Prospect Info: 2019 Draft Discussion: LA Kings pick 5th, 22nd overall

[Kingsfan1]

From Mckeown , Zykov , and Cernak the one that hurts the most is Cernak. He’s exactly the dman we need . A top 4 hard nosed hard hitting dman who logged 20+ minutes in the playoffs with Tampa Bay and put up points . With Cernak , Anderson and his development and Clague we would have a dman Corp that resembled our cup winning defense . Imagine a d Corp in 2 years and if we had Cernak still :

Anderson-Doughty
Martinez-Cernak
Clague-Durzi
Forbort

Would have been one of the deepest defense but I’m still happy with the way it’s shaping out . Durzi is underrated and coming along nicely in 2 years I see him in this team along with Clague . Also Anderson is going to be an elite top pairing 2 way dman and if he plays with Doughty we will have an elite pairing we have been starving for :

Anderson-Doughty
Martinez-Durzi
Clague-Forbort
Brickley,Roy

Durzi is going to be a 50+ point guy in this league . He is the definition of a modern type dman and I think will end up shifting the scale of the Muzzin trade in our favor .

 

[Herby]

Button really knows his stuff on these prospects, and I love the Caufield pick...but just seems so unlikely the Kings take a goalie in the first round. The Kings still don't have enough high end talent in the pipeline to have the luxury of taking a goalie, and two is Ranford, unless they think Ranford's coaching can turn Knight into some kind of all-world goalie. I'd rather fill holes elsewhere and let Ranford work his magic on later round picks and castaways from other teams.

 

[kingsholygrail]

While I do think taking Caufield 5th overall is pretty high, I wouldn't mind the Kings taking him.

I'm still skeptical on Knight.

On another note, John Hoven posted the Dach article. Most of the die hard followers of prospects will know most of this stuff already, and we didn't get into the nitty gritty, but some you may still find interesting and a talking point.

2019 NHL Draft Preview: Kirby Dach, Center

Caufield being 5'7" bothers me. He doesn't need to be a monster, but that's pretty short.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Brad Marchand, Alex DeBrincat, Johnny Gaudreau, Viktor Arvidson, Jonathan Marchessault, Conor Sheary, Tyler Johnson, Cam Atkinson, Mats Zuccarello, Torey Krug, Frank Vatrano, Matt Grzelcyk, Vinnie Hinistroza, etc, are all under 5'8". Teuvo Teravainen and Jaden Schwartz, who are both tearing it up in the playoffs, are also small players.

If the guy can play, then I don't care what size he is.

 

[Rusty Batch]

I think its easier to be a tiny wing goal scorer. Then a tiny center or defenseman. Wingers dont have as much defensive responsibility. And if your a sniper you dont need to hold the puck for too long so size isnt much of an issue. I think Caufield will be a somewhat limited player but if Debrincat can score 40+ this quickly then i dont see why Caufield cant. And im not seeing anyone else in this draft with that type of potential.

 

[kings11]

Brad Marchand, Alex DeBrincat, Johnny Gaudreau, Viktor Arvidson, Jonathan Marchessault, Conor Sheary, Tyler Johnson, Cam Atkinson, Mats Zuccarello, Torey Krug, Frank Vatrano, Matt Grzelcyk, Vinnie Hinistroza, etc, are all under 5'8". Teuvo Teravainen and Jaden Schwartz, who are both tearing it up in the playoffs, are also small players.

If the guy can play, then I don't care what size he is.

Very true, its just that he's not the BPA at #5 if we traded up from 22 to land him I would be happy at #5 not so much

 

[Rusty Batch]

Very true, its just that he's not the BPA at #5 if we traded up from 22 to land him I would be happy at #5 not so much

Well he certainly is the BPA (in terms of how good he is right now) of the likely available options. And its not even close.

 

[kings11]

Well he certainly is the BPA (in terms of how good he is right now) of the likely available options. And its not even close.

Thats assuming Byram or Turcotte dont fall... I'd give Kirby Dach the edge vs Caufield at #5 easily

 

[kingsholygrail]

Brad Marchand, Alex DeBrincat, Johnny Gaudreau, Viktor Arvidson, Jonathan Marchessault, Conor Sheary, Tyler Johnson, Cam Atkinson, Mats Zuccarello, Torey Krug, Frank Vatrano, Matt Grzelcyk, Vinnie Hinistroza, etc, are all under 5'8". Teuvo Teravainen and Jaden Schwartz, who are both tearing it up in the playoffs, are also small players.

If the guy can play, then I don't care what size he is.

Now list the taller ones.

 

[Rusty Batch]

Thats assuming Byram or Turcotte dont fall... I'd give Kirby Dach the edge vs Caufield at #5 easily

I mean both Turcotte and Dach are not as good as Caufield is right now. They might end up being better in the NHL. But right now they are not as good as him

 

[Rekingsfan17]

I wouldn't mind Caufield at the #5 pick but I agree and also would rather not take a goalie at pick #22.
I ran his mock player ranking order against my list and we ended up with Turcotte at pick #5 and Seider at pick #22......

 

[kings11]

I mean both Turcotte and Dach are not as good as Caufield is right now. They might end up being better in the NHL. But right now they are not as good as him

The hell they're not, Both are superior players to Cole right now

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Now list the taller ones.

I can name some good behemoths taken in the first round, like Colten Teubert, Derek Forbort, Keaton Eberle, Jeff Schultz...

 

[kingsholygrail]

I can name some good behemoths taken in the first round, like Colten Teubert, Derek Forbort, Keaton Eberle, Jeff Schultz...

But you won't name all the highly successful taller NHL players because it goes against your smarmy response that there exist exceptions to rules?

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

But you won't name all the highly successful taller NHL players because it goes against your smarmy response that there exist exceptions to rules?

What was smarmy about my response? I'm providing examples of size being meaningless if you have a player who can produce. As if you weren't trying to be a smart ass when I gave you a list of former first rounders with size and little mobility who have failed to live up to expectations.

 

[kingsholygrail]

What was smarmy about my response? I'm providing examples of size being meaningless if you have a player who can produce. As if you weren't trying to be a smart ass when I gave you a list of former first rounders with size and little mobility who have failed to live up to expectations.

Why don't we just stockpile late round picks? One could be the next Luc Robitaille! He's a HHOFer!

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Why don't we just stockpile late round picks? One could be the next Luc Robitaille! He's a HHOFer!

Given the Kings' successful track record in later rounds, I'm sure they'll find one someday in the next decade. Maybe some of you can come up with decades old examples to prove how great they are at finding late gems.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

 

[kingsholygrail]

Given the Kings' successful track record in later rounds, I'm sure they'll find one someday in the next decade. Maybe some of you can come up with decades old examples to prove how great they are at finding late gems.

All it takes is one, right?

 

[kings11]

Given the Kings' successful track record in later rounds, I'm sure they'll find one someday in the next decade. Maybe some of you can come up with decades old examples to prove how great they are at finding late gems.

recently, 10 year-ish span i would say our gold comes from the 2nd - 4th rounds

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Funny enough, I scrolled to see when was the last time the Kings drafted a top six player in later rounds (say 3rd round and later).

You'd have to really stretch the definition of a top six player to find any recent examples. And you have to go back, like far, far back.
Los Angeles Kings Draft Picks | Hockey-Reference.com

Vitali Yachmenev in 1994 or Vladimir Tsyplakov in 1995 if you want to be very generous. Being more selective, it would have to be Robert Lang back in 1990.

That's... pretty bad.

 

[Sol]

I'd prefer a forward at 5 and a defenseman at 22.

I'll be pissed if we take a goalie in the first round. Don't even want a goalie in second.

 

[Rusty Batch]

The hell they're not, Both are superior players to Cole right now

How do you figure? I just watched CC win the MVP of U-18, tie ovies goal record in the tourney. He scored 72 goals in the usdp which i believe also broke the record for that. He easily outscored Turcotte in the u-18 and U-17 last season as well... He has extremely unique goal scoring pedigree. Basically he is the most productive American goal scorer of all time. The knock on him isnt his current level. Thats unquestionably elite. The knock is whether he can be effective in the NHL. Im sorry but Dach and Turcotte are not on his level at this stage of their development

 

[Rusty Batch]

Brad Marchand, Alex DeBrincat, Johnny Gaudreau, Viktor Arvidson, Jonathan Marchessault, Conor Sheary, Tyler Johnson, Cam Atkinson, Mats Zuccarello, Torey Krug, Frank Vatrano, Matt Grzelcyk, Vinnie Hinistroza, etc, are all under 5'8". Teuvo Teravainen and Jaden Schwartz, who are both tearing it up in the playoffs, are also small players.

If the guy can play, then I don't care what size he is.

First two guys i looked up (TJ and JG) were both 5'9. So i dont believe all of those other guys are under 5'8 lol.

 

[Rusty Batch]

What was smarmy about my response? I'm providing examples of size being meaningless if you have a player who can produce. As if you weren't trying to be a smart ass when I gave you a list of former first rounders with size and little mobility who have failed to live up to expectations.

Size is not meaningless... Its definitely an attribute. That would be like someone saying speed was meaningless because of Kopitar, Mark Stone, Joe Thornton, Patrick Laine, etc...

Some people can overcome weaknesses in certain attributes by being really strong in other ones. Doesn't mean what they are weak in, is worthless...