(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES — For years, veteran left wing Ryan Smyth was a “Kings Killer,” scoring more points (24 goals with 24 assists for 48 points in 48 games) against the Los Angeles Kings than any other team, while wearing the jerseys of the Edmonton Oilers, the New York Islanders and the Colorado Avalanche.
But that was not one of the reasons Kings President/General Manager Dean Lombardi acquired the 33-year-old native of Banff, Alberta from the Avalanche on July 3, 2009, in exchange for defensemen Kyle Quincey and Tom Preissing, along with a fifth round selection in the 2010 National Hockey League Entry Draft.
Indeed, Smyth’s uncanny ability to light up the Kings just about every time he faced them was probably not even on Lombardi’s list. Rather, it was Smyth’s veteran experience and leadership, not to mention the fact that he is one of the best in the game at driving hard to the front of the opposition’s net, parking himself there to create traffic in front of the goalie and get the dirty goals that the Kings have so rarely scored in recent years.
Just four games into the season, the Kings have earned a 3-1 record, and there is strong evidence that Smyth has already made a huge, positive impact on the team.
Most apparent have been his contributions while playing on the Kings’ top line with center Anze Kopitar and right wing Justin Williams.
To say that this line has been hot is an understatement, as the trio has combined for eight goals and twelve assists for twenty points, with Smyth accounting for four goals and three assists for seven points.
“We seem to be finding a way right now,” said Smyth. “The big thing is that we’re communicating in practice and it’s leading into the game situations.”
“I’ve always thought Kopitar was an excellent hockey player and Williams—I’ve got a tremendous amount of respect for him,” added Smyth. “He’s won, he knows what it takes to win. When the game is on, he turns it up, too. It’s a good mix right now and things are going good.”
Both Kopitar and Williams have come out of the gate as improved players over last season, but at this early point in the season, Smyth appears to be the key to the line’s success because he always seems to make the right play and, of course, there is always his knack of wreaking havoc in front of the net.
“I think the big thing is that coach has emphasized the shot mentality and the net presence, and that goes with my game a little bit,” Smyth explained. “I don’t want to change my game, but the puck has got to end up towards the net area. Guys are getting it through and we’re getting rewarded.”
“I know Coach Murray has really, really been instilling a shot mentality with traffic in front of the net,” said Williams. “We have one guy just in front of the net and another guy just off a little bit. More often than not, if you don’t get a tip, you’re going to at least get a screen. The goalie’s not going to see them all.”
“The goalies in this league, if they see a shot from the blue line, they’re going to save it every time,” added Williams. “Not ninety percent. Every time. We’re doing our best to try to get in front of the net, but we need to stick with it for the whole game.”
The Kings’ net presence this season has improved dramatically over last season, so much so that their offense looks totally different and has been far more effective through four games than it has been over the last handful of seasons.
Kings head coach Terry Murray pointed to Smyth’s influence and leadership in this aspect of the game as being a key factor.
“Net traffic...it’s coming,” said Murray. “We’re getting pucks to the net, we’re having better presence at the net. It takes a couple of veteran guys like Ryan Smyth to set that example. You can see some of the stuff he brings. Younger guys are looking and watching and doing the same.”
As reported earlier, Smyth is one of the best in the league at getting to the front of the net and scoring the dirty goals.
He learned his specialty from some of the best.
“I wanted to develop something when I broke into the league and establish myself as something,” he said. “I watched guys like Dino Ciccarelli, Dave Andreychuk and Craig Simpson stand in front of the net and take a beating.”
“The puck has to go to the net,” he added. “You might as well get yourself there or bodies there and things will happen.”
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