“Going in the right direction, but inconsistently,” forwards chemistry, identity become key - Quick starts
# “Going in the right direction, but inconsistently,” forwards chemistry, identity become key - Quick starts
# Contributors
# Summary
Back at’r, Forum Club. The lopsided Kings-Bolts series returns to Downtown Los Angeles where the hosts will look to snap a 10-game losing streak extending back to Brayden McNabb’s game-winner during the first half of the 2015-16 season. No lines were suggested at an optional morning skate, with Todd McLellan noting the team may have to make a decision on one player after warm-ups. Asked whether that might be a forward or defenseman, he replied, “Could be goalie. You didn’t ask. Gotta cover all three bases.”
# Players
- Jonathan Quick
- Trevor Moore
- Phillip Danault
- Viktor Arvidsson
- Alex Iafallo
- Quinton Byfield
- Kevin Fiala
- Anze Kopitar
- Arthur Kaliyev
- Brandt Clarke
# Staff
# Notes and Quotes
Kopitar has always felt most comfortable with predictable, well-positioned wingers operating tightly within team structure, one reason why the freewheeling Ilya Kovalchuk was a poor fit – something Kopitar and the team acknowledged privately during the throes of the winger’s two-season L.A. tenure.
# Todd McLellan
going in the right direction, but inconsistently
When you scramble it up completely and have three new guys on there, the whole communication thing has to start all over. But those three [Phillip Danault-Trevor Moore-Viktor Arvidsson] have that. They have a tenacity, and they’re unified.
We spend a lot of time talking about release areas – ‘where do I need to be?’ ‘You’re trapped in the corner, where am I going?’ ‘Where do we lay the puck in?’ and to me, that’s how a line develops an identity. They talk about it. They plan for situations.
We have a brand new player there (Fiala), and some of their issues is sometimes they’re playing two different systems. Two are playing one way, the other one is trying to figure it out, and he’s jumping. It does take time to adapt, so we have to be a little more patient there.
the defensive part and the chances they’re giving up have to minimize somewhat.”
We are what we are, and that line has proven to be a really good line for us the way it’s made up. I don’t think they had their best night in Washington, but we also have other lines in the same category. Q, big man. He should be confident right now. He has offensive skills. It’s going to come out eventually. Gabe – tremendous start. Size, puck protection, good shot, much more reliably defensible on the wing, and Arthur can shoot the puck. So, the three of them have to get together and figure out what their identity might be, and we’ve talked to them about that. They’re all big guys, they all have offensive talent, they can all shoot the puck well. They should be able to hold onto pucks and wear other teams down. But sometimes it doesn’t always go that way, and they’ve got to work towards an identity.
[Nikita Kucherov]’s Mahomes, he’s looking here and he’s passing there. He’ pumping and faking and he can throw a whole group of five players off with his deception.
# Brandt Clarke
Soo’s pretty nice, they have some nice [hotels] up there.
[My brother] always makes that joke, that he’s in the ‘Always Hungry League'.
That’s kind of why I’m looking over there. Kind of like ‘wow, they’re here.’ And then I think when the puck drops, the game starts, it doesn’t even cross my mind. I’m battling in front, I’m not even thinking about it.