How the Kings’ Fourth Line Creates a Revolving Door of Opportunity

While Trevor Moore nor Trevor Lewis have been activated from injured reserve (IR), both have resumed practice with the Kings in full-contact jerseys.

Kings Head Coach Jim Hiller has never been one to shy away from trying different things with his lineup, particularly the varied use of the fourth-line. At times, it's been a vehicle for veteran experience with Trevor Lewis and Tanner Jeannot. It’s also been a line for young, skilled players like Alex Turcotte and Akil Thomas to cut their teeth in the pros. In other instances, it’s provided a chance to impose the physical presence of Samuel Helenius and Andre Lee.

Now, it appears to be a line used as... for a lack of a better term... a conditioning stint to get Moore, Lewis, and possibly Arthur Kaliyev (activated off IR on December 28th, 2024) some playing time.

Twenty-five players (fifteen Forwards, eight Defenseman, two Goaltenders) are presently up with the Kings. Once Moore and Lewis are activated from IR, tough decisions will need to be made to trim the roster down to twenty-three. Helenius and Lee are both waiver exempt and could be sent to the American Hockey League's (AHL) Ontario Reign no problem. That would be a more palatable decision for Kings fans to digest than risking former second-round draftees Thomas and Kaliyev being claimed off waivers with nothing in return.

Such a decision would suspend the sandpaper that line has exhibited in recent weeks for a short term veteran presence. For, it won't take long before those veterans (namely Moore) get their legs back, resulting in an inevitable promotion within the lineup. Likely, Moore paired with Phillip Danault and Kevin Fiala, which moves Alex Laferriere either down to the fourth-line or up with Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe which sends Turcotte elsewhere, so on and so forth. The point is, it has a ripple effect that impacts every line.

Continuing to roll out the same lines in the last few weeks is abnormal behavior for Hiller, but it indicates his satisfaction with the level of consistency the team has been displaying. Rather than disrupting that chemistry, he's electing to use any additional playing time to try new things, see what works and what doesn't.

The various line combinations involving Moore, Lewis, Kaliyev, and Thomas define the role of the fourth-line: an anything goes brand of hockey. It can be a grind line, a kid line, a spark plug line, whatever you need it to be.

As we get closer to the dog days of May and June, most of the team will solidify their roles, establish their identities, and get into their rhythms. The fourth-line won't, and it seems that's the way Hiller wants it.

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