Trevor Moore activated from injured reserve, expected to play tonight in St. Louis

A game-day update, Insiders!

Forward Trevor Moore has been activated from injured reserve and is expected to play tonight in St. Louis. Moore will make his return to the lineup this evening from an upper-body injury to play his first game with the team since December 29 in Colorado. He’s missed the last 11 games due to the injury and was placed on injured reserve on January 8, retroactive to that game on the 29th. The retroactive designation, at the time, would have allowed Moore to return whenever, with a mandatory seven days spent on IR when that type of move is made. He missed more time than that, however, so it was a non-issue.

It’s really good to see Moore ready to go. Not exactly sure where he slots in tonight. He’s played all over the lineup at times this season. During practice on Thursday, Moore mixed in for rushes alongside Samuel Helenius, Taylor Ward and Jeff Malott, so there could be a situation where the Kings start him lower in the lineup and increase his workload as he goes. He’s not a fourth-line player, though, in caliber or style. Could see him fitting in just fine with either the Laferriere line or the Byfield line and he’s played well with Alex Turcotte as well, though I can’t imagine the Kings want to touch that line right now. One thing with Moore is that he’s been moved around before, so he’s been comfortable in different roles, wherever the Kings look to play him.

Little bit of an enigma as to the player the Kings will be getting back. Like so many up front this season, Moore has seen his production tail off from what we’ve seen in the past. Over the last four seasons, he’s averaged 19 goals. That goes up to 21 goals per 82 games. The 31 goals in 2023-24 was a career outlier but so were the 10 goals in 2022-23 when you look at his time with the Kings. This season, he’s scored 5 in 37 games, which is well below those numbers. Moore does have some offense in him and if he can get things going, he’s a valuable add, who also doesn’t cheat you defensively or on the penalty kill. Think it’s his ability to get hot and score in bunches the Kings could really use, though, when you look at the offensive struggles the Kings have had this season.

Should see line rushes from Enterprise Center soon, as the Kings prepare to begin a six-game trip tonight against the Blues. Expecting to see number 12 among the players who take the ice and we’ll get a better sense shortly of how the Kings handle his return and where they choose to slot him back in.