[sureLoss]

Another write up. from a year ago

http://mayorsmanor.com/2018/02/la-ki...ings-number-8/

All of that said, his ultimate future with the Kings is still being written. Understand, it is a huge step to come over from Europe and try to play on the biggest stage of them all. There are smaller rinks in North America, different systems to learn, the style of play is different, etc. He had a good camp, then excelled in the beginning of the NHL season; when things weren’t as tight, not as checking, not as hard. As the season moved along and the games became more normal, it was clear to management he was struggling. It was time for him to get some more seasoning in the AHL. They wanted him to get more minutes in Ontario and to have a chance to be a dominate player at that level.

One of the best things about Fantenberg is his willingness to earn his spot. Unlike most undrafted/college free agents these days, he wasn’t looking for a team that would guarantee him playing time. Quite the opposite, actually, as he made it clear to all of management that he wanted to earn his spot. He didn’t want anything handed to him. It was known from Day 1 that he would likely be spending some time in the AHL… and he was perfectly OK with it. There are some players who might say that, but not really mean it deep down. This guy is a rare breed. He meant every word of it. He wasn’t just about giving sound bites, he is sincere.

On the ice, he isn’t the biggest of defenders. Standing 6-foot tall, he is thick though, unlike a normal 18-year-old recently drafted player would be. Fantenberg is also an offensive guy – a good puck mover — and that’s where he will eventually contribute more. There are other areas of his game he still needs to work on, and that’s where coach Mike Stothers and the team in Ontario will help round out his potential.

Prior to being signed, scouting reports came in on him all over the board. Some saw him as a speedy puck mover, some as a stay-at-home type of defender. He’s never been a big producer on the score sheet and likely won’t develop that part of his game at this point. He was usually a plus-player (for what it’s worth) in Sweden, but never extraordinarily high. He’s also older than the organization’s top defensive prospects; yet he’s also in his fifth year of professional hockey, having played in Sweden’s top league before moving on to the KHL last year.

In summary, Fantenberg’s chance to gain a regular spot in LA is a real one. Although, as always, it is ultimately up to him to seize it. He would do well to accentuate one other piece of his game – albeit his shot, or passing ability, something has to push him into at least the Kevin Gravel or Jake Muzzin range for him to have a shot at a long-term home in SoCal. At the current trajectory, he factors into the team’s 2018-19 roster plans, if not sooner.