Will Alex Turcotte have a spot in LA?

[johnjm22]

I think it’s a combination of both. The skill level obviously isn’t what we all hoped on draft night, but the injuries have hurt his chances of being a depth guy in the NHL.

Had he been able to stay healthy and been developed right (I think they are related) he is at the very least ahead of Kupari and maybe even Lizotte.

I wasn't really that impressed with him in the NCAA. Had he stayed there I'm not convinced it would have mattered.

 

[Herby]

I wasn't really that impressed with him in the NCAA. Had he stayed there I'm not convinced it would have mattered.

He was not very impressive in the NCAA, especially based on where he was drafted, and I’m not saying he would have been a 1st or 2nd liner down to road for the Kings had he gone back to UW, as there are obviously limitations to his offensive game. But plenty of similar caliber players have struggled a bit as NCAA freshman but turned out to be solid NHL players. The two guys I compare him to Cogliano and Copp also did not exactly set the world on fire as freshman but they each have been solid NHL players. I don’t think either would have been as good had they been pulled as freshman and put into a terrible situation like Turcotte was.

If he plays back there as a 19 year old, builds confidence on the ice (as many sophs do) and spends a lot of time in the gym and gets bigger and stronger physically to compete against pros with the stye he plays, things are different. I think he spends half to a full season (it is the Kings after all) in Ontario in his age 20 season and is ahead of Kupari and Lizotte by now. He was just not physically ready to take the beating he has taken in the AHL and the injuries have obviously been very damaging to his development.

 

[LAKings88]

There’s a zero percent chance Laferriere and Pinelli make the team out of camp. Chromiak and Fagemo might, but I’m guessing they all end up in Ontario. Turcotte likely gets a few cups of coffee next season before breaking onto the team the following year.

I mean they could. A good chance at the 24-25 season too when Turc likely has his best shot too.

 

[johnjm22]

He was not very impressive in the NCAA, especially based on where he was drafted, and I’m not saying he would have been a 1st or 2nd liner down to road for the Kings had he gone back to UW, as there are obviously limitations to his offensive game. But plenty of similar caliber players have struggled a bit as NCAA freshman but turned out to be solid NHL players. The two guys I compare him to Cogliano and Copp also did not exactly set the world on fire as freshman but they each have been solid NHL players. I don’t think either would have been as good had they been pulled as freshman and put into a terrible situation like Turcotte was.

If he plays back there as a 19 year old, builds confidence on the ice (as many sophs do) and spends a lot of time in the gym and gets bigger and stronger physically to compete against pros with the stye he plays, things are different. I think he spends half to a full season (it is the Kings after all) in Ontario in his age 20 season and is ahead of Kupari and Lizotte by now. He was just not physically ready to take the beating he has taken in the AHL and the injuries have obviously been very damaging to his development.

He was injured in the USNTDP.

He was injured in college at Wisconsin.

So I think he was going to get injured regardless.

Perhaps he doesn't get injured as bad if he stays in the NCAA. The AHL has become kind of shit league to develop young players IMO. It's filled with head-hunting goons and cheap shot artists that aren't held accountable.

It probably would have been marginally better for him to stay in college for another year.

 

[DapperDan]

It's all a matter of contract management at this point. Several forwards in Ontario will no longer be on their ELCs after this season and will be subject to waivers. I would assume Fagemo is the player mgmt believes has the most upside in that lot and he will be given the best chance to make it out of camp. Turcotte should see at least 20-30 NHL games between injuries and scratches next year.

 

[AbsentMojo]

Alex does have a spot in LA - at Cedars concussion outpatient services

 

[AbsentMojo]

If he plays back there as a 19 year old, builds confidence on the ice (as many sophs do) and spends a lot of time in the gym and gets bigger and stronger physically to compete against pros with the stye he plays, things are different. I think he spends half to a full season (it is the Kings after all) in Ontario in his age 20 season and is ahead of Kupari and Lizotte by now. He was just not physically ready to take the beating he has taken in the AHL and the injuries have obviously been very damaging to his development.

My guess Blake justifies his move to Ontario by saying he gets tutored in Kings systems and terminology with an eye to make it on the team this season (22-23). Maybe the spot he was drafted misled him to believe the kid was ready to move up quickly. I remember looking at his stats during the season at UW and was expecting more based on his pedigree and draft position. Based on how bang up he's been his entire career I believe in his case, taking it slower (staying in college) wouldve been the more prudent development plan.

 

[The Butcher]

Oops

 

[Herby]

My guess Blake justifies his move to Ontario by saying he gets tutored in Kings systems and terminology with an eye to make it on the team this season (22-23). Maybe the spot he was drafted misled him to believe the kid was ready to move up quickly. I remember looking at his stats during the season at UW and was expecting more based on his pedigree and draft position. Based on how bang up he's been his entire career I believe in his case, taking it slower (staying in college) wouldve been the more prudent development plan.

The funniest part is, that with all that we know about Rob Blake and his philosophy that some people are still arguing that it was Turcotte who wanted to leave and that Blake was either against it or powerless to stop it. Imagine thinking Blake didn’t want a player in the AHL!

The Kings probably expected to have an NHL player in 21-22, and it was slowed significantly by injuries and less than dominant play.

And him staying would not even be taking it slow. Staying a third year would be taking it slow, but almost everyone plays a second year unless they are Fantilli or Eichel good. Hell, Fantilli may even come back for a 2nd year.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

He was injured in the USNTDP.

He was injured in college at Wisconsin.

So I think he was going to get injured regardless.

Perhaps he doesn't get injured as bad if he stays in the NCAA. The AHL has become kind of shit league to develop young players IMO. It's filled with head-hunting goons and cheap shot artists that aren't held accountable.

It probably would have been marginally better for him to stay in college for another year.

To be fair, most of those were "Justin WIlliams is injury prone" type injuries.

Appendix, mono, flu...you're taking the chance that the guy is Williams rather than Sami Salo. At least we know the Appendix won't be a recurring issue!

 

[kingsfan28]

Alex does have a spot in LA - at Cedars concussion outpatient services

cold man, just cold.

To be fair, most of those were "Justin WIlliams is injury prone" type injuries.

Appendix, mono, flu...you're taking the chance that the guy is Williams rather than Sami Salo. At least we know the Appendix won't be a recurring issue!

If he could pull a Williams with his career...

 

[AbsentMojo]

cold man, just cold.

That was my attempt at @Bandit style humor

 

[Telos]

I just read something very interesting that Jon Rosen wrote during his end-of-the-season write-up about Turcotte, Blake, and LA Kings drafting: Did the Kings just write off a 104-point season?

All honest indications are that Turcotte has soured into a missed pick, and the Kings will have little to show for the pain of enduring a dismal 2018-19 season in which they entered the lottery with the second-best odds. Plenty of Stanley Cup winners swing and miss with high draft picks; Los Angeles weathered going off the board to select Thomas Hickey fourth overall in 2007 just fine.

The concern here is that Blake diverged from his scouts, and according to three sources, chose Turcotte when Director of Amateur Scouting Mark Yannetti had Trevor Zegras, who has 139 points in 180 career games down the road in Anaheim, ranked higher on the draft list. There have also been whispers that Tony Granato, who would coach Turcotte for one year at Wisconsin, strongly advocated for his incoming freshman prior to the draft.

Turcotte’s career has also been derailed by injury, and one can only imagine the mental and physical anguish of having to return from successive concussions. Health has unquestionably played a part in his stuttered development.

But health and his response to injury were concerns when they’d drafted him. A significant hip injury and mononucleosis removed him from the USNTDP lineup for large swaths of his draft year, and upon arriving at Wisconsin, he didn’t endear himself to the more senior Badgers when he was slow to return from a second half lower-body injury while the team struggled in Big Ten play and those around him were aware he intended to turn pro at the end of the season. Perhaps it’s simply a reflection of not quite fitting in with an insular and often obtuse hockey culture, but teammates in the L.A. organization and Eisbären Berlin, with whom he trained early in the 2020-21 season, were not quick to warm to him.

Turcotte has been included in trade proposals that never came to fruition, so to hear Blake respond to a question regarding the type of role he’d like Turcotte to craft next fall by answering, “health,” it’s both a troubling back-to-the-drawing-board reflection of a 22-year-old lapped by the other nine top-10 picks from 2019 and a validation of several red flags from when he was drafted.

I remember hearing that we had people who wanted Zegras at the draft, but I don't think I ever heard that Blake chose Turcotte over Yannetti wanting Zegras.

 

[Eagle Fang]

To be fair, most of those were "Justin WIlliams is injury prone" type injuries.

Appendix, mono, flu...you're taking the chance that the guy is Williams rather than Sami Salo. At least we know the Appendix won't be a recurring issue!

I think though more concerning is that his more recent string of injuries are not that type. They stem from getting obliterated from hits people might say were a result of not having your head up. I don't think over the past 2 seasons an ONT player has taken those type of hits more than Turcotte.

So situational awareness is a concern.

Of course it's not the same at all, but I remember moving from Junior hockey to the adult leagues in my state. It was a big difference and learning to keep an eye out for hits took a lot of getting used to. Some guys could handle it and some quit.

I do have hope for him, but especially after that Rosen article, it's pretty low at the moment.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I think though more concerning is that his more recent string of injuries are not that type. They stem from getting obliterated from hits people might say were a result of not having your head up. I don't think over the past 2 seasons an ONT player has taken those type of hits more than Turcotte.

So situational awareness is a concern.

Of course it's not the same at all, but I remember moving from Junior hockey to the adult leagues in my state. It was a big difference and learning to keep an eye out for hits took a lot of getting used to. Some guys could handle it and some quit.

I do have hope for him, but especially after that Rosen article, it's pretty low at the moment.

I don't disagree at all.

My post was in reference to pre-draft.

 

[Eagle Fang]

I don't disagree at all.

My post was in reference to pre-draft.

Ah my bad, sorry about that. I didn't read the full context.

 

[spudboy]

Keep your head up! And score!

 

[Brownie to Pancakes]

Man it would be incredible if turc finds it and becomes 4C

 

[Cianide]

He could've been something. With Blake and Co. handling our prospects, it doesn't look good.

 

[Telos]

He could've been something. With Blake and Co. handling our prospects, it doesn't look good.

I mean, he isn't dead yet. He has loads of talent and can make things happen. His destiny is still in his hands if he stays healthy and crushes it this year. If not with the Kings, then he can turn into Vilardi and have a great chance elsewhere.

 

[bouncesonly]

I mean, he isn't dead yet. He has loads of talent and can make things happen. His destiny is still in his hands if he stays healthy and crushes it this year. If not with the Kings, then he can turn into Vilardi and have a great chance elsewhere.

He would first have to turn into Vilardi (show production) before he can turn into Vilardi (get traded). I'm writing off Turcotte like some have written off Byfield.

 

[Cianide]

I mean, he isn't dead yet. He has loads of talent and can make things happen. His destiny is still in his hands if he stays healthy and crushes it this year. If not with the Kings, then he can turn into Vilardi and have a great chance elsewhere.

Where do you see him fitting it? 1c? We got kopitar. 2c? We got Dubois. 3c? Danault. I think Turcotte is purely an asset. An asset that is losing his value.

 

[Telos]

Where do you see him fitting it? 1c? We got kopitar. 2c? We got Dubois. 3c? Danault. I think Turcotte is purely an asset. An asset that is losing his value.

That's pretty much what I described I don't see him fitting in anywhere, but he can technically win playing time by being unstoppably good. He has the skill to do it, he would need a miracle, but if explodes in the AHL or somehow wins a spot or the 4th-line center position and plays well he can demonstrate that he has value as an asset to either the Kings or another organization with more opportunity and continue to move up.

 

[David Lunch]

Depending what the Kings do with their goalie hole, they may need to trade Lizotte, which opens up the 4C to JAD and Turc. Depending if JAD and his agent thinks they should take the opportunity to go UFA since he was not qualified, it could be a red velvet carpet for Turc to stroll down. Would be pretty weird!

 

[No Name The Nameless]

Turcotte answering the bell as a 4th line grinder would be an incredible shot in the arm. He’s a pain in the ass to play against, much like Lizotte. If they can put a tougher vet opposite the two and you have yourself a useful 4th line,