3 Los Angeles Kings players who stood out during the preseason

The Los Angeles Kings preseason came to an end on Saturday night as they would lose 4-1 to the Florida Panthers but would finish with a 4-1-1 record over their six preseason games. However, records don't always matter for the preseason but it is worth noting some individual performances that could be a precursor of things to come.

These are three Los Angeles Kings players that impressed this preseason.

Quinton Byfield

There is no question that the player talked about the most has to be Quinton Byfield, who appears poised to have a breakout year for the Los Angeles Kings. The former second overall pick moved back to center after playing on the wing last season and looks right at home.

In the last three games of the preseason, Byfield had four goals and one assist, including a had trick against the Boston Bruins. The Kings didn't make any impact moves on this part of their roster but if Byfield continues this level of play it will be a huge boost for their offense.

Jordan Spence

One of the biggest losses over the past month for the Los Angeles Kings came early in the preseason when Drew Doughty suffered a fractured ankle that required surgery. He is considered month-to-month and it is almost impossible to replace what Doughty brings to this team.

The Kings have moved their defensive pairings around a bit and Jordan Spence has essentially stepped into that RD1 role with Mikey Anderson next to him. The early returns have been great and particularly because of how Spence has played this preseason.

Fans got to see Spence step into a full-time role last year as he played in 71 games while averaging just over 14 minutes on ice. However, with Doughty out to begin the season those numbers will sky-rocket. Over the last three preseason games, Spence didn't look like the moment was too big and had two assists and was +1.

Brandt Clarke

Another defenseman who stood out this preseason was Brandt Clarke, who is going to be a full-time starter for the Los Angeles Kings for the first time in his career. He was the eighth overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft and showed some flashes in 16 games with the Kings last season.

This year, Clarke is probably going to start on the third line for defense but because of his offensive ability, he should see some extra time on the power play. The Kings were smart to pair Clarke with a veteran like Joel Edmundson and even early in training camp he talked about how he will support him when he wants to push the puck and take advantage of his shot.

The emergence of a player like Clarke would be a huge lift for the Los Angeles Kings as they try to reach the playoffs again and also make a deep run.