How Will the Los Angeles Kings Substitute Drew Doughty

Do the Kings Look Internally or Externally to Substitute Drew Doughty?

Dave Pagnotta of the Fourth Interval joined Scott Laughlin and Gord Stellick on Sirius XM NHL Community Radio Morning Skate and was requested what the Los Angeles Kings will do to switch injured defenseman Drew Doughty. He acknowledged there are a few choices on the desk.

NHLRumors.com Transcriptions

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Scott Laughlin: “Dave Pagnotta with us right here on the NHL Morning Skate. And Dave You and DB Dennis Bernstein have all the time been fairly near that Los Angeles state of affairs. Are you able to provide up an excellent opinion right here on how the Kings go ahead with out Drew Doughty, presumably for a few months?

So it seems like, and I feel that is the best strategy to go about it, not less than in the meanwhile, that they’re going to attempt to backfill internally in making an attempt to switch all of the minutes and accountability he takes on, even into the latter phases of his profession. So whether or not it’s Jordan Spence or Brandt Clarke. What do you consider the Kings, not less than, with the ability to tread water till they get their primary defenseman again.”

Dave Pagnotta: “Yeah. And the most important factor for them is the truth that, I suppose, Drew’s not going to be out for the total season. The anticipation that he’s going to be again in two or three months. And that offers sure alternative for some guys to step up.

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And you understand when the mindset, the planning phases had been in place, they introduced in Joel Edmondson. They needed him to be the anchor on a pair with Brandt Clarke, enable Clarke to do his factor offensively. And not less than, you’ve acquired a man who’s large, bodily and may maintain his personal, he can maintain his personal within the zone, there’s going to be a chance for grant Clarke, and as you mentioned, Jordan Spence they usually initially began Kyle Burroughs subsequent to Mikey Anderson on the highest there to see if they will, not less than,  form of maintain the fort.

You’re not going to switch a Drew Doughty. No crew just isn’t going to have the ability to try this. However you are able to do sufficient over the two-three months he’s going to be out to maintain a strong sufficient tempo of play, however you possibly can nonetheless be a part of the playoff image. After which, as soon as Drew comes again and permit your self to propel from there.

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It’s a distinct sort of state of affairs versus dropping one among their top-tier guys. You realize, it’s a trickier state of affairs. This crew has a good quantity of depth up entrance, however on the again finish, how will they replicate any sort of tempo of play that Drew Doughty can deliver?

Nicely, you possibly can’t. So, are you able to modify your recreation a bit of bit, and may a few of their guys step up so as to present not solely a two-way model, but in addition form of deal with the offense, and, you understand, a few of the offense that they misplaced and making an allowance for what Drew can do in case you can form of replicate a few of that offense within the first third of the season, they need to be in fine condition when it comes to playoff rivalry, however plenty of it’ll rely on a few of their youthful guys.

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Such as you mentioned Brandt Clarke and Jordan Spence. On the similar time, how is Darcy Kuemper going to carry out? Is he going to have the ability to step up? You’re going to wish just a few guys on the Kings crew to step up with out Doughty the lineup. They really feel they’ve acquired sufficient depth to do it, they usually’ve acquired a tiny little bit of cap area.

What they notice that, you understand, the primary month that they’re not capable of do one thing, they will discover and check out to usher in anyone in that, 1.5 to $2 million vary. That’s realistically the kind of cap area that they’ve on the similar time, guys, we’ve additionally been form of exploring the fourth line heart place.

They had been form of seeking to see if they will fill that void internally. It appears to be like like they’re going to finally look outdoors the membership to attempt to tackle that want in a while within the season.”