2019 Draft Discussion

[Raccoon Jesus]

God the lotto odds are awful

2nd highest chance is great but the 'vs the field' man, it's damn near a given someone out of the top 3 wins.

I guess it's working, I like that in general, just not this year, and DEFINITELY not if anyone that's won in recent years strikes gold again.

 

[SFKingshomer]

God the lotto odds are awful

2nd highest chance is great but the 'vs the field' man, it's damn near a given someone out of the top 3 wins.

I guess it's working, I like that in general, just not this year, and DEFINITELY not if anyone that's won in recent years strikes gold again.

I'm not all that concerned. We are going to get a great prospect, assuming they don't pull a Hickey.

 

[SFKingshomer]

Maybe I'm crazy but I'm really leaning towards 1 of the D.

 

[cyclones22]

I'm not all that concerned. We are going to get a great prospect, assuming they don't pull a Hickey.

Yep I basically stopped dreaming about Hughes or Kako weeks ago once I'd really got a handle of the odds of this. I'd be perfectly happy with any of 3 to 5 slot guys. I think they're either a first pairing defenseman or first-line talents anyway. It was important to finish second-worst if only to secure a top 5 pick guaranteed. For me it's basically been an exercise of hoping that some particular franchises don't pick first or second overall.

 

[AzKing]

Is there a clear cut #3? If they don't land either Hughes or Kakko then I think they will take the defenseman Byram.

Watching highlights of Byram and he's a stud!

I don't see them taking Byram with their first pick. They can get a good Dman with their 2nd first rounder if they want and while Byram is really good, there isn't a massive gap between him and several of the others. The Kings need to generate some excitement with this pick after a bad season and there are some really elite forwards up there. Byram is a really good two-way Dman but he isn't Rasmus Dahlin and I don't see the need to go that high for him when there is a closer gap between the Defenseman in the first round than there is with the top Forwards and the next tier.

If they are not in the Top 2, then it will probably be a "who is there," when they pick. If Cozens is on the board, they are going to take him in my opinion. He is big, skates very well, has one of the best shots in the draft, plays a 200 foot game, has a great attitude and most important, he can play C or W. He seems to be an ideal complement to Vilardi(if he ever is healthy) or Kupari.

After Cozens, it is probably a tossup between Turcotte and Dach for the Kings with a slight edge to Dach because Turcotte played so few games. It think that it will be one of those 3 guys after the Top 2.

 

[King'sPawn]

Maybe I'm crazy but I'm really leaning towards 1 of the D.

While Byram is great, I think there are better defensemen the Kings would be able to grab with Toronto's pick relative to the forwards available.

Defensemen who would be great pickups with the later first (assuming they fall):
Vlasic
Harley
Heinola
Seider

There are other defensemen who are ranked highly, but I either think they will be taken beforehand or I'm just not sold on them.

Forwards who could fall to the second first I would be happy for the Kings to grab:
Tomasino
Nick Robertson
Brett Leason
Connor McMichael
Samuel Poulin

I haven't hammered out my entire list, but I'm overall higher on tge defenseman listed above than the forwards (plus some of the defensemen and forwards are likely to be available at 33).

Granted, Byram's biggest trait he has on many of these prospects is his composure. I just think a lot of that can be developed with maturity and experience. I just think some of the tools of the forwards in the top picks give them a bit of an edge.

Granted, I'll be happy with most of them. I just have preferences towards forward.

 

[kings11]

Yep I basically stopped dreaming about Hughes or Kako weeks ago once I'd really got a handle of the odds of this. I'd be perfectly happy with any of 3 to 5 slot guys. I think they're either a first pairing defenseman or first-line talents anyway. It was important to finish second-worst if only to secure a top 5 pick guaranteed. For me it's basically been an exercise of hoping that some particular franchises don't pick first or second overall.

1- Jack Hughes
2- Kappo Kakko
3- Alex Turcotte
4- Bowen Byram
5- Kirby Dach

As for that 25th-ish pick.. I’d love Arthur Kaliyev or Bobby Brink

And the second pick of the second round of the 2019 nhl draft.... Nolan Foote??

Eh, when it’s all said and done... this upcoming Kings team might be better with some addition by subtraction!!

 

[SFKingshomer]

I didn't realize there are so many good defenseman but Byram and Broberg look great.

Cozens reminds me of Carter with better hands. Podkolzin scares me because he's Russian and skates with his head down a lot!

 

[kingsboy11]

Kings didn't draft a single defenseman last year so I suspect we'll draft one with either the leafs pick or our early 2nd round pick. I like the idea of Byram, but I think this team is in desperate need of a high end skilled forward if we are picking that high.

 

[AzKing]

Kings didn't draft a single defenseman last year so I suspect we'll draft one with either the leafs pick or our early 2nd round pick. I like the idea of Byram, but I think this team is in desperate need of a high end skilled forward if we are picking that high.

The thing with Byram is that he has been described as ultra-intelligent and possessing great hockey sense more than having an elite skillset or being overly dynamic. If you are drafting a Dman in 1-5, you really are looking for a potential #1 guy. Is Byram a #1 in terms of ceiling or will he need another guy to be paired with in order to maximize his potential?

 

[LAKings88]

I'm not all that concerned. We are going to get a great prospect, assuming they don't pull a Hickey.

I’m just hoping they hit on the first three picks.

Prospect pool will be much better come June hopefully.

 

[AzKing]

I’m just hoping they hit on the first three picks.

Prospect pool will be much better come June hopefully.

Very true, if they get 3 highly rated kids, you can see them vault up the overall team rankings in prospects.

 

[TwzKing]

When is the lottery?

I guess i can google it : April 9th (NBCSN; 8 p.m. ET).

 

[Frolov 6'3]

Dont forget Alex Newhook, who might still be there when Toronto is soon eliminated.

 

[LAKings88]

When is the lottery?

I guess i can google it : April 9th (NBCSN; 8 p.m. ET).

I don’t think I can take it. Might just look up results after it’s done.

 

[AzKing]

Dont forget Alex Newhook, who might still be there when Toronto is soon eliminated.

Newhook is a tough one to evaluate because of the league he is tearing up. He seemed like a guy who at one point was probably just outside the top 10. Now it seems like he, Boldy and Suzuki are dropping down the lists a bit which Caufield, Kaliyev and McMichael are moving up.

 

[TopT]

I don't see them taking Byram with their first pick. They can get a good Dman with their 2nd first rounder if they want and while Byram is really good, there isn't a massive gap between him and several of the others. The Kings need to generate some excitement with this pick after a bad season and there are some really elite forwards up there. Byram is a really good two-way Dman but he isn't Rasmus Dahlin and I don't see the need to go that high for him when there is a closer gap between the Defenseman in the first round than there is with the top Forwards and the next tier.

If they are not in the Top 2, then it will probably be a "who is there," when they pick. If Cozens is on the board, they are going to take him in my opinion. He is big, skates very well, has one of the best shots in the draft, plays a 200 foot game, has a great attitude and most important, he can play C or W. He seems to be an ideal complement to Vilardi(if he ever is healthy) or Kupari.

After Cozens, it is probably a tossup between Turcotte and Dach for the Kings with a slight edge to Dach because Turcotte played so few games. It think that it will be one of those 3 guys after the Top 2.

Yeah it is

And with all that his numbers are nothing special

 

[TopT]

The thing with Byram is that he has been described as ultra-intelligent and possessing great hockey sense more than having an elite skillset or being overly dynamic. If you are drafting a Dman in 1-5, you really are looking for a potential #1 guy. Is Byram a #1 in terms of ceiling or will he need another guy to be paired with in order to maximize his potential?

yes

 

[kilowatt]

i cant believe im saying this but i think we have more promising forward prospects than we do defensive prospects

byram would be huge for the org if we fall to fifth

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

The thing with Byram is that he has been described as ultra-intelligent and possessing great hockey sense more than having an elite skillset or being overly dynamic. If you are drafting a Dman in 1-5, you really are looking for a potential #1 guy. Is Byram a #1 in terms of ceiling or will he need another guy to be paired with in order to maximize his potential?

I think Byram might be a low-end #1 in terms of ceiling but the biggest perk there to me is that he sounds like exactly the kind of symboitic relationship you'd want with a guy like Drew Doughty--learn from Drew, let him draw some extra attention, get big minutes while developing, etc...and might help Drew's leadership abilities even more too. and then as Drew ages and becomes less of an all-over-the-place skater and more of a stay at home guy a la late career Ray Bourque, Byram would be in his prime. Boom.

 

[kilowatt]

I think Byram might be a low-end #1 in terms of ceiling but the biggest perk there to me is that he sounds like exactly the kind of symboitic relationship you'd want with a guy like Drew Doughty--learn from Drew, let him draw some extra attention, get big minutes while developing, etc...and might help Drew's leadership abilities even more too. and then as Drew ages and becomes less of an all-over-the-place skater and more of a stay at home guy a la late career Ray Bourque, Byram would be in his prime. Boom.

Byram - Doughty
Clague - Anderson
Phillips - Durzi

 

[The Lukeman]

Depending on who is available when LA selects, this would be my preference. Going strictly off BPA imo. LA should be grabbing 2 F and 1 D with their first 3 picks.
1 - Hughes
2 - Kakko
3 - Turcotte
4 - Cozens
5 - Byram

With Toronto's pick and the 2nd pick, LA could look at any of the following late 1st round players from best to worst. These are guys that I have impressed me from watching them. Im not up to date with all 1st round prospects so some guys might fit but aren't on this list

(yes I understand some of these players will likely be taken, but one or 2 could possibly slip for whatever reason)

Vasili Podkolzin (RW) - Is the 3rd best player in the draft, but he has stated he does not plan on coming to the US for a while so that will make him slip a lot. If he ends up in 2nd round, I would 100% be okay with LA taking him. Otherwise just stay clear.

Cole Caufield (RW) - Only knock off is he is 5'7. Unlikely, but could slip to the Toronto pick. Purest goal scorer in the draft. Would do wonder's for LA's power play.

Arthur Kaliyev (LW) - One of the best goal scorers in the draft that could go higher. Would help address LA's scoring needs big time

Thomas Harley (LHD) - Big yet mobile defenseman that could do well with today's NHL

Nolan Foote (LW) - Talented Big man. Could show up in NHL sooner than most prospects

Alex Vlasic (LHD) - One of the most talented Dmen, but still needs a lot of work with his raw tools. 6'6 is also nice

 

[SFKingshomer]

Watching highlights of Kakko and he doesn't look very dynamic or fast. He's strong on the puck with good vision and a good shot. What's his ceiling?

 

[Statto]

I’d like Byram as our pick but only if he’s BPA available when we do so. I wouldn’t object to trading down (not from 1OA) to get him. I actually used to know his dad a little, he played as an Import for my local team in the UK. Smart player, incredibly laid back and had great hands. If his lad is anything like him, he’d be great off the ice as well as on it.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Watching highlights of Kakko and he doesn't look very dynamic or fast. He's strong on the puck with good vision and a good shot. What's his ceiling?

i'm not sure this is still the case--doesn't the Liiga have variable rink sizes? Those big rinks make some guys look like they're skating in mud. Kakko's skating isn't an issue. He's not a blazer like Barzal or Wagner for sure though.