2014 LA Kings Draft Thread

[Raccoon Jesus]

2014 draft
LA 1st
LA 2nd (wikipedia says this pick which they got back from Buffalo goes to Columbus)
Edm 3rd
LA 3rd (Conditional to Columbus)
LA 4th
LA 5th
Car 6th
LA 6th
LA 7th

2015 draft
LA 1st
Tor 2nd (Bernier trade)
LA 2nd
LA 3rd
LA 4th
LA 5th
LA 6th
LA 7th

Thanks for the update!

Lots of ammo there!

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

2014 draft
LA 1st
LA 2nd (wikipedia says this pick which they got back from Buffalo goes to Columbus)
Edm 3rd
LA 3rd (Conditional to Columbus)
LA 4th
LA 5th
Car 6th
LA 6th
LA 7th

Would love to start maybe thinking ahead to the guys we could be taking. I honestly have very little clue about the kids the mock drafts have us taking late in the first round never mind later on in the draft

One of them has us looking at David Pastrnak--who I have heard of--but several others had guys like Dylan Larkin (Michigan--so who knows if DL would go there ) and Jared McCann. Basically all forwards. Are there any goalies or D to be had there? How about in the early 3rd?

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

http://www.prosportstransactions.com/hockey/DraftTrades/Future/Kings.htm

 

[damacles1156]

Would love to start maybe thinking ahead to the guys we could be taking. I honestly have very little clue about the kids the mock drafts have us taking late in the first round never mind later on in the draft

One of them has us looking at David Pastrnak--who I have heard of--but several others had guys like Dylan Larkin (Michigan--so who knows if DL would go there ) and Jared McCann. Basically all forwards. Are there any goalies or D to be had there? How about in the early 3rd?

I have only been following Defenders this year, cause I think that is what Lombardi will take round one or two.

Unless a dynamic forward slips to the Kings.

To be honest this draft is chalk full of Projects like Forbort. It's a bit of a weak draft.

One guy that jumps out at me is Defender Nikita Tryamkin 6" 6" 220 LBS 19 year old that can skate, also left handed.

It's just I am not a fan of the KHL.

 

[kinghock]

I like Tryamkin a lot.

 

[King'sPawn]

Fabbri reminds me a lot of Mike Richards. Hope they can grab him.

A bit interested in Nikita Scherback. Mostly concerned that he falls down a lot, though.

Interested in Alexis Vanier.

 

[Basilisk]

It's just I am not a fan of the KHL.

Crimea river!

 

[kingsfan]

Would love to start maybe thinking ahead to the guys we could be taking. I honestly have very little clue about the kids the mock drafts have us taking late in the first round never mind later on in the draft

One of them has us looking at David Pastrnak--who I have heard of--but several others had guys like Dylan Larkin (Michigan--so who knows if DL would go there ) and Jared McCann. Basically all forwards. Are there any goalies or D to be had there? How about in the early 3rd?

I'd wager money on LA not drafting a goalie. The pattern has been to draft a goalie every second draft and we drafted Bartosak last draft. Maybe if someone falls a lot sure, but I think the every second draft a goalie mentality is based in building a development stream so that as one goalie moves up another is in the wings.

That could change since Bartosak was 19 when drafted so he's in theory a year further along, but I still would be surprised if we grabbed a goalie.

Frankly i think this is the draft where DL goes for a homerun pick in the first (if we don't trade it). Odds are we'll be in the 20-29 spot (NJ is guaranteed 30th) and we have a ton of prospects coming up in the system. We really have a boatload at every position but goalie, and I explained that earlier. I see DL going for a character guy who may have some other flaws (like size) but has huge boom/bust potential. If our 1st flops this year it's not the end of the world, but we also don't have anyone in the system (not counting Toffoli because I think he's a NHLer now) who really has a ton of skill and seems very likely to be a top line/top pairing guy. I don't think Zykov has progressed enough to be that guy.

So that said, I can see us taking a shot at Nikita Scherbak, Nikolay Goldobin or even a Anthony DeAngelo if he falls due to his size. Goldobin might be the best option for Futa et al since they seem to prefer guys who are older (and easier to evaluate) and Glodobin only missed the 2013 draft by three weeks, so he's almost a year older than some other guys.

We don't draft from Sweden much, but William Nylander is falling it seems lately, so maybe we take a shot at moving up a bit to get him if his slide continues.

Then again, they could stick to the game plan of two-way with size and strength and go after Nick Ritchie.

I expect a homerun swing with that 1st.

 

[Fat Elvis]

Earlier this season I saw mocks with us taking
Josh Jacobs D USHL
Jack Glover D USHL

Are either of these two still options in the late 1st or 2nd rounds?

What about Josh Ho-Sang? RW, good numbers, but he's often left out of or the back end of 1st round mocks. So there has to be something wrong there.

 

[Vino]

I like Tryamkin a lot.

He will play at least next two years in the KHL. (Contract: 15/16)

http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=123119

 

[Tadite]

Two 2nd rounders in 2015 is rocking!

Wonder if they're still going to be there with DL "The Dealer" running around.

 

[AmadiosAmigos]

I'd wager money on LA not drafting a goalie. The pattern has been to draft a goalie every second draft and we drafted Bartosak last draft. Maybe if someone falls a lot sure, but I think the every second draft a goalie mentality is based in building a development stream so that as one goalie moves up another is in the wings.

That could change since Bartosak was 19 when drafted so he's in theory a year further along, but I still would be surprised if we grabbed a goalie.

Frankly i think this is the draft where DL goes for a homerun pick in the first (if we don't trade it). Odds are we'll be in the 20-29 spot (NJ is guaranteed 30th) and we have a ton of prospects coming up in the system. We really have a boatload at every position but goalie, and I explained that earlier. I see DL going for a character guy who may have some other flaws (like size) but has huge boom/bust potential. If our 1st flops this year it's not the end of the world, but we also don't have anyone in the system (not counting Toffoli because I think he's a NHLer now) who really has a ton of skill and seems very likely to be a top line/top pairing guy. I don't think Zykov has progressed enough to be that guy.

So that said, I can see us taking a shot at Nikita Scherbak, Nikolay Goldobin or even a Anthony DeAngelo if he falls due to his size. Goldobin might be the best option for Futa et al since they seem to prefer guys who are older (and easier to evaluate) and Glodobin only missed the 2013 draft by three weeks, so he's almost a year older than some other guys.

We don't draft from Sweden much, but William Nylander is falling it seems lately, so maybe we take a shot at moving up a bit to get him if his slide continues.

Then again, they could stick to the game plan of two-way with size and strength and go after Nick Ritchie.

I expect a homerun swing with that 1st.

I watch Nick Ritchie regularly, know his father quite well. If we could grab him I would be amazed, his play has him shooting up the ranks. Be interesting to see what DL does.

 

[Reaper45]

I'd wager money on LA not drafting a goalie. The pattern has been to draft a goalie every second draft and we drafted Bartosak last draft. Maybe if someone falls a lot sure, but I think the every second draft a goalie mentality is based in building a development stream so that as one goalie moves up another is in the wings.

That could change since Bartosak was 19 when drafted so he's in theory a year further along, but I still would be surprised if we grabbed a goalie.

Frankly i think this is the draft where DL goes for a homerun pick in the first (if we don't trade it). Odds are we'll be in the 20-29 spot (NJ is guaranteed 30th) and we have a ton of prospects coming up in the system. We really have a boatload at every position but goalie, and I explained that earlier. I see DL going for a character guy who may have some other flaws (like size) but has huge boom/bust potential. If our 1st flops this year it's not the end of the world, but we also don't have anyone in the system (not counting Toffoli because I think he's a NHLer now) who really has a ton of skill and seems very likely to be a top line/top pairing guy. I don't think Zykov has progressed enough to be that guy.

So that said, I can see us taking a shot at Nikita Scherbak, Nikolay Goldobin or even a Anthony DeAngelo if he falls due to his size. Goldobin might be the best option for Futa et al since they seem to prefer guys who are older (and easier to evaluate) and Glodobin only missed the 2013 draft by three weeks, so he's almost a year older than some other guys.

We don't draft from Sweden much, but William Nylander is falling it seems lately, so maybe we take a shot at moving up a bit to get him if his slide continues.

Then again, they could stick to the game plan of two-way with size and strength and go after Nick Ritchie.

I expect a homerun swing with that 1st.

last I heard NJ is not guaranteed the 30th pick. Wherever they pick that will simply be skipped. Even if they win the lottery. It'd go

1. Skipped
2. Edmonton
3. Florida and so on so forth.

And I'm not so sure about the home run idea. When was the last time he did that? Hickey?

 

[kingsfan]

last I heard NJ is not guaranteed the 30th pick. Wherever they pick that will simply be skipped. Even if they win the lottery. It'd go

1. Skipped
2. Edmonton
3. Florida and so on so forth.

And I'm not so sure about the home run idea. When was the last time he did that? Hickey?

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-p...-kovalchuk-contract-punishment-181853523.html

The New Jersey Devils will now be entitled to the 30th selection overall in the 2014 NHL Draft (the last pick in the first round), regardless of the Devils’ final standing following the 2013/14 season. The Club will not be permitted to trade or transfer its right to the 30th overall selection in the 2014 NHL Draft.

They are locked into the 30th spot. We can win the cup and draft no lower than 29th.

And yeah we swung for the fences on Hickey. All that shows is DL and Futa will do that. As much as I like him, we don't need another Tanner Pearson in the system, we need another Tyler Toffoli or Vacheslav Voynov in the system. We are really deep at almost every position, however we don't have much in the way of high end skill. Guys like McNabb, Forbort, Gravel, Pearson, Vey, etc. are good players, and they'll augment our 2nd and 3rd lines/pairings for years. We need those. But the guys like Toffoli and Zykov are needed too and we don't have much in the way of skill without several question marks as well.

I hope we take a shot at a kid that is either going to be a 40 goal guy or flipping burgers in three years. We could get an Robbie Schremp, we could get a Corey Perry. The beauty about our situation is if we get a Schremp it stings, but hardly deflates us because we are so deep. If we get a Perry though, we look like bandits and we just further loaded our armoury.

 

[David Strorm]

Quick analysis: This draft is forward heavy. There are only about 5 Defenseman that are projected to go there. Although it is my personal opinion that we should draft a defenceman in the first, if he is not BPA, we should wait.

Interesting D prospects (range 25-60): Jack Glover, Josh Jacobs, Alexis Vanier, Nikita Tryamkin

 

[KopitarFAN]

Two 2nd rounders in 2015 is rocking!

Wonder if they're still going to be there with DL "The Dealer" running around.

Sadly, this won't happen. The pick owed to CBJ belongs to the Leafs and will defer to 2015.

 

[etherialone]

Up front I like

McCann

Barbeshev

MacInnis

My Dark horse for the 1strd is a kid I just got to see play in person last month and I like his skillset but need more time before I would be comforable putting too much stock in him and that is Kamenev.

On D for the coming draft I like (of course players that could fall to us).

McKeown

Peters

and my Dark Horse is Honka. He does everything and is a smooth skater but he needs to put some meat on his bones and grow an inch. I still like his game a bunch and would be fine if we picked him in the first two rounds.

 

[King'sPawn]

Interesting picks, Tonelli. I haven't seen McCann at all (am hoping to catch him). In my limited viewings of MacInnis, however, I've not been very impressed. Maybe it's just been off games I've seen, but he doesn't really use his size that well, and he doesn't really have top end skills. Kind of reminds me of Jozef Stumpel. What do you see?

Barbashev is intriguing.

In terms of a couple two way players, I really like Goulet and Nikandrov.

 

[etherialone]

Interesting picks, Tonelli. I haven't seen McCann at all (am hoping to catch him). In my limited viewings of MacInnis, however, I've not been very impressed. Maybe it's just been off games I've seen, but he doesn't really use his size that well, and he doesn't really have top end skills. Kind of reminds me of Jozef Stumpel. What do you see?

Barbashev is intriguing.

In terms of a couple two way players, I really like Goulet and Nikandrov.

I should also have mentioned Pastrnak who looks like a real dandy of a player. Just a solid all around player.

I really like Al Goulet too. Lots to like there.

MacInnis, I have watched MacInnis for a few years now and he can be the best player on the ice at times. The reason I like him as a late 1st/mid 2nd is I keep seeing him improve the rest of his game a little bit all the time. He is either going to develop into a really high end talent or struggle to make the NHL. I completely understand your hesitation though. I hadn't put it together but Stumpel is fair comparison only with better speed and a willingness to get his nose dirty at times. He is going to have to become a more willing combatant to make it all the way but when he does he could become an elite talent.

Barbeshev is a character guy who is single minded in his approach to hockey. Nothing is going to stop him from making it imo. Great skater with solid hands. Tough kid too. Has exceptional speed but his real power comes from his having the balance and awareness of a wallenda. My knock on him is that he can also get a little too carried away and play a bit undisciplined but that can be fixed.

 

[kingsfan]

If we walked away with Jozef Stumpel 2.0 with our 1st rounder, I'd be alright with that.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

If we walked away with Jozef Stumpel 2.0 with our 1st rounder, I'd be alright with that.

Especially if it's a late pick.

THe more I read and see the more I love Pastrnak--but don't think he'd be available at that point.

 

[damacles1156]

Nikita Tryamkin

I want to see more of this kid. Wish I had access to scout video ETC.

 

[NikF]

Kempe is a solid LW, that would fit the Kings identity like a glove. Don't know if he makes it to the Kings pick, but he's only ranked 27th in the McKenzie rankings, I personally believe he will be gone earlier though.

 

[apadilla]

Kempe is a solid LW, that would fit the Kings identity like a glove. Don't know if he makes it to the Kings pick, but he's only ranked 27th in the McKenzie rankings, I personally believe he will be gone earlier though.

Kempe must be big, a grinder who can pop in the occasional goal?

 

[NikF]

Kempe must be big, a grinder who can pop in the occasional goal?

In short: Physical tools (size, skating), decent skill level and heavy shot, above-average hockey IQ, and very good compete level. File it somewhere under "hard to play against".

Gets open as well as adept at finding an open man. Decent size that he knows how to use. Responsible in D-zone, helps defense out and presents an outlet if D is under pressure. Very good wheels, especially for a guy that's listed at 6'2 - both mobility, straight line speed as well as acceleration. Does not shy away from dirty areas at all, be it traffic or boardwork, in fact actively drives the net quite often. Heavy shot and decent hands. Even if offensive upside - while decent - might not scream top 10 pick by itself, I think he has such a pro tool-set that he might end up going higher than projected. At this point, you're looking at a guy that can slide up and down your line-up and contribute on any line in numerous ways.