After a stellar run with Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov, Victor Hedman, and company with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Alex Killorn decided to trade the sunshine and palm trees of Florida for those of Southern California this past summer and join a young Anaheim Ducks team. Thing is, less than a month into his on-ice career with the Ducks, he broke his finger, and he’s been watching his new teammates on television or from the press box ever since.
Related: Ducks Sign Alex Killorn to 4-Year Deal
The Ducks, so far, have fared well without him, but when he’s able to return, his two-way skillset, leadership, and hockey IQ will be a welcome addition to a lineup full of youngsters looking to learn from veterans who have done it all in this league. Killorn is one such veteran. Today, we’ll take a look at Killorn’s potential landing spots in the lineup as he nears his return.
The Original Plan For Killorn Was Probably Top-Six
After spending his career in a top-six role on the Lightning, Killorn naturally made sense in a top-six role with the Ducks. After all, there were spots available on the top two forward lines, and he has the skills and leadership qualities to slot in as a top-two line player on a young, developing team.
An 11-year veteran, Killorn has been an all-situations player for a long time. He’s scored at least 15 goals in all but one of his full seasons, and collected at least 40 points in seven of those full seasons. His versatility on both wings makes him a valuable piece to any team, which made him a highly sought-after free agent this past summer. For the Ducks, signing a talented and credentialed champion and utility player like Killorn allows them to fill several of their lineup deficiencies after a franchise history-worst 2022-23 campaign.
But What Now?
However, a lot has happened since Killorn went down with the injury that might prevent him from getting those top-six looks right away if that was the plan.
First and foremost, the play of rookie Leo Carlsson and his early-season chemistry with Troy Terry and Trevor Zegras stands in the way. That line has done pretty much everything but score consistently. It’s weird to see Zegras and Terry not leading this team statistically, but they are putting the puck on the net with regularity, generating high-quality scoring chances, and playing responsible two-way hockey for the most part. When Carlsson sits out, in accordance with his player development plan, Adam Henrique has most often been plugged into the top line and it just hasn’t worked this season. So, breaking that lineup to put in a Killorn, who they haven’t played with before or developed on-ice chemistry with, right now, doesn’t make the most sense.
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Then, there’s the second forward line. Pairing Killorn with Mason McTavish and one of Frank Vatrano or Ryan Strome also would have made sense. Similar and complementary skills, if nothing else. But that line is on fire right now. They have 33 points between them, and they’ve shown no signs of slowing down. If the plan was to try to mix in Killorn with any of those guys, then that should be nixed, for now, too.
So, basically, the question we’re left with is, where does that leave us? Or, more specifically, Killorn?
Prediction: Killorn Suits Up Alongside Henrique on Third Line
Putting Killorn alongside Adam Henrique on the third line makes a lot of sense. Together, there’s both talent and upside despite the fewer minutes and diminished offensive responsibilities. Ultimately, a role where he doesn’t have to shoulder those kinds of expectations immediately, or at all, as he settles in, is probably going to be the best thing for him.
They can still be effective, and for Killorn, skating with a veteran like Henrique gives him some stability when settling into his role with the team. Killorn will know what he’s going to get from Henrique, and vice versa, making them good fits for each other, theoretically. The fit would be assessed as the season goes on, of course, but logically it makes sense and seems like the optimal one to start out with.
The Outlook With Killorn in the Lineup
Let’s look at Anaheim’s projected lineup with Killorn inserted on the third line:
Zegras-Carlsson-Terry
Vatrano-McTavish-Strome
Silfverberg-Henrique-Killorn
Jones-Carrick-Groulx/Johnston
Henrique and Killorn may be grizzled veterans, but these are undoubtedly talented multi-dimensional players when they are at their best. Henrique, who has started the season at less than his best, could benefit greatly from the insertion of Killorn onto his line and could be exactly what he needs to get going. If the two of them are paired together and are able to provide some scoring punch in that role, then the Ducks’ offense suddenly starts looking very dangerous, especially when you consider the Ducks have been scoring in bunches lately without sustained consistency from their top guns.
Other Areas of Opportunity for Killorn
Speaking of dangerous, Killorn also adds another dimension to the Ducks’ power play. Collectively, the man-advantage unit has improved of late, and there are more forwards with skills useful for a power play than there are forward spots on a power play, but head coach Greg Cronin will have to figure a way to weave Killorn into the mix. He was a steady and reliable contributor on special teams his whole career with the Lightning. He was brought in to help the Ducks in these realms, given their putrid numbers on both sides of special teams from a season ago. He’s also a veteran leader with big-game experience and leadership intangibles that can help this team a lot. Essentially, Killorn is going to help this team in a multitude of ways.
Killorn’s a Welcome Addition, But He’ll Need Time
Killorn certainly has the ability to be an impact player for the Ducks. He’s not coming off a major injury, so it’s likely we start seeing his impact sooner rather than later. There will still be an adjustment period, but there’s no denying Killorn’s credentials. He will be a welcome addition to the lineup, and I’m one of many who are excited to see him make his debut, which should be coming very soon.
