Devin Setoguchi's an easy guy to cheer for.
The 29-year-old former Prince George Cougars sniper spoke with the Hockey News in September about his battle with alcohol and his rehabilitation. About the same time, he received a pro tryout offer from the Los Angeles Kings, made the team and the Kings have been sideswiped by injuries, the latest a lower-body ailment to Tyler Toffoli, he's getting a chance to increase his role with coach Darryl Sutter's club in the coming games.
Wednesday night's visit to Rogers Arena to meet the Vancouver Canucks marked Setoguchi's 500th NHL game. With Toffoli sidelined, he's been skating the past few days with Jeff Carter and Tanner Pearson on what could be tagged as the Kings' top line.
"There was always a thought that I wanted to try to come back and play," said Setoguchi, who bounced from the Minnesota Wild to the Winnipeg Jets to the Calgary Flames and then to HC Davos in Switzerland the last four seasons before landing in Los Angeles.
"Things just kind of aligned for me over the last year or so. I'm fortunate enough to get back. Not many guys can do that. For me, I count my blessings every day and make sure that I come to the rink ready to play and do what I can to keep myself here."
B.C. hockey fans might remember Setoguchi spearheading the Cougars' run to the WHL Western Conference finals 10 years ago. The eighth overall pick in the 2005 NHL Draft by the San Jose Sharks, the Taber, Alta., native had a 31-goal season for San Jose in 2008-09.
He potted 11 goals in 75 games with the Jets in 2013-14, and then no goals in 12 games with the Flames in 2014-15.
Going into Wednesday night, Setoguchi had four goals and five assists in 28 games with Los Angeles, to go with a minus-two rating. He was averaging 13 minutes, nine seconds of ice time.
"We have a lot of (talented) guys on our team and on any given night someone could step up and play in that (top six) situation," Setoguchi said after the Kings' morning skate on Wednesday. "For me, it's my opportunity tonight and I just have to make sure that I play my way and help the team, so that I stay there.
"Any time you're getting more ice time playing in the top six, you have to make sure you're creating chances, but at the same time playing very responsible in your own end. You're most likely going to see the better players on the other team and you can't be trading chances."
He paused and smiled when he was asked how different he might be from four or five years ago.
"Away from the rink, I'm different," said Setoguchi. "I still take pride in my game and I play the way that I can.
"Obviously the game has changed a lot. For me, you have to prepare mentally to be ready play, because the game is so fast and it comes at you fast and if you're not ready you can stick out pretty bad."
Toffoli missed the Kings' last two games before the holiday break and Sutter announced earlier this week that "it'll be at least a week before we even look at him again." He didn't elaborate on what the injury is.
The Kings, of course, got one period of work out of star goalie Jonathan Quick this season before he was shelved with a lower body injury, and that seemed to start a run of visits to the disabled list for Los Angeles players.
"We've played the whole trip with injuries. We've had guys get hurt every game and finish games and nobody knows about it," said Sutter, whose team was playing its eighth straight game away from home Wednesday as part of nine-game spell. "Now we announce that he (Toffoli) isn't playing for awhile and it gives somebody else an opportunity. Guys will just move up a little bit in the lineup."
