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6. Jeff Carter, F, Los Angeles Kings -- Carter is the perfect example of how one player can make a major impact on a team. It wasn't like he lit things up when he joined the Kings last year (six goals in 16 regular season games), but it allowed guys to return to their natural spot in the lineup. It also gave opposing teams one more weapon to think about. It's possible he starts the season at center if Anze Kopitar misses time (although Kopitar looked pretty good at practice on Thursday) and GM Dean Lombardi sees a maturing player in great shape.
"He's never been in this kind of shape in his entire career," Lombardi said Thursday. "He's one of our top-conditioned guys, I don't think anybody would have said that about him before … We forget that when these kids break in at 18,19 years old, they're very young. What you're seeing is a guy becoming a real pro. That's certainly what strikes me the most."
"He's never been in this kind of shape in his entire career," Lombardi said Thursday. "He's one of our top-conditioned guys, I don't think anybody would have said that about him before … We forget that when these kids break in at 18,19 years old, they're very young. What you're seeing is a guy becoming a real pro. That's certainly what strikes me the most."