Kings showing glimpses of full potential
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Today: Kings at Maple Leafs, 5 p.m., ESPN
The Kings set their compasses north for the first extended road trip of their season, a four-game tour that will begin tonight in Toronto against the Maple Leafs.
They'll also take on the Ottawa Senators and Philadelphia Flyers with a travel day between each game, then enjoy a three-day layoff before a rematch with the Vegas Golden Knights, to whom they fell, 4-3, in a shootout on Saturday at Crypto.com Arena.
“Toronto, Ottawa, Philly, they're all having real good starts, it's not an easy trip. There isn't a night where you can show up with your `B' game,” coach Todd McLellan said. “Each team is playing a little different, they have strengths and weaknesses that may differ from the others, but we're going to have our group rested [after the] first back-to-back for our group, and then be prepared to play.”
Through eight games, expectations have escalated but the Kings' results have closely mirrored those of the previous two seasons. They've won four of their first eight games, just like last season, albeit with less drastic swings than the ones that defined a 2021-22 campaign that saw them sandwich a seven-game surge between winless streaks of six and five games, respectively.
Still, there have been glimpses of the club's full potential, at times on the Kings' two-game trip earlier this month and, as center Phillip Danault remarked, during their switches-flipped frenzy of a comeback against the Arizona Coyotes on Friday.
“We could feel the power of our team, when we were playing our game,” Danault said.
Danault also spoke to the second power-play unit, saying it was a “matter of time” before it became more dangerous. The Kings have seen a year-over-year dip in power-play efficiency overall thus far (from 25.3% to 16.7%), with the first unit accounting for three goals, the second group contributing two and a makeshift quintet of role players being rewarded in a game that was out of reach scoring the sixth.
The most significant changes were Quinton Byfield's addition to that second unit in place of the injured Viktor Arvidsson as well as the switch of quarterbacks from Sean Durzi, who was traded to Arizona, to Jordan Spence. Arthur Kaliyev has shown flashes of brilliance previously, but he has seen his role change a bit. All three men were still in search of their first power-play point of 2023-24 entering today's games.
Byfield, however, has been wiggling closer and closer to a breakout performance offensively. He's on pace for 41 points, which would nearly double his total from last season, and there are indicators that his production could accelerate. Via Money Puck, Byfield tops the Kings in on-ice goal percentage and expected onice goal percentage, as well as Fenwick-for percentage. In expected goals, he has out-performed this year's team leader in actual goals, Trevor Moore, and trailed only last year's top sniper, Adrian Kempe, perennial points leader Anze Kopitar and this season's marquee acquisition, Pierre-Luc Dubois.
“There's a big difference between being confident and unsure of yourself. Right now, he's confident,” said McLellan, who said Byfield had “earned” that confidence. “How did that happen? It happened through work, through time — it didn't happen through stats, because we're still wondering if he can keep scoring.”
From a first-line forward who was a No. 2 overall pick to a fourth-liner who carved his niche as a role player after being selected in the first round, Trevor Lewis has chipped in two goals in his past three games and continued to provide value on the penalty kill. McLellan said he could be an inspiration for other players trying to find their lane on a crowded NHL highway.
“Trevor was drafted as a high-end scorer, but he's won two (Stanley) Cups because he's been able to adjust his game,” McLellan said.
The Kings' next opponent has no shortage of former lottery picks and even multiple No. 1 overall selections with John Tavares (11 points) and Auston Matthews (10 points). Toronto is paced by William Nylander's dozen points in what has been an oft-discussed contract year for the 27-year-old Swedish forward.
In goal, Ilya Samsonov entered the season as the starter but has been outplayed thus far by Joseph Woll, 25, who has won three straight decisions while allowing just two goals and stopping 95 shots.