Los Angeles Kings: 2 Biggest Surprises Of The Season So Far

The majority of NHL teams have already played 20 games this season, so we are starting to get a better understanding of what to expect from them moving forward. There have been certain players who have been big surprises thus far and it feels fair to shine a light on them. In this series, we will be looking at two from each team who certainly can be classified as that.

In this piece, we will be looking at the Los Angeles Kings. At this time, they have a 9-8-4 record and are sixth in the Pacific Division. Overall, the players who you would expect are playing well, but scoring certainly is an issue. Only four players on the roster have at least 10 points in 21 games. Even with the depth players not necessarily taking the world by storm, these two have been big surprises for them.

Jonathan Quick: After three straight seasons of underwhelming play, many hockey fans were confident that Jonathan Quick was washed up. Yet, the 35-year-old is fighting against that narrative this season, as he currently has a 2.38 GAA and .924 SV%. He seems to be the team's number one goalie again, which is interesting to see, as they just signed Cal Petersen to a three-year, $15 million contract extension. Yet, Quick's excellent play warrants more playing time, especially with Petersen's struggles (.895 SV%).

Sean Durzi: Since being called up to the Kings, defenseman Sean Durzi has played very well. Although the sample size is very small, he has a goal and four points in three games. With that, he has gotten on the scoresheet in each of those contests. Not too many people would have predicted that the 23-year-old would start his NHL career off so hot. If he keeps playing like this, he should stick with the NHL club for the remainder of the season. In 13 games with the Ontario Reign this year, he also had five goals and 16 points.

Check out our last piece on the Edmonton Oilers. In our next installment, we will be discussing the San Jose Sharks.