Yes, Anze Kopitar broke his ankle. Yes, he will likely be out at least until the end of the second round and probably longer. Yes, that leaves the Kings with what amounts to three third line centers and no first or second line center. Yes, Andrei Loktionov -- the organization's best center not currently on the Kings -- is out for the season with a dislocated shoulder. Yes, Brayden Schenn, the organization's second best center prospect (long-term: the best) -- is ineligible for recall until Saskatoon is eliminated from the WHL/CHL playoffs, which is not likely to happen any time soon.

You were waiting for a "but"? Okay, I'll try to come up with one.

Didn't I hear that the Kings are insanely deep at center? What's up with that? We must be able to drill down into the prospect pool and come up with someone...

Here is the Kings depth chart at center:

Of those guys, the viable options are (well, first of all, Stoll, Handzus, Lewis, Richardson, and then) ... okay, none of them. Garrett Roe? Move Moller to center? On what line? Spit-balling:

Move Moller to center and bring up one of Brandon Kozun (RW), Bud Holloway (LW), Dwight King (LW), Marc-Andre Cliche (RW). Move Richardson to center and call it a day. Maybe bring up one of the Manchester wingers mentioned in the previous bullet. Sign Garrett Roe and throw him to the wolves. Sign an undrafted NCAA free agent and throw him to the wolves. Who is out there? I have no idea.

I think I would try this:

Dustin Penner - Handzus - Dustin Brown

Ryan Smyth - Stoll - Wayne Simmonds

Alexei Ponikarovsky - Lewis - Moller

Kyle Clifford - Richardson - Cliche

Handzus and Brown have had a weird chemistry lately.

Penner needs someone wise to play off of.

Moller speed and Lewis speed combine to form super two-headed speed creature.

Cliche is responsible defensively.

But the two-headed speed creature gives me an idea. What about:





Penner - Handzus - Brown Smyth - Stoll - Simmonds Brandon Kozun - Lewis - Moller Clifford - Richardson - Ponikarovsky Due to my possibly irrational allegiance to the Millen-Donnelly speed demon 3rd line concept, I am going to cast my lot with the Kozun/Lewis/Moller idea, despite the fact that Kozun has zero NHL experience and despite the fact that Lewis would be the biggest guy on the line. Would they get pushed around? I don't know. Maybe if you could catch them. Another variation, which I expect Terry Murray to consider, is this: Penner - Lewis - Moller Smyth - Stoll - Simmonds Poni - Handzus - Brown Clifford - Richardson - (call-up)

Look. Kopitar going down is horrible, and not a blow one can easily recover from. But I don't have a "now we're doomed" personality. So I immediately start looking for two things (1) cold facts, (2) silver linings. Necessity being the mother of invention and all that.





In the cold facts category: