Los Angeles Kings Are Smart To Get Martin Jones Starts Early
By PowerPlayCJ
@powerplaywithcj
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After starting 0-1-1, the reigning Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings got their first win of the season against the Winnipeg Jets with backup goalie Martin Jones getting the win. No one would say the former Calgary Hitman is pushing 2012 Conn Smythe winner Jonathan Quick, but there is plenty to be confident about in Jones getting the Kings in the win column.
The 24-year-old Jones is entering his first full season as Quick’s understudy after stepping up in a huge way when Quick went down last season. Allowing him to play on a consistent basis and further establish himself in the NHL will surely benefit the Kings while allowing them to rest their star goalie. While there is a fine line between rested and rusty, having a fresh Quick in April makes the Kings’ dreams of a repeat more than just a pipe dream.
A 55/27 start split with Quick getting the bulk of the minutes would be what’s best for the Kings in the long and short term for many of the same reasons I said the Boston Bruins should do the exact same thing with their star goalie Tuukka Rask. For teams like the Kings and Bruins which have world class goalies and Stanley Cup aspirations, ensuring the former is fresh when it matters is key to the latter becoming reality.
Even with both teams’ sluggish starts to the season it would shock absolutely no one if the Bruins and Kings faced off in the Stanley Cup Final. Keeping their ace goalies in tip-top shape would be one of many factors that leads them to the championship round.
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