Ready for a Break?
The Kings certainly are. Although the Kings are 8-1-1 in the last ten games, and the Kings clearly have some serious momentum going on, there’s no question that the Kings will be the beneficiaries of their upcoming 8-day break before the holiday. Who’s out injured?
Ryan Smyth – Smyth has been out for a while, and his absence has been missed. While the Kings have obviously picked up their secondary scoring, and their record has certainly not suffered, Kopitar has certainly missed him. His drive to the net, willingness to do just about anything for the puck, not to mention completely unapologetic and irreplaceable on the power play have been missed. It looks like, barring a set back, that Smyth will be back after the break, ready to help the Kings solidify their playoff credentials, and continue to help Kopitar grow into the superstar that he looks like he’s becoming.
Jack Johnson – A recent addition to the injury list, he took a puck off the ankle and… well… that hurts. While he’ll miss the game against Calgary (Alec Martinez has been called up to replace him for the game), he should be back in action after the break and ready to continue his strong, though far from flawless play. We’ll have a bigger recap of the team in the coming days.
Jarret Stoll – Another big player out, Stoll is another major piece on the power play, and the Kings have certainly missed his booming shot from the point. As a centerpiece on the 2nd line, Stoll left the Kings loss against Vancouver with a groin injury, but is also projected to return after the break.
Wayne Simmonds – Unfortunately this last piece isn’t looking to be back immediately after the break. In fact, it’s entirely possible that he’ll be out until after the OLYMPIC break. While his gritty play, and never-ending heart will be missed, he’s probably the most “expendable” on this list, especially if the above three all come back at full-strength. To look at the silver lining, Simmonds being out may keep a slot open for some of the achieving youngsters (as if Simmonds isn’t one) to prove something in the meantime. It can only help to let them get a taste of the big game.
In general the break will be good (hopefully) for the Kings. If you told anyone in the league they’ll get their top line winger, 2nd line center and a top 4 defenseman back, they’d take it. The Kings are no different. They’ll need to continue to roll, and hopefully aren’t going to continue to rely on the stars for scoring when Smyth gets back, but if they continue to push together, they’ll be in great shape.
Up next: Calgary Flames