LOS ANGELES -- The early parts of a season are always difficult to analyze. It's tough to know what's real and what's not without a sufficient sample size and it's easy to be fooled into thinking a team is great, or terrible, based on that small sample.
The Los Angeles Kings are through 20 games now, giving us enough of a sample to start really analyzing this team and its players.
It's time for another pluses and minuses.
Pluses:
The record, particularly at home:
10-7-3 through the first 20, the Kings are sitting second in the Pacific Division and fifth in the Western Conference. Whatever criticisms there are of this team, that's a record you can be happy with.
We can nitpick their play all we want, but points are all that matter when the final horn sounds for Game 82. More impressive, they're 5-2-1 at home.
Since Jim Hiller took over in February the Kings have turned Crypto.com Arena into a fortress, at least in the regular season.
They say good teams find a way to win even if they aren't playing well, that would be a very optimistic way to view the Kings' first 20 games, but you don't want to be overly critical of points on the board.
Some young players:
This season was always going to be determined by the play of LA's young players and some of them have stepped up in a big way.
Brandt Clarke and Alex Laferriere have popped on the scoresheet through 20 games, with Laferriere's nine goals tying him for the team lead and Clarke's 13 points leading Kings defensemen.
Those two have grabbed headlines, and for good reason, but a few other young players have stood out too. Alex Turcotte's been the next best young forward, earning his spot on the top line next to Adrian Kempe and Anze Kopitar.
He's finding his game at the NHL level, playing his usual intelligent, high-motor game. There's been a small injury, which is always a concern with Turcotte, and the raw numbers aren't amazing, but he's been great to the eye test.
The surprise young player of the season has been big forward Samuel Helenius. Called up to replace the suspended Tanner Jeannot, the massive Finn has stuck in the lineup, beating out Andre Lee and Akil Thomas for now.
He's brought the physicality and defensive reach expected of him, but he's proven he can keep up with the pace of the NHL and has shown some fourth-line puck skills so far.
He'll never be a star but Helenius is showing he can be a reliable bottom-of-the-lineup player.
Minuses:
Quinton Byfield:
Coming off a breakout season, a new contract and a return to center, this season was set up to be a massive one for Quinton Byfield. Instead, he's been the biggest disappointment by a wide margin.
Byfield has just two goals and nine points, including just one primary assist, he currently sits ninth on the team's scoring charts.
He's played better than the raw totals show and with some better finishing he'd have a few more points, but we're past the point of moral victories with Byfield. He has to produce, anything other than that is a disappointment.
"I'm not concerned, I understand why he gets evaluated on points, that's the easiest thing to do and that's usually how people get played," said Hiller when asked about Byfield's play. "But we're patient with him, he's trying, he's doing his job. We're not concerned, we'd like to see him score more, I'm sure he feels that too."
It's a positive view on Byfield from Hiller, but it seems clear he's losing confidence, he looks nothing like the player we saw last season. That player was assertive and carried play for his line, not afraid to play in the interior and impose himself on games.
"It's hard, I can try, but mostly he's got to within, believe himself," said Hiller on Byfield's confidence. "He's had tough stretches before that he's come out of, if anybody's faced adversity it's been him through the first run of his career. So he's been through it and he'll get through it,"
Byfield looks hesitant and is playing far too much on the perimeter, constantly looking for the perfect play instead of playing simple, effective hockey. We saw how good Byfield can be last season and he needs to start showing it again.
Special Teams:
After going 0-5 against the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday, the Kings now have a bottom-five power play and a middle-of-the-pack penalty kill. They've been a good five-on-five team again, but the special teams have completely fallen apart.
Two seasons ago their power play was one of the best in hockey and last season it was their penalty kill that shined, this season, both have regressed severely.
Most of the game is played at five-on-five, but capitalizing on special teams and keeping the puck out of your net on the kill can often be the difference between winning an losing.
In the last three playoffs, the Kings have seen how important special teams can be and they've still been unable to find it.
The power play has been the big problem, with Hiller even trying a five-forward top unit recently, but that hasn't improved their fortunes. The Kings' power play looks devoid of confidence. Players are looking for the perfect pass, trying to move responsibility to other players.
Players are unwilling to get pucks on net and look for a scrappy goal.
The Kings have a few problems but special teams are the most pressing of them. It's been their weakest point and could be something that sinks them this season.