”