Kevin Fiala felt right at home in Minnesota return - ‘I feel pretty confident in this arena’
# Kevin Fiala felt right at home in Minnesota return - ‘I feel pretty confident in this arena’
# Contributors
# Players
# Staff
# Summary
The big-name acquisition to fill out the big line the Kings have yearned for got the huge payday that was coming, but had yet to have that large moment with his new club.
# Notes and Quotes
# Kevin Fiala
But that’s how it goes. It goes up and down. The chemistry will come. We’re three good players and I can see our line being very effective. And I think tonight will be the night.
I feel pretty confident in this arena,” he said. “Obviously, I played here a lot of games. It helped for sure.
Some guys connect. Some guys don’t. I’ve known him a long time. We played in Milwaukee before and Nashville before. If you have time with each other as a person like off the ice and on the ice, you have more time to click. I think that was also a big reason. We like each other off the ice. On the ice as well obviously. That’s why we clicked.
It was nice. Seeing the support of the fans — just nice. I enjoyed it. I had fun. But everything else was business. It’s also nice they do it in the start of the game so you can kind of let it go.
I love the fans here. And I think they like me too.
# Todd McLellan
That’s a good point because we can overload with a hundred different things and that doesn’t help him. I think by this point he understands our demeanor. When I say ours, our coaching staff. But also his teammates. Who’s emotional, who isn’t. What gets guys riled up. What’s the boiling point for good and bad. And often for a player, once that gets clarified it’s a lot easier.
From a technical or team standpoint, I think he’s beginning to understand our language. The game can only be played so many ways, so many systems. Often, we can confuse players with the language we use so I think he’s beginning to understand that. And then special teams for us, from a power-play perspective, there’s a lot of change for everybody. Not just for new people coming in and that being Kevin. We’re all adjusting to that.
# Dean Evanson
He’s obviously a gifted hockey player that has special skills and can score. He’s done it throughout his whole career. I’ve seen it for many years. You give him an opportunity, he’s going to put it in the net.
He had a lot of adjustments as a young player coming in, not only to the NHL but obviously to North America. He’s clearly a better player than he was when he first came over.
# Jonny Gaudreau
Most important thing is his passion. He loves the game. I do too. We’ve always had fun playing together.
I think it’s important for a player like him that he has a free mindset in some ways to express himself offensively because he has some of the best skills in the league. He can really just beat guys in places that normally you don’t see. So, it’s important for him to put that mindset into his game. To beat guys. Be an offensive weapon every single night.
I think on my side, I was trying to allow him to do that in some ways and bring some security to that line. Sometimes maybe backing them up a little bit more and letting these guys express themselves. But it was just fun to play with a guy like that. He’s a fun guy to show up to the rink with every day. Fun game to play on the same line.