Kings’ training camp storylines (part 4)

What to watch as the Kings began training camp Thursday:

Willie Mitchell never made it back to the Kings’ lineup in 2012-13 after undergoing offseason knee surgery. He’s sound now, but the question of his effectiveness after a yearlong layoff remains to be answered. The Kings certainly hope he can step into the void created in their defense corps when Rob Scuderi signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins as a free agent during the summer. Scuderi was one of those players whose value can’t be measured in goals or assists or even in minutes played. He was a good leader on and off the ice, a player who did the little things that make good clubs great ones. Mitchell’s return could prove to be like adding a veteran player through free agency or a trade. The good news is the Kings didn’t give up anything to get him back. The bad news is no one knows for sure how effective he’s going to be when the games start for real next month.

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