New assistant coach Davis Payne had another interview with TSN 1050 discussing his hiring and the outlook for the Kings as defending Cup champs. Check it out.
Davis Payne on Gameday with Scott MacArthur
Breakdown of topics after the jump.
:35 – How Payne got the job, interview on Sutter’s farm, talking about the philosophy of the game
2:15 – Where do Payne and Sutter see eye to eye? Playing an aggressive game — not just physical play, but also puck possession and creativity
4:00 – To earn the job, Payne was not forced to bale hay
4:30 – What does he know about Darryl Sutter that we don’t? What type of guy is he?
5:45 – What are some of the challenges the coaching staff will face as defending champs? How do you keep players motivated?
7:05 — Drew Doughty’s ceiling – can he get to Norris trophy level every year?
8:40 – Prepping for training camp
My favorite quote of all is this one:
The impression that I get of this hockey team is yes, they won a Stanley Cup, but in no way does this satisfy them. [They’re] a young group, a group with good leadership and good experience levels. This is a group that just arrived, and I don’t think they have any intention of going away with just one.
The regular season is a long grind, and the Stanley Cup is the most difficult trophy to win. Yet Sutter isn’t focused on a Stanley Cup hangover — he’s inspired by how young the team is. Kopitar will turn 25, Doughty 23.
In 2011-2012, the Kings’ window to win had just opened. Will they be able to keep fired up? It’s up to them. I’m looking forward to seeing how much they can accomplish in the next five years.