End of season thoughts from Kings rookie Jake Muzzin

Sometimes it takes a while to mature, develop and get the opportunity to play in the NHL. For Jake Muzzin, the second time has proven to be sweeter than the first. After originally playing 11 games in the fall of 2010, it took him several years to make it back. Yet, he made the most of it, suiting up for 45 of the team’s 48 regular season games and leading LA with a plus-16 rating. We even gave him a Calder Trophy vote on our official NHL Awards ballot submitted in late April.

Earlier today, with his first full season completed, he shared a few thoughts on the overall experience…

On his improvement:

“For me, I think my progress is being consistent, try to make myself a player that’s going to be in the line up all the time. I thought I had a pretty good season and as the season went on I felt more and more comfortable. I need to continue to improve on getting better and making myself even more consistent on the ice and being more confident, and to get a little bit stronger and faster and go from there.”

On the difference of playing in the playoffs versus the regular season:

“The intensity and a little bit of added pressure playing. I learned a lot playing in the playoffs. You have to up your game, it’s kind of a different season. I felt like as the playoffs went on, I got better, and I started to feel a little bit more comfortable. I learned a lot from the older guys on the team and getting ready game in and game out because the games are right after one another. Overall, we fell short but I learned a lot coming out of the playoffs.”

On what he learned from the veterans:

“Playing with Greener (Matt Greene), helped me out just being confident and being a physical player. Going out and playing my game, not trying to not make mistakes, just go out and play. Mistakes are going to happen, and stuff like that, so just go out and feel comfortable and play my game. The other guys like Scuds (Rob Scuderi) and Regs (Robyn Regehr), how they bring their game, every game they’re ready to go. Just watch them play I learned little stuff on and off the ice.”

On responding well to being a healthy scratch:

“Just challenge myself and get a little mad at yourself, you’re not playing as well. When you get sat or taken out of the lineup, you want to come back and show that you belong int he lineup. You have to play better of a game, and that’s something I’ve learned this year as well. Being ready for every game, preparing, you want to play. When you get taken out of the lineup you want to show that you belong in the lineup, maybe that’s why I came back strong.”

Coming into the season we had Muzzin ranked as the top defensive prospect and third overall in the entire Kings organization. To see the other nine best prospects, click here. Also, additional end of season notes and quotes from GM Dean Lombardi and several other Kings players can be found at the links below.

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