Teammates, coaches express appreciation for Trevor Lewis after his 1,000th NHL game

“Lewie Pushes Everybody”

That was Trevor Moore last week, speaking about coming back from injury alongside veteran forward Trevor Lewis.

Moore said he didn’t need anyone to push him. He was motivated enough to get back. But, having Lewis alongside him in the gym, being there early in the morning, putting everything he had into his rehabilitation process, that spoke volumes, even to someone who didn’t need the push.

For Moore, he’s seen the way Trevor Lewis operates as much as most have. As a fan of the Kings growing up in nearby Thousand Oaks, Moore saw a player like Lewis break into the NHL at a young age and do what he needed to do to stay in the league, earn his job along the way. As a teammate, Moore has gotten to see first-hand the work Lewis puts in, the way he’s earned what he’s gotten in the NHL and how he’s remained an effective player into his late 30’s.

On the verge of a ceremony to celebrate Lewis reaching 1,000 games in the NHL, Moore was quick to share the example Lewis has set.

“Amazing,” Moore said. “Since I’ve gotten here, I get to train in the summer with Lewie and I watched him for a long time as a King, he does it right all the time, everyone knows that, he doesn’t cheat. He’s had the hard way to 1000 games and he’s earned every bit of it.”

If you ask his former teammates and coaches, they’d say similar things to his present day teammates and coaches.

Former teammate Jarret Stoll said there’s no one better to put alongside a younger player, if you want that player to learn how to play the game the right way. Darryl Sutter called him a great role model for those around him, with “zero maintenance” to worry about as a coach. Tyler Toffoli said that when you arrive at the rink, you’d already expect to see Lewis in the gym, working to get better. Kyle Clifford said he couldn’t think of another player more committed to the game than Lewis was. While those things don’t show up in a boxscore, they matter to those around him.

If you want guys coming into the league to learn the right way to do things, the proper habits along the way, Lewis is the right guy for that job. Just ask several younger players who have come through the Kings organization in recent seasons.

For Alex Turcotte, he spent a lot of time as a linemate last season and at the beginning of this season. Turcotte pointed to the commitment Lewis has to the game and to his team, setting the right example for younger players trying to replicate it.

“He shows up early every day, he’s always the first one in the gym, on the ice, working on stuff,” Turcotte said of Lewis. “He’s a great teammate, great guy. It’s cool to see that come to fruition for him. It’s something we all aspire to as young guys. We all look up to that and we all want to be where he’s at one day. It’s great for him.”

Best way to wrap up a special night for 6️⃣1️⃣ 🖤 pic.twitter.com/mWPRoGHlmb

— LA Kings (@LAKings) January 5, 2025

Kyle Burroughs knows the sentiment.

Burroughs sees what Lewis has done as a path to success for a player like himself. It’s no secret that Lewis didn’t reach 1,000 games by being a goalscorer. By being a point producer. He’s gotten here by playing a certain role and it’s a role that not every player in the NHL is willing to embrace.

At one point in his life, Lewis had a different game. He scored 35 goals in the USHL in Des Moines and was over a point-per-game in the OHL with Owen Sound. He had a 50+ point season in the AHL as well with the Manchester Monarchs. While he’s cracked 100 goals in the NHL and has chipped in offensively along the way, it’s not what’s kept Lewis in the NHL for as long as he has.

It’s been his willingness to do the dirty work. To kill penalties. To embrace the things that come with playing on a third or fourth line. To outwork players in the gym and during practice. To be a veteran voice in the locker room who pushes others and guides others.

Though Burroughs has only been with the Kings for a few months, as a guy looking to achieve similar things, the way Lewis leads by example has been apparent almost from Day 1.

“He’s not going to seek any spotlight, he’s a guy that nothing’s came easy to him and I think you look at his career and for a guy like myself, it’s nothing short of what you hope for in a career,” Burroughs said. “1000 games for anybody is what you hope for in a career but just the way that he’s persevered, whether it’s 500, 600, 700 games but to get to 1000, to be a guy who is such a glue guy in the room, to have the accolades that he has with the Stanley Cups……the person that he is, too, I think he deserves a lot of recognition for what he brings to the dressing room and to this group of guys.”

Lewis being a guy who does not seek the spotlight is exactly why it’s nice to see him be thrust into it.

“He deserves all the attention he’s getting right now, he’s always been the one in the shadows, doesn’t make any waves, he just does his job,” forward Phillip Danault added. “He’s a warrior, a soldier, I’m so proud of him and happy to be a part of his game tomorrow and see his ceremony.”

Of his 1,000 games, Lewis has skated in 782 of them in a Kings jersey, something that he said meant a lot to him. Something that Anze Kopitar pointed out as well as being important to him as a longtime teammate, to see him reach the 1,000-game milestone in Los Angeles. It all started for Lewis as a King and although there were a couple of stops along the way, for it to come here makes it that much more important.

“He’s done so much for this organization, and then this group in particular, he’s kind of the grandpa of the group sometimes, but he’s awesome to have around,” defenseman Mikey Anderson said. “I’ve been lucky that I’ve gotten to spend a lot of time with him the last two years now, him and the family, and what an accomplishment, what a day for him. Very fun to spend it with him.”

Tomorrow evening, the Kings will honor Lewis alongside friends and family for the milestone moment. Fittingly enough, the game will come against the Calgary Flames, where Lewis spent two of the three seasons in his career that were not in Los Angeles. Lewis logged 162 regular-season games with Calgary, in addition to 12 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. A few of his teammates with the Flames – Mikael Backlund, Rasmus Andersson and Blake Coleman – will be there for the night. In addition to his current teammates who have shown appreciation, several former teammates will be in attendance as well, as they were on Saturday for the actual 1,000th game.

7:30 puck drop tomorrow against the Flames, ceremony will come between warmups and the game. Hoping that FanDuel Sports Network will cover the ceremony in full for those unable to make the game, will look for confirmation on that. For those coming to the game, get there early!