Kings defenseman Alex Edler eager to begin new chapter

LOS ANGELES — In the excitement of adding potency up beforehand – Vladimir Tkachev made his NHL debut and Arthur Kaliyev was a precocious summation to the roster portion Phillip Danault and Viktor Arvidsson played their archetypal games arsenic Kings connected Thursday nighttime – the acquisition of defenseman Alex Edler has sometimes gone overlooked.

Edler was a fixture connected the Vancouver Canucks’ bluish enactment for 15 seasons. He helped them to a stellar 2010-11 run successful which they came wrong 1 triumph of the franchise’s archetypal Stanley Cup title, falling astatine location to the Boston Bruins successful Game 7. The pursuing play helium posted vocation highs of 11 goals, 38 assists and 49 points, lone to spot the Canucks upset by an emergent Kings squad that went connected to hoist the Cup.

Earlier successful the week, defenseman Drew Doughty gave Edler, 35, a ballot of assurance arsenic a heady, well-rounded bluish liner with coagulated puck skills and a carnal borderline to his game. On Monday, Edler told reporters helium was particularly anxious to get this play rolling aft the Swede near the lone NHL location he’d ever known to articulation the Kings.

“There’s a batch of caller things, being with 1 enactment for my full career, it’s a small spot similar erstwhile I went to (Vancouver) astatine first. There person been a batch of caller things, a batch of caller people, but a batch of excitement too,” Edler said.

Kings manager Todd McLellan, who coached against Edler successful San Jose, Edmonton and with the Kings, noticed a spot of ebullience from the mostly calm, collected Edler.

“He’s got that seasoned savvy and he’s got a small spark successful his oculus close now, I deliberation he’s excited astir playing and uncovering a spot connected his caller team,” McLellan told reporters.

BROWN VOICES APPROVAL

Winger Dustin Brown, who captained some the 2012 and 2014 Stanley Cup champion Kings, spoke to reporters Thursday greeting and echoed the optimism expressed by immoderate different Kings veterans heading into the season.

“This is the champion squad that we’ve had present successful immoderate years connected paper, and present it’s up to the guys and the coaches successful the country to fig retired however to marque it enactment successful the existent world,” Brown said.

Brown, who carries connected the analytical and forthright contented of erstwhile teammates similar Willie Mitchell and Justin Williams, said helium felt crisp, decisive, close passing is simply a captious origin successful the Kings’ play. Last season, helium said, effectual passing signified success, portion sloppy puck question spelled catastrophe.

“It’s a domino effect that is built into our system, but if we can’t beforehand the puck faster to wherever the adjacent subordinate has the clip to marque the adjacent play, we find ourselves successful trouble,” Brown said. “It’s giving your teammate the adjacent accidental to marque the adjacent play and passing is beauteous overmuch however you bash that.”

LAVIOLETTE SETS RECORD

Washington Capitals manager Peter Laviolette surpassed John Tortorella arsenic the winningest American-born caput manager successful NHL past connected Wednesday with his team’s 5-1 triumph implicit the New York Rangers, 1 of Tortorella’s erstwhile teams.

It was vocation triumph No. 694 for Laviolette, and helium has coached 116 less games than Tortorella. Laviolette’s vocation winning percent of .592 puts him comfortably up of Tortorella’s .548. Tortorella past coached the Columbus Blue Jackets and presently works arsenic a tv analyst.

“I’ve worked with, close present I’m moving with, an unthinkable staff. Incredible coaches, unthinkable players. And that goes to each the organizations anterior to this too. Like I’ve conscionable worked with truly bully people,” Laviolette told reporters.