10-13 Preview - Clarke Debut Expected + Arvidsson out, 19-55-13 Line, Being First - LA Kings Insider

Last updated Oct 17, 2022 Edit Source

• News post

• Zach Dooley

• Brandt Clarke
• Jonathan Quick
• Viktor Arvidsson
• Brendan Lemieux
• Carl Grundstrom
• Alex Iafallo
• Quinton Byfield
• Gabe Vilardi

• Todd McLellan

The Kings conclude a short, two-game homestand tonight, with the Seattle Kraken in town for the first time this season.

This is the moment I’ve dreamed of for so long. I’ve been watching the NHL for my entire life and now that I’m officially going to be in it, it’s kind of crazy to think about. This is going to be something I’ll never forget, it’ll be pretty cool. – Brandt Clarke

It wasn’t planned that way, but I think there’s something that can help him in that situation. He’s been around for long enough now, throughout the exhibition season, to see how daily rhythm occurs, prepping for a game. It does change when it gets to the regular season a little bit, but the general prep is the same. The quality of the opponent is much higher and that will be the biggest change for him. – Todd McLellan

Yawns and I were just talking about it, there’s enough that’s going on in their world right now. First game, family in town, we don’t want to over burden him with details, we want him to play the game and we want him to enjoy the process. I think the less he has on his mind, the more instinctual hockey, the better chance he has for success. So, we haven’t sat with him and gone through everything, what to expect and what not to expect. If he comes to us, we can certainly help him, but we’ll leave him alone. – Todd McLellan

I just want to play my game. Just like the rookie tournament, just like preseason, I just want to come in there and play. Yes, it’s going to be a big moment, yes it’s going to be really exciting, but I think after that first shift I’ll just settle in and do what I do, then I’m just playing hockey again, it’s just another game. There’ll be whirlwind of emotions right off the bat, but I think once I settle in, once the game just starts flowing, I’ll be just fine. – Brandt Clarke

Gabe is a big body and myself, so we’ve got to use that size, wear down their D, get on pucks a little bit quicker, and Al is so good with his stick and he uses his body well. I think we’re a line that can grind down teams and wear them down to get our opportunities like that. – Quinton Byfield

Obviously we wanted to win the game, but looking at our line I feel like there was good support all around the rink for us. We talk during the practices we’ve had and during the game, just talking about where we’re going to be depending on the forecheck, where the pieces are in place, so I feel like it was good for us to get that game in. We’ll keep growing. – Alex Iafallo

He can be a little bit of the conscience on the line, he’s a veteran player, he’s a calm individual that doesn’t get overly frustrated. He can talk them through situations and he takes care of somebody’s defensive assignments so that [Byfield and Vilardi] can roll a little bit more. – Todd McLellan

Once we get in the o-zone, Al is a very hard-working guy, he’s a smart player, an underrated smart player and Q is so gifted with the puck. We’ve just got to get to the o-zone, we’re good when we get to the o-zone and we’ve got to do the things defensively to get there. – Gabe Vilardi