LA Kings: Mikey Anderson reflects on rookie season in NHL

LA Kings defenseman Mikey Anderson recently appeared on the Hockey Royalty Podcast. Here’s a recap of what he had to say.

On what it’s like playing with LA Kings superstar Drew Doughty

It’s pretty crazy. It’s funny when I come home and talk to some of my buddies, they all ask the same question, but when I look back three, four, or five years ago, you never think something like this would ever happen. But, he’s the ultimate guy, the ultimate player, he does it all. Like, if you’re a young guy coming in to get an opportunity to play with him, it’s something not very many people get to do, but he’s a guy that obviously everyone sees the way he plays.

You know, I think it’s more impressive behind the scenes what he does to make younger guys feel more comfortable. how loose he can keep the locker room, keep everyone feeling good about themselves, and at the same time, lays the hammer down when he needs to. Yeah, it’s pretty surreal and this year was kind of a whirlwind going through all of that, but it was such a good experience.

Thoughts on his lone goal from the LA Kings 2020-21 season

Yeah, it was kind of funny because I think I was kind of up in the rush, and I was just getting ready to skate back to the point — maybe even go for a line change, if I remember correctly, one of the two. I was kind of coming out of the zone and saw the puck coming in. I was like, “Well, I’ll just keep my head up and see what happens.” Of course, it takes the biggest hop off the boards, and my eyes couldn’t have been wider.

I was like, “Oh crap, I didn’t know I was the only one here.”
Then, I was laughing because once it goes in off the back, I asked someone, “Did I have a lot more time?”
They were like, “Yeah, there was no one anywhere near you.”
But obviously, when it came and popped out, I was kind of panicked. I was like, “I just gotta try to get this off,” and luckily it went in — thankful it dropped for me.

On his goals for his next season with the LA Kings

Defensively, I like what I had personally done this year. I thought me and Drew [Doughty] worked really well together in our own end and breaking pucks out, defending well. As time continues to grow, I think I have more offense I can provide for the team — at least help out a little bit more, trying to keep some plays alive, maybe generate a few more chances. The way I play the game and all that, it all kind of stems from the D-zone and being a good shut-down guy.

Yeah, I think I have more to give in the offensive front, but at the same time, you gotta, you know, still, the main focus for me is trying to shut down some of the other teams’ top players.

[Doughty and I] also talk about who his favorite players were growing up, the Viktor Arvidsson trade, best alternate LA Kings sweater, golf, and much more.

You can listen to the entire episode below.

Hockey Royalty Podcast Episode 27 with LA Kings Mikey Anderson