LA Kings: Kurtis MacDermid perfect for Matt Greene role with team
By Ryan Cowley
Limited to the LA Kings seventh defenseman, Kurtis MacDermid is looking to expand his role in the upcoming season and become the next Matt Greene.
Some could suggest that the era where size wins championships is, in a word, passé. Of course, while the LA Kings have evolved since their championships days — replacing some size with more speed, for instance — the team continues to stress the importance of size and physical prowess.
Enter Kurtis MacDermid.
After spending the past five seasons between the AHL and the NHL, MacDermid took part in his first full season with the LA Kings in 2019-20. In 45 games for the big club last season, the 6-foot-5, 233-pound defenseman dished out a whopping 95 hits. He even scored three goals and five assists along the way. Overall, a player of MacDermid’s size continues to have the ability to strike fear into opponents, regardless of era.
Like the LA Kings did over the past few years, MacDermid needed to evolve his game — something the 26-year-old has been doing this past offseason and in training camp.
On Friday, MacDermid spoke to the media about this, including which areas of his game have improved most.
“I think it’s just overall gaming,” MacDermid noted. “Understanding what I need to do each night to, you know, help the team win and just do my job efficiently. I think skating has been a huge part. Especially with the game being faster now, I have to always work on my skating. So, I think that’s a big part that’s grown, in my mind.”
Entering what hopes to be his second full season with the LA Kings, trust will be key for MacDermid.
Having averaged 13:23 of ice time in 2019-20, the towering blueliner will look to increase those numbers while giving his coaches the confidence to put him in more critical situations this season.
“Yeah, for sure,” MacDermid continued. “I mean, that’s all about developing and, you know, getting better as a player, so– and that’s what they want, you know– need to do is step up in those important roles and be able to deliver for the team. So, I think that’s a– you know, that’s a huge compliment for me, but I just want to keep it back on and help the team as best as possible.”
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Signed as a free agent by the LA Kings in 2012, Kurtis MacDermid was brought in by then-general manager Dean Lombardi to add more size to the then-Stanley Cup champions. While the look of the LA Kings front office has changed since then, though, some aspects of the club’s look have remained the same. The size factor, albeit to a lesser extent, is no exception to this. While this is where Kurtis MacDermid fits in, the native of Sauble Beach, Ont., is not inclined to be complacent, to rest on his laurels, if you will, as a big defenseman who can dish out timely hits.
When watching him on the ice, MacDermid draws comparisons to Matt Greene, and justifiably so. Like MacDermid, Greene was a big, fearless defenseman and a fierce competitor. Furthermore, MacDermid could also draw more comparisons to Greene in the future. Perhaps helping to earn another Stanley Cup. Then again, let’s not put the proverbial cart before the horse.
Whatever the case may be — or will be — Kurtis MacDermid has shown the LA Kings coaching staff this training camp that he is not only serious about making the team but serious about helping the team restore its success from nearly a decade ago.