Tonight, Zach Aston-Reese will skate on the top line with Sidney Crosby, the best player of his generation, against the Kings.
That's a pretty mercurial ascension up the depth chart for a guy with just five NHL games under his belt after being called up just 12 days ago.
Not that John Stevens is the least bit surprised.
At this time last year, Aston-Reese's linemates at Northeastern University were Nolan Stevens and John Stevens Jr., the sons of the Los Angeles coach. Aston-Reese played so well he was a finalist last season for the prestigious Hobey Baker Award.
Of course, rapid rises are what Aston-Reese has done throughout his career. When he played his junior hockey in Lincoln of the USHL, Aston-Reese wasn't much of a scorer, let alone a top NHL prospect. He had just 50 points in 138 games over three seasons with Lincoln.
But it was at Northeastern -- playing alongside the Stevens brothers -- where he flourished, scoring 66 goals in 142 games.
"By the end of his college career he was a dominant college player that could pretty much play the game any way you wanted to play," Stevens told me after the Kings morning skate on Thursday.
Besides a linemate, Aston-Reese was actually a roommate of Nolan's at NU and he would often spend some time at the Stevens family's summer home in Sea Isle City, N.J., about two hours drive south from his native Staten Island, N.Y.
"Always took care of me, he’s a good guy," Aston-Reese said of the coach.
The feeling is mutual.
"Seeing him as a player has been impressive and getting to know him as a kid and his family, I'm really happy for him," Stevens said. "We all thought he had a chance to be a really good player and I think that he's shown it."
Aston-Reese has three points in five games, including the first two goals of his career Tuesday night against Ottawa:
After scoring the first time, from in-close on a feed from Crosby, only one thing went through his mind, he says.
"I was just thinking about calling my parents and letting them know," said Aston-Reese, who added the puck is in a box at his place.
He said he was able to find the video of him scoring online and "it was just as exciting to watch." If he's to keep playing in the NHL, he knows he'll have to continue to produce, but that goal gave him a boost of confidence.
"Just being able to know that you can get on the scoresheet, that’s always nice," he said. "But I think it’s important to not get away from your game."