Los Angeles Kings hockey is back!
On Friday the Kings have their first "game" of the season, taking on the Vegas Golden Knights in the rookie faceoff showcase.
Yes, it will include very few players expected to play games for LA next season, likely only Brandt Clarke, but it's still hockey in August.
In Clarke, head coach Marco Sturm has arguably the best player at the tournament when factoring experience in pedigree.
Sturm also said he expects Clarke to be a big leader off the ice in a recent appearance on AllTheKingsMen.
Joining Clarke in the expected leader group is some of the more "seasoned" pros like Francesco Pinelli and Cole Krygier.
We'll also get a first look at 2024 picks Liam Greentree and Carter George.
Aatu Jamsen, Koehn Ziemmer and Kaleb Lawrence are other forwards I'll have an eye on.
Jamsen could set himself up for a very good first pro season in North America with a good performance here.
Given his experience in the Finish Liiga he should be a top player at this tournament.
Seeing where Ziemmer is at, particularly physically, will be a big storyline for this showcase as well.
With Lawrence, anytime you have a forward who can skate with his size it's intriguing.
He's somewhat limited offensively but is still one to watch.
This will be a good holdover for Kings fans before the big club starts training camp soon.