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Kings Article: LA Kings D Prospect Nicolas Deslauriers Is Still Playing Catch Up In Defensive Zone

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Three tomatoes are walkin' down the street.
Papa Tomato, Mama Tomato and Baby Tomato.
Baby Tomato starts lagging behind, and Papa Tomato gets really angry.
He goes back and squishes him and says: "Ketchup."
 
The Dingo said:
Three tomatoes are walkin' down the street.
Papa Tomato, Mama Tomato and Baby Tomato.
Baby Tomato starts lagging behind, and Papa Tomato gets really angry.
He goes back and squishes him and says: "Ketchup."
Click to expand...

Amusing.

uma-milkshake-pulp-fiction.jpg


Deslauriers definitely has a lot of work ahead of him. Making the Kings would almost be nothing short of a miracle even if he could play defense; and without it, he would have to make a deal with the devil just to get Sutter or Lombardi to consider him. I don't see a whole lot of room for him in the future, but who knows what happens in a couple of years... Hopefully he can get it together though so we can get some assets for him at least.
 
Nik Des has improved his defencive game significantly over the first part of this season. He has turned a corner and is showing signs that he will become a very good NHL dman and be able to live up to everyones expectations of him.

Like A Mart Muzzin Voynov and even Hickey before him (to name a few), Nik Des is an above average young prospect with an NHL caliber skill set who is in the process of working his way into getting his shot. It may not be with the Kings but he will get his shot in the NHL.

He has the type of skill and determination that it takes to get to the NHL and is starting to show signs that he will before too long.

I think he will get there within the next couple of seasons and when he does he will become a fan favorite in time.

He is yet another success story for our development department. ND will make the NHL. It's only a matter of when and where.
 
FrozenRoyalty showing his anti Deslauriers agenda with the article title. I'm just going to assume it's bad and say I don't like it.

Just kidding :)
 
Thing that stuck out to me was the fact that Mark Morris would be put him out as the first PK unit. That's awesome.

NIC D has been my favorite kings prospect for the last 2-3 years. REALLY hoping he gets his shot with the kings at some point. Kid's got WOW potential in terms of how he hits and how he makes plays offensively. Luckily his positional weakness i think can be learned with more experience...
 
Reading this article, it sounds like he can be the more complete muzzin.? Physical and offensive, with improving defense. Maybe he will cast muzzin/amart out soon. Maybe there's one spot that can be filled.

Anyone think he can pass muzzin?
 
Honestly, I would be very, very surprised if this kid has any future in the NHL. I hate to come off as a Negative Nancy, but his defensive skills and hockey IQ just aren't there. He holds the worst +- on the Monarchs this year, and while he's improved in some aspects of his game, he's still a liability on D. I know that some of you will be quick to point out Muzzin, whose hockey IQ isn't very good either, but Muzzin is far more steady and cerebral than Deslauriers.
 
ND always reminded me of JJ to some degree. ND has more of a physical game whereas JJ is clearly the better skater and has better offensive skills. Maybe it's because they're both 6'1 and 230 lbs.

I can still remember ND in his rookie camp with the kings, fought JJ in a scrimmage game.
 
TwoForRoughing said:
Honestly, I would be very, very surprised if this kid has any future in the NHL. I hate to come off as a Negative Nancy, but his defensive skills and hockey IQ just aren't there. He holds the worst +- on the Monarchs this year, and while he's improved in some aspects of his game, he's still a liability on D. I know that some of you will be quick to point out Muzzin, whose hockey IQ isn't very good either, but Muzzin is far more steady and cerebral than Deslauriers.
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Prepare to be very, very surprised.
 
I don't think hockey IQ is the issue, i think it's the adjustment from being somewhat of a ROVER in the Q, to playing more systematically on D. He is very savvy offensively, making very subtle plays to buy an extra second. To me it's simply just an adjustment on reeling back his instinct to push forward always and figuring out to stay back. Finding that balance in his game is an adjustment that will only improve over playing more professional hockey games. After watching him very closely in camps, I've never questioned the IQ level.

Dude has the potential to be a BEAST.
 
losingsand said:
I don't think hockey IQ is the issue, i think it's the adjustment from being somewhat of a ROVER in the Q, to playing more systematically on D. He is very savvy offensively, making very subtle plays to buy an extra second. To me it's simply just an adjustment on reeling back his instinct to push forward always and figuring out to stay back. Finding that balance in his game is an adjustment that will only improve over playing more professional hockey games. After watching him very closely in camps, I've never questioned the IQ level.

Dude has the potential to be a BEAST.
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This ^ is very well said and I agree. He has only gotten better since he first came to us and improved in every area of his game. Kid is 22yo and coming along nicely.
 
I'm with TG & Losingsand, I think he's going to be better at the NHL level than at the AHL. His situation sounds very similar to Voynov IMO.
 
Perhaps he'll have a long development curve and end up being a player similar to Francois Beauchemin after all is said and done?

Beauchemin was also a pretty good scorer from the QMJHL that took some time and bouncing around from Montreal, Columbus, and then Anaheim before he really started establishing himself at the NHL-level with consistent ice-time.
 
Primakov! said:
Perhaps he'll have a long development curve and end up being a player similar to Francois Beauchemin after all is said and done?

Beauchemin was also a pretty good scorer from the QMJHL that took some time and bouncing around from Montreal, Columbus, and then Anaheim before he really started establishing himself at the NHL-level with consistent ice-time.
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I think that is fairly said.

Some players take more time to develop their game into an NHL level than others but NikD will play in the NHL. I would say that by the time he is 24 he will be in the league and turning some heads full time. He is a season in the AHL with next call up duty away from being ready to start seeing some time in the NHL.

Wherever that may be.
 
I'll admit, I just don't see it with Deslaurier.

I think he has some tools for sure, but to be completely honest, I just don't see him being a regular NHL defenseman. He may make it as a Jason Wooley type with better D, but I think that's the maximum ceiling (and that'd be a very good return on the investment too and by no means a bust).

I hope the kid makes it, but really I seen him as tweener type, a good AHLer who never really grabs an NHL roster spot for any significant length of time.
 
kingsfan said:
I'll admit, I just don't see it with Deslaurier.

I think he has some tools for sure, but to be completely honest, I just don't see him being a regular NHL defenseman. He may make it as a Jason Wooley type with better D, but I think that's the maximum ceiling (and that'd be a very good return on the investment too and by no means a bust).

I hope the kid makes it, but really I seen him as tweener type, a good AHLer who never really grabs an NHL roster spot for any significant length of time.
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I disagree completely but that is alright. We will end up seeing how he turns out. His game at this point was similar to Muzzin's at the same point in their development. He is yet another mid pairing solid young D prospect for us and what I think happens is that some expect (not saying you) our kids to either become star players or see them as busts.

Des is just like Muzzin and Hickey in that they are all 3 solid players who took time to reach their development and will prove themselves as capable solid NHLers once they get their chance. Des likes to play a fast physical game. He turned a corner at the mid point (around) of this season and you could see him becoming better and better with each game until about 20 games ago when he just seemed to get it.

He can skate shoot hit fight and is becoming pretty solid in his own end. I don't think he will be a top pairing guy but that would suit us fine. We have DD VV and now Muzzin to cary that load. With Gravel and possibly Forbort coming up as SAH guys we might be set. In the end time will tell us about Des.
 
Hey, I'll be the happiest guy if you're right TG. I just don't see it.

Like I said, the kid has some good tools, but I just don't see it clicking to the point he's a regular NHL blueliner for several seasons. Considering how much our D depth got decimated this season, I honestly hope I'm completely wrong, because he'd be a huge help.

I wouldn't call him a 'bust', but I wouldn't call him a success either. John Slaney-type career, depth guy that gets the odd kick at the can and a season or two here or there? Not saying he's John Slaney, just that's how I see his career going.
 
kingsfan said:
Hey, I'll be the happiest guy if you're right TG. I just don't see it.

Like I said, the kid has some good tools, but I just don't see it clicking to the point he's a regular NHL blueliner for several seasons. Considering how much our D depth got decimated this season, I honestly hope I'm completely wrong, because he'd be a huge help.

I wouldn't call him a 'bust', but I wouldn't call him a success either. John Slaney-type career, depth guy that gets the odd kick at the can and a season or two here or there? Not saying he's John Slaney, just that's how I see his career going.
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Fair enough.

I put him in the Muzzin Hickey A Mart category but either way its a great problem to have.
 
I remember during one of his first camps he was destroying people with hits. He is way more physical than JJ or Muzzin. 6 fights this year.

I heard he is built pretty well too and worked out with an MMA trainer a few years back.
 
Johnny Utah said:
I remember during one of his first camps he was destroying people with hits. He is way more physical than JJ or Muzzin. 6 fights this year.

I heard he is built pretty well too and worked out with an MMA trainer a few years back.
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He did work out with an MMA trainer during his first year, so did Muzzin. I agree that Des is way more physical and is a real scrapper when he wants to be. Muzzin had that element to his game a bit too but it seemed to fade when he went to MCH.
 
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