News Article: Catching Up With Kings Top Prospect Valentin Zykov

[CNS]

Catching Up With Kings Top Prospect Valentin Zykov

After three years in the QMJHL, Valentin Zykov’s junior career has likely come to an end. His team was recently eliminated from the playoffs, meaning he was free to be assigned to an LA Kings affiliate. Though he officially has not joined the Manchester Monarchs, the Russian forward is in Manchester and has been practicing with the team.

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[Kingspiracy]

Cheers, nice wee article. I like the comment about getting better at everything, seems like a good kid.

 

[triplcrown]

His scoring seemed to sag in recent months. Maybe it was injury-related?
I also know he got traded.

Anyway, I wonder if he's more a 3rd-line/special teams type, than a top-sixer??

 

[Peter James Bond II]

His scoring seemed to sag in recent months. Maybe it was injury-related?
I also know he got traded.

Anyway, I wonder if he's more a 3rd-line/special teams type, than a top-sixer??

Zykov is 19 years old. It is impossible to know at this time if he will end up being a top 6 guy or not. He turns 20 next month and is just turning pro. He had a serious injury last year and he came back strong, once he was dealt to Gatineau. He had 15 goals
in 26 games there, back to the 40 goal average, that he had in his rookie season in Baie Comeau.
Everyone talks about his power game and determination....everyone also talks about the amazing results the Kings staff gets out of the players they work with in the system. Even Bissonette said that the development and improvement with Mersch and Auger had from the start of the season up to now is incredible. Expect the same with Kempe, Zykov, and Brodzinski. Stothers and Hajt have done a great job with these kids and we should all have high hopes for a lot of these prospects, under their tutelage and the Kings development staff.
So yes, expect 1 or more of those 3 prospects to become a top 6 player. Expect Mersch, Dowd, Auger, Miller, Forbort, Lintuniemi all to get shots with the Kings at some point...expect Shore to start making an impact with the Kings next year. I also hope against hope that Weal
gets a true shot to play with the Kings next year.

You can see that Zykov faded a bit in the playoffs, but he had some other ailment.

Zykov stats:

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=160415

 

[417th]

Zykov was traded after a long injury kept him out of the line up this past season. I see his scoring as being just fine. Give the kid some time and he will be a good one. I think a season or two in the AHL and we could have a solid 2nd line LW with really nice hands.