In practice this past week for head coach Jim Hiller and the Los Angeles Kings, the fans in Southern California got their first look at the new active roster lineup projected for the team in the West this regular season with star forward Artemi Panarin, Quinton Byfield, and winger Adrian Kempe.
Where Artemi Panarin was slotted for Jim Hiller in the Los Angeles Kings first practice in the Olympics break this month in February?
One big takeaway from the Kings and Hiller's practice active roster lines this past week a few days ago at the Toyota Sports Performance Center on Feb. 18 and 19 was the pairing of Byfield on the wing with center captain Anze Kopitar.
"I wouldn’t say to expect it for the rest of the season. It looks like he’s going to start there. We’ll just start there and see where things go, but I wouldn’t say it’s 100 percent the way it will end up."Jim Hiller on Byfield
Zach Dooley of LA Kings Insider reported last week that Hiller and the Kings would first look to have Panarin on a line with the top-six forward lines core group this regular season in the West with Alex Laferriere and Kempe.
"Laf is a right shot and on your forehand, it’s an easier pass, so as a right shot, it’s most natural to pass it to your left, Panarin is going to be on his left, so that is part of the equation. I thought, actually, they had some chemistry today already, I think it looks to be pretty easy to have chemistry with Panarin. He makes a lot of good offensive plays, they had some pretty good plays going."Jim Hiller on Panarin and Laferriere
Forward Taylor Ward reportedly filled in on the active roster lineup in practice for Hiller and the Kings in Kempe's spot this past week in team drills.
At practice this past week on Wednesday and Thursday, the Kings reportedly used the following active roster lines core group for the forward lines core in team drills.
Forwards
Byfield – Kopitar – Moore
Panarin – Laferriere – Ward
Kuzmenko – Turcotte – Perry
Foegele – Helenius – Malott
Forward Jeff Malott also got some run in practice in team drills for the Kings this past week with the active roster lines with the core forward group in the top six with Laferrere at the center position and Panarin at the winger position for Hiller and the staff.
Malott and Ward could both be involved in the active roster lineup offensively in the zone for the Kings and Hiller this regular season in the West when the team returns from the Olympics break for three weeks this upcoming week vs. Vegas on Feb. 25.
The injuries the Kings and Hiller have dealt with this regular season in the Pacific Division in the West could be getting closer to trending in the right direction for the team late this month. Hiller gave an update on the status of defenseman Mikey Anderson and center Alex Turcotte in practice on the injury front late this past week at the Toyota Sports Performance Center in El Segundo.
"Healthier. We don’t disclose everything that’s going on, but I would say healthier. I think it probably looks like some players that we have to play will have to play through some things, even after the break, guys still won’t be 100 percent. I think it’s trending [in the right direction]."Hiller
We'll continue to have updates on the injury front and regarding Panarin's practices in team drills with the team this upcoming week in the West in the Pacific Division.