Prospect Info: Kings Prospects in CHL/College/Europe Part 3

[Gjwrams]

Drafting Russians is just too risky

I don't mind taking a flyer on a Russian with a later pick....You never know. However, I do acknowledge our history with Russians.

 

[Tijuana Trotz]

I don't mind taking a flyer on a Russian with a later pick....You never know. However, I do acknowledge our history with Russians.

Maybe there’s a stigma against LA (hollywood) cause of how Russians are portrayed in movies.

 

[slumpy43]

 

[King'sPawn]

Val-d'Or lost today and is down 3-2. It's been a tough final!

 

[Fat Elvis]

Spence will help out the Reign defense starting next season. Seems to be a very underrated player.

 

[Lt Dan]

Spence will help out the Reign defense starting next season. Seems to be a very underrated player.

very underrated

 

[Mosby]

 

[Sleeping Dog]

On the latest Soul on Ice podcast, Akil Thomas said he’s in the middle of getting surgeries on both shoulders. Said the recovery was 4-6 months. Said he had issues going back to his 3rd year in OHL and he’s looking forward to being free of pain while playing. Hopefully, he’ll come back stronger than before.

 

[Peter James Bond III]

On the latest Soul on Ice podcast, Akil Thomas said he’s in the middle of getting surgeries on both shoulders. Said the recovery was 4-6 months. Said he had issues going back to his 3rd year in OHL and he’s looking forward to being free of pain while playing. Hopefully, he’ll come back stronger than before.

That’s crazy, considering how well he’s produced. Had a 7 game pt scoring streak to end the year, too. (If I recall correctly) where not all prospects reach their hoped potential, some exceed (Matt Roy) and I think Thomas may be one of those. Maybe not a 50 pt NHL guy, but 30-40 pt guy that can play in all situations and help in getting wins.

 

[Sleeping Dog]

That’s crazy, considering how well he’s produced. Had a 7 game pt scoring streak to end the year, too. (If I recall correctly) where not all prospects reach their hoped potential, some exceed (Matt Roy) and I think Thomas may be one of those. Maybe not a 50 pt NHL guy, but 30-40 pt guy that can play in all situations and help in getting wins.

Totally agree. If he’s been playing through the pain for several years, hopefully he can take that step forward and get some time in LA next year. I’m looking at him to be one of those important cogs in the wheel - chip in 10 or so goals, fill in up and down the line up, kill penalties etc. every winning team needs a few of these players.

 

[johnjm22]

Shoulder injuries are rough and can take forever to heal. They can be chronic.

That's really going to set him back. Fortunately the Kings are in a position where they can give him lots of time to develop.

At the same, if he's been this good while being handicapped, you wonder how great he could potentially be when fully healthy.

 

[KopitarFAN]

Last years class alone figures to keep the Kings well represented at the 2022 WJC.
Finland, Sweden Announce Camp Roster For Summer Showcase

3 Finns (Jamsen, Simontaival and Markkanen), a Swede (Grans) and at least one American (Faber) have been invited to the summer showcase.

 

[ricardfromage]

So much elite level talent in our current system. It reminds me of when Carson Luc Stevie Dusch Nichols (dimes) were all in their rookie/+1 seasons. We are just crazy deep with truly elite level talent. If we can somehow nab Wally(waisted) in this draft we will have truly superstar talent at every prospect position. AMAZING!

 

[KopitarFAN]

The OHL has announced their season will start October 7th.

Obviously, we don't who, if any players will be there, Chromiak (assuming he has to go back) would be the only one from the 2020 class, everybody from 2019 will have graduated.

I think we're all assuming Byfield will be in the NHL.

 

[ricardfromage]

I see QB as being at least one more year away from being NHL ready. He needs to get quicker in his decision making with and without the puck and then try to find a way to dominate play sometimes in order to make the jump. He had a pretty solid shortened 1st pro season but he didn't look close to being NHL ready yet. Rush a kid like that and you could ruin him. Seen it happen too many times and he (QB) is too important of a player to our future success to risk ruining him.

 

[Rusty Batch]

I see QB as being at least one more year away from being NHL ready. He needs to get quicker in his decision making with and without the puck and then try to find a way to dominate play sometimes in order to make the jump. He had a pretty solid shortened 1st pro season but he didn't look close to being NHL ready yet. Rush a kid like that and you could ruin him. Seen it happen too many times and he (QB) is too important of a player to our future success to risk ruining him.

Best way to adjust to the pace of a higher level is to play in it. Also from what I saw from him he definitely looked close. I think he probably learned alot from his time in the NHL and will understand more what he has to work on this off-season and throughout preseason.

With his age and body type I expect there to be a lot of natural progression from him.

 

[ricardfromage]

Best way to adjust to the pace of a higher level is to play in it. Also from what I saw from him he definitely looked close. I think he probably learned alot from his time in the NHL and will understand more what he has to work on this off-season and throughout preseason.

With his age and body type I expect there to be a lot of natural progression from him.

I sort of agree with what you are saying and sort of don't. I guess to me I hold QB to higher standard because more is and will continue to be expected of him. Too important of a player to rush into the show or at least I think he is (not saying you don't). If he had a dominant season on the farm then I would agree with you more but he didn't so I would give him another year down there and provide him with call ups as a reward and finally see him on the Kings either at the end of next season for our playoff run or the following season to start his NHL career in earnest.

 

[Fishhead]

I see QB as being at least one more year away from being NHL ready. He needs to get quicker in his decision making with and without the puck and then try to find a way to dominate play sometimes in order to make the jump. He had a pretty solid shortened 1st pro season but he didn't look close to being NHL ready yet. Rush a kid like that and you could ruin him. Seen it happen too many times and he (QB) is too important of a player to our future success to risk ruining him.

I think it's a foregone conclusion that he is on the roster next year. He was close to a ppg for the last 15 games or so before he was called up and was well into the +. With another offseason under his belt QB will be a ppg level player in the AHL. Juniors will do nothing for him.

I also doubt anything will ruin QB. Players with his skills and ceiling aren't going to be affected by adversity. If anything, sending him to play against inferior competition will stall his development more.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I forget who keeps saying it--maybe this is @Herby again?--that no one was ever ruined by staying in juniors too long.

It's a tough call really.

 

[Statto]

I think the way he worked through his slow AHL start guarantees he will be on the opening night roster.

He has a mindset that means a slow start in the NHL won’t break him, so unless he flounders badly in his first 9 games he will be with the Kings. Any struggles won’t break him and that’s why he will stay up. There was a huge amount of expectation for him to dominate at the AHL level and more pressure was added by Stützle starting so well in Ottawa. However, he worked through it, learned and developed quickly. By the time he debuted he looked ready, played 15 minutes per night and played with confidence.

He will have had an off season preparing whilst really understanding the step up in level facing him and will have a full camp before the season starts. It would be a shock if he ends up in the OHL at this point.

 

[King'sPawn]

I forget who keeps saying it--maybe this is @Herby again?--that no one was ever ruined by staying in juniors too long.

It's a tough call really.

It's a modification of Lombardi saying "you can never be over prepared."

That said, pretty sure Herby didn't say that. He can correct himself though. But he was adamant about Turcotte staying one more season in the NCAA, as most successful college players stay for 2+ years.

 

[ScoreZeGoals]

Ideally QB would spend the first part of the season in the AHL before joining the Kings. Since that can't happen and the only alternative is going back to the OHL, he's staying in the NHL. I think there is absolutely no chance he goes back to the OHL

 

[Herby]

I forget who keeps saying it--maybe this is @Herby again?--that no one was ever ruined by staying in juniors too long.

It's a tough call really.

No, I think you have me mistaken for Andys who wants all the prospects to play D+1 and D+2 in juniors and NCAA prospects to graduate from college before making the NHL.

My issue is NCAA players being pulled out after their freshman seasons to be put in the AHL such as what the Kings did last year. There is a boatload of historical evidence including another one happening right now in Montreal that the sophomore domination and physical growth is better for a teenager than the AHL. I know most here disagree with me but I think the evidence is overwhelming.

As far as QB, I am the opposite, the historical evidence says that top 2 picks should immediately play in the NHL in D+1 as that has produced solid results for as long as I have been following the league. Last year was a bit unique because the AHL was available when it usually isn't, and I had no issue with him in the AHL as it was a happy medium. I still think if the OHL had been going that the Kings would have kept him up rather than send him back to a league he had already dominated because he'd pick up bad habits. If QB is in the OHL next season (which I highly highly doubt) than the pick would be looking like a poor one. But I can't think of any kind of scenario short of QB doing something stupid off the ice or showing up to camp woefully out of shape that the Kings don't have him in the NHL.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

No, I think you have me mistaken for Andys who wants all the prospects to play D+1 and D+2 in juniors and NCAA prospects to graduate from college before making the NHL.

My issue is NCAA players being pulled out after their freshman seasons to be put in the AHL such as what the Kings did last year. There is a boatload of historical evidence including another one happening right now in Montreal that the sophomore domination and physical growth is better for a teenager than the AHL. I know most here disagree with me but I think the evidence is overwhelming.

As far as QB, I am the opposite, the historical evidence says that top 2 picks should immediately play in the NHL in D+1 as that has produced solid results for as long as I have been following the league. Last year was a bit unique because the AHL was available when it usually isn't, and I had no issue with him in the AHL as it was a happy medium. I still think if the OHL had been going that the Kings would have kept him up rather than send him back to a league he had already dominated because he'd pick up bad habits. If QB is in the OHL next season (which I highly highly doubt) than the pick would be looking like a poor one. But I can't think of any kind of scenario short of QB doing something stupid off the ice or showing up to camp woefully out of shape that the Kings don't have him in the NHL.

You're right, I was mixing it up with your NCAA thoughts, my fault.

I do seem to remember someone (not andys) saying that though, not a big deal just a difference in philosophy either way.

 

[LAKings88]

It sucks that Turcotte left only to have the AHL shut down a few days later. Given the last two years, maybe he should have stayed. Ultimately tho, it was the player’s decision. Hopefully Turcotte can build on his experience this season. Seems like he will get another year in the AHL unless the Kings trim some current forwards down.