LAK SPECIAL DELIVERY: ROB BLAKE’S IMPRESSIONS AT THE HALFWAY MARK

LAS VEGAS, NV — Before his Los Angeles Kings went to battle against the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday evening at T-Mobile Arena, General Manager Rob Blake spent a few moments with LAKI reporter Zach Dooley and me to discuss the season just past the halfway mark.

The conversation touched on various aspects of his team, already in the playoff mode given the competitiveness of the Pacific Division and the Western Conference overall – from the defense to the goaltending and the progression of Quinton Byfield. Zach has a great write-up on Brandt Clarke’s return to the OHL, while I tackled the more intriguing questions.

Quinton Byfield played his 14th game of the season against Vegas – a convincing 5-1 triumph that was clearly the team’s best 60-minute performance – and with injuries to Trevor Moore and Arthur Kaliyev he has been installed on left wing on a line with Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe. Though the former second-overall pick continues to struggle offensively (no goals this season, five in 60 career NHL games), he has shown signs over the last four games of getting more comfortable in a prominent top-six role, averaging around 15 minutes a night. While he hasn’t dented the scoreboard, he looks more engaged and confident this time around.

“It’s a good opportunity (for Quinton) right now because those guys are going to be out for a little bit,” Blake said. “With Quinton getting up on Kopitar’s line and getting some power play time – he did a really good job in the American League with the extra minutes, and I think it’s brought him up to speed. He’ll going to get a good look here for a couple weeks.”

Regarding the injured players that have given Byfield a chance with top line players, Kaliyev has been seen in the press box and locker room in a walking boot while Moore has not been seen since he was sidelined after the Dec. 23 shootout loss in Arizona.

But when those players do return, is the plan to return him to center? Given the collective play of Kopitar, Philip Danault and Blake Lizotte in the middle, it seems that Byfield would be ticketed for a fourth line, limited minutes center role. Surprisingly, that may not be the case.

“It’s hard to say (if Byfield would shift back to center). It depends how he does here (in a left wing role) the next few weeks,” Blake revealed.

So, if Byfield goes on a 10-game goal scoring streak LA may leave him on the wing?

“Yeah, we might leave him there,” Blake kidded.

There is precedent to such a move as both Adrian Kempe and Gabriel Vilardi were projected as centers before finding their stride on the wing.

As it pertains to goaltending, it’s not hyperbole to say that Pheonix Copley’s performance (10-2-0, 2.52 GAA, .904 save percentage) has saved the season. The two netminders relied upon to man the cage at the start of this season, Jonathan Quick and Cal Petersen, underperformed to such a degree early on that the organization had no choice but to turn to the 30-year-old pending unrestricted free agent with 31 games of NHL experience when he signed with Los Angeles over the summer.

The key to the net may actually be Quick’s play in the second half. If Copley falters and his limited body of NHL work gives no guarantees he can sustain this level of winning (his GAA and save percentage aren’t spectacular), to recall Petersen without a reliable No.2 (I can’t see the greatest goaltender in franchise history being waived), is it possible that Petersen would not return to the NHL this season?

“There was really zero timeframe (for a Petersen return). It was more a situation of ‘go play games,’ I think he’s played 10,” Blake said. “That was the first phase. The second phase is now instructional – he’s focused on working with the goalie department and doing the habits (he needs to regain his form). He’s had good numbers (in the AHL – 2.60 GAA, .918 save percentage), but the underlying metrics into how he’s getting those numbers has to be able to translate to the NHL.

“We met with him a few days ago and told him we’re going to leave him (in Ontario) for a few weeks, get more games in and then he’s going to focus on the technical part with the goalie development group. Copley has done a great job coming in and stabilizing things and he’s done exactly what we’ve wanted him to do.”

But does he feel the need to sign Copley given his UFA status at season’s end?

“We only have one goalie under contract for next season, as of now. But Jonathan is battling for that spot, but I like the way (the rotation) is right now,” Blake said. “We’re going through a tough stretch of games right now; we’re going to need both.”

Los Angeles ranks 29th in penalty killing this season and when you’re that poor statistically, it’s not a single point that needs improvement. Despite Kevin Fiala’s big game in Vegas on Saturday and his ability to change the dynamic offensively and made the Kings a more dangerous and entertaining team, there seems to be a festering frustration with his poor decision making and unnecessary penalty taking. Some nights it’s the good Kevin, others it’s not-so-good. Though he’s not alone needing to improve in this facet of his game, Blake admits that it needs to be curbed.

“Our penalty kill is at the bottom of the league and that could change by taking less penalties (Los Angeles has been shorthanded 148 times in 43 games, the fourth highest amount in the NHL) and I’m comparing that to other seasons here. That’s the easiest way to sharpen the penalty kill.”

It wouldn’t be a complete conversation with Blake without a discussion about the left side defensive depth chart.

The team has been consistently attached to trade rumors regarding left side defenders – the most prominent name being Arizona’s Jakob Chychrun, to a lesser extent Philadelphia’s Ivan Provorov and in recent days Nashville’s Mattias Ekholm name has been bandied about. The team’s overall defensive play has improved over the last month (although it couldn’t have been much worse watching them struggle through games like a 9-8 loss and 7-6 win in its first 20 games) there is more risk involved in bringing in a quality top-four defenseman.

It will take at least one significant roster player in a package to make such a move – one that would upgrade the depth chart but possibly jeopardize chemistry for a team playing its best at Game 42. Could any of those names by in Los Angeles’ future?

“Sean Durzi has done a good job (on the left side); we put him out of position to start the season,” Blake said. “Ideally, you would like to have three righties and three lefties. The way it’s developed since last season, we have more righties.

“A lot of (trade conversations) starts taking place now. When you come back after (the holiday) break and you’re at the 40-game mark, teams start to separate themselves – ones that are in and out of the playoffs – and then you understand what might be available.”