LA Kings’ Trevor Moore: I’ve Been Fortunate This Year

This season, Trevor Moore has proven that he’s much more than a hometown boy as the Thousand Oaks native is enjoying a career year with the LA Kings.

When he scored in Arizona on Monday night, it marked his fourth point in five games. But, this type of consistency has come to be expected from Trevor Moore, who has been one of the biggest bright spots for the LA Kings this season.

Having already achieved career-highs this season in goals (10), assists (13), and points (23), the native of Thousand Oaks, CA, isn’t content to put himself in cruise control, if you will, for the remainder of the season. Instead, Moore, who is set to become a restricted free agent this summer, is taking this opportunity to prove that he deserves a new contract.

Following practice on Tuesday, Moore spoke with the media about his success thus far.

“I’ve been fortunate this year,” the 26-year-old said. “I’ve been given a good opportunity [and] just trying to make the best out of it. So, yeah, I mean, I think that that’s the goal, for sure, [to] take on more.”

Asked whether there was a certain method or secret, even, to his impressive play as of late, the left-winger was honest in his response.

“Not really,” Moore admitted. “I think just trying to be consistent with my– how I approach every day and every game, and I kind of believe that the offense would come and it is right now, which is great. Also getting some great help for my linemates and all that. So yeah, just trying to get rolling here.”

Moore’s consistency with the Kings, it can be argued, is similar to that of Anze Kopitar’s. While he may not be nearly as established as the Kings captain, though, Moore nonetheless absorbs a lot in what Kopitar sets as an example of how to help lead his team towards success.

Moore spoke of Kopitar’s impact, especially at this juncture where the veteran is on the cusp of hitting the prestigious 1000-point plateau.

“I honestly can’t even wrap my head around it,” Moore said of Kopitar’s fast-approaching milestone. “Like, it’s unbelievable to be that close to 1000 points, and it doesn’t happen by accident. The guy does it right every single day. He’s here early, he’s always a guy you can follow and look up to and, you know, super happy for him.”

En route to the Kings’ win in Arizona on Monday, Moore was paired on a line with the franchise’s blue-chip prospect, Quinton Byfield, and had nothing but great things to say about the youngster.

“You’ve got to keep reminding yourself that he’s 18,” he noted without hesitation. “I mean, the kid– he’s talented, [he] skates well, he’s confident. I think he looks great out there, wins a lot of faceoffs. He does a lot of stuff really well. He’s an exciting player and I look forward to keep watching him grow.”

Unfortunately for Byfield, what would have been his first-career NHL point was taken away on Monday night. On Trevor Moore’s aforementioned equalizer, Byfield had won the faceoff before Moore sniped it over Darcy Kuemper’s shoulder. On a closer look, though, the bouncing puck actually did not touch Byfield at all, bouncing right to Moore instead, who released the quick shot to score.

“Didn’t really talk about it too much,” Moore said of discussing the goal with Byfield. “I honestly just thought he got it. I feel like he made that play happen.

“Whether he touched it or not, I don’t know how that really happens, but yeah, I thought he was great and I think he should have got that one.”

While they aren’t quite a playoff team yet, the LA Kings do have some promising pieces for their short-term future. Trevor Moore, whether or not he was expected to be, is one of those pieces. So, you can bet that his new contract will be a priority for general manager Rob Blake this offseason. Of course, given his solid play, you can anticipate that Trevor Moore will be asking for a raise from his current annual salary of $775,000.

He was one of the brightest spots for the silver-and-black this season, which leads to a palpable sense of excitement for next season when Trevor Moore is set to contribute to an LA Kings ready to make that next step.