.

And #74′s back for a couple.

Go looking for one thing, and little do you know, it’s already in your hands.

When Dean Lombardi dealt for Dustin Penner in Feburary 2011, it momentarily posed as the answer to the Kings’ desperate need for a top-six forward that brought both size and production.

Penner, who has been somewhat of a disappointment since coming to Los Angeles, has been overshadowed – and outplayed, by a younger, more promising addition in Dwight King.

Both players will be under contract again next season, but they entail much different meaning. Penner, who is sticking around with the Kings for one more season at $3.25 million, will likely see this as one of the final contracts to grace his NHL career.

It’s an opposite spectrum for Dwight King, who is locked up for a much cheaper price, but as a player with a future that could be worth much more.

Dwight King has inked a contract extension at $1.5 million for the next two seasons.

They say money can label one’s worth; For the Kings, they’ve secured a developing asset that certainly has the potential to more than pay off for his salary the next two seasons, making this a probable steal for the Kings.

It’s safe at the absolute worst, which happens to be the best thing about it.

King, in what was his second NHL stint, came in loud, tacking up 14 points in 27 regular season games. His production didn’t falter in the postseason either, following up with eight points in the Kings’ 20-game postseason run.

King from New England, Cup’s been back in New England

Take me there: Since we last touched base, three more players and two staff personnel have enjoyed their personal days with the Stanley Cup. This round of visits includes a trip back to Boston, Massachusetts – giving New England a sniff of the hardware they owned last season.

Simon Gagne

July 13 – Lac-Beauport, Quebec

Gagne, held down with a concussion the majority of the season, appeared in just 37 regular season games, yet returned for the final four games of the Stanley Cup Finals. The head’s gotta feel quite all right; Gagne spent his day on the golf course with the Cup, as host of his annual golf tournament for local cancer charities.
Red October

Rob Scuderi

July 14 – Dover, Massachusetts

Scuderi deserves this just as much as anyone else, and more than the majority of the roster. He played in every single game for the Kings this season, all 82 regular, and 20 postseason. You hardly notice him, but that’s how you know a player in Scuderi’s role is doing his absolute best. He didn’t bring the Cup back to his hometown of Long Island, NY, but to his longstanding off season home in Dover, Mass. Here, he greeted the locals with the Cup at their local Fire Department.
Scuderi robs Ottawa

Colin Fraser

July 18 – Sylvan Lake, Alberta

Fraser, who became a valued menace on the fourth-line, and erased any memories of Ryan Smyth, was a go-to asset all season long, playing in 67 regular season games, and 18 of 20 in the playoffs. His payoff was presence, not production. Fraser presented the Cup in his wife’s hometown, celebrating with a local parade through the community’s farmers market.
Beginning of the end

Another round, New digs, Cleared

Prospect ink: The Kings continued to resign restricted free agents after locking up Dwight King. This time, the front office made agreements with those in the AHL system, keeping another four prospects in Manchester Monarchs uniforms for one more season.

Those signed are Thomas Hickey, Jake Muzzin, David Meckler, and Stefan Legein. For Hickey, this may be his last grasp at a chance with this organization. The #4 overall selection in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft is struggling to crack through the Kings’ system. Thomas Hickey‘s NHL future may simply endear that if it works, it’ll be elsewhere.

Windy City: It didn’t take too long for Jamie Kompon to find new work, he’s been hired to reunite with Joel Quenneville and take the helm as the Chicago Blackhawks‘ assistant coach.

If powerplay struggles turn out as bad as they did for Kompon in Los Angeles, Blackhawks fans may start drinking as much as Patrick Kane.

Reasonable Dought: As expected, Drew Doughty has been cleared of sexual-assault charges.

Off the hook

Two-year look

The King thing

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Amidst the Kings’ four-day hiatus from NHL play, take a moment to turn your attention to the Manchester Monarchs. Harvest is looking good on the farm, our New England relatives own the top spot in the AHL‘s Atlantic Division, as well as pertaining themselves to 2nd place in the Eastern Conference and the entire American Hockey League. Now, center your focus on Manchester’s leader in points. Granted, numerous names on the roster have surrendered numbers to Los Angeles promotions, but Viatcheslav Voynov‘s stat-line certainly catches the eye. Voynov leads the Monarchs with 37 points. The native of Chelyabinsk, Russia has 12 goals and 25 assists in 48 games. Add in his rating of +10 and his 115 shots on goal, and you undoubtedly have a promising addition to the Kings’ blue-line next season. Voynov was the Kings’ third overall selection in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, snagged in the 2nd round as the 32nd player announced. Drew Doughty and Colten Teubert preceded Voynov’s selection. To even waste my time analyzing Doughty’s selection would be, well, a waste of time. As for Teubert, he was sidelined in October with a wrist injury and has only dressed in 31 games this season for the Monarchs. Teubert’s progress won’t be as easy to implicate on a stat-sheet, his style attains to regulating defensive zone coverage, comparable to a Rob Scuderi. Both defensemen have the abilities to make the move to Los Angeles in September, but Voynov’s numbers are directing the spotlight.

Once drafted, Voynov left Chelyabinsk Traktor of the Russian Elite League for the Kings’ minor league system. Voynov’s transition to the AHL was smooth to say the least, tallying 23 points in 61 games during the 2008-2009 season, and improved on those numbers during the 2009-2010 season with 29 points in 79 games. The defensive prospect is shattering his output from the previous two seasons, establishing himself as Manchester’s most valuable asset on the blue-line. If Viatcheslav Voynov makes the Kings’ roster out of training camp next season, which I expect, the Kings will have the convenience of icing three offensive defensemen. To say the defensive pairings would be attractive with Voynov’s addition would be an understatement. Dressing three offensive defensemen with Rob Scuderi, Matt Greene, and Willie Mitchell is intriguing. The factor becomes Alec Martinez, the most recent defensive promotion. Dumping Davis Drewiske and Peter Harrold may have to be the harsh answer to Voynov’s inclusion, starting off with Martinez and Voynov rotating the 6th and 7th blue-line spots. Expect Viatcheslav Voynov to remain with the Manchester Monarchs for the remainder of the season in pursuit of the AHL‘s Calder Cup. Expect the 21 year-old prospect to vouch for residence in Manhattan Beach in September.

Sometimes you’ve got to pull your starting goalie to catch the attention of the defense. Tonight, that had be in Terry Murray‘s mindset. By my count, Jonathan Quick was only fully responsible for one of Phoenix’s six tallies. Hung out to dry. It happens, just one of the consequences of the profession. Find a proven NHL goaltender who hasn’t been forced to make way for the 2nd stringer a few times, I’d be shocked. Even though Quick wasn’t at fault, it was a good move. Before tonight’s game, Jonathan Bernier was named the starter for tomorrow night’s return to Staples Center. His premature appearance tonight midway through the 2nd period shouldered the responsibility on our defense. They woke up, Bernier got some looks, now you’ve got some chemistry leading into tomorrow night’s faceoff. If you’re looking for a positive outtake on tonight’s blunder in Arizona, look at Bernier’s appearance. Perfect on 13 shots faced in almost 30 minutes, and sent a message to a defense that exposed Jonathan Quick in harsh form. I don’t enjoy doing this, but here’s where you can finger the blame on Quick’s….quick appearance.

First Goal: Jack Johnson unable to handle the puck in defensive zone transition, Scottie Upshall feeds Shane Doan.
Second Goal: Not to take anything away from Keith Yandle, but four Kings’ stared at his back-door feed to Shane Doan. Goals don’t come that way in this league with four defensemen in the slot. They shouldn’t.
Third Goal: Scottie Upshall buries his own rebound from the top of the circle with four Kings’ on the backcheck. Here, you can argue Jonathan Quick allowed a bad-angle goal, but Upshall has no business recovering that puck.
Fourth Goal: Powerplay for Phoenix, but no excuses for this mishap. Scottie Upshall feeds Brett Maclean through Matt Greene, Rob Scuderi, and Michal Handzus.
Fifth Goal: Clear shot from the top, not going to let Quick off the hook on this one.
Sixth Goal: Bad neutral zone turnover, I’ll pin the blame on this even though Kyle Turris‘ shot should’ve been handled.

Expect Jonathan Bernier to extend his time in net tomorrow night. He’s yet to start consecutive games this season, and now he’s got the opportunity to feed off of a promising appearance. The bigger test is this defense recovering from tonight’s mess. Regain composure in front of your back-up, and get your #1 guy back in the crease on good terms.

In what has been a tumultuous first half of the season riddled with injuries and slumps, Rob Scuderi deserves some praise. As for the team MVP at the holiday break, Robby’s in my top three candidates. The 31 year-old veteran is by far the most under-appreciated player on the team. If you don’t hear Scuderi’s name, he’s doing his job. Maybe that’s the downfall to his popularity? Regardless, he’s been the backbone to the roster this season. He’s dealt with the losses of fellow defensemen Drew Doughty, Willie Mitchell, and Matt Greene. He also adapted just fine to the replacements, Jake Muzzin, Alec Martinez, and Peter Harrold. He’s been true to his role throughout, that’s what has made him such a crucial asset to our defense. You want to find a professional athlete who truly earns his money? Look at Scuderi. $13.6 million over 4-years; a golden free-agent acquisition by Dean Lombardi in the summer of 2009. The value he brings to this team is monumental, but the manner in which he does it rarely comes off as so.

The frustrations from the injuries that have plagued our defense have been subdued by Scuderi’s persistent presence. He’s got an astounding +13 when on the ice with 40 blocked shots. Offensive struggles have overshadowed the Kings’ 2.34 goals against per game, which is fourth in the NHL, and the best in the Western Conference. Goaltending aside, Rob Scuderi has stabilized this bruised defensive core to maintain one of the toughest back-ends in the league. The depth he provides covers a lot of ground with holes in the lineup, the defense has been able to hold their own with Scuderi at the stable. He netted his first goal in 108 games on Tuesday, a drought dating back to October 4th of 2008. Rob Scuderi has more game-winning tallies than Drew Doughty and Jack Johnson, chew on that. Give credit where credit’s due, especially when it’s been the underlying support of a battered team.

Five losses in six games, and it’s got nothing to do with luck. Injuries have bruised the roster, but bad play is the reason for the skid. I’m talking on all aspects; Defense, special teams, and a goaltender. Willie Mitchell and Alexei Ponikarovsky are key players, but their absence from the lineup shouldn’t cause complete abomination. The defense is handing opposition too much time and space, the power-play has been awful, the penalty kill has opened up, and Jonathan Bernier hasn’t been solid. This roster, Mitchell and Ponikarovsky aside, is still too good to justify this terrible stretch. They’re playing soft defensively and cute on the power-play. Good teams still find ways to win without two crucial players, and I know we’ve got the depth, where is it?

Defense: Just throw out a red carpet on the blue line while you’re at it. Add a little spice to it, maybe some orderves. They’re backing down on the blue line, feeding odd-man rushes. Jack Johnson no longer bothers me with this, I’m used to it. Have Matt Greene and Drew Doughty mentally recovered from their injuries? They’ve been behind on plays, notably Greene. If he’s not physical, he’s not much. Rob Scuderi has been solid, Davis Drewiske is himself, just kind of there. The AHL shuffle continues with Alec Martinez promoted in an effort to boost the power-play. Worked last night, about the only thing that did.

Special Teams: The Kings have weakened on the penalty kill. This is one of the problems you can attest the losses of Willie Mitchell and Alexei Ponikarvsky to. They’re both key factors in the defensive zone, and contributed to a 4-man line that sealed lanes earlier this year. As for this power-play that just can’t score, they’re getting too meticulous. Shoot the puck. Jack Johnson has finally decided to use his wrist-shot from the point, which just begs for screens and rebounds. Where’s Kopitar’s shots from the umbrella? They’re not setting up in the neutral zone, surrendering blue-line rushes and dump-ins into easy control and transition for the defense. This power-play situation has no excuses for their lack of production. No one on the IR hurts it’s output, they’re just not taking shots. Too much action on the point to feed slap-shots. Get some slot presence and stop dancing with the puck.

Now to Jonathan Bernier, this has been a touchy subject with fans. It’s clear he’s not getting enough help from his defense, but you need to make saves, bottom line. In his current stretch of three losses, he’s allowed 14 goals. Unacceptable. He’s faced a lot of shots, dealt with an afflicted defense, but that’s why he’s there. The problems that have hit this defense haven’t necessarily left Bernier out to dry, but have allowed room for development on plays. The signs are coming earlier with the lack of pressure on the blue-line, it’s Bernier’s job to read it and deny it. Not happening. First full season in the NHL and still only 22 years old, his recent play shouldn’t trigger complete uncertainty just yet.

Gann Matsuda continues his coverage from training camp. Check out the latest on defense. Things are definitely shaping up.

EL SEGUNDO, CA — Following the 2009-10 season, the Los Angeles Kings lost defensemen Sean O’Donnell, Randy Jones and later in the summer, Matt Greene.

While O’Donnell and Jones signed with the Philadelphia Flyers and the Tampa Bay Lightning, respectively, Greene underwent shoulder surgery is expected to miss the first month of the 2010-11 season, at least.

That left the Kings undermanned on the blue line, but, even with Greene out of the lineup, the Kings defenseman corps looks to be better than last year’s model.

That improvement began with the loss of Jones—addition by subtraction. It continued with the Kings’ acquisition of veteran defenseman Willie Mitchell, who was signed to a two-year unrestricted free agent contract worth $3.5 million per year on August 25, 2010.

The 32-year-old native of Port McNeill, British Columbia is a tough, physical, stay-at-home defenseman who is an upgrade over the aging O’Donnell.

“Anytime you can add a player of the caliber of a Willie Mitchell, it’s a good thing for your team,” said defenseman Davis Drewiske, who appears to have a spot on the third defensive pair all but secured. “He’s going to be great to have around. He’s a guy I look forward to playing with and learning from.”

Read the rest on Frozen Royalty

Don’t panic now, but the Kings are starting to flirt with the edge of the cliff that is a top 8 seeding in the Western Conference. Now only 6 points ahead of the 9th place Calgary Flames, the Kings are tied with the Nashville Predators in points (85) and have fallen to 6th place in the Western. Tonight’s performance can be summed up in one word. Abysmal. The Chicago Blackhawks dominated with a roster missing key players in Defensmen Brent Seabrook, Brian Campbell and goaltender Cristobal Huet. The Kings put forth an embarrassing effort offensively, getting out-shot 37-17, and only managing 3 shots in the 2nd period. Tonight, the Kings had the opportunity to take advantage of a Blackhawks roster that was missing two of their top defensemen. That was not the case. Instead, a lowly display was put forth that included 3 Chicago goals via two horrendous turnovers (on goals 1 and 3) and a softy (on Chicago’s 2nd goal) on questionable positioning from Jonathan Quick. Yes, what may seem like an easy opponent in the New York Islanders, who sit at 13th in the Eastern Conference, come to town Saturday night; But not so fast. The boys from Staten Island are riding a 3 game winning streak. This roster needs to do some soul searching until then, and get serious about getting back on track. Below are my notes on tonight’s game:

Notes on the game:
– Can anything positive come out of tonight’s performance? Unseemingly so, as the Kings managed to kill off all 5 of Chicago’s power-play opportunities. The special teams have continued to perform well. The Kings have now had success on 19 consecutive penalty kills. However, Chicago managed to stay out of the penalty box tonight, not allowing a surging Kings power-play any opportunity.
– Chicago capitalized on two Kings turnovers tonight. Jordan Hendry stepped up on Dustin Brown, causing him to cough up the puck in the neutral zone. Great transition play, keyed by Patrick Kane beating Rob Scuderi to the outside, ended in a garbage goal finished off by Troy Brouwer.
– Jack Johnson‘s clearing attempt in front of Jonathan Quick failed miserably. Instead of looking to clear the puck to the sideboards, Johnson fed the puck up the middle to a wide-open Tomas Kopecky, who beat Quick thereafter. Give Johnson the assist on that one.
– Can’t put the blame on Jonathan Quick for this loss, but you certainly can on Chicago’s second tally. Sean O’Donnell played his man correctly, forcing him to the outside, but Tomas Kopecky beat Jonathan Quick on a quick wrister. I don’t know how, I don’t know why. NHL goaltenders need to stop that shot, especially from that angle.
– For the first time in almost 6 years, the Chicago Blackhawks came out victorious at Staples Center in regulation. Prior to tonight’s game, the Kings were 7-0-3 as hosts to Chicago in the previous six seasons.

Nearing the crucial games that will be documented as the “playoff-stretch”, I’m taking a look at each player on the Kings roster and evaluating them with a grade on their performance thus far. A roster that has worked together to post a 37-20-4 record (78 points) at 5th place in the Western Conference has to be doing something right, Right? Which players have contributed most? Which players have disappointed? In Part 2 of a 3-Part series, we’ll take a look at the defensemen of the Los Angeles Kings. With 166 goals allowed, the Kings stand at 8th in the Western Conference, and 12th in the entire NHL. Don’t give Jonathan Quick total credit for the success the Kings have had in their own zone this season, this group of defensemen have been solid all year.

DEFENSEMEN

DREW DOUGHTY #8
GRADE: A-
SYNOPSIS: The 19 year-old Defenseman for the Kings has been a strong asset on the blue line from the start of his NHL career. Playing in every game so far this season, Doughty has posted an exceptional stat-line of 11 goals and 34 assists. His awareness of the ice when he has the puck allows him to be an offensive defensemen. Once he controls the puck in his own zone, Doughty has the ability to create space and either move the puck up the ice laterally with a pass or take it himself with a rush. Doughty has also become a staple on the Kings PP with his puck movement up-top and his stellar shot. Bottom Line: Although Doughty is often a standout player, he’s had a few rough games this year. At his age, that is perfectly reasonable; his ability to recover from his mistakes is impressive.

DAVIS DREWISKE #44
GRADE: C+
SYNOPSIS: After signing a 3-year contract extension before the season, Drewiske’s play has been moderate. Not the type of player who’s going to rack up the points or drop the gloves, so his contributions often go unnoticed. Drewiske, with his lack of speed, has had a little trouble in the transition game, mainly in the neutral zone. Most of the time he knows where to look for passing lanes on the break-out, but we’ve seen a few too many turnovers from #44 this season. Bottom Line: A tough call on Drewiske because he’s not the solid stay-at-home guy you’d like to pair with Doughty or Johnson, or the guy you’d like to pair with another shut-down D-man. Drewiske, for this year, will continue to float around Murray’s D-line pairings.

MATT GREENE #2
GRADE: B+
SYNOPSIS: The guy is providing the Kings with exactly what they acquired him for. His physical play down low is some of the best in knocking opposition off of the puck. You’re not going to see a lot of anything else from the Alternate Captain. He makes the simple passes, and puts the puck on net when necessary. His mindset is always Defense; And this is key when you need a partner to pair with our flashy D-men. Bottom Line: Greene will bring a physical presence to every game, and is smart to not push it to the point where it hurts the team. His leadership in the locker room is vital, where his toughness rubs off on teammates and his humor builds camaraderie in the locker room.

PETER HARROLD #5
GRADE: C
SYNOPSIS: Harrold is a role player for Terry Murray. You could call him a “swingman”, as he accepts the call for taking the ice as a forward or defenseman. A guy like this is good for a team, yet underrated. Harrold, who’s only dressed in 36 games this season for the Kings, has played a conservative style of hockey this year. I haven’t seen a lot of big mistakes from #5 this season, but not too many impressive plays either. He’s not a skill player, but a smart player. Bottom Line: Harrold is a safe bet for Terry Murray when it comes to filling a spot on the bench. I think the word “fill” describes his play perfectly. For now, a good option to have on the roster down the line this season.

JACK JOHNSON #3
GRADE: B-
SYNOPSIS: In what was a tumultuous start to the season for Johnson, his game has stepped up as of late. Missing two games due to an arm injury, Johnson has posted 6 goals and 20 assists in 59 games for the Kings. I had to think for a bit on Johnson’s grading, and I find myself appreciating what he always brings to the ice. Quick feet, good vision of the ice, solid passing. What I see missing from his game this year was his physical play; stepping up on the top of the circles. Johnson also hasn’t been the offensive threat I think he is capable of. Less shots from the blue-line and fewer end-to-end rushes. Bottom Line: Johnson has the tools to be an elite defenseman. Don’t get me wrong, he’s close to having that stature, but right now Johnson seems to still be learning how to utilize his skills to become an exclusive player at the NHL level.

RANDY JONES #12
GRADE: D
SYNOPSIS: Randy Jones has been awful for the Kings this season. Acquired by the Kings off of waivers in October, Jones has posted 5 goals and 9 assists. His performance has been questionable all year; From wary physical play to terrible passes through the middle of the ice, Jones’ mishaps strongly overshadow the positives in his game. Bottom Line: I don’t think Randy Jones will make an impact on the rest of the season. He hasn’t done much to win over the fans, or Terry Murray; Who’s expressed frustration with him. Look for Jones to continue with his mediocre play.

SEAN O’DONNELL
GRADE: C-
SYNOPSIS: O’Donnell’s role on the team is to provide stability in the defensive zone while bringing veteran leadership to this young roster. While his experience is huge for this team, it seems that his game is slipping. O’Donnell’s age may be showing, as he’s getting pushed around in the corners more often this year. O’Donnell has blown coverage several times and is getting beat to the outside too easily. Bottom Line: O’Donnell is a key part to the Kings locker room. A player with his experience and wisdom will help this team as the playoffs loom. I can see O’Donnell lasting one more season with the Kings, but there’s no question his performance on the ice is on the downhill.

ROB SCUDERI #7
GRADE: B+
SYNOPSIS: A key off-season acquisition for the Kings, Scuderi brings playoff experience, solid defensive play, and more veteran leadership to the table. Scuderi has been a wonderful addition. He can be paired with any defenseman on the roster, as he is able to work with the offensive-minded and the stay-at-homers like himself. He’s been able to clear the front of the net and cut off passing lanes through the slot. Bottom Line: Scuderi may be the most important player on the roster when it comes to the playoff stretch. A smart, physical shut-down defenseman who has all of the post-season experience you could ask for, #7 will be a big factor later this season.

Part III: “Dancing in the Reign” on Kingscast.net will be pulling out the grade-book on Kings forwards on the next installment of Kings Grade Reports. What would you grade King’s defensemen so far? Please post comments downstairs!

In what looked to be a potential blowout for the Los Angeles Kings playing the bottom-feeder Edmonton Oilers, turned out to be a flat and uninspired effort from a team recently on a 9 game winning streak. Down 2-0 in the 3rd period and hearing the boo-birds at Staples Center, the Kings battled back with goals from Dustin Brown and Ryan Smyth and took the game into the 10th Round of a Shootout, only to lose the bonus point to none other than former King Lubomir Visnovsky.

Guest blogger Alex Kinkopf joins us again to give us his take on this very important week of Los Angeles Kings Hockey. You can friend Alex up on Facebook

On Attendance:
I’ve just about accepted the fact that section 325 will no longer be completely vacant for my pleasure for the remainder of the season. The days of scalping any ‘ol 300 level seat without care or concern about the 14th row corner section I just shelled out 10 bones for, an automatic ass-cushion in the three-two-five…are over. I noticed the sudden boost in attendance after the holidays last year, and likewise this year on the 28th against Minnesota. It’s gotta be the holiday ticket packages. It’s gotta be!

On Stolly’s Return:
Hammy said it, Jarret Stoll will be back in the lineup tomorrow night at the Pavilion. Good to hear, but don’t expect a full serving of Stoll right away. If there’s one player to feel comfortable with taking draws, its #28. I’d like to see him work his way back on the PP as well. There’s nothing like a Stoll-Doughty or Stoll-JMFJ tandem feeding each other juicy D to D passes across the blue-line resulting in absolute bombs from the point.

On Scuds:
Rob Scuderi has proven to be a great off-season acquisition for Los Angeles. Not a player that gets a whole lot of love from fans because of his style of play. He gets the job done in the defensive zone. Not a flashy player, and sticks to his priority of playing a defensive-minded game. This gives his defensive partner, whomever it may be, Doughty or Johnson, to step up in the offensive zone and take a couple of chances. Great example here from back in September.

Scuderi’s play is underrated, and I love it. When you can sign a veteran defenseman who can not only teach the youngsters in Doughty and Johnson, but give them the support to allow them to make an offensive presence, you have yourself a key player. One with a lot of playoff experience and a ring on his finger. Expect Scuds to be a gamebreaker later on this year.

On Tonight @ San Jose:
Huge game, no question about it. Like I said previously, the Kings need victories in at least two of the three meetings with San Jose this month in regulation to have any hopes of a shot for the Pacific Division Title. Jarret Stoll will be back with the 4th line centering Ivanans and Moller. Randy Jones is still out recovering from his concussion symptoms. Brown – Kopitar – Smyth leading the top line again. What do you expect to see from this game? Predictions? The win against Washington was huge, and following it with a victory against San Jose would be a shot in the arm for the Kings.