Credit © Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn ImagesWelcome to the Friday series of Three Stats, where I take a quick look at three burning stats that may be a concern or a blessing for the Los Angeles Kings moving forward. I’ll break each stat down as either a blessing or a curse.
First Stat: Alex Turcotte leads the Kings at even strength for High Danger Shot Attempts per 60 Minutes
8.4. That's the stat. Turcotte’s value there is the highest amongst any King player and almost twice as much as the next man up in Quinton Byfield (4.76).
Volatile stats this early on? Absolutely. He’s 50th amongst qualifying players in that category leaguewide, sandwiched between Logan Mailloux of the Blues and Dmitry Orlov of the Sharks.
So, blessing? A fourth-line center is currently projecting as the most dangerous player on the roster despite playing with the likes of Jeff Mallot and Joel Armia. Ken Holland and the Kings were looking to have a fourth-line option after yet another playoff drop, and here they have it in the form of the former fifth overall pick back in 2019.
But, curse? Penalties and a stacked forward group have affected how much Turcotte is on the ice in all actuality. Let's just look at his time on ice through the minute two-game sample to start the year: 7:09 and 7:08, a second of a difference. The Kings have essentially stapled their most dangerous forward to the bench even though we all know who the dangerous threats really are.
Turcotte is proving that he is dangerous, but despite that, he didn't get a ‘maybe’ look on Byfield’s wing when Alex Laferriere had an injury scare near the end of the preseason knowing absolutely that Samuel Helenius plays center. Instead, it was Armia, who in all respects looked decent on Byfield’s wing, but out of place on the powerplay in Laferriere’s stead.
Second Stat: Two Assists at Even Strength for the Top-Line
It's so early, it’s almost hard to bring this one up but there's kind of a slow burning sense of disappointment here. The top line, once Andrei Kuzmenko came over from Philadelphia, was one of the more dangerous lines of hockey. The team was only second to the Blues in terms of winning percentage to finish the season. They were the highest scoring team to finish last season once he was acquired.
Let’s go back to game three against the Oilers when Adrian Kempe dazzled and scored a goal at even strength, or rather 4 on 4. Since then? That line as a whole has produced nine total points in that five-game stretch of playoff/regular season play. Speaking of Kempe, and his massive pending contract, he's been absent on the goal scoring aspect.
How many of those points from the whole line were even strength? Just two assists. This season currently owning half that real estate, is a lone Kuzmenko assist at even strength.
Something to keep an eye on. So early on but currently developing as a curse.
Third Stat: Third Pair Outscored 4-0 at Even Strength
No need getting around to it, this is a curse.
Not having Vladisalv Gavrikov and Jordan Spence wasn’t supposed to hurt, especially when you tie up eight million dollars to Cody Ceci and Brian Dumoulin as a third pair, with an option to platoon on the second pair next to Brandt Clarke. Well, the small sample size has had some oozing results.
Per NaturalStatTrick, in 25:48 of time together, they have a mere 36.96% Corsi and 36.36% Fenwick while iced. They have gotten pounded on shots, 15-7 and high danger chances 8-3. That is also reflected in High Danger goals for vs against (2-0) and overall being outscored 4-0. An 82-game pace for that last stat is cruel and unrealistic, but you get the point. It isn't good.
How long can that go on for? How many adjustments can be made when the organization is paying them individually an average around the same value as, say, Mattias Ekholm?
It's early, but if this continues, the Kings have to wear this or hope that systems play a huge part in helping this pair smooth things out.