Kings News & Rumors: Doughty, Quarter-Century Team & Clarke

Dennis Bernstein of The Fourth Period reported earlier today that Doughty will be paired up with Jacob Moverare to start and that he will immediately go back to quarterbacking the first power play unit. 

The defensive group without Doughty has done tremendously well defensively. However, the team as a whole is struggling offensively. Doughty’s return should make an immediate impact. His ability to move the puck up the ice, join the rush, and breakout himself if he needs to will bolster the Kings’ offensive attack and hopefully help them spend more time in the offensive zone. A struggling power play would also welcome in Doughty’s assets. 

What Is Going On With Clarke?

Changes to the Kings’ defensive group were bound to happen with Doughty returning. With him back, someone needs to come out unless Hiller decides to run 11 forwards and seven defensemen, something that he has been comfortable doing. 

Even though Clarke may still play tonight due to Fiala being a game-time decision (illness), right now one thing is clear. Clarke was/is the one who will be a healthy scratch. 

The decision to sit Clarke is a bit of a head-scratcher. Through 47 games played, he leads all Kings defensemen in points with 24. Unfortunately for him, offensive production as a defenseman doesn’t get you very far with this Kings’ coaching staff. 

After the first 10 games this season, Clarke got off to a terrific start. He had 10 points, was quarter-backing the first power play unit, and was playing an average of 19 minutes a night. Hiller was asked at that time, how he thought Clarke was playing. Even though it seemed Clarke was playing well and contributing in multiple ways, Hiller’s comments weren’t as convincing. 

“He’s had a good start point-wise for sure. He’s taken some risk that’s helped him get those points, he’s taken some risk that’s cost us the other way, which don’t always go in the column quite as much, so I’m just really cautious with that. He’s a good offensive player, there’s no question, he just has to play a complete game.”

It’s no secret that Clarke isn’t the most reliable when it comes to pure defense, but he’s an offensive defenseman. That’s the trade-off you make when someone with that kind of offensive talent on the back end is on your team. It’s the same kind of thing when talking about the Oilers’ Evan Bouchard, or the New Jersey Devils’ Dougie Hamilton. Neither are terrific in their own end but they add layers to their team’s offensive game that is super impactful.

As of late, Clarke’s minutes have diminished and he was replaced by Jordan Spence on the first power play unit. Hiller has been less and less thrilled with how Clarke has been playing on the defensive side of the puck and his ice time and deployment in different situations have altered. Clarke is young and developing and while he has 100% struggled defensively, he has been a positive force at the other end.

It’s kind of funny that a team that is struggling immensely at putting the puck in the net has opted to scratch the one player who has been able to produce the most from the back end. Adding Doughty should have given the Kings a one-two punch offensively with him and Clarke, but that’s not how the Kings like to win hockey games, even though they haven’t been doing a lot of that as of late, having lost their last six of eight games. 

The drama of Clarke potentially being scratched prompted ESPN analyst/insider Kevin Weekes to make this comment. 

It’s not like general manager Rob Blake hasn’t made irrational moves in the past, which unfortunately wouldn’t make him dealing Clarke necessarily a shocking move. Regardless, it’s hard to believe that this is something the Kings are actually thinking about. It would be foolish to think that being scratched for one game is automatic grounds for a team thinking of trading the player. There could be many reasons as to why Clarke was chosen to sit aside from his defensive struggles. Mikey Anderson and Vladislav Gavrikov have been an elite pair all season, so breaking them up is probably not something Hiller wants to do while Doughty is getting acclimated. Spence has really stepped up his game recently, so it would be hard to justify taking him out.

On a “defense first” team, Clarke has been the worst at it out of any other Kings defenseman, which made him the only viable option in Hiller’s mind. Although it’s the wrong decision for multiple reasons including the fact that this team can’t score, I can’t imagine he will be scratched for more than a couple of games or that trading him has even crossed Blake’s mind. 

NHL Reveals Kings’ Quarter Century Team

Ever since Jan.1, the NHL has been unveiling the First and Second Quarter-Century Teams for each franchise that has played since 2000. The teams are voted on by media, retired players, and executives specific to the team. Today, the Kings’ teams were revealed. 

First Team: Forwards – Dustin Brown, Jeff Carter, Anze Kopitar. Defenseman – Drew Doughty, Alec Martinez. Goaltender – Jonathan Quick

All five of those players were the face of the organization during their spectacular years during the mid-2010s. All five of them were a part of both the teams that brought the Stanley Cup back to Los Angeles in 2012 and 2014. 

Second Team: Forwards – Adrian Kempe, Ziggy Palffy, Justin Williams. Defenseman – Mattias Norstrom, Lubomir Visnovsky. Goaltender – Felix Potvin 

The second team consists of older faces as well as current star Kempe and “Mr. Overtime” Justin Williams. 

There were a lot of different things surrounding the Kings today, probably the most amount of news and rumors at one time so far this season as they get ready for game three of their five-game road trip tonight in the Sunshine State.