Kings Want Their Defensemen to Cut Some Ice : Redmond, Playfair on Spot as Improvement in Previously Weak Unit Is Sought

If the Kings are a little defensive about their defense, they have reason to be. The memory of last season’s lethargic performance remains fresh.

Even here in British Columbia at training camp, with its air of optimism and renewal, thoughts turn to the King defense, which was the second-worst in the National Hockey League. After allowing a team-record 389 goals in a 23-49-8 season, Coach Pat Quinn is understandably concerned about finding defensive players.

“It was obvious to observers of our hockey team last year that we weren’t a very good defensive hockey team,” Quinn said. “For someone who is supposed to know how to bring defense out of hockey players, it was even worse.

“At the same time, we made a decision two years ago to put some young players in there. We had to pay the price. The first year, it looked like we made the right decision, but last year was not good at all.”

The defensemen know that, as Quinn is fond of saying, it’s graduation time for the younger players.

“I think he made that clear last year,” Craig Redmond said, in a tone implying that Quinn’s point had hit home.

Redmond is drawing Quinn’s critical eye, as is fellow defenseman Larry Playfair. Both are expected to “graduate” and bolster what Quinn sees as a passive defensive line.

“I’m not talking about players fighting, I’m talking about going into the corners and scrapping for the puck,” Quinn said. “Our sport requires a strong defensive player. This is a game of intimidation. Quick skaters can intimidate with their speed, big men with their size.

“The best line we can get is one that plays the all-around game. We hope that last year was a maturation stage for us. We had two two-year players and a one-year player (on the defensive line). Teams don’t win very many games with a bad defense.”

Playfair has the aggressiveness that Quinn seeks, but his skills need work. And at 6 feet 4 inches and 220 pounds, Playfair is more at home moving skaters out of his territory than he is skating out to meet them.

“He’s well respected in the league,” Quinn said, referring to Playfair’s reputation as a physical player.

That Playfair, 28, is even skating in camp is a tribute to off-season physical rehabilitation. He was acquired from Buffalo in the middle of last season and played only 14 games for the Kings. He came to the club with an injured shoulder and soon had a bad left knee to go with it.

Both injuries required surgery, one in March and the other in April.

“I feel great right now,” Playfair said. “I worked really hard over the summer. I’ve never worked like that. But I feel great. I’ve taken some shots that might have hurt last year.”

Quinn has liked what he’s seen of Playfair in camp.

“Larry, to me, is a guy who would be a slow starter, because of his size,” Quinn said. “He’s strong, and it takes the big men a little time to get their feet under them. He’s starting to do the simple things right. He’s the guy who’s got to play a physical game for us. He’s got to use his size and physical skills.”

The 21-year-old Redmond’s skills lie in a different area. He has used his two years on defense to overcome deficiencies he might have gotten away with in the minor leagues.

“When I came to this team, I was expected to carry a fairly heavy load right away,” said Redmond, who signed with the Kings at age 18. “Some of the stronger teams bring you in slowly. I lost a lot of confidence last year. I had an all right first year but didn’t have a good second year.”

Quinn said that whatever Redmond is lacking can be regained by gaining confidence.

“Craig has been skating well,” Quinn said. “But his weakness is he needs to get a little more physical. He needs confidence. He has trouble playing against a guy like Playfair, for example. He’s got to realize that it’s a part of the game. If you look at Craig when he’s skating along on the ice, he’s a beautiful skater. But the trouble is when you have another team on the ice.”

Said the 5-foot 10-inch, 200-pound Redmond: “It’s not the sort of thing that is going to happen overnight,” Redmond said. “I don’t think it’s a matter of changing my game, just adding something to it. Maybe it’s a growing-up type of thing.”