So.... It's been a while... but without any further, here is your Royal Ally Report.
The Kings, who started out slow after lifting their franchise's first stanley cup, began to feel the wear and tear of battle as they lost Matt Greene in game 1, and until the playoffs. Willie Mitchell has also been rehabbing and offseason knee injury since the start of the training camp. Now, Alec Martinez is also out with an unknown injury. That my friends is half of the LA Kings starting d-core. Half of your cup winning defenseman. The average age of our D-men in the playoffs was: 28.3 years of age. Now, in come Keaton Ellerby, Jake Muzzin, and Davis Drewiske (the healthy scratch of the playoffs). The D is much less experienced, and the Kings traded Andrei Loktionov, Simone Gagne, and a 5th round pick, to acquire what they have now. Of course the trash cans acquired in these deals are conditional, so, with the exception of Keaton Ellerby, the kings may have got nothing, not even replacements for their garbage, in these deals. The new average age of the Top 6 is: 26. Thats nearly a two and a half year difference.
So in come the new young defenseman, Ellerby, and Muzzin. Then we have the rise of Slava Voynov, (only 23 years old), who is playing the best hockey of his life right now. Drewiske, who was promoted to see some power play time, due to the fact he has shown Head Coach Darryl Sutter that he can shoot the puck as well, not just head butt it. Ellerby has played like the big man he is at 6'5" 221 lbs. He has been decent at moving the puck, but he looks hard to knock down. Then there's rookie defenseman Jake Muzzin. Muzzin, who has two goals on the year as of last night, has played stellar on the power play, and cashed in big last night against Anaheim, with a laser of a wrist shot that beat Viktor Fasth. The Kings handed Fasth his 1st loss of the year, and his record is now 8-1-0.
So, the Kings are back, right? Since a tough last second loss to Detroit on February 11, the Kings have won 6 out of their last 7 games, and four in a row. They now have a lot more games at Staples Center coming up, and with this roll they have, and the noise and passion of the home fans, I expect the Kings to keep it going. I remember thinking after the win in Edmonton, "ok, the Kings are back." Keep in mind though, we will eventually get Alec Martinez, Matt Greene, and Willie Mitchel back, and when that time comes, the Kings will truly be back. I see them playing the same way they did at the end of last season and in the early playoffs, with a lesser top 6 on defense. Credit to Darryl Sutter? Credit to Kings defensive leaders? Or who else? tell me who you think has earned the most credit from the Kings play, and I may talk about it next week.
Bye for now,
J.K.
The Royal Ally Report
twitter: @jasonkavesh
