Kings’ Foegele: Critical to LA’s Playoff Push

The Los Angeles Kings didn't land any major names in free agency during the offseason. Still, they landed a significant name that has been playing at a surplus value and deserves recognition.

Warren Foegele was coming off of a game-seven defeat with the Edmonton Oilers after a career season. While not the game breaker, high-end goal scorer the Kings usually need to get over the hump, Foegele is an excellent 2-way forward with speed and size. He's complimentary to top six players and has the skillful tenacity to see secondary production rates among the best in the league.

On paper and to the eye, Foegele looks to be an excellent fit for the Kings and their schematic. The stats don't lie: Through 54 games, Foegele has 14g and 14a for 28 points with a team-leading +20. His plus-minus is amongst the league's best. Foegele is on pace to beat his numbers from last season despite playing with less world-class talent this year.

Another aspect here is the development of chemistry that was fostered between him and Quinton Byfield, the team's future 1C. Via NST, Foegele and Byfield have outscored the opposition 20-13 while on the ice together, outshooting 187-156, and with high-danger goals scored in favor, 14-8. The combination was the key driver to the Kings' successful seven-game road trip in December but was ultimately broken up to give Kevin Fiala and Byfield the union the team needed to break out of an offensive dry spell.

Foegele has ended up on the line that best suits his skillset the most. He has landed with Phillip Danault and Trevor Moore. The three together have become a shutdown line that the Byfield-Foegele-Tanner Jeannot/Moore combination could not sustain while faltering in team offense. With Foegele, the line is complete. In 94:51, the line has a Corsi and Fenwick of 57.73% and 56.86%. They outshoot the opposition 59-37, outchance 57-42, outscore 4-2, and edge in high-danger goals 3-2. The line has a dominant xGF of 59.89%.

The shutdown has been formulated to give Byfield and Fiala the leeway to dominate games, as Foegele is a key component of that process. The Anze Kopitar top line is hit or miss lately as Alex Turcotte has slowed down considerably. Having Byfield and Fiala playing well together is a boon for an organization still processing the method by which their organizational champions let go of the reins.

If Foegele and the shutdown line can saw off top players come playoff time while also being dangerous offensively, that should give plenty of leeway for the Kings' top line and the Byfield line to win their matchups with impunity.

So far, the Foegele signing has acted as one of Rob Blake's best, with playoff sampling yet to come. Foegele should continue growing that +20 into unimaged territory for a player who has never finished a season higher than a +9. Think what you will of this statistic, but he has been dynamite in a system that compliments his game better than expected.