News Article: Mayor's Manor Midseason Top 10 Prospects

[Jason Lewis]

Cns Jason and who ever else wants to answer where are we strongest weakness in terms of prospects?

It's always fluid based on the performances year to year, but for the most part our defensive pipeline is pretty silly with how good it is. Ebert/McKeown/Forbort/Lintuniemi/Miller/Leslie/LaDue, if you want to toss Gravel in there you can as well. McNabb JUST graduated by our standards to boot.

And weakness? Eeeehh it's always pretty much the same. We don't have too many high end guys based on where we have selected and how we have selected in recent years. Our most skilled all-around player in the system is probably Zykov, and he's a 2nd line winger at best in all likelihood. That just the Kings though. They make players like King into legit NHL players. Not ever pipeline needs blue chips. Kings make it work.

 

[Captain Mittens*]

It's always fluid based on the performances year to year, but for the most part our defensive pipeline is pretty silly with how good it is. Ebert/McKeown/Forbort/Lintuniemi/Miller/Leslie/LaDue, if you want to toss Gravel in there you can as well. McNabb JUST graduated by our standards to boot.

And weakness? Eeeehh it's always pretty much the same. We don't have too many high end guys based on where we have selected and how we have selected in recent years. Our most skilled all-around player in the system is probably Zykov, and he's a 2nd line winger at best in all likelihood. That just the Kings though. They make players like King into legit NHL players. Not ever pipeline needs blue chips. Kings make it work.

They make it work by trading from strength for what they need

 

[Sam]

Lintuniemi isn't AHL eligible, and LaDue might be kept in the NCAA just so he can get more minutes.

That leaves Roach, MacDermid, and Leslie fighting for AHL/ECHL spots

Lintuniemi will be AHL eligible next year. 1995 birth year. Might be better off playing top minutes in the OHL though.

 

[CNS]

Cns Jason and who ever else wants to answer where are we strongest weakness in terms of prospects?

Sorry - didn't see this. As Jason said, strength is definitely defense. Don't sleep on the center depth though. Nic Dowd is good and getting better, with areas that are easy to improve upon. Plus Weal is an NHL player right now...just not for the Kings. And then you have Kempe, who I believe has been a center all of this year.

Weakness to me would be LW. Mersch has struggled.

 

[BigBrown]

Sorry - didn't see this. As Jason said, strength is definitely defense. Don't sleep on the center depth though. Nic Dowd is good and getting better, with areas that are easy to improve upon. Plus Weal is an NHL player right now...just not for the Kings. And then you have Kempe, who I believe has been a center all of this year.

Weakness to me would be LW. Mersch has struggled.

Kempe has been playing LW... though he might have been moved to center after Toronto pulled Nylander from Modo a couple of weeks ago (haven't been able to catch a game since) but pretty sure he's been mainly LW.

 

[KingsOfCali25]

Sorry - didn't see this. As Jason said, strength is definitely defense. Don't sleep on the center depth though. Nic Dowd is good and getting better, with areas that are easy to improve upon. Plus Weal is an NHL player right now...just not for the Kings. And then you have Kempe, who I believe has been a center all of this year.

Weakness to me would be LW. Mersch has struggled.

What about Prokhorkin? Is he coming over after this season? Is he farther along than Kitsyn was when he came over? What's his potential range?

Thanks CNS or Jason

 

[damacles1156]

What about Prokhorkin? Is he coming over after this season? Is he farther along than Kitsyn was when he came over? What's his potential range?

Thanks CNS or Jason

Porkie is way more skilled than Kitsyn ever was. That's not a worry.

The worry is if Prokhorkin even wants to play in NA. A lot will depend on the KHL's financial position moving forward, that league is hurting for money.

 

[King'sPawn]

Lintuniemi will be AHL eligible next year. 1995 birth year. Might be better off playing top minutes in the OHL though.

My bad, I thought he had to be 20 as of Jan 1st.

 

[Primakov!]

Porkie is way more skilled than Kitsyn ever was. That's not a worry.

The worry is if Prokhorkin even wants to play in NA. A lot will depend on the KHL's financial position moving forward, that league is hurting for money.

Making it difficult is that he mentioned in an interview last summer that he has no desire to spend time in the AHL or toil on the 4th line at the NHL-level.

Nikolai Prohorkin: "My agent and I were first trying to re-negotiate better contract terms with CSKA, but they didn't show any interest in doing that. So we decided that it’s time to move to America then even though I actually wanted to stay in Russia and play here a little more. It’s better to go to America when you are mature so that you don't go to the AHL or get put on the fourth line in the NHL."

Non-translated Russian link

He also has a stated preference to play at center because the position allows him to see the entire ice so he can make plays whereas on the wing it's more skating to designated spots with speed, which doesn't suit his play style as much.

 

[KingsOfCali25]

Porkie is way more skilled than Kitsyn ever was. That's not a worry.

The worry is if Prokhorkin even wants to play in NA. A lot will depend on the KHL's financial position moving forward, that league is hurting for money.

Nice! I just asked about the Kitsyn thing because I know the KHL really hurt his development. I didn't know if Prokhorkin was having the same problems or not.

Making it difficult is that he mentioned in an interview last summer that he has no desire to spend time in the AHL or toil on the 4th line at the NHL-level.



Non-translated Russian link

He also has a stated preference to play at center because the position allows him to see the entire ice so he can make plays whereas on the wing it's more skating to designated spots with speed, which doesn't suit his play style as much.

Well that sucks but he could fit well between Pearson and Toffoli. And let Carter play on the top line. That's some good skilled depth if everything goes right

 

[Primakov!]

Well that sucks but he could fit well between Pearson and Toffoli. And let Carter play on the top line. That's some good skilled depth if everything goes right

If he makes the club there's always a chance, I guess.

There's just as likely a scenario that if the Kings feel he's not quite ready for NHL action he's going to mope or pack his bags and head right back to Russia.

And funny how players with KHL contracts can't play in the NHL, but if they've got one in the NHL they can take their services to Russia with no compensation or recourse for the teams here.

 

[Sam]

What's the latest on Joel Lowry? We don't often hear much about him.

Season ending surgery after a back injury.

http://www.ithacajournal.com/story/sports/college/2015/01/13/cornell-senior-joel-lowry-miss-rest-senior-season/21714021/

Joel Lowry, a senior left wing and leading scorer on the Cornell men's hockey team, will have surgery on his lower back and miss the rest of the season, thus ending his Big Red career.

 

[PJ Kings Hockey]

Season ending surgery after a back injury.

http://www.ithacajournal.com/story/sports/college/2015/01/13/cornell-senior-joel-lowry-miss-rest-senior-season/21714021/

Thanks, Sam. It's a real shame he's going to be out for the rest of the season. Back injuries are rough. I hope he has a full recovery. I didn't know he was his team's leading forward. From the article Sam linked to:

According to Schafer, Lowry — a 2011 fifth-round draft pick of the Los Angeles Kings — had an opportunity to sign a pro contract over the summer and forego his senior year but chose to return to school and earn his degree.

 

[Jason Lewis]

Porkie is way more skilled than Kitsyn ever was. That's not a worry.

The worry is if Prokhorkin even wants to play in NA. A lot will depend on the KHL's financial position moving forward, that league is hurting for money.

Bingo. They are going to be attempting to retain every possible star they got currently and/or sending them here due to not being able to pay them.

The KHL is a curious beast.

 

[CNS]

Top 5 out now! Check it out and discuss away!

LA Kings 2014-15 Midseason Prospect Rankings: The Top 5

Finally, the wait is over. With the Honorable Mentions and Nos. 6-10 prospects previously revealed in other articles, we are now prepared to share the final five players making up the latest edition of our L.A. Kings Top 10 Prospect Rankings.

 

[KingsOfCali25]

Top 5 out now! Check it out and discuss away!

LA Kings 2014-15 Midseason Prospect Rankings: The Top 5

So CNS...those 3 "untouchables" (Zykov,Kempe,Shore?) ?