5 LA Kings with most to play for in final preseason game against Panthers
The Los Angeles Kings are set to wrap up their preseason on Saturday in Quebec City against the Florida Panthers. Prior to leaving for Quebec City, the Kings significantly cut down their roster and headed east with only 26 players.
This means they have to cut only three more players ahead of the regular season next week. At this point, there isn't much uncertainty about what the majority of the roster will look like. However, the Kings will have to make some big decisions that will impact those final spots.
It starts with how many forwards and defensemen they want to keep as they could look to have 13 forwards with eight defensemen or 14 forwards with seven defensemen (and two goalies in either scenario).
The Kings likely will want to keep more defensemen due to the injury to Drew Doughty but let's run through some scenarios and which players could be motivated to have a big game in what will be their final chance to make their case to remain on the roster.
5 Los Angeles Kings with most to play for in final preseason game against the Florida Panthers
Andreas Englund and Caleb Jones
Let's start with the defense as the Kings currently have eight defensemen currently on the roster. The top three lines are set with Mikey Anderson and Jordan Spence, Vladislav Gavrikov and Sean Burroughs, and finally Joel Edmundson and Brandt Clarke.
This leaves Andreas Englund and Caleb Jones as the final two defensemen on the roster. While the two are currently on the same line they could find themselves competing for only one spot if the Kings stick with seven to begin the season.
Both have experience at the NHL level with Jones playing in 242 games over six seasons while Englund has played in 162 over the same time period. However, Englund did appear in ever regular season game last season for the Kings.
Could that experience be the deciding factor in Englund's favor if the Kings need to cut one player? It will be worth watching on Saturday night.
Andre Lee and Samuel Fagemo
If the Kings decide to keep eight defensemen, then these two players could find themselves in a big competition for only one spot against the Panthers. An injury could also impact this decision as the Kings lost Arthur Kaliyev to an injury during training camp.
However, the impacts aren't nearly the same as it will almost be impossible to replace Doughty and depth or options are more critical in that situation. That is why eight defensemen makes sense and going with 13 forwards.
Samuel Fagemo had a great season with the Ontario Reign as he would score 43 goals in 50 games and if the Kings want the offensive firepower than Fagemo is the pick. If the Kings want a more physical presence than Andre Lee would be the choice and he showed that last night against the Bruins.
Darcy Kuemper
The four players listed previously are all playing for a roster spot and that is not the case for Darcy Kuemper but he has plenty to play for in this game. The assumption is that Kuemper would get the start after Rittich was in net against the Bruins on Thursday night.
The reason that Kuemper is on the list is that the goalie position has probably the biggest question mark on the roster. He was acquired this offseason to replace Cam Talbot and is coming off a down season with the Washington Capitals.
Kuemper is far from a certainty and it wouldn't be surprising to see more of an even split early in the year between him and David Rittich. While Kuemper season last year was rocky, he has looked good this preseason and is coming off a shutout of the Ducks. He will want to continue that momentum through this game to help him get off to a fast start in the regular season.
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