NHL Playoffs 2012: 5 Unsung Heroes on the Los Angeles Kings

The playoff dominance of the Los Angeles Kings has been well documented. Dustin Brown and Jonathan Quick are MVP candidates, while Anze Kopitar, Mike Richards, and Drew Doughty have gained wide recognition for their play in the postseason.

However, there are a number of relatively unknown players who have made significant contributions to the Kings' playoff run. They may not be the most talented players, but they consistently do the little things needed to win 16 games in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Here are five role players who have helped make the Kings a nearly unbeatable playoff team. 

Jarret Stoll

Jarret Stoll only has two playoff goals, but both were game-winners, including the overtime goal that eliminated the Vancouver Canucks.

Stoll averages 16:50 in ice time, is fourth on the team in hits with 35, and takes over a quarter of the Kings’ draws.

Stoll continues to have an impact at both ends of the rink, playing a tough, gritty brand of hockey.

Trevor Lewis

Stoll’s linemate Trevor Lewis adds youth and toughness to the Kings’ checking line.

Lewis is third on the team in hits with 40, has six points, and is a plus-five in the playoffs.

Lewis has been disciplined and played a simplified game, which is exactly the type of player a team needs on its checking line. Lewis has registered only one giveaway and one penalty in the playoffs. 

Dwight King

Like many of the Los Angeles players, Dwight King has raised his game to a higher level in the playoffs.

In the regular season King had five goals in 27 games. He already has five goals in the playoffs and leads the team in shooting percentage, having scored on 31.1 percent of his shots.

Like Stoll and Lewis, King plays physical two-way hockey. With five takeaways and no giveaways, Darryl Sutter can move King to any line without worrying about him being a defensive liability. 

Matt Greene

Assistant captain Matt Greene has averaged only 15:58 in ice time, but has made the most of his opportunities.

Greene has four points including a game-winning goal, and is a plus-four in the playoffs.

He is effective in the defensive zone, clearing bodies and pucks from the front of the net. Greene leads all Los Angeles defensemen with 43 hits, and has added 12 blocked shots. Not bad for a player with limited ice time. 

Willie Mitchell

Former Vancouver Canuck Willie Mitchell has been solid in all aspects of the game.

He leads the Kings with 29 blocked shots, 21 more than the next best player. Mitchell has registered 21 shots on goal and is a plus-eight in the playoffs.

Mitchell has the endurance and physicality that a team needs to make a deep playoff run. He has averaged over 30 shifts per game and 25 minutes in ice time.