Somehow, there were no good pictures of Alex Iafallo for me to choose from after last night’s win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Was he skating too quickly and doing too much for a clear photo? Maybe that’s why the one of him sitting on the bench behind Christian Folin came out OK.
I didn’t get to watch yesterday’s game aside from a few highlights, but in my constant thirst for knowledge, I read every comment thread, tweet, and game recap I could get my hands on. I came away from all of this believing that Alex Iafallo was… excuse the wording… the King. Even beyond noting that he absolutely would have gotten his first NHL point if not for an outstanding save by Michal Neuvirth, I was impressed by the descriptions. There were multiple assertions that he’s the left winger Anze Kopitar has been seeking! How can I not get excited over that? Then reading about how the third line was invisible and how Kempe and Brodzinski, the other rookie forwards, did nothing of consequence and aren’t ready yet, and wait, they each played how many minutes?
Eight! Ten! Thirteen! That is not enough time to make these kind of conclusions! All this is to say that one game, in which Iafallo played with the Kings’ two most experienced forwards and Kempe and Brodzinski played with each other, is just one game. The observations are useful and there are areas for improvement (lots!), but we are so early.
Also, I really should have remembered to set my DVR.
Aside from what was, in all seriousness, a bright start for Alex Iafallo, what else are we talking about today? It’s Off Day Watch!
HIGHLIGHTS TO WATCH
KINGS WATCH
- John Stevens reiterates that Alec Martinez’s injury is not long-term. “Next man up.” [Daily News]
- Christian Folin called Jake Muzzin “an easy guy to play with” after his Kings debut. Like Iafallo, everyone seemed really excited about his play, though he had more ice time to go off of; he’s only had five other NHL games in which he played more. [LA Kings Insider]/
Nine days after his 21st birthday, Kings prospect (and #23 finisher on our Top 25 Under 25) Alexander Dergachyov has been traded from St. Petersburg to Spartak Moscow. This is terrible for Dergachyov’s chances at another Gagarin Cup, but it’s excellent for his development, as St. Petersburg is loaded with some of the league’s best players while Spartak is not.
Exciting development: Alexander Dergachyov might get some danged ice time in the KHL now. https://t.co/A2Ts2Vggc2
— Jewels from the 👑 (@JFTC_Kings) October 6, 2017
LEAGUE WATCH
- The last two Cup champs, and the only teams to win it all other than LA since 2012, played yesterday. It was not close. [Pensburgh]
- Anaheim defeated Arizona, as you might have expected, but it was wild. [Anaheim Calling]
- Jaromir Jagr is a Flame and I hate it. [CBS Sports]/
WATCH THIS