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LA Kings: After Clearing, “Integrating” is Next for Brendan Lemieux

By Ryan Cowley

Mar 15, 2021; New York, New York, USA; Wearing a "Hockey Fights Cancer" jersey, Brendan Lemieux #48 of the New York Rangers skates in warm-ups prior to the game against the Philadelphia Flyers at Madison Square Garden on March 15, 2021 in New York City. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Bennett/POOL PHOTOS-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 15, 2021; New York, New York, USA; Wearing a "Hockey Fights Cancer" jersey, Brendan Lemieux #48 of the New York Rangers skates in warm-ups prior to the game against the Philadelphia Flyers at Madison Square Garden on March 15, 2021 in New York City. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Bennett/POOL PHOTOS-USA TODAY Sports /
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After clearing the mandatory COVID protocol, forward Brendan Lemieux is one step closer to making his debut for the LA Kings.

When he was acquired on Mar. 27, there were questions surrounding Brendan Lemieux and how he would fit in on an already deep LA Kings depth chart. Those wondering will hopefully have some questions answered soon as Lemieux, who was recently cleared from the COVID Protocol list, will likely make his LA Kings debut this week.

While he already ruled out Lemieux being available for tonight’s game vs. Arizona, LA Kings head coach Todd McLellan did say that his club’s newest acquisition still needs some time to adjust to his new scenery. For now, McLellan, who spoke with the media following practice on Monday, and his staff are focused on the next step.

“He’s cleared,” the head coach said of Lemieux. “Obviously, integrating him is the next step.”

The LA Kings’ bench boss took some time to elaborate on said integration.

“So, we just saw him this morning for the first time basically,” McLellan added. “Getting him familiar with just his surroundings, his new teammates, coaching staff, structure, how we play things. It’ll take a day or two.”

As of now, the LA Kings coaching staff remain patient but eager.

“He won’t be in the lineup tonight, but he’ll have a good practice tomorrow with us,” McLellan noted. “And then moving forward, we’ll throw him to the wolves, for lack of a better term, and I think he’ll be able to handle it just fine.”

When he does eventually suit up for the LA Kings, Brendan Lemieux will be joining his third team in four years. For some, this may be cause for concern but given his physical prowess and his knack for being a pest — a role effectively played by his father, Claude — Brendan Lemieux is expected to give the silver-and-black an edge that has been more or less lacking for the LA Kings’ forward corps for quite some time. At 6-foot-1, 213 pounds, Lemieux certainly has the size to back it up.

For now, the 25-year-old will look to fit in with a team that has no shortage of forwards, but we will see in due time just how Brendan Lemieux fares in an LA Kings uniform.

The LA Kings will hope to put a halt to their two-game losing streak on Monday night when they play host to the Arizona Coyotes.

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