LA Kings: Pluses and minuses from training camp

We are just one sleep away from the start of the 2023-24 season for the LA Kings, and there will be a few tweaks to the roster between now and puck drop against the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday night. Here, we’ll take a quick look back at training camp and some of the good and the not-so-good that came out of the past two and a half weeks.

Plus – Alex Laferriere

Whether or not Alex Laferriere sticks on the opening night roster remains to be seen. What was quite noticeable, however, was Laferriere showing he belonged at the NHL level, at least during preseason. In his three tracked games, the Harvard product notched a pair of goals and an assist while dominating possession (64.4% CF%) and expected goals (55.7% xGF%) metrics at 5-on-5 (per Natural Stat Trick).

He certainly didn’t look out of place playing alongside Pierre-Luc Dubois and Kevin Fiala, either:

Laferriere picked up where he left off after his assignment to the Ontario Reign, scoring two goals and adding an assist in his lone AHL preseason game.

For now, Laferriere is an LA King. But there’s expected to be more roster maneuvering prior to Wednesday night.

Minus – Arthur Kaliyev

Perhaps on a related note, Arthur Kaliyev has struggled to find his footing so far. At times, he looks like a good fit with Dubois and Fiala, but more often than not, things haven’t  clicked. To make matters worse, he’s suspended for the first two games of the regular season after his hit on Chase De Leo.

It’s still early days, but we’ve seen Kaliyev be given opportunities in the past and unable to grab them. With players nipping at his heels, the pressure is on the 22-year-old sniper to perform.

Plus – Dubois & Fiala

If there were any doubts about whether or not Dubois and Fiala would work well together, they’ve put an end to that this preseason:

Frankly, it hasn’t mattered who has been on their line. The chemistry between two of General Manager Rob Blake’s recent acquisitions has been instant. While we’ve yet to see them in regular-season action, the duo have been dangerous virtually every time they’re on the ice. Whoever it is that settles in with them is likely to see some big production numbers.

Plus – Jordan Spence

For the past few years, Jordan Spence has been overlooked by many in terms of LA Kings prospects. After back-to-back 40-point seasons in the AHL, Spence has seemed primed to take the next step. Starting the preseason in his home country of Australia, Spence didn’t disappoint, earning First Star honors in the second game:

Much of the conversation around the young LA Kings’ defensemen has been around Brandt Clarke, including the 20-year-old’s recent assignment to the AHL. But Spence continues to go about his business. While his offensive game is his calling card, in his two tracked games from Natural Stat Trick, he was on the ice for just eight scoring chances against in just over 27 minutes of ice-time at 5-on-5; that is the second-fewest among defensemen with at least two games tracked behind only Vladislav Gavrikov.

He appeared set to make the opening night roster on the right side of the Kings’ third defense pairing, though he was sent to Ontario on Monday when the rosters needed to be announced. Whether this is merely a paper transaction and he’ll be back with the Kings for Wednesday night is unknown. Whatever the case may be, he’s likely to spend the bulk of the season in LA, having the opportunity to run the second power play unit.

Minus – Tobias Bjornfot

Things continue to be a struggle for former first-round pick Tobias Bjornfot. The door is wide open for him to settle in as the third-pair left defenseman – and he still might push through it. If he does, it’ll be the organization giving him a vote of confidence and another chance to see if he can stick at the NHL level.

The preseason wasn’t great for Bjornfot. In the two tracked games on Natural Stat Trick, Bjornfot registered a 26.4% CF% (lowest on the team) and a 14.5% xGF% at 5-on-5. The 22-year-old Swedish blueliner still has a smooth skating stride and is capable with the puck on his stick. However, his decision-making with the puck and overall positioning in the defensive zone have made him his own worst enemy.

Plus – Vladislav Gavrikov & Matt Roy

Uncle!

Guys, I get it. I was wrong about the trade. Yet it seems that the pairing of Vladislav Gavrikov and Matt Roy set out each game to remind me of that. In 23 tracked minutes together at 5-on-5, the pair was on the ice for 41 shot attempts for and just six against – a ridiculous 87.2%. They also compiled an 85.9% xGF%.

I’ve had my questions (and still do) about whether there’s enough offense to come from the blue line. Gavrikov and Roy are certainly doing their part in playing in the opponent’s zone, and hopefully, it leads to some added production from the defense corps.

 

Main Photo Credit: Gary A. Vasquez, USA Today

 

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