During the NHL season teams look at the minors to inquire about who to bring up to the main roster due to injuries, a trade or suspension.
Those call ups can be short or long term but at some point those clubs face the decision to keep them up or send them back down, and at times, see what they have for the future. Those call ups can surprise you when you least expect them to.
The Kings this year have dealt with this scenario a few times and one of the call ups, Matt Luff, has been a nice surprise. He has produced in the past and has so far contributed to the big club during his time in the NHL. Luff, signed as a free agent in September of 2016, has shown the Kings that they have something to build on in the future. Unknown to some, Luff has shown no signs of being out of place during his call up, and has contributed on both sides of the ice.
Luff is not going to score 50 goals in the NHL, nor will he lead the league in scoring. He will, however, be a player the Kings can look to for secondary scoring, primarily on the second or third lines. He is a big kid at 6-2 and 196 pounds and is a player who can skate. Luff is young and has a bright future ahead of him, but will that future be with the Kings or Ontario Reign, the Kings AHL affiliate? He is in control of what next year brings and he has shown he belongs with the big club. He, in my opinion, has earned a shot at earning a spot on the roster next year with his play and ability to score big goals.
Photo: NHL.com
