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Summary of the third day in the camp – Kaliyev “out” on the third day + fight in the camp, making an impression, veterans about the intensity of the camp

Happy Saturday, insiders!

The LA Kings took to the ice again today for the third day of their training camp. The Kings kept a similar format on Day 3, with Group A hitting the ice first for a practice session before a camp scrimmage game, which today consisted of two 25-minute halves. Group B then held their practice session before Group C finished the day with their own skate.

The lineups, which are listed in full HERE, have been relatively consistent above. We saw the top nine forwards remain the same across all three days, as have the top four defensive pairings. As for those battling for roster spots, the Kings appear to have a clear group of 15 forwards lined up, although an injury to Arthur Kaliyev has changed the plan a bit, moving Alex Turcotte from center to wing, as he skated with Akil Thomas and Trevor Lewis at today's practice.

Kaliyev left yesterday's practice game early after being hit by defenseman Kyle Burroughs. Head coach Jim Hiller did not have an update for the group after yesterday's practice and Kaliyev did not participate in Day 3 today. After today's practice, Hiller did not have much more to say other than that he is currently “out.”

According to external reports, Kaliyev was diagnosed with a more serious condition, but so far nothing seems to have happened.

First things first, it's bad news for a player who seemed to be getting a fresh start with the Kings. The second half of last season was extremely difficult for Kaliyev, but with the signing of a new one-year contract earlier this week, the opportunity for a fresh start presented itself. Both he and Hiller spoke about it in that context, and all signs pointed to a player who would have a chance to compete this season. The day two injury will unfortunately certainly set him back, so let's hope the recovery doesn't take long and we can see Kaliyev back in the game as soon as possible.

As for the rest of the group, today's training match again consisted of two halves played between Groups A and B.

Most of the offensive chances came in the first period, with Warren Foegele and Alex Turcotte each capitalizing. Turcotte capitalized on a turnover in the offensive zone and shot past goalie Darcy Kuemper. Foegele had a great chance in transition and laid in a one-timer that he shot past goalie David Rittich at the other end of the ice. Both goalies were active in their 25 minutes, with Kuemper saving a penalty from defenseman Jacob Moverare after a tripping incident, while Rittich saved a penalty from forward Glenn Gawdin after he took a stick to the face while attacking down the wing.

The real story of the first half came when things ended with a bang, if you will. Early in the practice game, forward Samuel Helenius charged hard at the net to grab a rebound that Kuemper eventually capitalized on. Defensemen Andreas Englund and Kyle Burroughs, among others, made an exception, though things eventually seemed to settle down… until they didn't. On the final shift of the first half, Helenius was challenged by forward Jeff Malott and the two big guys battled to the great enthusiasm of a packed building of fans.

“Yeah, we had our first fight, almost on the first day, but today it finally boiled over into a real fight,” Hiller said. “There were other opportunities and I think you probably saw there were other guys fighting, so I had a feeling that was going to happen sooner or later and it was a really good fight between the two of them. I think they respected each other after that and it looks to me like there are some guys here trying to make an impression, that's how I interpret it. You show a physical element or an intensity, you try to get people's attention. I think that was pretty evident in those first few days.”

It's interesting because from the outside, it felt so out of character for a Kings camp. In the room, it didn't really feel like a big deal. Hiller seemed to like that level of play from both players. It was certainly exciting for fans on what was by far the busiest day of camp in terms of attendance. Two guys trying to make an impact and make the team, and it's clear that both of them caught the attention of officials.

The intensity, however, is something that almost everyone who takes the ice these three days notices. That's not to say I expect Kevin Fiala to face Adrian Kempe tomorrow, but those who are attending this training camp are noticing the increase in a few different areas.

Both Warren Foegele and Tanner Jeannot said that this type of message resonated with the players at the pre-training camp meeting on Wednesday.

Fögele – It's a fast-paced, physical race, it's very competitive out there. I think that's the message that was sent out at the launch: the boys are playing hard and trying to give a little bit more. The boys are working hard and these are the right things for the future.

Jeannot – Everyone wants to push each other to be better. We talked about it in the meeting at the beginning of the cam, everyone just needs to try a little harder and I think everyone has shown that so far and it will just continue to evolve.

That this message was conveyed is no surprise considering everything that was said during the offseason – starting with the way Rob Blake spoke during his press conference announcing Hiller as the team's full-time head coach.

For Jeannot and Foegele, this is their only experience at an LA Kings camp. They know no other camp than this one, although they both acknowledge that part of the reason they were brought there was to help the group develop and excel in these areas.

However, for those who have been here in the past, I think there is a noticeable difference.

Mikey Anderson – I think it's a lot more physical than it's been in years past. It's good, it gets the guys back into the game, the pace of the game and everything, so I think it's important. It's going to help us when we play real games.

Trevor Lewis – Yes, it was fun, I think the boys are excited. The competitive spirit is a bit aroused out there and that's great. It's great to see everyone pushing each other, the boys are hungry, that's nice to see.

Trevor Moore – I think this is definitely a group that wants to improve and has a strong identity. So, yes, it was physical and aggressive and we all try to make each other better.

Akil Thomas called it the “most competitive and physically demanding” camp he has ever attended, while Alex Laferriere is experiencing a real main camp for the first time.

Due to the split last season, Laferriere was not part of the group that traveled to Australia, but opened training camp with a group more geared toward the AHL.

“You didn't really see that competitive edge last year. I think everyone is hungry and we know we have a lot to prove this year,” he said today. “I think you can see that you just come out and are ready to go.”

For a team that has felt pushed around and physically outmatched at times, there now seems to be a clear will to change that. How that potentially translates into other areas, or how it actually plays out when the opponent is a different team, remains to be seen.

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