Kings, Ducks see reasons for optimism during Rookie Faceoff tournament

EL SEGUNDO — With both teams set to open training camp on Thursday, the youngest Kings and Ducks dueled in a preliminary Freeway Faceoff punctuated by multiple fights and penalty shots, which the Kings won, 2-1 in overtime, on Monday.

“Ducks-Kings is always going to be special. It doesn’t matter if it’s rookie camp or the teams are meeting in the playoffs, there’s a little something extra,” said Matt McIlvane, who coached the Ducks’ squad through three games in four days of the Rookie Faceoff tournament.

Winger Quinn Olson scored the game-winning goal on an assist from 2024 first-round draft pick Liam Greentree. The Kings had opened the scoring by way of Greentree’s linemate Francesco Pinelli, who captained these aspiring Kings. In between, Coulson Pitre tallied for the Ducks and goalie Michael McIvor made a stunning save on a two-on-one that McIlvane placed among the top stops he’d ever seen.

It was the Kings’ first victory of the tournament and the Ducks’ second defeat in as many games after winning their opener.

The Ducks rested their leading scorer of the weekend, winger Cutter Gauthier, as well as forward Sam Colangelo and defenseman Noah Warren, whom McIlvaine described as “visible” on both sides of the puck as well as the physical game a night earlier.

The Kings, conversely, played their top player unexpectedly, with defenseman Brandt Clarke flashing the vision, skating and other qualities that made him 2021’s No. 8 overall selection.

“They originally told me I was out for the weekend after the first game, but yesterday they came to me and let me know I was in,” Clarke said. “I was happy to be in and happy to get the win, too.”

Clarke, who projects to finally get an opportunity as a full-time NHL player after dominating junior and minor-league competition in successive seasons, said he spent the summer picking the brains of trainers and dieticians to bulk up, saying “this is the best I’ve ever felt in my life.”

He was hardly alone, as he remarked on several players who also had big summers in the gym, including fellow defenseman Angus Booth. Marco Sturm, who guided this iteration of the Kings, said Booth was his next most consistent defender after Clarke.

“There’s a lot of guys that have taken a big step, and there were a lot of unfamiliar faces that I got to know really well,” Clarke said. “Guys like (Angus Booth) here on D, he’s taken big steps and gotten a lot stronger, that’s just one example that comes to mind.”

The Ducks had their own defenseman with lofty expectations, Tristan Luneau, who tore up competition in Quebec two years ago before his development was derailed for most of last season by an infected knee. Limited in his skating and on-ice work, Luneau packed on about 10 pounds of muscle in targeted, functional areas.

“If you’re ever looking for an upside to something like a long-term injury, that’s what that does allow, it allows time in the gym to invest in different parts of your body,” McIlvane said. “He certainly invested in his body. He comes back, and he looks like an animal.”

Luneau and Warren both play right defense, a position where the Ducks were severely undermanned for much of last season. They offer considerable promise behind veteran Radko Gudas on the right side.

“Oh, boy, that’s exciting. You’ve got a great blend between size, athleticism, skill and grit,” McIlvaine said. “They’re not exactly the same player, but they can be wonderful complements to each other, and I think it’s an exciting future for the Ducks.”

Luneau, whose measured speech belies his explosive play, shared that enthusiasm.

“They want us to play a modern game, pushing the tempo, a fast-paced game. That’s how I like to play,” Luneau said. “I like it here, I feel like it’s a good fit.”

Yet the day belonged to the Kings, who are in the process of restocking a system depleted by aggressive trades that failed to move the needle over the past two seasons while still trying to advance beyond the first round of the playoffs.

Sturm said he saw improvement from winger Aatu Jämsen, who impressed on the first line Monday and played a more dependable game to boot. He also lauded Greentree and another 2024 selection, goalie Carter George.

“Even under pressure, (George) never scrambled. He always stayed calm and he made some great saves today,” Sturm said. “I would say he was definitely my biggest highlight of this weekend.”