Prospect expert Tony Ferrari digs into the Los Angeles Kings, who have a stellar group of players working their way into the NHL. He analyzes their strengths, weaknesses, recent draft and next man up.

On the final day of July, the Los Angeles Kings are next to analyze in the 2023-24 NHL Prospect Pool Overview series.

In this series, Tony Ferrari digs into each team’s strengths and weaknesses, their latest draft class, where their positional depth chart stands, and who could be next in line for a shot at the NHL. Note that a player who no longer holds rookie eligibility in the NHL is considered graduated and no longer considered a prospect for the purposes of these exercises unless mentioned otherwise.

Introduction

It’s been a few years since the peak of the Kings' prospect pool hype, but they still boast a very good group of players working their way into the NHL. 

Quinton Byfield is still establishing himself as an NHLer, and having yet to turn 21, the murmurs of him being a bust are far too reactionary. His combination of speed and skill at his size is too good not to round out into a productive top-six player. If we are still wondering about Byfield’s role and development in 18 months, then maybe we can discuss what went wrong.

Alex Turcotte is another prospect who hasn’t found his footing at the pro level yet. Coming out of the USA Hockey National Team Development Program, the outlook for Turcotte was very high. His point-per-game rates were incredibly impressive, and despite dealing with injuries throughout the year, he seemed like the missing piece for that iteration of the U.S. U-18 squad. Since then, however, he spent a year at the University of Wisconsin, jumped to the AHL and started strong but dealt with more injuries, and has since plateaued a bit. He may have turned pro a year or two too early, and his development has certainly been affected by injuries, but there is still plenty of runway to turn himself into a productive middle-six center who can play both ways with a high degree of success.

The depth at forward is impressive. Samuel Helenius is an excellent defensive center with size and a good shot that should allow him to carve out a bottom-six role against quality competition in time. Martin Chromiak was an AHL rookie this past year, starting fairly strong before teetering out toward the end of the season. Chromiak is a tactical forward who can play with high-end players and complement their strengths. Francesco Pinelli should join them in the AHL this year with the Ontario Reign after an excellent run in the OHL. Pinelli is an excellent shooter with high-end vision. His skating and pace may need work, but he has the offensive pop that should translate.

The blueline features some interesting prospects as well. Brandt Clarke got a cup of coffee with the big club before going to Canada’s world junior team and then joining OHL Barrie, where he put up 61 points in 31 games. The ultra-skilled offensive blueliner should be an important piece to the Kings this year, infusing some youth onto a back end that already features 24-year-old Mikey Anderson and 22-year-old Tobias Bjornfot as well as impact veterans like Drew Doughty and Vladislav Gavrikov.

Jordan Spence and Jacob Moverare have seen some action in the NHL, filling in admirably for small stints. They should be among the first defenders called up from the AHL again this year. If they play well, there could be a long-term role for them on the roster, although the NHL top six is very strong. Spence plays with more skill and playmaking, looking to push the pace with the puck. Moverare is the kind of blueliner who doesn’t get the credit for all the little things he does well to mitigate damage and advance play up ice.

The Kings acquired Erik Portillo from the Buffalo Sabres for a third-round pick after it was clear he wasn’t planning on signing with the Sabres. Portillo was excellent at the University of Michigan, helping them become one of the best teams in the NCAA over the last few years. He will step into the AHL next season, hoping to push for an NHL job in a year or two.

2023 NHL Draft Class

Round 2, 54th overall - Jakub Dvorak, LD, Bili Tygri Liberec (Czechia)

Round 3, 78th overall - Koehn Ziemmer, RW, Prince George (WHL)

Round 4, 118th overall - Hampton Slukynsky, G, Warroad (Minn-HS)

Round 5, 150th overall - Matthew Mania, RD, Sudbury (OHL)

Round 6, 182nd overall - Ryan Conmy, RW, Sioux City (USHL)

Without a first-round pick, used to acquire Gavrikov and Joonas Korpisalo from Columbus, the Kings' first draft pick came in the second round. They used the 54th overall pick to select Czech defender Jakub Dvorak, one of the best defensive blueliners in the draft. Playing against men in the Czech league, Dvorak was efficient at shutting play down on the rush and disrupting cycles. At 6-foot-5, the mobility he possesses is impressive. He may not have the offensive pop of other defenders drafted in the second or third rounds, but his defensive game is well advanced.

In the third round, Los Angeles took one of the WHL’s best scorers in Koehn Ziemmer. He finished ninth in league scoring with 89 points. Ziemmer is a very good sidekick on a line, showing he was more than capable of advancing play and finishing his chances, but he didn’t look nearly as effective when he didn’t have someone moving the puck up ice and making plays for him. His skating is a major hurdle, but if he can overcome it, he could be an excellent secondary scoring option riding shotgun with a high-end playmaker.

One of the questions consistently asked before the draft is exactly where Hampton Slukynsky would be selected. He had a cult following of sorts heading into the draft, with some talking about him right up there with some of the best goalies in the draft. The Kings snagged him in the fourth round. He is extremely athletic, exploding laterally and challenging shooters at the top of his crease or further out on the rush. He is a project but could be well worth the gamble.

Matthew Mania is a prospect where you love his strengths and really hope his weaknesses round out to being something close to average. His hands and shooting ability are very good, and he loves to get involved. None of his physical tools are below average, but he plays as if he’s always the best player on the ice. When defending, Mania is an all-or-nothing player who will kill plays at the point of attack or get burned. There’s a lot to like about Mania, but reigning him in will be key because he’s a bit of a wild horse.

Ryan Conmy was a really nice value pick in the sixth round. He was a strong producer at even strength in the USHL for the Sioux City Musketeers, but he lacks elite traits. Conmy understands how to get to the middle of the ice and find a way to be in the right spot at the right time. He must add dimensions to his game in terms of dynamism, manipulation, and skill, but he could be a solid pro, whether at the AHL or NHL level in a complementary role.

Strengths

The depth of talent all over the pipeline is certainly a strength. The center depth that the Kings have is rare, though. Turcotte still has a middle-six upside, playing with intelligence at both ends of the ice. Helenius is a smart defensive center who can fill a role lower in the lineup and contribute on the penalty kill with his length and understanding of how to force opponents into errors. Pinelli could play on the center or the wing and has the finishing talent to make a difference in the NHL. He also has some of the most intriguing playmaking in the system, thanks to a high-level ability to diagnose play and exploit mistakes. Jack Hughes (not that one) is a very good college player, but he will need to step up his offensive production to earn an NHL contract. On top of all this, Quinton Byfield doesn’t qualify as a prospect despite not having turned 21 yet. The depth up the middle is impressive for the Kings.

Weaknesses

Scoring wingers may be the area of weakness in a very strong Kings system. Samuel Fagemo and Chromiak can play complementary roles and score quite well, but they are depth-scoring options. Ziemmer can play up in the lineup, but he has hurdles to overcome to get there. They could use a few wingers who can be big-time scorers with dynamic skills. With that said, wingers are the easiest position to fill, so focusing the draft on taking defenders and centers isn’t a bad way to go.

Next Man Up: Alex Turcotte, C

While he may start on the wing, he should be allowed to make the Kings’ roster out of camp. Turcotte has dealt with numerous injuries over the last few years, and it’s hampered his development. He is a dangerous scorer when he plays with speed and pace, showing confidence with the puck and elevating his teammates. His defensive game is very strong, identifying where play is going and cutting it off quickly. Turcotte must stay healthy and see extended time in the NHL this season because he still has the ability to fill a role in the middle six, but development can only be interrupted so many times before it’s ruined.

Prospect Depth Chart Notables

LW: Samuel Fagemo, Martin Chromiak, Tyler Madden

C: Alex Turcotte, Samuel Helenius, Francesco Pinelli, Jack Hughes

RW: Koehn Ziemmer, Akil Thomas, Kasper Simontaival, Alex Laferriere

LD: Kim Nousiainen, Jakub Dvorak, Kirill Kirsanov, Jacob Moverare

RD: Brandt Clarke, Matthew Mania, Jordan Spence, Otto Salin

G: Erik Portillo, Hampton Slukynsky, Juho Markkanen

For a deeper dive into the prospect pool with player rankings, check out the Yearbook, Prospects Unlimited and Future Watch print editions of The Hockey News.