LOS ANGELES -- While Los Angeles Kings fans would have been very familiar with Warren Foegele's game after seeing him come into LA and beat the Kings three seasons in a row with the Edmonton Oilers, however, he wasn't a big-name signing by any means.
Despite the lack of shine to the signing, Foegele has been everything the Kings could ask for. He was advertised as a versatile middle-six forward who plays with speed and can chip in goals.
So far in LA, he's been exactly that and even a little bit more.
He grabbed his seventh goal and 13th point against the Dallas Stars in a first-star effort, continuing his solid start to life in LA.
Foegele's been a fit on almost every line he's played on and there are a few constants you get when asking players and coaches about him. He's extremely fast, plays hard and has a great shot.
Combining those three attributes is a recipe for success and the Kings are reaping the benefits of that.
He's been more than just a hard-working middle-six forward though, he's added a special team element that's been key for the Kings.
"We had a pretty good sense of his game, but I think he's given us more than we would have hoped for," said Jim Hiller. "Penalty killing's been really strong, his speed is the obvious, he's really competitive, he's got good hockey sense. He's turning into one of our offensive threats, as we've seen. Not just with the goals, but he's made some pretty good passes too. And he's evolved his game as his career's gone. He started on the fourth line, like a lot of players, we talk about Turc, start on the fourth line and earn a job in the NHL, and then you realize you've got more skill, you grow confident. You understand the game, and now you're seeing this. I think he's got even more to go because he's really never been placed in that much of an offensive role, played as much as he has here."
Currently scoring at a 22-goal, 41-point pace, and providing some excellent results on the penalty kill, Foegele is providing fantastic value on his $3.5 million contract.
Rob Blake has suffered a lot over the last 18 months, but the Foegele signing is looking like an early masterclass from Blake.
He didn't get a superstar, but he got an excellent middle-six forward who can play anywhere in the lineup, the kind of player you need to win deep into a season.