Olli Maatta likes LA Kings playoff chances in 2021 season
Olli Maatta spoke with LA Kings media after Day 2 of training camp. He likes the team’s chances of making the playoffs.
Arguably the biggest priority this offseason, the LA Kings acquired left-shot defenseman Olli Maatta from the Chicago Blackhawks to give Drew Doughty a legitimate partner on the team’s top pairing. He was the first to speak with LA Kings media following Day 2 of training camp.
(some quotes have been revised for clarity and conciseness)
On playing with Drew Doughty and expectations for the 2021 season
Yeah, we skated a lot actually last summer. He’s obviously a guy that I always loved to watch play. And it was awesome. We would skate together in the summer, so you could actually see what he does on the ice.
So I think it’s awesome to be playing with him now and obviously, I’m just excited. I think it’s a great opportunity for myself, and I think, especially looking at the guys we have, we have a lot of established older guys, who know how to win.
I think the younger guys are looking really good, they’re hungry. I think they’re pushing everybody to get better. Everybody’s fighting for the spots right now. And I think when the season starts, I think we’re going to be ready.
On the roster having very few veteran players and connecting with younger players
Well, I think the thing is we all have the same goal here. We want to win, so that’s what we’re working towards. And I think when we have something you working towards together, that obviously brings everybody closer. I think the guys here — at least the three weeks that I’ve been in LA now — I think the guys are awesome. They take you in.
They welcome you really well. They’re all awesome guys. And it’s easy to come into a team like this. And the younger guys and the older guys are mixing pretty well together.
On being traded from the Chicago Blackhawks to the LA Kings
I was excited. I knew the Kings have been through a rebuild the last couple of years and they haven’t been awesome. They’ve been tough years. Nobody’s happy. It’s not easy to do that. But I think that we’re definitely on the other side of it. I think looking at the guys we have, we have a lot of good players here.
The older guys here, who, obviously, are still great players. We have young guys who are really, really good. And I, especially these last two scrimmages, you can see how hungry everybody is just to get back at it.
LA Kings defenseman Olli Maatta was asked if he’s played with anyone similar to Drew Doughty.
On if there’s any advantage playing with Drew (Doughty) versus someone he’s unfamiliar with
I think that’s a tough one. I guess it kind of gives you gives the idea of what to expect, what to get ready for. But I don’t know how much different would it be than last summer going to Chicago and not sure who I will be playing with. So it’s like…I don’t really know how to how to think about that.
On how the LA Kings stack up in the West Division
I feel good. Honestly, I do. I think there’s a great chance here. Four teams make the playoffs. I think that definitely has to be our goal. And I think we can for sure do it. There’s a lot of good teams in it. There’s not going to be easy games, but I think we’re a good team. I really do.
On whether time zones will play a factor this year
I actually haven’t looked at the first month of a schedule. I haven’t looked at the rest of it that closely. So I don’t know how the travel goes on, but it’ll be definitely interesting to see when you lose or gain a couple of hours, how’s that gonna affect you. But honestly, I think most guys know how to handle it.
I wouldn’t think it would be such a big difference, but you never know. I mean, this season obviously the NHL did a great job. Everybody’s just excited to get back to playing obviously. It’s not good, not normal, and it is what it is, but I think we’re excited to play.
On moving cities during a pandemic
I think the house hunting was a little different than I am used to. Last summer, I went to Chicago pretty early and I was able to go look around at places nice and early and get settled. And this year is obviously a little different.
I’m staying home just for the COVID reasons, just making sure of what’s happening, and in which country, so that was definitely one of the things. But other than that, I think things went pretty well. I don’t think it really affected me too much. I think I’ve got settled in nicely here.
Olli Maatta said he hopes to get more special teams play with the LA Kings
On Drew Doughty suggesting you both have similar styles of play
Well, we do think the game the same way. And that’s a big thing. I think especially the last two days being with him…he talks a lot, so that’s one of the key things. We have to both just communicate — like what do you like to do in different situations? So when the game comes, you know, it’s automatic.
You can’t really think and hesitate out there. It has to come naturally. But I think all the things in the last two days, I think it’s felt pretty good. Especially breaking out on the blue line. I think I almost already know where he’s going to be and, it feels like there isn’t a big gap in how we approach a game.
On whether Drew Doughty is similar to anyone he’s played with before
I think he’s one of the best D-men league, I do. And he’s definitely shown that. And I think he’s a little different. I can’t really think of anybody who kind of plays like that. He understands the game so well. And he sees the ice, and I feel like he’s just making the right plays all the time. I guess he’s just Drew Doughty.
On what he learned from Sidney Crosby and Jonathan Toews
I think just the work they put in every day. Both of them on and off the ice. I think that’s huge. They’re awesome guys. They’re really, really good to everybody. They take everybody into teams like it’s nothing. Young guys, it seems like everybody who came whether it was Pittsburgh or Chicago, were welcomed, and right away it didn’t it take long to get settled in.
Because that’s what it takes. When you have new guests coming in, you have to be a team right away. You don’t have that time to get to know the guy. It’s always started from those guys. I think they were awesome, but then the other thing, how professional they were on the ice — how much work they put in, how much time they probably think in a game.
They’ve definitely been taking care of their bodies and staying healthy. I think that was something I’ve definitely learned from those guys.
On what he considers to be the strengths of his game
Yeah, I think one of the things is, I gotta be reliable and solid. The breakouts are one thing. I think we have to get out of our own zone quickly and that’s what I take pride in obviously. It’s a two-parter in today’s game. You got to get the puck to your forwards. That way, you don’t spend so much time in your own zone defending. I get tired there and then you kind of lose the momentum in the game.
Other things, just defending, especially within the offensive zone, just shutting down plays nice and early. That way, it just makes it easy for everybody. I think that’s the way he (Doughty) thinks the game, too. Obviously, the less time you spend in your own zone, the more time you’re going to be offensive zone, and that’s how good things happen.
On getting time during special teams in Pittsburgh.
I think being on the powerplay went down a little bit the more I progressed in my career. The penalty kill was always there. Five on five. yeah, definitely all that, but I think powerplay — that’s something I’ve always wanted to work on more, just be more reliable offensively to produce more there.
But not taking anything away, not giving up anything on the other side of the game. So I think that’s something I’ll always think of how I can produce more offensively without giving up anything. That’s something I’ve been working on and trying, still trying to work on.