Jonathan Quick backstopped the Los Angeles Kings to the Stanley Cup. He was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the Most Valuable Player in the postseason and his brilliant and consistent performance had much to do with the Kings' run through four playoff opponents.
The Kings also got a lift from offensive players like Dustin Brown, Anze Kopitar, Mike Richards and Jeff Carter. The team that struggled to score during the regular season found a way to put the puck in the net regularly during the playoffs—especially in clutch situations.
The Kings' defense does not have to take a backseat to any area on the team. Specifically, defenseman Drew Doughty stepped up as much as any player in the league during the postseason. He was rock solid with his overall defense, puck carrying and ability to take a hit and still make a play.
Doughty impressed St. Louis Blues head coach Ken Hitchcock when the two teams met in the second round of the playoffs. "I think the biggest thing that he does is absorb checks, gets the puck out on his own," Hitchcock told Lisa Dillman of the Los Angeles Times.
"That's what he [Doughty] does. You think you’ve got him. He pulls away on you. You think you’ve got him pinned on the boards, he pulls it off the boards and makes the play."
Doughty also has the hard shot and the offensive skills to play a well-rounded game on the blue line. However, to be considered among the best defensemen and then to rise to the level of the No. 1 defenseman, Doughty has to improve during the regular season.
Doughty found his name in the headlines shortly after the Kings' Stanley Cup title for the wrong reasons, but sexual assault charges against him were not filed after prosecutors failed to find enough evidence against him (source: KTLA.com).
If Doughty is going to u...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Kings
