The Los Angeles Kings, under Rob Blake, prioritized drafting players in premium positions during the rebuilding years.
In the period between 2017-2020, the Kings drafted six centers in the top-two rounds of the draft.
The Kings drafted Gabriel Vilardi, Rasmus Kupari, Jared Anderson-Dolon, Akil Thomas, Alex Turcotte, and Quinton Byfield.
Vilardi and Kupari now play in Winnipeg after being included in the Pierre-Luc Dubois trade.
Anderson-Dolan was waived and claimed by Nashville. Thomas, Turcotte, and Byfield are the only who remain of that group.
Since stockpiling centers, Blake has added quite a few established NHL centers too. Blake picked up Phillip Danault, a Selke-type center in 2021, then added the aforementioned Dubois last summer.
Essentially blocking the pathway up the middle for his top prospects in a win-now type movement.
Danault has been spectacular as he has played above his expected positioning. Danault is arguably a championship-type third-line center but has been a second-line pivot while in LA.
Dubois has been sequestered to the third line, matching third-line points for a hefty price tag. He has yet to feast on lesser matchups as he was advertised to do so. Danault and Dubois sit behind long-time 1C Anze Kopitar, a position both Turcotte and Byfield have been heralded to take over at different points.
However, in his 36-year-old season, Kopitar is still the number one center and first center over the boards on the league's best penalty kill. Can you remove him from the penalty kill as Dustin Brown was in his later career, as he got longer in the tooth? Hardly. Kopitar remains the King's best faceoff option. Kopitar remains the best center to throw out in any game situation.
The plan of succession at center is now a tricky one. Prospects like Turcotte and Byfield have seen most of their success at wing at the NHL level. The latter, in Byfield, has taken the next step while at wing and, at times, moves back to center but is becoming their best all-around winger outside of Adrian Kempe.
Turcotte has reinvigorated the hopes that he could still become an impact player in the NHL, but he still has a long way to go.
The route to him staying with the roster is the potential to hold the fourth-line center role. Blake Lizotte has locked down the 4C but is a restricted free agent after this season ends.
Dubois is under contract until 2030-31, and, per CapFriendly, a no-movement clause kicks in next year that runs through 2027-28. To sprinkle in here, he becomes the highest-paid Kings forward next season when Kopitar's salary drops to 7 mil.
As mentioned, unless Phillip Danault's game drops off a cliff as he ages and Dubois can out-produce him, those are your 2C/3C centers. The organization has shown that it will continue to utilize and weaponize Kopitar and Drew Doughty, regardless of age. Where does this potentially leave the rest of the drafted centers to pick up the reins?
Akil Thomas has made tremendous strides to get back into game shape after serious injuries. Though he's a less exciting prospect than Byfield, he has the potential to still be an impact player in a top-nine role.
He will not likely grab a roster spot next year unless Trevor Lewis and Lizotte walk.
If Lizotte walks, Turcotte would have a golden opportunity to stay on the roster permanently and be the 4C. The trick is that he has to remain healthy.
Byfield is your true option to shift back to center and take minutes away from Kopitar next year. He should get some excellent experience in the postseason, however far the Kings go, getting first-line minutes. Byfield's next stage of growth into becoming the full-fledged, consistent star we have seen glimpses of this year into next year remains critical for the Kings.
Blake's drafting and navigation of the usage of the prospects he stockpiled have dwindled, as he feels he is in the window to execute on the remaining years of Kopitar and Doughty. The center depth was advertised as one of the best in the league to start the season. Dubois's play has soured, the Lizotte injury hampered their center depth further, and the fizzling out of options in the prospect system at center embarked on what I describe as a precarious state of affairs.
If this is the last season Kopitar plays to a high level, it works out if you make a deep playoff run. If it is the last season and they fizzle out in the first round, it will be tough for Blake to explain at what could be his final press conference.
It'll come down to Turcotte and Byfield, who have yet to play exclusively at their drafted position. The situation could be potentially perilous, particularly for the General Manager.
The stretch run is now; the playoffs are soon. The center depth will be in full spotlight.