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Undivided Communication & Work Ethic Just Two Reasons to Love LA Kings Prospect Braden Doyle

(Photo credit: Stephen Gassman)

With the No. 2 pick in this year’s draft, there is plenty of debate surrounding the Los Angeles Kings and who they’ll select with said pick. As thought-provoking as said debate is, though, we’d be remiss without recognizing the strength of the club’s current prospect pool.

Braden Doyle (Dave Arnold)

In recent years, the Kings have restored their strength in prospect quality and even though some of them may not be donning the silver-and-black anytime soon, that does not mean that they are afterthoughts. Far from it, in fact.

This is the case for Braden Doyle who is progressing very well as a solid offensive defenseman — one who models his game after San Jose Sharks blueliner, and two-time Norris Trophy winner, Erik Karlsson.

Drafted in the sixth round (157th overall) by the Kings in 2019, two of Doyle’s biggest attractions are his character and his desire to get better. While he does have a lot of work to do to prepare for the professional ranks, the native of Lynnfield, Mass., is not the least bit deterred for the road ahead. In fact, he’s excited for it.

I recently spoke with Kings development coach Sean O’Donnell as well as Doyle’s current coach, Oliver David of the USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints, about the youngster’s game,  attitude and high level of communication which is helping him become a better all-around player.

Great Expectations

At just 18 years of age, Braden Doyle is in no hurry to develop his game to fit with the NHL level. Nevertheless, the youngest is not content with being complacent. As a matter of fact, Doyle has already impressed in his rookie season in the USHL, a league known for its deep developmental prowess.

In his first full season with Dubuque, Doyle scored seven goals and 25 assists in 48 games, part of an effort that has not gone unnoticed by his head coach.

“We expected a highly-skilled player that is going to be capable of creating well-above average opportunities with the puck on his stick,” Oliver David said. “We expect [Braden], therefore, to be a main contributor offensively and he’s met and exceeded those expectations.”

As for Sean O’Donnell, he likes what he sees. Part of a Kings developmental team which has striven on properly, and patiently, building their prospect pools into one of the best in the NHL, O’Donnell knows that Doyle is instrumental in solidifying the club’s overall future but his own, as well.

“He just had his first full year in Dubuque last year and he’s improved steadily,” the former Kings blueliner noted. “He was trending in the right direction and you can make an argument that he was one of the top offensive defensemen in [the USHL] by the end of the year.”

Fitting Right In

The transition from prep school to the USHL can be a tricky one. It’s a new kind of game on a different level but if there was any trepidation from Doyle, his coach certainly didn’t see it.

Braden Doyle (Stephen Gassman)

“It was clearly evident that he would be able to play to his strengths with us right away,” David observed. “It was our job to figure out ways to utilize him and his strengths. That was a process for us to figure out how to do so but all along the way, showed who he was productively. Even prior to joining our team, he identified as someone who would be able to contribute to the power play. I would say that is not a given no matter the skill set and coming from prep school to the USHL, he was able to achieve success in doing so and I think the power play, as a talking point, is a great example of where his strengths really shine.

“We expected a player that had a lot of room to grow in regards to moving away from home — to middle America from a much-more-populated eastern coast region — and also a player that was, in general, a talent that was speaking with coaching and development to round out his game as he prepared with us to move to the higher levels of hockey one day.”

This coming fall, Doyle was scheduled to begin his collegiate career. Due to COVID, however, the transition was postponed. As disappointing as this news might be for some, though, the young blueliner doesn’t seem to mind too much as he is more focused on further improving at the USHL level before making any changes.

“He wanted to go back and improve on that and work on his overall game,” O’Donnell said. “We’re really excited by him. Anybody who feels that they want to go back and excel at a certain level before moving onto the next level, we’re okay with that and that’s great. Players know themselves more than we know them, so we’re very excited for him to go back, to really excel in Dubuque [next season] and take a leadership role and be one of the top defensemen in that league.”

The Key is Communication

Like any working relationship, good communication is essential. Braden Doyle is no exception as he constantly keeps the lines of communication going with his coaches and the development staff in Los Angeles.

“I’ve spoken to him a number of times throughout the year and I’ve watched Braden and he is a hockey junkie,” O’Donnell began. “He wants to get better at the game of hockey, he wants to learn more. The things he does well he wants to get better at but the thing that really sticks out is that he’s not afraid to say, ‘Where do I need to improve? If I want to be the best hockey player and if I want to play in the NHL, what are the things I need to get better at?’

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“He doesn’t just say that to make it sound like the right thing to say; he wants to get better and give himself every chance to play at the highest level possible. So, that’s what you’re looking for.”

Coach David echoes similar sentiments about his blueliner.

“He has a desire to learn and to listen and the process is something that is a big strength of his,” the Fighting Saints coach pointed out. “He’s not going to shy away from what needs to be done. He’s got a long way to go which, for me, is not a weakness or not a knock; it is something that if you’re in the game and you’re coaching in a game, hopefully you’re in it for the right reasons. In our case in Dubuque, we see a player with Braden’s ability and desire to better himself, there’s no greater excitement and he possesses everything that a coach with that value system would relish being around a kid like Braden.”

“Your kids are like students and that’s what any teacher wants of their students,” O’Donnell added. “‘What can I do to make myself the best possible product or version of myself,’ and he’s not afraid to do that.”

The Road Less Traveled

Being from the Los Angeles area himself, Oliver David may have some personal excitement about Doyle being product of his boyhood team. Regardless of when Doyle will compete for a spot with the Kings, though, David nevertheless saw something special in Doyle long before he was a full-time Fighting Saint.

“It began with trips to Dubuque on spring break two years in a row, practicing with us and even getting into games prior to joining us full-time this season,” David recalled. “For our level, it was a lengthy courtship and recruiting process and all along the way, his strength and character is what he should be really proud of.”

Photo credit: Jessica Reilly

With his exceptional talent and his resume — which included playing for the prestigious Shattuck’s-St. Mary’s — Braden Doyle could have chosen from a litany of paths that would have quite possibly increased his point-production levels or even fast-tracked his quest to the professional ranks. When all was said and done, though, the opportunity in Dubuque was simply too much to pass up for the defenseman, showcasing another level to his character.

“Braden’s hockey skill set could have taken him in many directions,” David said. “I would say some of the routes he could have chosen could have been much easier and much more prolific in terms of ability to get points in leagues that aren’t as difficult to play in or not even as far away from home, for example. He would show what I would categorize as the hardest and most unknown option. Although we got to know each other for a couple of years, you don’t know until you live it and he did it, he stuck with it and he showed us in Dubuque. That’s what I’m most proud of for him: Whether he realizes it or not, the decision to do so in the long run, taking the road less traveled, taking the much more difficult path in terms of what’s been presented to him to continue his hockey education and his education in general. I would call that a strength of character for him.”

This past season, while abbreviated due to COVID, was a noteworthy one for both Doyle and David. While the former used his rookie season to break out as a USHL star, the latter’s coaching method went a long way for not only Doyle but the entire Fighting Saints team as David’s efforts won him Coach of the Year honors.

To suggest that Doyle and David have complemented each other well would certainly be an understatement.

What to Look Forward to

While he will now have to wait until 2021 to take his game to the collegiate ranks — one of the best hockey programs in the United States in Boston University — Braden Doyle isn’t focused on what life will be like as a Terrier just yet.

Photo credit: Nicki Kohl/The Telegraph Herald

Focused on the here and now, Doyle remains committed to the Dubuque Fighting Saints and committed to making himself a better player with each passing game, with each passing shift even.

For Oliver David, the excitement is palpable.

“Braden is a player who will benefit from figuring out how to maintain the qualities that he brings to a team,” the 41-year-old stressed. “He will benefit from not squashing his innate ability and instinct while simultaneously figuring out how to round out his play to fit the needs of the team. I think that’s a pretty basic thought but the big difference [in Dubuque] with Braden is he is completely willing to mesh with a team and he goes through his own process of figuring when and where to expose the opponent and he takes pride in shutting down the opponent, learning more and more about how to shut down the opponent as we go along here in Dubuque. He’s been a success story in that way because he’s come here with a want to learn and a want to win — the two things we value most — and he possesses both of those qualities. My advice [for future coaches] would be to get the most out of him that you can because he’s very willing to be pushed.

“I hope we did a satisfactory job by him and we’re really excited that he’ll be continuing his learning with us next season.”

Sean O’Donnell is pretty excited, too.

“He’s such a solid kid,” he added. “He’s a wonderful kid and only wants to get better.”

At 5-foot-11, 164 pounds, skeptics may take one quick look at his measurements and use it as fodder to dismiss Braden Doyle. Then again, size, or lack thereof, is no match for character and heart — two of Doyle’s biggest assets both as a player and as a person.

Given how seasoned he is as a player and how mature he is as a person, it is harder to believe that Doyle is still just 18 years old. The only downside to this is that it may be awhile before we see the Massachusetts native compete for a roster spot with the Kings. Of course, while the legendary Tom Petty (rest his soul) may have said that the waiting is the hardest part, you can be sure that Doyle will maximize this period as fluently as he has already — a process that will not include very much waiting. If you don’t believe me, just remember past and current Kings who had to wait longer for a spot with the big club before becoming integral members of the team’s Stanley Cup success. Alec Martinez and Trevor Lewis immediately come to mind.

These, of course, are big shoes to fill but let us not forget that Braden Doyle is determined to create his own path. So, when his path clears for southern California, we need to remember what it is that makes Braden Doyle such a unique competitor. Until then, though, like for Doyle, it’s good to enjoy the ride.

 

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