The Los Angeles Kings are getting a much-needed boost to their lineup this weekend. Forward Trevor Moore has been activated from injured reserve and is expected to suit up for Saturday’s matchup against the St. Louis Blues.
Moore missed the last 11 games due to an upper-body injury, which was initially labeled as day-to-day. But as these things sometimes go, recovery took longer than expected. A brief illness early in his absence didn’t help matters either, and the Kings eventually placed the Thousand Oaks native on IR after a week on the sidelines.
During Moore’s time away, the Kings went 4-3-4-a stretch that reflects the kind of inconsistency that’s plagued them of late. While not catastrophic, it wasn’t the kind of run that helps you climb the standings in a tightly contested Western Conference.
Before the injury, Moore wasn’t exactly lighting up the scoresheet. Through 37 games, he had posted just five goals and eight assists-13 points total.
That’s well below his usual pace. Since joining the Kings, Moore has typically hovered around the 40-point mark over a full season.
But if you project his current numbers across a full campaign, he’d be trending toward just 24 points-his lowest output in any season where he’s played 70-plus games.
Still, Moore brings value beyond the box score. He’s long been a reliable two-way presence, and the underlying numbers back that up. His 5-on-5 expected goals regularized adjusted plus-minus per 60 minutes sits at +0.114-a fancy way of saying he’s helping drive play in the right direction and limiting quality chances against when he’s on the ice.
The Kings didn’t need to make any roster moves to fit Moore back into the mix, as they were already carrying just 21 players on the active roster.
And make no mistake-the timing of Moore’s return is crucial. The Kings are in a dogfight for a playoff spot as the season hits its back half.
They currently sit fifth in the Pacific Division with a 20-16-13 record, trailing the San Jose Sharks by two points for the final wild card spot in the West. The silver lining?
Los Angeles has a game in hand. The downside?
They don’t hold the second tiebreaker against San Jose, which could loom large down the stretch.
Coming off a gritty 4-3 win over the New York Rangers on Tuesday, the Kings will look to build some momentum when they face the Blues in St. Louis on Saturday at 5 p.m.
PT. If Moore can shake off the rust and return to form, his two-way game could be a key piece in helping L.A. stay in the playoff hunt.