The Prototypical Left Winger

Ryan Van Horne

2010-04-24

Kyle Clifford

The best left wingers in Los Angeles Kings history are known for scoring goals and racking up the points. Luc Robitaille and Charlie Simmer had stellar careers with the Kinds and they also had Jari Kurri for a few years, but the left side has always been a difficult spot to fill. When they have found a keeper, he's been a skill guy, not your prototypical left winger (Gary Roberts, Brendan Shanahan). Alexander Frolov is the most recent example of this, but he might not even be around after this summer.

 

This makes a great opportunity for players such as Kyle Clifford, a rugged, up-and-down winger with defensive savvy and enough skill to play a support role on the second line. I can imagine Clifford being a good fit on a line with Brayden Schenn and Oscar Moller in a couple of years.

 

Clifford was the Kings second round pick (35th overall) in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft last June. He was signed to a three-year, entry-level deal last September after impressing the Kings' brass at training camp.

 

The 6-2, 208-pound native of Ayr, Ontario convinced the Kings his tough, aggressive style of play was exactly what they were looking for when they drafted him.

 

Like many power forwards, Clifford's offensive skills developed at a little slower rate. His production as a 16-year-old was miniscule. He scored just one goal in 66 games and 15 points. He boosted that to 16 goals and 28 points in his draft year and then doubled it this past season to 28 goals and 57 points. That boost in offensive production this year has helped erase some of the doubts people had when the Kings drafted him in the second round last summer. Many thought it was a reach, and that they could have nabbed him with a later pick.

 

He's keeping it up in the playoffs, too, with 11 points in 13 games. His team, the Barrie Colts, has advanced to OHL final and awaits the winner of the Western Conference final between Kitchener and Windsor.

📢 advertisement:

 

Kudos to Dean Lombardi and his staff and seeing Clifford's potential — they'll be rewarded. Clifford got nods in OHL Eastern Conference coaches' poll this past season. He was second in hardest worker and first in best defensive forward. Clifford doesn't back down from anyone. As a 17-year-old, he fought Kyle Neuber and Akim Aliu as 19-year-olds and took on fellow draft prospect Zack Kassian – one of the top young fighters in the OHL.

 

He plays with an edge but also has good hockey sense. Knows sometimes that the simple play is the better play and will be the kind of player that Kings coach Terry Murray will trust. He does a good job cycling the puck in the offensive zone and can be a handful for opposing defencemen. He loves to hit and plays a responsible game in his own zone.

 

What production will be in the NHL depends on his linemates and his role, but if he continues to improve his skating – a fair assumption given his work ethic – he'll be fine and could be a second-liner.

 

Upside: 50 points, with 150 PIMs.

Leave A Comment

UPCOMING GAMES

Oct 07 - 17:10 FLA vs CHI
Oct 07 - 20:10 NYR vs PIT
Oct 07 - 22:10 L.A vs COL

Starting Goalies

Top Skater Views

  Players Team
JACKSON BLAKE CAR
PAVEL DOROFEYEV VGK
MARCO ROSSI MIN
RYAN DONATO CHI
ARSENIY GRITSYUK N.J

Top Goalie Profile Views

  Players Team
JET GREAVES CBJ
JEREMY SWAYMAN BOS
CARTER HART
ARVID SODERBLOM CHI
FILIP GUSTAVSSON MIN

LINE COMBOS

  Frequency VGK Players
23.2 NICOLAS ROY TOMAS HERTL PAVEL DOROFEYEV
22.2 REILLY SMITH WILLIAM KARLSSON IVAN BARBASHEV
20.6 VICTOR OLOFSSON BRETT HOWDEN JACK EICHEL

DobberHockey Podcasts

Keeping Karlsson: Because It’s the KKUPFL, Season 11

Elan and Brian reveal a key change for Season 11 of the Keeping Karlsson Ultimate Patron Fantasy League (KKUPFL), the world’s top fantasy hockey league. They also share and consider feedback from Season 10 managers, responding with tips and thoughts on fantasy hockey league building and philosophy.

Fantasy Hockey Life: Ottawa Senators with Alex Adams

Alex Adams of Sportsnet is here to report on the Ottawa Senators. Jesse and Victor interview Alex about returning pros Tim Stutzle, Drake Batherson, Brady Tkachuk, Dylan Cozens, Claude Giroux, Shane Pinto, Ridly Greig, Fabian Zetterlund, Jake Sanderson, Thomas Chabot, Jordan Spence, Linus Ullmark, and Leevi Meralainen. In Cat’s Instincts, Cat Silverman of InGoal mag […]

Fantasy Hockey Life: Washington Capitals Preview with Dan Holmi of Locked on Caps

Dan Holmi is here to report on the Washington Capitals. Jesse and Victor interview Dan about returning pros Alex Ovechkin, Dylan Strome, Aliaksei Protas, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Tom Wilson, Connor McMichael, Ryan Leonard, John Carlson, Jakob Chychrun, Rasmus Sandin, Logan Thompson, and Charlie Lindgren. In Cat’s Instincts, Cat Silverman of InGoal mag breaks down Garin Bjorklund.  […]

FIND US ON FACEBOOK

📢 advertisement: