Day 16 Camp Primer – Final QC Practice + Doughty Surgery Successful, Defensive Pairings Take Shape

Day 16, Insiders.

Will this story publish on the homepage of the website? Feels unlikely. However, as I continue to look into that problem, let’s talk about the trip thus far, as the team hits practice today.

The first start from last night’s game? Quinton Byfield. The second star? This guy right here.

If you know, you know.

Starting with a quick update –

Injury Update – Earlier this week, @LAKings defenseman Drew Doughty had successful surgery to repair his left ankle……still out month-to-month.

— Zach Dooley (@DooleyLAK) October 4, 2024

Successful surgery this week for defenseman Drew Doughty to repair his left ankle. His timeline remains month-to-month and this was the expected next step in the process. Nothing more at this time, Doughty is not with the team here in Quebec City, but this is a positive step forward. See how his recovery process progresses from here.

As such, as the Kings hit the ice today at the Videotron Centre, they do so with defensive pairs that are continuing to establish themselves on the ice. We’ve seen two consecutive games of Anderson/Spence and Gavrikov/Burroughs. After Doughty got injured, the Kings initially kept two pairings the same and simply moved Burroughs up with Anderson. A few days later, they swapped things a bit with Spence moving into that spot and Burroughs slotting alongside Gavrikov. Head Coach Jim Hiller had this to say on his pairings, after last night’s win.

“Eddie and Clarke had played together, so we kind of got that pair set,” Hiller said when asked about his pairings. “As you know, we flipped it with Dewey out with Mikey and Spenny that’s two now, that’s two from Burr and Gavy together, which I thought had a really strong game, maybe our strongest pair [on Thursday], Burr and Gavy played very well together, that’s a really good sign. Yeah, I mean it was just a solid effort, but those d-pairs need a little chemistry. They’ll get another chance to get at it on Saturday.”

Starting at the bottom, the Edmundson/Clarke duo has remained generally consistent throughout training camp and they’ve played in three games together now. The Kings like Edmundson specifically as Clarke’s partner, at least to start. Edmundson embraces the mentorship side of his job and he’s done so in past stops throughout his career. He’s also very comfortable playing defensively, willing to let Clarke be himself on the ice.

For Clarke’s part, the offensive gifts are evident, but the Kings want to see defensive improvements as well. Hiller felt Clarke had “a little up, a little down” in that area last night, lauding the 3-on-1 breakup he had during the second period, but acknowledging a couple of small lapses. You can’t take away what makes him special and I don’t think the team wants to do that either. They’re judging him on the overall game, though, not just the offensive side of things. For Clarke’s part, he’s said the same things. It’s nice to see Edmundson instill confidence, but he doesn’t want to be a liability defensively either, leaving his partner to clean up the mess.

“It’s obviously very encouraging that he comes to me and says that directly, and he has the faith in me, but, I also want to be helpful towards him, I don’t want to have him have to bail me out all the time, you know,” Clarke said. “I want to be in the right spot, I want to make the right play, I want to hit that quickly so we can kind of just get up the ice. It obviously feels good that he has my back, but I don’t want to have to use him or have to have him bail me out all the time. I’m trying to make it a two-way street as much as I can.”

Regarding the other pairs, Hiller liked the Gavrikov/Burroughs duo last night. Perhaps what makes that pairing standout is not standing out. I can’t say I noticed them a ton, minus an excellent defensive backcheck from Gavrikov, as he dispossessed David Pastrnak in a dangerous location before starting the breakout back up the ice. Burroughs got into the mix physically a couple of times, but generally speaking it was just a solid, defensive performance from those two.

For Anderson and Spence, the potential is quite high.

The Kings believe there is another level to get to both for Anderson and Spence. With Spence, it’s well known. Solid full season last year, another level, if not more, to unlock. For Anderson, though, you don’t hear a ton of that. He’s a reliable and solid NHL defenseman, and that is a valuable player, but Hiller believes there is still more in there. Especially now, with Doughty out, he is hoping to see that come out in his game.

“What Mikey Anderson gives you is really good but we just think that we’re not satisfied with really good, because we see that he has even more potential than that and he’s pretty consistent with it,” Hiller. “So it’s just a matter of Mikey not being satisfied with being good or really good. We think there’s another level for him there, and that is his on-ice play and that is his leadership too, it’s taking that to another level. Different players can do it at different times in their career. We feel like right now is an opportunity for him to take it to the next level.”

The day after Doughty went out, Hiller told us that he met with Anderson, Gavrikov and Edmundson to talk with that group about stepping up collectively. Even though that’s the left side of the blueline, those are the veterans, the guys who will need to take on a little bit more.

For Anderson, he’s been in this position before as a younger player, when Doughty missed time in the 2021-22 season. On paper, an Anderson/Spence duo should work. Anderson thinks more defensively, but he’s a good skater and can move pucks. Spence has the offensive approach but his defending is improving. The Kings will likely rely on that pairing pretty aggressively. Anderson feels it’s coming together, though the pair as a whole remains a work in progress.

“It’s good, it’s easy, we’ve talked a lot and we’re pretty tight off the ice too, so he’s good guy to play with,” Anderson said of Spence. “He’s such a good skater. Maybe thinks a little more offensively than I do, so I try and be a compliment for him, but just trying to talk through every little thing [is our approach].”

Look for those pairings to be together moving forward. For today, the practice format is a bit different.

As a part of their trip to Quebec City, the Kings are holding a 3-on-3 scrimmage today at the Videotron Center. Full group of players are expected on the ice, with those players listed below –

Forwards (15) – Byfield, Danault, Fagemo, Fiala, Foegele, Jeannot, Kempe, Kopitar, Laferriere, Lee, Lewis, Moore, Studnicka, Thomas, Turcotte

Defensemen (8) – Anderson, Burroughs, Clarke, Edmundson, Englund, Gavrikov, Jones, Spence

Goaltenders (3) – Copley, Kuemper, Rittich