11-5 Preview - Full Team Skate + Striving For Consistency, Ras-matazz- LA Kings Insider

Last updated Nov 5, 2022 Edit Source

• News post

• Zach Dooley

The Kings are back in California this evening to begin a four-game homestand against the Florida Panthers, a trip which continues with games on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday of next week.

• Brendan Lemieux
• Brandt Clarke
• Quinton Byfield
• Jonathan Quick
• Mikey Anderson
• Rasmus Kupari

• Todd McLellan

# Todd McLellan

I think your team is in one of two spots – You’re repairing and trying to fix a few things or you’re adding and you’re moving ahead, I don’t think you’re ever in one spot. We have been probably more on the repair and fix side, so when you’re on the repair and fix side, you’re focused on two or three things that you’re trying to really polish up, if you will. When you’re playing really well and you’re on a roll, you start to add new stuff and then your attention goes differently. So the two or three things that we pick can be on both sides of the equation, if you will.

For the most part [Rasmus Kupari]’s done, defensively, the things that we want from him. His ability to break up plays, hunt on the way back using his legs, defending in those situations have been really good. We’re working with him on his offensive production and the ability to create there. We’re working on faceoffs with him and we think that he can help us on the penalty kill, so there’s been a lot of positive things. But, like every player, there’s still more to accomplish.

I think Kup has some offensive skills, he’s got tremendous legs and the ability to drive the puck to the net, or even drive deep and delay. Just a little more confidence in those situations and he does have a real good shot. I think he’s a very unselfish individual, so he feels like he wants to be not always shooting, play a give-go game. You’re quick, have good legs, dish it and jump to a hole. Some of it is experience, some is instincts.

# Mikey Anderson

I think a big part of it is having the trust in each other, knowing that your linemates and everyone is trying to do the right thing and do their jobs. Obviously, a lot of our momentum and our play comes from structure, so if we have everyone on the same page within the structure, usually it leads to positive momentum for us. I think that’s something we’ve got to continue to work on, making sure that every shift we’re all on the same page

I think you can always get better with it. I feel that the last couple games we’ve had more streaks of doing what we need to do, to play a more complete game. I think it’s continually having to think about what we got to do and what’s going to bring us success, then making sure that we trust it and try and do it every shift if we’re able to.