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11/9 Preview – Anderson expected to play, Helenius to debut + Optional Skate, Turcotte IR, Gavrikov vs. Columbus

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WHO: Los Angeles Kings (8-4-3) vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (5-5-2)
WHAT: 2024-25 Regular-Season Game
WHEN: Saturday, November 9 @ 6:00 PM Pacific
WHERE: Crypto.com Arena – Los Angeles, CA
HOW TO FOLLOW: VIDEO: KCAL – AUDIO – ESPN LA App – TWITTER: @dooleylak & @lakings

TONIGHT’S MATCHUP: The Kings conclude a short, two-game homestand this evening, as they host the Columbus Blue Jackets.

HEAD-TO-HEAD: The Kings won both games against Columbus last season, including a 4-0 victory at Crypto.com Arena.

Forward Phillip Danault led the Kings last season with three points (2-1-3) from two games played. Forward Quinton Byfield scored a highlight-reel goal against the Blue Jackets in this building last season, as the Kings ultimately skated to a 5-1 victory over Columbus on home ice.

KINGS VITALS: The Kings conclude a two-game homestand this evening, with their first of two matchups against the Blue Jackets.

Goaltender David Rittich was not on the ice for today’s morning skate, so look for him to get the nod tonight between the pipes for the Kings. Rittich has faced Columbus six times throughout his NHL career, posting a record of 2-2-1, with a .917 save percentage and a 2.65 goals-against average.

The Kings held an optional practice yesterday and with the 6 PM puck drop today, held an optional morning skate at Toyota Sports Performance Center. Based on the last couple of days, here’s what we could see tonight, though unconfirmed on exactly where players are deployed.

Fiala – Kopitar – Kempe
Moore – Danault – Thomas
Foegele – Byfield – Laferriere
Lee – Helenius – Lewis

Anderson – Gavrikov
Edmundson – Clarke
Englund – Spence

Kuemper / Rittich

Expecting at least one change for the Kings for tonight’s game. Forward Tanner Jeannot will not play against Columbus, as he was issued a three-game suspension from the NHL yesterday afternoon, as a result of his hit on Vancouver forward Brock Boeser in Thursday’s game. Here is the league’s video explaining the decision.

In his place, look for forward Samuel Helenius to make his season debut this evening. Helenius was recalled from AHL-Ontario this morning, after he was held out of last night’s game due to precautionary measures, with Jeannot’s suspension. More on Helenius below.

Additionally, Kings defenseman Mikey Anderson is expected to play tonight. Anderson took a shot up high on Thursday in the game versus which drew a good amount of blood, costing him the rest of the game. Jim Hiller gave a positive update yesterday, though, saying that Anderson was at the rink and feeling good, giving an “optimistic” approach to tonight’s game. This morning, he gave Anderson the green light to play this evening against the Blue Jackets, a positive sign for an important player.

The players on late this morning were Jeannot, along with defensemen Kyle Burroughs and Caleb Jones, which indicates that Andreas Englund also likely checks in.

COLUMBUS VITALS: The Blue Jackets are currently in the midst of a five-game roadtrip, coming in with a record of 0-1-1 through their first two games.

Per the Columbus team account, here’s how the visitors lined up last time out against San Jose –

Look for former Kings defenseman Jack Johnson to play tonight against the team he made his NHL debut with back in the 2006-07 season. Johnson played 343 games with the Kings before he was traded to the Blue Jackets in 2012, beginning his first of two stints with the Columbus organization.

Columbus defenseman Zach Werenski is tied for seventh in the NHL in goals by a defenseman (3) and is tied for 15th in points (9). Defenseman Damon Severson also has three goals, making the Blue Jackets one of seven teams in the NHL to have two defensemen with 3+ goals as of this morning.

Storyline Of The Day – Big Sammy
Over the summer, when interviewing Kings Assistant General Manager Nelson Emerson, I asked him to name a player who is in the organization that we’re not talking about enough.

“Sammy Helenius, the big Finn.”

Emerson said that he believed that, down the road, Helenius would be an important player for the Kings organization. It’s not the first time he’s spoken highly of Helenius. It’s actually hard to believe Helenius is only 21, because Emerson and others have spoken about him a few times now over the years. Helenius is a very unique prospect though, in the game that he plays, and the organization views him highly for what he brings.

When opportunity presented itself, Helenius became the first player recalled from the AHL’s Ontario Reign and he is expected to make his season debut here tonight against Columbus.

Standing at 6-6, Helenius certainly isn’t sneaking up on anybody in person. His training camp, though, did sneak up on people a bit.

Helenius took some serious strides forward in the second half of last season, as he elevated his game with the Ontario Reign. From the first few days of training camp this fall, Helenius made an impact, standing out amongst a group of roster hopefuls, catching Jim Hiller’s eye in the process. Helenius is not the only 6-6 player in the NHL, but he is a player who not only has the size but is willing to use it. That’s important.

Hiller praised Helenius back during training camp as someone who understands his role and embraces it, getting the most out of his own game in the role that he’s been assigned.

“Sammy knows his role, and a lot of times, players have a hard time finding or accepting what their role is going to be,” Hiller said. “Everybody would love to score goals but when you get to pro hockey and it’s difficult, there are different roles you can assume. Sammy finishes his checks, he wins faceoffs, he penalty kills and he does it every shift.”

To start the season, Helenius actually was scoring goals, though.

He buried twice in Ontario’s first victory of the season, a comeback win over San Jose, and his early-season play saw him bumped up into the top six for a few games. Even if not the role he’s expected to play with the Kings, it’s a sign of a player who had a strong start to the season, who earned the trust of his Head Coach with the Reign and took a strong finish to last season, did the right things over the summer and came into this season ready to take a big step forward.

Now, he’ll get his opportunity with the Kings.

Hiller pointed to Thursday’s game against Vancouver as one in which the Kings lacked in the physicality department, one of not all that many games this season where that has been an issue. Helenius certainly brings that to the table.

“He’s big, it’s obvious, he’s physical and I thought he’s skated way better than I’d ever seen him,” Hiller said of Helenius this morning. “So, he’s made some plays, he didn’t get hurt defensively and he played a full 200-foot game.”

Helenius should also have a friendly face on his wing tonight in Andre Lee.

The two were attached at the hip for much of last season and were on a line together throughout the playoffs as well. Two bigger players, who are comfortable playing with each other. Certainly makes a debut a little bit easier and the hope is that it can elevate the games of both players in the process.

“I think that helps and I think it’ll help Leezie too,” Hiller said. “It’s an easy adjustment for Sammy, but Leezie, them together, they really provide a 1-2 punch, so I think it might be able to spark Leezie a little bit too.”

Congrats to the big man on the recall and he is set to become the second Kings player this season to make his debut, joining Lee in that department.

3 To Watch For –
– To make room for Helenius on the active roster, forward Alex Turcotte has been placed on injured reserve.

This does not indicate a step back for Turcotte. In fact, he’s actually taken a step forward and has resumed skating, as he has now been on the ice in a non-contact jersey on consecutive days.

The move is procedural. With Jeannot suspended, he takes up a roster spot but cannot play. With Turcotte’s current upper-body injury, he won’t play tonight against Columbus anyways and his IR can be retroactively dated back to Monday in Nashville. So, even if he progresses and is ready to return before Jeannot’s suspension ends, the Kings could activate Turcotte without issue by simply assigning Helenius or another player to AHL-Ontario. Same goes for after the suspension. With the Kings already operating in LTIR, due to Drew Doughty’s injury, there are no salary-cap implications here. Simply a matter of having 23 players on the active roster.

– Today’s game marks a reunion game for defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov, as the Kings host Columbus.

Gavrikov played with the Blue Jackets as recently as 2023 and was there for a few years, developing friendships and relationships that he still has today.

“Big Russian crew over there, so we’ll meet up for sure, just to chat with them, and some other guys too, pretty much everyone who is still there, exciting to see them,” he said.

Gavrikov spoke about a few of the younger players who were breaking into the league when he was there as “having confidence now”, developing into guys who earn more minutes with the Blue Jackets and play a larger role in the lineup.

“They have some confidence now, more minutes to play, they’ve been good,” he said. “Their skill guys too have a good shot, Marchenko, he’s really skilled and Chinakov has a good wrister. Got to be aware.”

Good test for the Kings and always a good chance to catch up with old teammates, as Gavrikov will tonight.

– Lastly, tonight is the first KCAL broadcast of the season for the Kings.

Same crew on the broadcast front from Thursday’s game against Vancouver, with Nick Nickson on play-by-play, Jim Fox the color analyst and Blake Bolden between the benches. Josh Schaefer and Daryl Evans will have the call on ESPN LA 710, over the air radio. Multiple options to take in tonight’s matchup with Columbus.

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