Kings’ Darryl Sutter hopes for spark from Tyler Toffoli, others

The Kings were eventually going to take a decent, up-close look at promising forward Tyler Toffoli, but his arrival in Los Angeles was hastened by a look at the statistics.

Kings Coach Darryl Sutter has talked often about the lack of scoring coming from the left side, and expanded on that on Monday after the morning skate.

Sutter noted that they were “halfway into the year,” with wingers with one or no goals. Increased competition, from the likes of Toffoli, might jump-start some of the lagging wingers.

Toffoli’s NHL debut won’t be Monday night, but it could come soon in the midst of a hectic March schedule. He skated with extras on Monday: forward Brad Richardson and defenseman Davis Drewiske, and goalie Jonathan Bernier stayed out for extra work.

The news of his call-up from the Kings’ minor-league affiliate in Manchester, N.H., came when he was taping his sticks before a game. Toffoli, a second-round draft choice in 2010, turns 21 in April and has 48 points in 55 games with Manchester.

“I think I’m an offensive guy. Obviously I like to shoot the puck,” Toffoli said Monday. “Score goals and create a lot of offensive chances … but at the same time, I’ve been working really hard in all three zones and working on my entire game.

“Trying to do the best I can, obviously be here and I just want to stay here as long as I can.”

The Kings play 17 games in March and have a stretch coming up of three games in four nights -- Monday night against Calgary, Tuesday at Phoenix and Thursday at San Jose.

Center Mike Richards, who left Saturday’s game in the second period but returned for the third, skated on Monday. “He’s fine,” Sutter said of Richards, who looked dazed after a hit from the Flames’ Tim Jackman.

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