NHL Rumors: The Los Angeles Kings Have a Couple of Issues to Start the Season

The Los Angeles Kings have a couple of issues as the season is about to open

The Fourth Period: (youtube video) Dennis Bernstein and David Pagnotta discuss the Los Angeles Kings issues – fourth-line center and no Drew Doughty for several months.

** NHLRumors.com transcription

Pagnotta: “The LA Kings are here.”

Bernstein: “They are.”

Pagnotta: “They’ve been gear, gearing up for the regular season. And there are a couple issues that this team may be facing, the fourth-line center position, and of course, who’s going to step up in the absence of Drew Doughty, who had successful surgery and he’s out for a few months.”

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Bernstein: “Yeah, well, look, I don’t think any players irreplaceable, other than maybe Connor McDavid or Auston Matthews. While Drew may not be irreplaceable, he’s the hardest player to replace on this team.

So for the moment, Kyle Burroughs is going to step into the third right-defense position. You have Brandt Clarke there, whose minutes are certainly going to increase, and Jordan Spence as well.

But it’s going to be not only hole in the lineup, a hole in the locker room, and guys are going to have to step up. You hear all the cliches. Everybody’s going to have to do a little bit more in Drew’s absence. Looks like two to three months.

It’s difficult. You know, they talk about teams bonding on the road. The Kings start with seven straight on the road, Dave. It’s tough when you’re on the road and you don’t have the matchups and you don’t have Dew Doughty in the lineup.

So I’m really eager to see, I think the kings would be pleased to come home, let’s say .500, 3-3-1. And they have a tough time playing in Buffalo. The first two, the last two games in Buffalo, Dave combined scores, 13-0. So that might be a schedule loss for the Kings, but they’re trying to find their way.

But last Thursday night, you saw what Quentin Byfield can do. You see the potential of this player. And I’ve said that he’s been turning into a man, but when you look at him in locker room, he’s gained more weight. He’s about 230, 6′ 5″. The way he played, he’s been a dominant player in the middle, even though it’s preseason. But the excitement’s there, and it’s hard not to be excited over the progression of Quinton Byfield as the season starts.”

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