Davis Drewiske Looking To Lock Down Roster Spot
Gann Matsuda chimes in with some insight on Davis Drewiske, who’s looking to make the Kings roster full-time this season.
EL SEGUNDO AND ONTARIO, CA — Looking at the young defensemen of the Los Angeles Kings, the spotlight is on Drew Doughty and Jack Johnson. But another young defenseman came up to big club to play some solid minutes in seventeen games last season.
Indeed, 24-year-old defenseman Davis Drewiske got a late recall from the Manchester Monarchs of the American Hockey League, the Kings’ primary minor league affiliate, and filled in admirably on the Kings’ blue line.
“I got to play more and more the longer I was here,” said Drewiske. “I got to play in a lot of different situations and a lot of different guys. I got a good feel for the speed of the game for some of the opponents and for the guys I played with. It was a great experience.”
“I think it was a good first year,” added Drewiske. “I got a lot of confidence coming into this year, coming off the end of last year and I’m looking forward to get going here.”
The 6-2, 222-pound native of Hudson, Wisconsin played four seasons with the University of Wisconsin before being signed by the Kings as an unrestricted free agent on April 1, 2008. He began the 2008-09 season with the Monarchs where he scored a goal and added thirteen assists for fourteen points with 95 penalty minutes in 61 regular season games.
This season, Drewiske, while still unproven, is likely to lock down the number six defenseman position with the Kings, at least to start.
“It’s a big step, but it’s one that I was ready for,” said Drewiske. “I got some great coaching here and especially with Mike O’Connell [who handles Pro Development and Special Assignments for the Kings], working with us down in Manchester on the defensive side of the game, how to read and react.”
Although he is primarily a stay-at-home, defensive defenseman, Drewiske showed some versatility during his stints with the Kings last season, even getting some ice time on the power play and on the penalty-kill.
“I consider myself a defensive guy first, but I can jump in offensively when I need to, maybe fill in on the power play if there’s an injury or something,” Drewiske stressed. “But I will always consider myself a defensive guy first, but continue to work at my game so I can be ready for whatever situation the team needs.
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