The Los Angeles Kings are wrapping up their current road trip with the first game of a back-to-back against the Nashville Predators.
The Kings have logged seven out of ten points so far on this trip, with wins over the New York Islanders, New York Rangers, and Philadelphia Flyers.
Nashville hasn’t had quite the season they were expecting when they brought in Forwards Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, and Defenseman Brady Skjei. Despite playing on the top-line and top-defensive pairing (respectively), the trio are averaging 1.52 points per game combined. Fifteen of their fifty compounded points this season have come in their last five games, where the Predators logged a 2-2-1 record.
In the Kings’ last meeting against Nashville on November 4th, 2024, the Kings walked out with a 3-0 victory – Darcy Kuemper’s first shutout of the season.
BISCUITS AND GAVY
Kings Defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov has registered two assists and a +1 rating in his last two games.
His +/- of +17 is second-best on the team (tied with Anze Kopitar) and first among Defensemen. His fifteen points in thirty-two games played are leading towards a career year for Gavrikov, with Elite Prospects projecting an 82-5-33-38 stat line.
While many have praised Gavrikov for his defensive acumen, labeling him a Defensive Defenseman may be an oversight relative to his offensive output. I’d argue that Gavrikov is more of a Two-Way Defenseman who has leaned into his offensive play while partnered with Mikey Anderson, a true Defensive Defenseman.
Gavrikov’s been known to administer a heavy, accurate, slap shot. With thirteen assists already on the year, Gavrikov has found new ways to move the biscuit and answer the call.
P-RED BARRON
On Wednesday, the Nashville Predators acquired Defenseman Justin Barron from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for Defenseman Alexandre Carrier.
The 23-year-old Barron was selected 25th overall in 2020 by the Colorado Avalanche, later flipped along with a 2024 second-round pick to Montreal for Forward Artturi Lehkonen. Being traded twice in two years typically has a negative connotation. However, by all accounts, Barron is a highly regarded prospect who scouts have touted since he was sixteen.
I remember reading HockeyProspect.com’s 2018 NHL Draft Black Book, which, as one would assume, mainly highlighted the players eligible for the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. The book did include two early player profiles for 2020, Barron being one of them.
With the Predators currently in a transitional phase, taking a chance on a younger player who could be a key piece moving forward isn’t the worst idea. Even if the Predators were contenders, infusing youth into your lineup is never bad.
Barron joins Nick Blankenburg and Luke Schenn as the third right-shot defenseman on the roster, and he could see meaningful playing time if Head Coach Andrew Brunette goes with a lefty-righty combination for his defensive pairings.
JEAN STREAK
When the Kings traded for Forward Tanner Jeannot on June 29th, 2024, journalists and fans alike were quick to note Jeannot’s standout 2021-22 season with the Nashville Predators, during which he registered a career-high forty-one points (24G, 17A).
It’s a narrative that will likely follow Jeannot throughout his NHL career with the expectation that he did it before so he can do it again.
LA General Manager Rob Blake didn’t trade for Jeannot based on what he did but rather what he could do.
That is, he changes the tempo of the game with his physical presence.
Lauded as the strongest player in the weight room team, Jeannot has demonstrated his muscle with strong board play, timely checks, and finishing in the hard areas of the ice.
In their last game against the Predators on November 4th, 2024, Jeannot stood up for the Kings by doing what tough guys do: fighting. Now, let’s see if Jeannot can add insult to injury by putting a few points on the board in his old stomping ground.
Puck drop is slated for 10:35 AM PST. You can watch the game on television via FanDuel Sports Network or listen live with the ESPN LA app.
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