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

[raswilliam]

 

[fsanford]

Craig Custance had a good comparison article in the Athletic. Here are some notable guys we have discussed for our first round picks:

Alex Turcotte
NHL player comparable: Sidney Crosby with a hint of Brad Marchand
The breakdown: “A lot of people are trying to compare him to (Jonathan)Toews. Toews is much sturdier and simpler. (Turcotte) has that pestering ability like Marchand does. Not to that end but I’m not sure that won’t be Turcotte in 10 years when guys have been playing against him for a long time. We get a small sample size of three or four games against Youngstown and those guys hate him. … Sid’s goals come in tight. Turcotte and he also have that similar skill set, like ‘How did that go in the net from two feet away?’ They both have that capability. And that mentality to win. That’s something that burns.”

Trevor Zegras
NHL player comparable: A mix of Clayton Keller and Patrick Kane
The breakdown: “(Zegras’) defining elements are that creativity that bubble up out of nowhere. Kane would be the closest to that. They make the almost impossible plays, they make it look routine. Their improvisation, the saucer passes and spin-o-ramas that happen on a whim. It looks like something that’s been orchestrated or set up. It happens all the time.”

Cole Caufield
NHL player comparable: Alex Ovechkin
The breakdown: “He’s a miniature version of Ovi. He’ll score every single way but they both have that campout spot on the back side. If you leave them alone any other spot, they’re equally as dangerous. They’ll both score back door. The difference is 120 pounds or something. But you’ve got a mini-Ovechkin. The similarity is how the puck explodes off their stick. Once you get Cole into the dots and hash marks, they’re similar.”

Matthew Boldy
NHL player comparable: Marian Hossa
The breakdown: “It’s perfect. It’s a great throwback reference to a guy who plays a modern game but is supremely dedicated to 200 feet and works that transition game to his overall attack. His seek and destroy mentality is very unique – the way that he lifts sticks and goes the other way and catches teams off guard. There must be a dozen clips of us scoring off his backcheck in two years.”

Bowen Byram
NHL player comparable: Drew Doughty
The breakdown: “He’s got swagger like Doughty does. He’ll stick you behind the play. He has that fierce look in his eyes. He’s an elite defenseman. That edge is what you want to have. If you look at all the top players around the league, they all have that edge and killer instinct. It doesn’t have to be dirty, but when the game is on the line, they’re stepping up and making the play.”

Dylan Cozens
NHL player comparable: Patrice Bergeron
The breakdown: “He’s a hard one. I would say he’s got quiet skills. Great skater. He does everything well. Bergeron is so smart, he has skill but you don’t sit there and go ‘he has top-five skill in the league.’ Cozens has a lot of underwhelming qualities that equal a really, really good player.”

Philip Broberg
NHL player comparable: Brady Skjei
The breakdown: “I don’t see him as a one or two, I see him more as a four or five. I know people love him, though. You’d love for him to be Victor Hedman, but I think Brady Skjei is more of what you’re going to get. Broberg is such a polarizing player. People either love him or question some of his things. I think his hockey sense can get him in trouble at times, but if you’re big and can skate, you can play.

Kirby Dach
NHL player comparable: Ryan Getzlaf
The breakdown: “It’s going to take time to grow into his big frame, but with the way he shoots the puck, I see a lot of Getzlaf. His consistency was in and out but he’s also a kid. Comes from a great hockey background. He’s got No. 1 center, power forward skill set – that whole package.”

Alex Newhook
NHL player comparable: Cam Atkinson
The breakdown: “He’s an interesting one because he’s in the middle of the ice and can shoot and score. He’s a good player. He’s his own player. I think he can score like Atkinson. He has that quick release. He can get himself in and out of traffic to score goals and can shoot the puck.”

Arthur Kaliyev
NHL player comparable: Phil Kessel
The breakdown: “He just scores. Kaliyev has some holes in his game. He doesn’t love to play D. Doesn’t always look like he’s working. If he has a split second to score a goal, he’s going to score a goal. He knows how to score.”

Ryan Suzuki
NHL player comparable: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
The breakdown: “He’s a second-line center. Doesn’t love to go to the hard areas. He does a lot of stuff on the perimeter. Unreal hockey IQ and can make plays. I would like him to be a little more competitive. Skill and sense, there’s a lot of good here and he’s a No. 2 center if everything goes well.”

I stopped reading after the Ovechkin comparison, because the Kings are gonna pass on the kid, and just did not want to feel and more depressed.

 

[kingsfan28]

Yanetti was quoted yesterday and full of praise for Caufield again. He went on and on about how he is a pure scorer who will translate to the NHL level. I think BLuc is willing to draft the player most ready to play in the nhl next year.

By all reports, that’s Byram, based on where the Kings are picking, both he and a Caufield could be available. Maybe a promise to play with Kopitar gets the kid to skip college.

Trade up, grab them both.

 

[Herby]

I stopped reading after the Ovechkin comparison, because the Kings are gonna pass on the kid, and just did not want to feel and more depressed.

Kind of feel the same way. But this is a make or break draft for the Kings scouting team. I believe it should have been gutted when every thing else was, but if they whiff on this pick it will probably cost them their jobs.

Just hard to get behind anything Mark Yanetti does or says, it's just been such a disaster for so long it's just tough to think the right move will be made. Hope I'm proven wrong.

Yanetti was quoted yesterday and full of praise for Caufield again. He went on and on about how he is a pure scorer who will translate to the NHL level. I think BLuc is willing to draft the player most ready to play in the nhl next year.

By all reports, that’s Byram, based on where the Kings are picking, both he and a Caufield could be available. Maybe a promise to play with Kopitar gets the kid to skip college.

If the Kings draft any of the NTDP guys with the #5 pick the plan should be two years of college and then hopefully debuting in the NHL following their sophomore season. This is what McAvoy, Makar and Hughes all did, and it's probably the blue print for how they would handle a college player.

Rob Blake seems much more favorable of NCAA players and letting them develop in the NCAA than Dean Lombardi, who tried to get most of the Kings NCAA picks to go play junior. This makes sense since Blake himself played in the NCAA.

 

[kingsfan28]

Is it only freakin Sunday. Sheesh. But I have a feeling Thomas Hickey pick coming up.

It would've been nice to get a few years out of him instead of just waiving him.
DL sort of messed up that pick badly when you look at it now, and the other defensemen who did better, but drafted later. Hell, even Alzner played close to 700 games. DL really over thought that pick.

 

[kingsfan28]

Kind of feel the same way. But this is a make or break draft for the Kings scouting team. I believe it should have been gutted when every thing else was, but if they whiff on this pick it will probably cost them their jobs.

Just hard to get behind anything Mark Yanetti does or says, it's just been such a disaster for so long it's just tough to think the right move will be made. Hope I'm proven wrong.



If the Kings draft any of the NTDP guys with the #5 pick the plan should be two years of college and then hopefully debuting in the NHL following their sophomore season. This is what McAvoy, Makar and Hughes all did, and it's probably the blue print for how they would handle a college player.

Rob Blake seems much more favorable of NCAA players and letting them develop in the NCAA than Dean Lombardi, who tried to get most of the Kings NCAA picks to go play junior. This makes sense since Blake himself played in the NCAA.

You need the high picks, which we didn't have, so I think it may be less on him, and more on when lombardi was GM. also, how many guys did they pass up because they didn't meet his "high character" criteria? We ended up with a bunch of guys like Andy Andreoff who can't score.

 

[kilowatt]

Kind of feel the same way. But this is a make or break draft for the Kings scouting team. I believe it should have been gutted when every thing else was, but if they whiff on this pick it will probably cost them their jobs.

Just hard to get behind anything Mark Yanetti does or says, it's just been such a disaster for so long it's just tough to think the right move will be made. Hope I'm proven wrong.



If the Kings draft any of the NTDP guys with the #5 pick the plan should be two years of college and then hopefully debuting in the NHL following their sophomore season. This is what McAvoy, Makar and Hughes all did, and it's probably the blue print for how they would handle a college player.

Rob Blake seems much more favorable of NCAA players and letting them develop in the NCAA than Dean Lombardi, who tried to get most of the Kings NCAA picks to go play junior. This makes sense since Blake himself played in the NCAA.

Has it really been such a disaster? The past two years have been very promising. Gabe Vilardi, Jaret Anderson-Dolan, Mikey Anderson, Markus Phillips, Rasmus Kupari, Akil Thomas, and Johan Sodergran all look pretty promising.

The Kings didn’t have first round picks in 2015 or 2016. They hit on Erik Cernak, who is looking great in Tampa, and Kale Clague still looks promising. Austin Wagner and Matt Roy were drafted in the 4th and 7th round, respectively, in 2015.

2014 brought Kempe, Amadio, and Roland McKeown, 2013 brought Brodzinski and Valentin Zykov (no first), 2012 brought Pearson, Prokhorkin, LaDue, and Colin Miller, 2011 brought Andreoff and Shore (no first), and 2010 brought Forbort and Toffoli.

Were there better players available? Probably. Were there a lot of misses? Sure. But the only second round pick we really missed on was Chris Gibson, and we’ve only had three first round picks from 2010 to 2017 (Forbort, Pearson, and Kempe).

 

[Herby]

Has it really been such a disaster? The past two years have been very promising. Gabe Vilardi, Jaret Anderson-Dolan, Mikey Anderson, Markus Phillips, Rasmus Kupari, Akil Thomas, and Johan Sodergran all look pretty promising.

The Kings didn’t have first round picks in 2015 or 2016. They hit on Erik Cernak, who is looking great in Tampa, and Kale Clague still looks promising. Austin Wagner and Matt Roy were drafted in the 4th and 7th round, respectively, in 2015.

2014 brought Kempe, Amadio, and Roland McKeown, 2013 brought Brodzinski and Valentin Zykov (no first), 2012 brought Pearson, Prokhorkin, LaDue, and Colin Miller, 2011 brought Andreoff and Shore (no first), and 2010 brought Forbort and Toffoli.

Were there better players available? Probably. Were there a lot of misses? Sure. But the only second round pick we really missed on was Chris Gibson, and we’ve only had three first round picks from 2010 to 2017 (Forbort, Pearson, and Kempe).

I won't judge any of the recent picks, looks more promising after the GM change but was more going off of what we already know. The two best players they have drafted (Doughty & Schenn), a franchise defenseman and a 2nd line center and it's been no top 4 d-man and only TT as a top-six (or atleast for awhile). As the other poster said, maybe it was organizational philosophy and the GM overrode alot of the picks, that could be the case but it's just tough to see such little results in 12 years on the job in regards to impact players.

 

[kilowatt]

I won't judge any of the recent picks, looks more promising after the GM change but was more going off of what we already know. The two best players they have drafted (Doughty & Schenn), a franchise defenseman and a 2nd line center and it's been no top 4 d-man and only TT as a top-six (or atleast for awhile). As the other poster said, maybe it was organizational philosophy and the GM overrode alot of the picks, that could be the case but it's just tough to see such little results in 12 years on the job in regards to impact players.

Maybe, but how many top line wingers or top four defensemen are chosen outside the first round? I don’t love him by any means, but Forbort is a top four defenseman. Pearson put up top six numbers for a while. Kempe is still young, though I think he would look better on the wing.

Notable (top six/top four) players drafted in the second round or beyond from 2010 to 2016:

2010

• Justin Faulk
• Tyler Toffoli
• Jason Zucker
• John Klingberg
• Brenden Gallagher
• Mark Stone

2011

• Brandon Saad
• William Karlsson
• Nikita Kucherov
• Vincent Trochek
• Johnny Hockey
• Ryan Dzingel

2012

• Damon Severson
• Shayne Gostisbehere
• Colton Parayko
• Josh Anderson
• Andreas Athanasiou
• Jaccob Slavin

2013

• Jake Guentzel

2014

• Brayden Point
• Viktor Arvidsson

2015

• Sebastien Aho

2016

• Alex DeBrincat

A lot of guys drafted more recently have a lot of potential, but I tried to take names of actual top line players.

I’m not saying that Yannetti’s team hasn’t made any mistakes. Teubert over Myers or Karlsson? Forbort over Tarasenko? But I think that the Kings have been better-than-average at drafting, especially in later rounds. Doughty and Schenn were great choices. Pearson and Kempe as well. Teubert and Forbort, not as great. Vilardi and Kupari will hopefully be awesome.

I know there’s a lot of doom and gloom around here but it could be much worse. It’s hard to really evaluate Yanneti’s ability to draft high-end talent if the team trades away all its high picks.

 

[DoktorJeep]

I think the amateur scouting group is the least of the issues in the franchise. The problem has been player development once they enter the AHL and NHL.

 

[LAKings88]

First round should not be about goalies or defensive defensemen. Period.

That said, I think LA takes Knight at 22 if available.

 

[Foxtail]

Good day guys and girls , there is real smoke about the Avs liking Newhook. Not sure if that means #4 but I don't think they believe he wlil be around at #16 as rumors abound Habs draft guru Timmins likes him as well.

Trade up from #16 or down from #4 or selected at #4 stay tuned .

Great chance Byram is there for you Byram fans​

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

 

[kovacro]

Good write up via Sportsnet.

Spencer Knight on track to join exclusive goalie group at 2019 NHL Draft - Sportsnet.ca

 

[kovacro]

2019 NHL Combine results: Top 10 at each drill - Sportsnet.ca

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

 

[kilowatt]

I bet we take Foote at 33.

 

[kovacro]

I bet we take Foote at 33.

I would be fine with he or Vlasic at #33.

Kaliyev at #21. He's been all over the board this past year.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

 

[KingsHockey24]

My wishlist:

1. Byram
2. Caufield
3. Dach
4. Seider
5. Newhook
6. Afansyev
7. McMichael
8. Leason

 

[LAKings88]

My own mock for poops and giggles:

1. Devils Jack Hughes
2. Rangers Kappo Kakko
3. Hawks Bowen Byram
4. Avs Alex Turcotte
5. Kings Kirby Dach
6. Wings Trevor Zegras
7. Sabres Cole Caufield
8. Edmonton Dylan Cozens (I see him as a winger)
9. Ducks Raphael Lavoie (Reach) (Possible trade down spot)
10. Canucks Moritz Seider (Reach)
11. Flyers Philip Tomasino (Reach)
12. Wild Matthew Boldy
13. Panthers Philip Broberg (Bob’s their goalie)
14. Coyotes Alex Newhook
15. Habs Lassi Thomson (Reach) (Possible trade down spot)
16. Avs Vasili Podkolzin
17. Vegas Spencer Knight
18. Stars Peyton Krebs
19. Sens Victor Soderstrom
20. Rangers Arthur Kaliyev
21. Penguins Bobby Brink
22. Kings Cam York
23. Islanders Samuel Poulin
24. Predators Ryan Suzuki
25. Capitals Nils Hoglander
26. Flames Brayden Tracey
27. Lightning Thomas Harley
28. Ducks Ville Heinola
29. Canes Patrick Puistola
30. Bruins Connor McMichael
31. Sabres Matthew Robertson
32. Sens Jamieson Rees
33. Kings John Beecher (Size and speed-seems like a Kings wet dream)

 

[AzKing]

One wildcard to watch is if COL trades the pick to someone who wants Byram even if CHI goes with a C.

I still think that the Kings are going to take Turcotte, Byram or Dach and only Dach if the other two are gone. It’s a 3 man race for LA.

My only wildcard is Zegras. Don’t see them passing on Dach for him if both are the only options.

 

[Brodeur]

Just my own personal musings, if the Kings were looking to trade up I think Dallas at #18 and Tampa at #27 would be the most likely scenarios.

Either #18 for #22 + #64, or #27 for #33 + #64.

 

[Steve Zissou]

Would be nice if Arthur Kaliyev drops to us @ 22, but I can only assume that's wishful thinking.