Jakub Dvorak – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2026 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #27 Los Angeles Kings – Organization Overview – Top 15 Prospects

Sat, 25 Apr 2026 18:00:13 +0000

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - DECEMBER 26: Canada's Carter George #30 tends the net in the first period against Czechia during Preliminary Round - Group B action at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship at 3M Arena at Mariucci on December 26, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. (Photo by Tim Austen/IIHF)

Prospect System Ranking – 27th (Last Year - 24th)
GM: Ken Holland Hired: May 2025
COACH: D.J. Smith (Interim) Hired: March 2026

What was once considered one of the league’s premier prospect pipelines has quickly thinned into one of the NHL’s more shallow systems. Unfortunately for the Kings, that decline in organizational depth has coincided with limited postseason success, including four consecutive first-round exits. The most significant blow to the depth chart came just prior to this year’s Olympic break, when Los Angeles moved its top prospect, Liam Greentree (36th), in a blockbuster deal to acquire Russian superstar Artemi Panarin. While the trade carries clear long-term implications for the organization’s prospect pool, it does represent a calculated gamble to add elite talent capable of immediately elevating the Kings’ offensive ceiling.

With Greentree no longer in the system, Los Angeles does not feature a prospect within McKeen’s Top 100. Goaltender Carter George (111th) now stands as the organization’s most intriguing young asset and highlights what has quietly become one of the stronger goaltending pipelines in the league. George is one of three netminders among the club’s top six prospects at McKeen’s, joined by Hampton Slukynsky (176th), who has enjoyed an impressive NCAA career that includes a national championship and a 45–14–2 record with Western Michigan. Meanwhile, Erik Portillo continues to provide reliable depth within the organization at the AHL level in Ontario. Another intriguing name between the pipes is Petteri Rimpinen, part of a nine-player 2025 draft class that represented one of the Kings’ larger prospect hauls in recent years. That group also includes Henry Brzustewicz (148th) and Vojtech Cihar (170th), both of whom appear on McKeen’s Top 200 list.

Although Los Angeles still holds valuable draft capital, which includes three second-round selections in 2026, recent additions such as Artemi Panarin and veteran Scott Laughton signal an organization intent on remaining competitive in the near term. Whether that approach ultimately lifts the Kings back into contention or keeps them stuck in the league’s competitive middle tier remains to be seen.

NHL	RNK	PLAYER	POS	AGE	HT/WT	2024-25 TM	GP	G(W)	A(L)	PTS(GAA)	PIM(SPCT)
LA	1	Carter George	G	20	6-1/195	OS-Soo (OHL)	46	23	17	2.73	0.907
LA	2	Henry Brzustewicz	D	19	6-2/200	London (OHL)	59	19	35	54	57
LA	2	Henry Brzustewicz	D	19	6-2/200	Ontario (AHL)	5	0	0	0	8
LA	3	Vojtech Cihar	LW	19	6-1/180	Kelowna (WHL)	31	12	19	31	14
LA	3	Vojtech Cihar	LW	19	6-1/180	HC Energie Karlovy Vary (Czechia)	27	4	4	8	8
LA	4	Hampton Slukynsky	G	20	6-1/180	Western Michigan (NCAA)	39	27	11	2.30	0.915
LA	5	Kenny Connors	C	23	6-0/190	Ontario (AHL)	65	15	26	41	30
LA	5	Kenny Connors	C	23	6-0/190	Los Angeles (NHL)	2	0	0	0	0
LA	6	Erik Portillo	G	25	6-6/210	Ontario (AHL)	30	18	7	2.45	0.907
LA	7	Jared Woolley	D	20	6-4/215	Ldn-Kit (OHL)	66	12	24	36	74
LA	8	Jimmy Lombardi	C	19	6-0/185	Flint (OHL)	65	36	36	72	69
LA	9	Koehn Ziemmer	RW	21	6-0/205	Ontario (AHL)	57	11	13	24	27
LA	10	Jared Wright	RW	23	6-1/180	Ontario (AHL)	54	17	13	30	11
LA	10	Jared Wright	RW	23	6-1/180	Los Angeles (NHL)	23	0	4	4	4
LA	11	Kristian Epperson	LW	20	6-0/180	Denver (NCAA)	40	11	11	22	14
LA	12	Ryan Conmy	RW	21	5-9/190	Boston College (NCAA)	35	9	18	27	10
LA	13	Martin Chromiak	LW	23	6-0/185	Ontario (AHL)	71	28	28	56	14
LA	14	Petteri Rimpinen	G	20	6-0/175	Kiekko-Espoo (Fin-Liiga)	35	13	11	2.29	0.911
LA	15	Jakub Dvorak	D	21	6-5/205	Ontario (AHL)	45	4	3	7	41

1. Carter George, G, Soo Greyhounds (OHL)

The jury is still out on George’s 2025/26 season. The first half saw a bit of regression on a rebuilding Owen Sound Attack team, in addition to a disappointing WJC performance for Canada. However, since being dealt to the Soo Greyhounds, George has been lights out and played well during this year’s OHL playoffs. George isn’t the biggest netminder, but he’s very quick, and he tracks the play well, showing intense focus as a competitor in the crease. His composure was evident in his end of the year cup of coffee with Ontario of the AHL last year, where he was electric as an underage pro. Next season, he’ll start his pro career, and expectations are pretty high for George in the Kings’ organization. However, this is also an organization with two other terrific goaltending prospects. While George still looks like the front runner to develop into LA’s future starter, he’ll need to continue to show progress to keep up, especially if Slukynsky decides to sign after his sophomore season.

2. Henry Brzustewicz, D, London Knights (OHL) (Currently with Ontario Reign, AHL)

Brzustewicz has had a nice breakout season in his draft year plus one, thanks to the graduation of Sam Dickinson to the San Jose Sharks. He’s taken charge of the London Knights blueline and actually has a chance to lead the team in scoring when all is said and done this year. He’s playing in all situations and gaining valuable experience that will help him blossom into a potential two-way defender at the NHL level, too. Brzustewicz is mobile, physically assertive, and has a big point, which he uses to help generate scoring chances. His game hasn’t been without its warts this year at both ends; he’s still a raw, longer-term project. However, if all goes right, Brzustewicz has a chance to develop into a long-term NHL defender who could be a jack of all trades type for the Kings. He’ll return to the Knights next year, where he should be one of the better defenders in the OHL, in addition to being a key member of the United States’ WJC team.

3. Vojtech Cihar, LW, Kelowna Rockets (WHL)

Vojtech Cihar came over to the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets after being named the MVP of the 2026 World Junior Championship. He’s had a solid start to his tenure in Kelowna, although maybe not quite the offensive numbers that you would expect from the World Junior MVP. It took Cihar a little bit to adjust to the new league, but he is looking more and more comfortable with every game he plays. He is being trusted in a penalty killing role in Kelowna as well. Drafted out of the Czech pro league, Cihar was known for his hard-working mentality and physical approach. However, his offensive game has taken massive steps forward, as evidenced by that strong WJC performance. Now, his game is centered around his smarts and his skill with the puck. He is constantly in the right area and is able to find teammates in moments that many players can’t. As his offensive game continues to evolve, Cihar’s projection has moved from more bottom six type, to potential middle six type.

4. Hampton Slukynsky, G, Western Michigan (NCAA) (Currently with Ontario Reign, AHL)

Slukynsky has been a proven winner. In his first full USHL season, he won USHL goalie of the year and won the Clark Cup. He then followed that up by joining Western Michigan University, where he once again played incredibly well. He helped lead Western Michigan to the NCHC title and won the National Championship. He also won the Gold Medal with the US in the U20 World juniors, where he was once again spectacular in net. This season has been much of the same. Slukynsky has very controlled movements, with excellent poise and patience to limit mistakes. He has excellent lower body strength and flexibility that allows him to cover the entire bottom of the net efficiently and be difficult to move off his spots amidst chaos. When it comes to projecting his future role, his smaller frame will likely give him some issues at higher levels against better shooters, but his poise and athleticism, along with his ability to hardly waste any movement, are all NHL traits that should translate. His winning pedigree is hard to ignore and that ability to rise to the occasion at every stop could get him into those future roles.

5. Kenny Connors, C, Ontario Reign (AHL)

A fourth-round pick in 2022 who spent 3 years at UMass Amherst, Connors earned his first NHL call-up in his first ever pro season. Connors was clicking at a point–per-game pace when he was called up by the Kings and did enough as a two-way player to earn a look with the big club. Connors was able to earn the trust of his coaches in Ontario thanks to his sound defensive game, positional ability, and general awareness when he doesn’t have the puck on his stick. Overall, Connors is a cerebral player, as he was able to develop that aspect of his game over the course of his collegiate career, and it’s already shown up as a plus factor for him in pro hockey. The question now becomes if he can add any sort of offense to his game, which would certainly raise his ceiling at the NHL level. However, even if he doesn’t, Connors’ combination of size and skill could help him carve a solid pro career.

6. Erik Portillo, G, Ontario Reign (AHL)

Portillo has seen his performance dramatically improve this season, pulling his save percentage solidly above .900 after having failed to do so in his sophomore AHL season. Portillo has always been known to stay deeper in the net, which is often the case with Swedish goaltenders. While that often burned him last year, Portillo has found a better balance this season, and it has allowed him to fully leverage his massive 6’ 6” frame. Lateral quickness and overall agility remain a bit of a concern, as Portillo’s feet and hands can sometimes lag behind the play. However, he does a great job of setting himself into a strong initial position. The more that he can increase his battle level and second save ability, the more his prospects of becoming an NHL goalie will increase. Portillo has done a better job this season of cutting down the shooter’s angle when he needs to; however, against faster and more skilled NHL competition, his reaction time and overall quickness will be further tested. There remains an intriguing goalie prospect here.

7. Jared Woolley, D, Kitchener Rangers (OHL)

The big and athletic defender from the Knights has developed extremely well since being a sixth-round selection of the Kings. The second half of last season really saw Woolley blossom as a confident two-way threat, and that has carried over to this year, where he has already set personal bests in every offensive category. Finishing the year with the Kitchener Rangers, Woolley has taken a bit of a backseat offensively in the name of being more of a defensive anchor, but it hasn’t altered his NHL outlook. He’ll turn pro next season, and what the future truly holds for him remains to be seen. Given his rapid improvement level and athletic build, it would be unwise to put a cap on his NHL upside. A standout at recent Kings’ development camps, Woolley is very well liked within the organization and it does appear likely that he’ll develop into an NHL player in some capacity. Los Angeles will probably get a better read on his offensive upside next year as a first-year pro.

8. Jimmy Lombardi, C, Flint Firebirds (OHL)

A McKeen’s favourite at last year’s draft, we ranked him 59th. Lombardi has been a breakout star in the OHL this year for the upstart Flint Firebirds. With the supporting staff improving around Lombardi, he has embraced a leadership role as a two-way standout, and the offensive production has become incredibly consistent. A skilled and creative pivot who excels in transition, Lombardi has even more room to blossom as he continues to add strength to his frame and power to his stride. As mentioned, Lombardi is also a competitive two-way player who can excel in any situation. With such a well-rounded skill set, there are a lot of different paths to the NHL for him. Originally committed to Michigan, Lombardi recently signed his ELC and that likely eliminates him from NCAA contention next year. As such, he appears headed for another year in the OHL where he should continue to show growth as an offensive contributor. Lombardi could be a sneaky candidate to lead the league in scoring next season.

9. Koehn Ziemmer, RW, Ontario Reign (AHL)

After a consistent run with the Prince George Cougars of the WHL, Ziemmer, a former third round selection, turned pro this year with Ontario. Ziemmer’s calling cards have always been his high end shot and his high energy, physical approach. He projects as a potential half wall powerplay option because of his quick release. He’s also an intelligent player who can find soft spots in coverage and operate as a solid complementary piece because of his work ethic and supporting skill/touch. The biggest need for Ziemmer has always been to improve his quickness and explosiveness and that remains to this day. It was evident at the pro level this year that he needs to upgrade his skating to be a consistent offensive contributor at higher levels. Additionally, he’ll need to continue to improve his strength and conditioning to find consistent success as a physical power winger the way that he did in the WHL. Much like how LA has been patient with a similar player in Francesco Pinelli, the Kings will need to be patient with Ziemmer. With a few more years in the AHL, he could develop into that middle six goal scorer who can play a variety of different roles.

10. Jared Wright, RW, Ontario Reign (AHL)

The 2022 sixth-round pick is turning in a rookie pro season that belies his draft position, as he is fourth in goal scoring on the Ontario Reign . After spending three years at the University of Denver, Wright is on pace for 20 goals in the AHL in his first season out of college, which is the testament to the longer developmental path that he has taken. The offensive production is particularly exciting given that Wright himself has described himself as more of a checker, able to contribute in all three zones without the puck. Couple that with a strong work ethic and a great skating stride, and Wright clearly has the foundation of a game that should translate to a depth role in the NHL. Yet, if he can continue to build on the offensive season that he has had, then there is certainly a conversation to be had as to whether his ceiling in pro hockey may be higher than once thought. Wright could develop into a solid bottom-six player for the LA Kings down the line.

11. Kristian Epperson, LW, University of Denver (NCAA)

Epperson made the jump to the NCAA this year with Denver after a breakout season with Saginaw of the OHL last year. He’s a high energy, complementary offensive piece who projects as a middle six winger in the future.

12. Ryan Conmy, RW, Boston College (NCAA)

While undersized, Conmy has found success as a complementary offensive player at the NCAA level, first with New Hampshire, and now with Boston College after a transfer.

13. Martin Chromiak, LW, Ontario Reign (AHL)

Chromiak has improved steadily over four AHL seasons and has now put himself in position to earn a possible spot on the Kings. The issue for Chromiak is that he doesn’t project well as a bottom six piece, which means that he’ll need to prove that he can hack it as an offensive contributor.

14. Petteri Rimpinen, G, Kiekko-Espoo (Liiga)

Was Rimpinen a flash in the pan? That’s the million dollar question as he has failed to replicate his breakout season from last year. He doesn’t have the size teams are looking for these days, but he’s an elite athlete in the crease. Hopefully he gets back on track next season.

15. Jakub Dvorak, D, Ontario Reign (AHL)

Big stay at home defender with practically no offensive upside. However, he could possibly develop into an asset on the PK and as a dependable third pair type.

MCKEEN’S 2025-26 NHL YEARBOOK – LOS ANGELES KINGS – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #24

Tue, 23 Sep 2025 11:59:33 +0000

PARADISE, NV - JUNE 28: Liam Greentree is drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in the first round during the Upper Deck NHL Draft on June 28, 2024 at the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Speer/Icon Sportswire)

Prospect System Ranking – 24th (May 2025 - 25th)
GM: Rob Blake Hired: April 2017
COACH: Jim Hiller Hired: February 2024

The Los Angeles Kings’ prospect depth has taken a hit in recent installments, dropping 10 spots over the last two seasons. That’s the natural cost of seeing nearly all of your top-ranked prospects graduate in quick succession. Quinton Byfield, Brandt Clarke, Jordan Spence, Alex Turcotte, Samuel Helenius, and Akil Thomas have all taken steps forward at the NHL level, ushering in a new wave of youth for the big club.

Leading what remains of the pipeline is Liam Greentree, a late 2024 first-round pick who vaulted from 86th in our rankings. His 119-point campaign with the Windsor Spitfires made him one of the OHL’s top performers, pairing size with an elite scoring touch.

Beyond Greentree, the brightest spots lie in goal. Erik Portillo is already an established AHL starter, while Carter George and Hampton Slukynsky bring significant promise. George’s numbers dipped this season on a weak Owen Sound team, but he remains a top goaltending prospect and has already transitioned to the Ontario Reign. Slukynsky, meanwhile, enjoyed a storybook year—earning an NCAA Championship with Western Michigan, All-Tournament and All-Rookie honours, and a World Junior gold medal.

The Kings added nine more names at the 2025 draft, headlined by Henry Brzustewicz, taken 31st overall. He joins second-round pick Vojtech Cihar (second round, 59th overall) and third-rounder Kristian Epperson (third round, 88th overall) in rounding out the team’s top 15 prospects.

The silver lining for L.A. is that they’ve avoided mortgaging their future for short-term gains. While they lack a second-round pick in 2026, they still hold seven selections in the upcoming draft and remain in the enviable position of icing a strong playoff contender while continuing to add young talent.

For now, the Kings find themselves outside the “mushy middle” of prospect rankings—not a deep system, but one with enough quality in key spots, especially in goal, to keep the future intriguing.

Los Angeles Kings Top-15 Prospects

1 - Liam Greentree

This past season couldn’t have gone a whole lot better for Greentree, the 26th overall selection last year. He emerged as one of the top offensive players in the OHL, which in turn helped the Windsor Spitfires capture a division title. Greentree is such an intelligent offensive player. He understands how to best utilize his skill set on the puck and off of it. He’s calculated in his approach and difficult to separate from the puck thanks to his skill and frame. His pace of play really improved this year too, thanks to a stronger and more explosive stride. He still has work to do in terms of speed and explosiveness to be a top scorer at the professional levels, but his progress has been encouraging. Another year in the OHL next year would do wonders for Greentree as he continues to improve his skating and two-way game on a strong Windsor team. Additionally, he should be an offensive leader for the Canadian WJC team. This looks like a very strong pick by the Kings as Greentree has the sense and skill to be a high scoring winger for them in the near future.

2 - Carter George

On talent alone, Carter George stands as one of the NHL’s best goalie prospects. As an 18-year-old, he is already very refined technically and is far ahead of his peers and even many of his seniors in that aspect. His positioning, footwork, anticipation, and intelligence are all elite whilst being calm and composed. His only downside is that athletically, he is closer to average, but it is still very sufficient for the NHL level. With how he plays, he won’t need to play athletically, but he’s still proven he can pull the rabbit out of the hat when needed. George plays a lot like Henrik Lundqvist in the way he positions himself to read and react to play. Everything he does is fluid, methodical, precise, and done with intensity. He just finished his second year as a two-time arguable best OHL goaltender and even dipped his toe in the AHL and showed out. Continuing down this path, it should come to no one's surprise that he ends up as an elite NHL goalie.

3 - Henry Brzustewicz

The Kings’ first-round selection in 2025, Brzustewicz is a bit of a blank canvas waiting to be modeled. The “tools” are all present. He skates well. He has good size. He can make creative plays with the puck in the name of creating offence, especially inside the offensive zone, a trait that makes him a potential power play quarterback. The same could be said of a quality point shot. Defensively, he is physically engaged and shows a willingness to take away time and space, consistently winning those 50/50 battles for the puck or positioning. However, what’s not present is the consistent execution of all of these tools. Brzustewicz is raw in this regard; his lower IQ grades are what prevented him from being drafted higher. He’ll return to London this year and should take on a very large role for the Knights. Under the tutelage of the Hunters, expect Brzustewicz to improve his decision making, execution, and consistency.

4 - Hampton Slukynsky

Slukynsky, much like his fellow prospect George, is a very controlled, highly efficient goalie. While he may not possess high-end speed or athleticism, his positioning and skating are so good that it doesn’t matter. He also boasts some elite tracking, allowing him to make a variety of glove saves and use it to consistently keep up with play. His real strength comes from how calm he is. Nothing breaks Slukynsky; everything is very purposeful, and precision is of the utmost importance. Again, much like George, Slukynsky doesn’t possess any detrimental weaknesses. At worst, sometimes he can be down a little early on a tight play, but he remains very calm and in control. All of this has helped him continue a strong development curve of being the best USHL goalie and then being elite in the NCAA, where he led Western Michigan to its first national championship. While Slukynsky will have strong competition if he stays in LA, the Kings could be seen with two starting level goalies on their hands.

5 - Koehn Ziemmer

A nasty ankle tear in November 2023 threw a wrench into Ziemmer's ongoing development but coming back to Prince George for his overage year helped him get things back on track, as he once again got to play a Top six forward role on one of the league's better teams. And funnily enough, because skating was never his strong suit before he didn't have to make any major stylistic adjustments upon returning. His game is built around his control of the puck: protecting it with his strength and wide balance until he can whip a hard and accurate shot or pass. He has a real dog-on-a-bone mentality when he's battling for puck possession down low in the offensive zone. Even though Ziemmer needs to stay pigeonholed in his style in order to be effective, he's still a good specialist and there are jobs in the NHL for guys who play like he does.

6 - Erik Portillo

Portillo’s staple is being a very calm and positional goalie. He shows great positional awareness and good play reading to predict passes and player movements. However, in his exceeding calmness, he seems to lack a competitive edge. He generally doesn’t move with much intensity and in this past year, seemed to almost not be fully engaged with his games. Despite being a good skater, the lack of intensity can cause him to be a bit behind on plays, and he struggles to make big saves on cross-ice passes. He also tends to make some questionable decisions in his save selection, opening up when sliding or just completely misreading the situation because he wasn’t able to track the puck. He took a major step back this past season in Ontario after being very impressive the year prior, which calls into question his future with the organization. His skill set could be translated to an NHL role if honed properly, but severely lacking intensity can be a serious concern, especially how he could get buried behind other goalie talent in LA.

7 - Ryan Conmy

Conmy excelled in his freshman and sophomore seasons at the University of New Hampshire—scoring 31 points in 34 games (2023–24) and improving to 33 points in 34 games (2024–25). Conmy is an intelligent, fast, hardworking winger with solid shot placement, offensive instincts, and tenacity on the puck. He finds open ice, generates offence, and plays bigger than his 5-foot-10 frame. This is why he played in all situations at New Hampshire. Now at Boston College, following a transfer for his junior season, Conmy will benefit from higher level teammates. With his blend of speed, shot accuracy, and two-way capability, he projects as a bottom-middle six NHL winger with upside on special teams. Continued offensive growth and reliable defensive play will be key to unlocking his pro potential. His play at BC this year will indicate whether he is ready to sign his ELC and turn pro, or whether a senior year would be beneficial.

8 - Jared Woolley

Is Woolley a serious breakout candidate this year with the London Knights? His game really took off in the second half of the season and into the playoffs, as he emerged as a two-way force in the OHL. He’s going to get more ice time and responsibility this coming season and that could translate to a serious increase in offensive production. There’s a very real possibility that Woolley pairs with new Kings’ prospect Henry Brzustewicz on the top pair of London. For Woolley it’s all about continuing to refine his skill set. Continue to improve his mobility and linear quickness as a skater. Continue to improve his decision making with the puck and ability to start the breakout. Continue to improve his composure and reads in the defensive end. The 6-foot-5 defender has the upside to be an impactful NHL player in some capacity, and this season should give us a better indication of what his true ceiling is as a two-way player.

9 - Francesco Pinelli

Pinelli was a prolific scorer in junior, but he hasn’t quite found his game at the next level yet. This year, his offensive output only slightly improved in his second full season with the Reign. Francesco loves to shoot, and that’s evidently his best trait, closely followed by his creativity with the puck. He’s created many chances this season (and potted numerous assists) by getting to the netfront and ripping shots off loose pucks and rebounds. His stickhandling is deceptive and hard to read, and combined with his above-average speed, it makes him a big threat in space. When Francesco gets into one-on-one situations with goalies, it’s tough to stop him, as he has a deep bag of tricks and finishing moves. Pinelli averaged around 15 minutes per game this season, a number the Kings are likely hoping will increase as he works into a full-time top six role. LA has struggled to turn its once-great prospect pool into an NHL roster, and Pinelli may be another casualty of their development shortcomings.

10 - Kristian Epperson

The 2023-24 season was not a good one for Epperson. He ended up getting demoted from the NTDP’s U18 team and subsequently was not drafted in 2024. The 2024-25 season was the exact opposite. The move to Saginaw of the OHL proved to be an excellent move for his development as he gained instant chemistry with star forward Michael Misa and after a terrific year, the Kings selected Epperson in his second go-around at the draft. Epperson brings consistent energy on and off the puck and he is skilled enough to both finish off plays and create them; he’s the ideal complementary piece on a scoring line. There’s a need for his quickness and strength on the puck to improve further and that’s why the move to the University of Denver next year is an intelligent one for him. Expect him to spend a few years in the NCAA before turning pro. If all goes well, the Kings will have a potential middle six piece on their hands.

11 - Petteri Rimpinen

At 6-foot-0, Rimpinen has to compensate for his lack of stature with quicker reaction time and agility. He made the jump to Liiga last season, posting respectable numbers into the playoffs. Now, he’ll look to take another step this season in Liiga for Kiekko-Espoo.

12 - Caeden Herrington

Herrington has the kind of tools that get scouts excited, standing 6-foot- 2 as a right shot defenceman who isn’t afraid to get physical. He put up 16 goals in the USHL last season thanks to his penchant for joining the rush and getting shots off. He’ll join the collegiate ranks this season at the University of Vermont, where he’ll need to smooth out his overall game and skating to become pro-ready.

13 - Vojtech Cihar

Cihar was a top sixty pick for LA, and it’s not hard to see why. He competes for pucks but matches that with an exciting set of hands and a nose for scoring chances. Slightly on the smaller end, he’ll need to continue to build up his physical tools to let the skill shine through at the pro North American level. He’s slated to spend another season playing in the pro Czech ranks.

14 - Jimmy Lombardi

Add Lombardi’s name to the list of CHL prospects making the jump to the NCAA this season, as he’s slated to suit up for the University of Michigan after spending two years in the OHL. Lombardi never quite established himself offensively for Flint, but his skill level was obvious with a smooth set of hands. The NCAA will allow him to develop physically and add the missing two-way elements to his game.

15 - Jakub Dvorak

Dvorak is a towering, rangy defenceman who made the jump from Czechia to the AHL last season. With his combination of size, mobility, and a clean first pass, there is bottom pair NHL potential. As a second-round pick, the Kings are probably hoping for a bit more than that, and he’ll look to take another step forward in the AHL this season.

2025 NHL PROSPECTS REPORT: #25 LOS ANGELES KINGS – Top 15 NHL Affiliated Prospects

Wed, 21 May 2025 19:47:45 +0000

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Los Angeles 25 Prospects

2025 WORLD JUNIORS: Team Preview – Team Czechia

Matej Deraj — Tue, 24 Dec 2024 18:00:28 +0000

Czechia has enjoyed a successful couple of years in the World Juniors, claiming a silver medal two years ago and then following it up with a bronze in 2024. While they are not among the favorites to win gold this time, their recent performances make them a team to take seriously. Reaching the semifinals for the fourth consecutive year is certainly within reach for this squad. However, they lack a true star player who could carry them to a medal.

At the previous World Juniors, the backbone of the Czech team was Sabres forward Jiří Kulich, who captained the team. Kulich won the scoring title at the tournament with 12 points and was named to the All-Star Team in both 2023 and 2024. While Czechia no longer has a player of Kulich's caliber, there are several candidates who could make a significant impact on their results
Last year’s No. 1 goaltender, Michael Hrabal, is expected to reprise his role as the starter. Although Hrabal struggled as an underager at the last tournament, he delivered his only standout performance against Canada (3-2 win) in the quarterfinals, helping his team reach the semifinals.

The defense will be anchored by Adam Jiříček (#16 in the 2024 NHL Draft), who recently returned from an injury, and Kings second-round pick Jakub Dvořák, who missed last year’s tournament. However, Czechia will miss Dominik Badinka (#34 in the 2024 draft), a Hurricanes prospect who declined invitations to previous U20 tournaments. Another surprising omission on the back end is Radim Mrtka, a projected first-rounder in the upcoming draft.

Czechia's top player is probably forward Eduard Šalé, who is having a solid season with the Coachella Valley Firebirds in the AHL. The Kraken prospect was initially expected to miss the tournament but will return for his final World Juniors. Šalé is set to lead the offense alongside other contributors such as Miroslav Holinka, Adam Jecho or Jakub Štancl.

Czechia boasts 14 drafted players, including two first-rounders (Jiříček and Šalé) and two potential high picks in Adam Novotný and Vojtěch Čihař. This is one of the stronger Czech teams in recent years, but their offensive depth is weaker than in the past two tournaments. If Šalé is at the top of his game, he could be one of the best forwards at the World Juniors. Their main rivals in the group stage will be Slovakia, and a victory against them would almost guarantee a top-two finish in the group, a favorable position for medal contention. However, Czechia has shown they can compete regardless of their group placement and should never be underestimated.

Key Players

Eduard Šalé, RW

Šalé has two World Juniors medals under his belt and has scored at a point-per-game pace in both tournaments. A skilled winger, he struggled at the junior level last season (38 points in 49 OHL games) but has played well in professional hockey, with over 50 games in the Czech league. Now thriving in the AHL with Coachella Valley, Šalé is expected to lead the Czech squad and will be crucial to their success as he aims to complete his medal hat trick.

Michael Hrabal, G

Hrabal, the team’s clear starting goaltender, was drafted 38th overall in 2023, making him the second-highest goalie pick of his draft class. At 6’6”, Hrabal combines size with excellent athleticism and quickness. Even though his performance last year was subpar, his clutch performance against Canada in the quarterfinals proved his potential. He currently plays for UMass in the NCAA, where he has posted solid numbers as a 19-year-old.

Adam Jiříček, D

The younger brother of the Wild´s newest prospect, David Jiříček, walks in his brother's footsteps. He played on the same team in his draft year, was a first-round pick, and missed half a season due to an injury sustained at the World Juniors. Now healthy, Adam Jiříček should be the key defenceman for Czechia at the World Juniors. He's a plus skater, plays a two-way game, and loves to join the rush. He defends well, uses his frame and helps his team in every situation.

Jakub Dvořák, D

Dvořák, a 6’4” defenseman drafted in the second round by the Kings in 2023, missed last year’s tournament but returns as a key player on the blue line. Mobile for his size and strong defensively, Dvořák also adds a touch of offense to his game. He plays for the Ontario Reign in the AHL and is expected to log heavy minutes in all situations.

Jakub Štancl, LW

Štancl is a two-way winger who drives to the net and fights for every puck. He’s also a solid skater with a decent shot. Štancl is one of three Blues prospects on the team (Jiříček, Ondřej Kos). He spent three years in Sweden and even got a shot at the highest level in the country, the Swedish Hockey League. He has been with the Kelowna Rockets in the WHL this year, averaging more than a point per game. Štancl is a good complementary winger and should help his team to create more scoring chances.

Tomáš Galvas, D

Galvas was one of my favourite players from my region coming to the 2024 NHL Draft, but he was passed on by every team and went undrafted. Mainly due to his size, since 5´10” defencemen are rare in the NHL and he's only 154 pounds. His biggest asset is his skating – he's a smooth skater, agile and very quick. He likes to join the rush, carry the puck and create plays. He played well at the last World Juniors and should be an important member of the Czech defence, getting a likely power-play role.

Adam Jecho, RW/C

Jecho boasts a 6-foot-5 frame but has the offensive skill of much smaller players. He's someone who reminded me of Flames´ prospect Samuel Honzek in his draft year. Jecho has smooth hands, fluid skating, creates opportunities and works well around the net. He was an important member of the Czech squad that won silver at the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He and Miroslav Holinka are teammates at Edmonton Oil Kings, they should bring their chemistry to the national team as well.

Miroslav Holinka, C/W

Holinka left a great impression at the Maple Leafs development camp before the season, rising in the team´s prospect system, as he was drafted in the fifth round of the 2024 NHL Draft. He is a two-way, versatile forward, able to play all three positions. He may lack a standout trait but he's definitely useful in all situations and should be an important member of the Czech team. He's playing with the Edmonton Oil Kings in the WHL, averaging almost a point per game.

Jiří Felcman, C

The Blackhawks prospect has spent most of his career in Switzerland. He plays with the SCL Tigers in the country´s top-tier league (NL), which is one of the best in Europe, a remarkable achievement for a foreign-born 19-year-old. Felcman is a true power forward, he's 6´4” and 200 pounds, plays with an edge, and works well as a net presence. He's going to play at his first World Juniors.

Petr Sikora, RW/C

Sikora has been up and down the lineup of the Czech reigning champions Oceláři Třinec, but he tried to use the best of every opportunity. He´s a feisty two-way forward, he´s dangerous on the forecheck and works well in front of the net despite his average 6-foot frame. Sikora is useful on special teams and should help his team no matter the line he´s on. He´s a Capitals pick (#178) from the sixth round of the last draft.

Sleeper Player

Vojtěch Čihař, RW/C

Čihař is having a great draft year with Karlovy Vary in the Czech league, cementing his status as the top prospect in the league after Radim Mrtka´s departure. He's been playing on the first line and using his opportunity very well. He is a versatile two-way forward with strong skating and a decent size with an offensive touch to his game. Čihař is a candidate for the first two rounds of the upcoming draft and if he puts up a solid performance at the WJC, his stock should go up.

MCKEEN’S 2024-25 NHL YEARBOOK – LOS ANGELES KINGS – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #21

Introduction - Dave Hall, Profiles - Josh Bell — Tue, 17 Sep 2024 18:00:21 +0000

_{PITTSBURGH, PA - FEBRUARY 18: Los Angeles Kings Defenceman Brandt Clarke (92) passes the puck during the second period in the NHL game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Los Angeles Kings on February 18, 2024, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire)}

Prospect System Ranking – 21st (Previous Rank - 15th)
GM: Rob Blake Hired: April 2017
COACH: Jim Hiller Hired: February 2024

Once considered one of the league’s premier pipelines, the Los Angeles Kings’ pool of young talent has gradually taken steps back. However, our fifth-ranked prospect, Brandt Clarke, continues to prop them up quite nicely. Fresh off his official rookie year in Ontario, Clarke fell just shy of contributing at a point-per-game clip with 46 points in 50 games. At 21, he’s poised to secure a permanent role on the Kings’ blueline, joining recent graduate Jordan Spence on the big club’s defence.

Goaltender Erik Portillo (140th) showed tremendous promise in his rookie AHL season, posting the fifth-best win total league wide with a 24-11-3 record. The addition of NHL veteran Darcy Kuemper and now 2024 second-rounder Carter George (236th) adds competition both in the short and long term, but the former Michigan Wolverine has unsurprisingly tracked well. Portillo recently signed a three-year contract with the Kings.

In the 2024 NHL Draft, the Kings managed to snag tremendous value at 26th overall, selecting the Windsor Spitfires’ captain Liam Greentree (87th). Coming off a 90-point OHL season, the Oshawa native tracks well to become a dual-threat contributor for the Kings. Considering the team had only four picks in 2024, they hit big on value with each of their two affirmed mentioned picks (Greentree and George)

While the remaining depth chart continues to offer substance with longstanding names like Alex Turcotte (182nd), Martin Chromiak, and Akil Thomas, the outlook is a distant cry from where it was just a few seasons ago. Then again, graduating names like Quinton Byfield and Arthur Kaliyev (RFA) and trading away Gabe Vilardi will certainly have that type of impact.

Despite making just four picks in the 2024 NHL Draft—first, second, fifth, and sixth rounds—GM Rob Blake has retained most of the team’s future draft capital, except for a 2025 second rounder. The big question now is whether these assets will be used to keep Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty’s Stanley Cup dreams alive or if the team will take a step back to retool while awaiting the full emergence of the Byfield and Clarke era.

Los Angeles Kings Top-15 Prospects

1. Brandt Clarke

Bypassing the CHL for the AHL, Brandt Clarke's pro debut with the Ontario Reign was a learning experience. The offensively gifted defenceman (eighth overall pick in 2021) surprised many with his strong play, leading all AHL rookie defenders in assists (36 and 46 points in 50 games) and earning a spot on the All-Rookie Team. Clarke's offensive instincts and poise with the puck were on display, showcasing the offensive potential that had scouts buzzing pre-draft. However, questions about his defensive awareness and overall physicality remain. While he's not a liability, some consistency issues cropped up throughout the season. The Kings likely view Clarke's season as a success. He adapted well to the pro game and showed flashes of NHL-caliber ability. Another year in the AHL seems likely to refine his defensive game, but a late-season NHL call-up wouldn't be a shock. Clarke's future remains bright, and his offensive potential is undeniable. The key will be solidifying his defensive play and becoming a complete two-way force.

2. Liam Greentree

Greentree had been a standout for McKeen’s throughout his draft year, making an impact for a struggling Windsor Spitfires team despite limited skating skills. His potential draws a parallel with Dallas’ Jason Robertson, suggesting a similar upside if an NHL team remains patient with his development. Though his skating needs work, Greentree shows commitment and leadership as an OHL captain. His stride and posture are decent, but he struggles with speed, which could improve with better strength and conditioning. Offensively, Greentree’s puck skills are exceptional—he deftly avoids pressure and excels in battles along the wall, showcasing strong hands and a powerful wrist shot. His game sense is sharp, minimizing turnovers with quick decisions. However, his two-way play and physicality need improvement. Despite a less impressive U18 performance, Greentree remains a high-upside prospect with the potential to evolve into a top six NHL contributor.

3. Erik Portillo

Erik Portillo's arrival in the pros wasn't without its growing pains. Signed by the Kings after a stellar college career at Michigan, Portillo spent his season with the AHL's Ontario Reign. His AHL numbers (24 wins, 0.918 SV%) were solid, and continued to impress as he improved on his NCAA numbers from the year prior. There were flashes of the netminder who dominated college hockey, but consistency remained elusive. While Portillo's raw talent is undeniable, his pro adaptation has been a learning curve. Questions linger about his ability to handle the faster pace and increased workload of the NHL. The Kings likely view him as a long-term project, but another year in the AHL to refine his game seems like the most likely course. Patience will be key for both Portillo and the Kings organization and the netminder continues to develop and improve on his game.

4. Alex Turcotte

Alex Turcotte's 2023-24 campaign was a season of split results. The Kings' 2019 first rounder started with a brief NHL stint, notching four points in 20 games. While the production was decent, consistency remained elusive. Turcotte struggled to carve out a permanent role and found himself back in the AHL with the Ontario Reign. There, his offensive light shone brighter. He amassed 29 points in 35 games, showcasing his impressive skillset. However, questions about his defensive awareness and overall decision-making lingered. Turcotte's future hinges on ironing out these inconsistencies. The tools are there – his skating and offensive instincts are undeniable. But can he become a reliable two-way contributor? The Kings will be watching closely this season to see if Turcotte can take that next step. There is a risk that he may never reach the potential that was placed on him as a fifth-round pick though.

5. Carter George

Carter George had an impressive 2023-24 season marked by remarkable consistency. He led Canada to gold at the Hlinka/Gretzky Cup and was a key player for the Owen Sound Attack in the OHL, keeping them competitive in many games. He closed the year with another gold at the U18 World Championship, earning top goaltender honours. Although George lacks the high-end mobility and size that scouts often seek (standing at 6-foot-1), his play tracking and positioning are exceptional. He consistently covers his angles and shows excellent body control, improving his rebound control significantly over the season. An underrated strength is his puck handling; he operates confidently as a third defender, greatly aiding the transition game. His size is a concern, but his technical skills and puck management make him a standout prospect. With continued development, George has the potential to be the top goaltender coming from this draft class.

6. Francesco Pinelli

Francesco Pinelli is a dynamic and creative center with a high offensive ceiling. He boasts exceptional speed and agility, allowing him to dance around defenders and create scoring chances in tight spaces. His vision and anticipation are elite, consistently identifying soft spots in coverage and delivering precision passes to exploit them. His shot is accurate and heavy, making him a threat from anywhere on the ice. He is an impressively well-rounded and complete player, though his mental makeup stands out as his strongest quality. He's very focused and driven and maintains an even keel through the times where things get tougher. With continued development, Pinelli has the potential to become a top six forward and a key contributor on the Kings' power play. His upside as a playmaking center with a scoring touch makes him one of the most exciting prospects for the Kings.

7. Jakub Dvorak

Jakub Dvorak is a physical defenceman with a compelling combination of size, speed, and skill. Featuring a wide wingspan, he excels at shutting down opponents' attacks, using his quick feet and active stick to intercept passes and clear the zone. His vision and anticipation allow him to spark transition play, and his accurate shot makes him a threat from the point. He's also a physical presence, using his size and strength to win battles and protect his teammates. Looking like a future beast on the penalty kill, he eats up time and space with his long reach and affinity for board work. With continued development, he has the potential to become a top four defenceman and a key contributor on the Kings' blue line. His upside as a reliable, two-way defender should help him get there.

8. Samuel Fagemo

Samuel Fagemo's 2023-24 season was a tale of two leagues. In the AHL with the Ontario Reign, he was a force. Fagemo tore up the league, leading the Reign in goals (43) while showcasing his power play prowess (16 goals). His offensive dominance earned him a brief call-up to the NHL with both the Kings and Predators, where things were less rosy. Fagemo only managed one goal in eight combined NHL games, highlighting the gulf between AHL dominance and NHL success. While his skating and physical tools translate well, his decision-making needs refinement at the highest level. Fagemo's future hinges on translating his AHL success. Can he develop the hockey IQ to complement his offensive arsenal? Another strong AHL season could earn him a longer NHL look, but consistency and decision-making will be his biggest tests.

9. Koehn Ziemmer

Drafted 78th overall by the LA Kings in 2023, Koehn Ziemmer continued his development with the Prince George Cougars of the WHL. While a mid-season injury sidelined him for a stretch, Ziemmer put up an impressive 31 points in just 23 games. His scoring touch remains a strength, with a knack for finding the net (11 goals). However, consistency remains an area for improvement. There were stretches where he dominated offensively, followed by periods of quieter production. The Kings inked Ziemmer to a three-year entry-level contract in November, signaling their belief in his future. His skating, a past weakness, has shown improvement, but further refinement is needed for the NHL level. His defensive awareness is a work in progress as well. Overall, 2023-24 was a season of steady progress. He'll likely spend another year in the WHL to refine his all-around game. If he can improve his consistency and defensive play, Ziemmer could develop into a solid middle-six forward for the Kings.

10. Hampton Slukynsky

Hampton Slukynsky is a talented and athletic goaltender with a high ceiling. He boasts exceptional quickness and agility, allowing him to cover a lot of ground in the crease and make highlight-reel saves. His vision and anticipation are also impressive, as he consistently reads plays and positions himself to cut off shooting lanes. He has a penchant for the highlight reel save because of his play-reading ability and because he never quits on a save, always competing for sight lines and pushing to make those second/third chance saves. His glove hand is particularly strong, and he shows poise and confidence in his game. A classic butterfly netminder, he does have a tendency to scramble in his crease and can be taken out of position. With continued development, Slukynsky has the potential to become a backup goaltender in the NHL due to his upside as an athletic and agile netminder.

11. Akil Thomas

Akil Thomas is a dynamic forward with exceptional skating and playmaking skills. His sharp hockey sense and ability to create scoring opportunities make him a constant offensive threat. Thomas excels in transition and has a knack for finding open space. While he could improve his defensive game, his offensive creativity and vision highlight his potential as a future top six NHL forward.

12. Martin Chromiak

Martin Chromiak’s 2023-24 season was a solid but unspectacular progression for the Kings prospect. Drafted 128th overall in 2020, he recorded 32 points (15 goals, 17 assists) in 70 games with the Ontario Reign, showing offensive versatility. While his powerful skating and scoring ability were evident, consistency and game awareness remain concerns. Chromiak’s future depends on improving his consistency and decision-making to potentially secure a spot in the Kings' bottom six. The 2023-24 season was a good start, but he needs to build on it with a more complete performance.

13. Aatu Jamsen

Aatu Jamsen is an intriguing forward with excellent offensive instincts and creativity. His impressive vision and playmaking skills allow him to set up scoring opportunities effectively. Jamsen’s skating is smooth, and he demonstrates a strong hockey IQ. While he could work on his defensive game and physicality, his offensive upside and potential make him a promising prospect for future NHL contributions.

14. Jack Hughes

Jack Hughes stands out with his exceptional skating and offensive creativity. His vision and playmaking abilities allow him to create scoring opportunities and drive the attack. While he needs to refine his defensive game and consistency, Hughes' high hockey IQ and dynamic skills make him a promising prospect with significant NHL potential.

15. Otto Salin

Otto Salin is an adept defenceman with impressive puck-moving skills and a keen offensive instinct. His smooth skating and agility allow him to transition play effectively and contribute to the power play. While his defensive positioning needs refinement, Salin’s vision and ability to generate offence from the blue line highlight his potential as a future NHL contributor.

MCKEEN’S 2024 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #21 Los Angeles Kings – Organization Overview – Top 15 Prospects

Josh Bell — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 18:55:13 +0000

Los Angeles Kings Defenseman Brandt Clarke (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire)

Long heralded as one of the best prospect systems in the NHL, recent success with three successive playoff appearances has caused them to slip way down to 21st overall. They still boast No. 3-ranked Brandt Clarke on defence as the crown jewel of their prospect group and should join recently graduated prospects Quinton Byfield, Arthur Kaliyev, Rasmus Kupari, Tobias Bjornfot, and Jordan Spence. Alex Turcotte has seen his rank diminish due to injury concerns, a slight build and average skating, whether his initial promise will be able to deliver in the pro rank. Samuel Fagemo remains a sniper, whose skills can’t be taught, but an adventurer without the puck, and it remains to be seen if he can put it together despite a strong season in the AHL. A big bright spot of the season was Alex Laferriere, who made the roster out of training camp and never looked back.

General manager Rob Blake, in the chair since 2017, has not been overly active on the trade front, preferring to focus on the free agent market, acquiring Kevin Fiala, Philip Danault, Viktor Arvidsson, as key pieces in recent years. He did, however, make a big deal last offseason, acquiring Pierre-Luc Dubois for promising young pieces Gabe Vilardi and Rasmus Kupari. He also managed to re-sign Vladislav Gavrikov, a trade acquisition from a 2022-23. All of this may signal a more aggressive push in coming seasons to move picks and prospects than he has been willing to do so far. Blake has his core and will work around it in pursuit of a championship.

RNK	PLAYER	POS	AGE	HT/WT	TM	Acquired	GP	G(W)	A(L)	PTS(GAA)	PIM(SPCT)
1	Brandt Clarke	D	21	6-2/185	Ontario (AHL)	`21(8th)	50	10	36	46	49
					Los Angeles (NHL)	`21(8th)	16	2	4	6	10
2	Erik Portillo	G	23	6-6/210	Ontario (AHL)	T(Buf-3/23)	39	24	11	2.50	0.918
3	Samuel Fagemo	RW	24	6-0/195	Ontario (AHL)	W(Nsh-11/23)	50	43	19	62	26
					Nsh-LA (NHL)	W(Nsh-11/23)	8	1	0	1	0
4	Francesco Pinelli	C	21	6-1/185	Ontario (AHL)	`21(42nd)	67	13	7	20	24
5	Jakub Dvorak	D	18	6-5/205	Swift Current (WHL)	`23(54th)	21	2	8	10	12
					Bili Tygri Liberec (Czechia)	`23(54th)	19	2	1	3	20
6	Alex Turcotte	C	23	5-11/185	Ontario (AHL)	`19(5th)	35	10	19	29	12
					Los Angeles (NHL)	`19(5th)	20	1	3	4	6
7	Koehn Ziemmer	RW	19	6-0/205	Prince George (WHL)	`23(78th)	23	11	20	31	11
8	Martin Chromiak	LW	21	6-0/185	Ontario (AHL)	`20(128th)	70	15	17	32	38
9	Kasper Simontaival	RW	22	5-9/180	KalPa (Fin-Liiga)	`20(66th)	56	17	16	33	20
10	Hampton Slukynsky	G	18	6-1/180	Fargo (USHL)	`23(118th)	33	28	3	1.86	0.923
11	Aatu Jamsen	RW	21	6-2/160	Pelicans (Fin-Liiga)	`20(190th)	36	14	11	25	16
12	Samuel Helenius	C	21	6-6/200	Ontario (AHL)	`21(59th)	69	8	11	19	53
13	Jack Hughes 2	C	20	5-11/170	Boston University (HE)	`22(51st)	38	7	12	19	12
14	Kenny Connors	C	21	6-0/190	Massachusetts (HE)	`22(103rd)	37	7	15	22	14
15	Akil Thomas	C	24	5-11/170	Ontario (AHL)	`18(51st)	64	22	24	46	41
					Los Angeles (NHL)	`18(51st)	7	3	1	4	2

1. Brandt Clarke, D, Ontario Reign (AHL)

Bypassing the CHL for the AHL, Clarke's pro debut with the Ontario Reign was a learning experience. The offensively gifted defenseman (eighth overall pick in 2021) surprised many with his strong play, leading all AHL rookie defenders in assists (36 and 46 points in 50 games) and earning a spot on the All-Rookie Team. His offensive instincts and poise with the puck were on display, showcasing the offensive potential that had scouts buzzing pre-draft. However, questions about his defensive awareness and overall physicality remain. While he's not a liability, some consistency issues cropped up throughout the season. The Kings likely view Clarke's season as a success. He adapted well to the pro game and showed flashes of NHL-caliber ability. Another year in the AHL seems likely to refine his defensive game, but a late-season NHL call-up wouldn't be a shock. His future remains bright, and his offensive potential is undeniable. The key will be solidifying his defensive play and becoming a complete two-way force.

2. Erik Portillo, G, Ontario Reign (AHL)

Erik Portillo's arrival in the pros wasn't without its growing pains. Signed by the Kings after a stellar college career at Michigan, he spent his season with the AHL's Ontario Reign. His AHL numbers (24 wins, .918 SV%) were solid, and impressively improved on his NCAA numbers from the year prior. There were flashes of the netminder who dominated college hockey, but consistency remained elusive. While his raw talent is undeniable, his pro adaptation has been a learning curve. Questions linger about his ability to handle the faster pace and increased workload of the NHL. The team likely view him as a long-term project, but another year in the AHL to refine his game seems the most likely course. Patience will be key for both Portillo and the organization.

3. Samuel Fagemo, RW, Ontario Reign (AHL)

Samuel Fagemo's season was a tale of two leagues. In the AHL with the Ontario Reign, he was a force. He tore up the league, leading the team in goals (43) while showcasing his power-play prowess (16 goals). His offensive dominance earned him a brief call-up to the NHL with both the Kings and the Predators, where things were less rosy, after he was claimed on waivers from LA, only to be put back on waivers by Nashville a month later. The Kings took him back into the fold. He only managed one goal in eight combined NHL games, highlighting the gulf between AHL dominance and NHL success. While his skating and physical tools translate well, his decision making needs refinement at the highest level. His future hinges on translating his AHL success. Can he develop the hockey IQ to complement his offensive arsenal? Another strong AHL season could earn him a longer NHL look, but consistency and decision-making will be his biggest tests.

4. Francesco Pinelli, C, Ontario Reign (AHL)

5. Jakub Dvorak, D, Swift Current Broncos (WHL)

Jakub Dvorak is a skilled and physical defenseman with a compelling combination of size, speed, and skill. Featuring a wide wingspan, he excels at shutting down opponents' attacks, using his quick feet and active stick to intercept passes and clear the zone. His vision and anticipation allow him to spark transition play, and his accurate shot makes him a threat from the point. He's also a physical presence, using his size and strength to win battles and protect his teammates. Looking like a future beast on the PK, he eats up time and space with his long reach and affinity for board work. With continued development, he has the potential to become a top-four defenseman and a key contributor on the Kings' blue line. His upside as a reliable, two-way defender should help him get there.

6. Alex Turcotte, C, Ontario Reign (AHL)

Alex Turcotte's 2023-24 campaign was a season of split results. The Kings' 2019 first rounder started with a brief NHL stint, notching four points in 20 games. While the production was decent, consistency remained elusive. He struggled to carve out a permanent role and found himself back in the AHL with the Ontario Reign. There, his offensive light shone brighter. He amassed 29 points in 35 games, showcasing his impressive skillset. When healthy and at his best he is a two-way possession specialist, always in the right position, and always making the right decisions with the puck. However, questions about his defensive awareness and overall decision-making lingered. Turcotte's future hinges on ironing out these inconsistencies. The tools are there – his skating and offensive instincts are undeniable. But can he become a reliable two-way contributor? The Kings will be watching closely next season to see if Turcotte can take that next step.

7. Koehn Ziemmer, RW, Prince George Cougars (WHL)

Drafted 78th overall by the Kings in 2023, Koehn Ziemmer continued his development with the Prince George Cougars of the WHL. While a mid-season injury sidelined him for a stretch, he put up an impressive 31 points in just 23 games. His scoring touch remains a strength, with a knack for finding the net (11 goals). However, consistency remains an area for improvement. There were stretches where he dominated offensively, followed by periods of quieter production. The Kings inked him to a three-year entry-level contract in November, signaling their belief in his future. His skating, a past weakness, has shown improvement, but further refinement is needed for the NHL level. His defensive awareness is a work in progress as well. Overall, 2023-24 was a season of steady progress. He'll likely spend another year in the WHL to refine his all-around game. If he can improve his consistency and defensive play, Ziemmer could develop into a solid middle-six forward.

8. Martin Chromiak, C, Ontario Reign (AHL)

Martin Chromiak's 2023-24 season wasn't a headline grabber, but it was a solid step forward for the Kings prospect. Drafted 128th overall in 2020, he spent the entire year with the Ontario Reign. He chipped in with 32 points (15 goals, 17 assists) in 70 games, showcasing his offensive versatility. While the point totals are decent, inconsistency remains a question mark. There were stretches where his powerful skating and knack for creating scoring chances were on full display. However, disappearing acts also cropped up, raising concerns about his overall game awareness. Chromiak's future hinges on refining his consistency. If he can elevate his decision-making and become a more well-rounded player, he has the tools to crack the Kings' bottom-six in the coming seasons. This season was a building block, but the next step requires a more complete performance.

9. Kasper Simontaival, RW, KalPa (Liiga)

Finnish winger Kasper Simontaival continued his development in the Liiga with KalPa this season. After a career-high 33 points (17 goals, 16 assists) in 56 games, the Kings' 2020 third rounder solidified his reputation as an offensive weapon. His elite playmaking and quick hands remain his biggest strengths, as he consistently creates scoring chances for himself and his linemates. However, consistency remains a question mark. While flashes of brilliance are undeniable, there are stretches where he disappears offensively. Additionally, his defensive play, while improved, still isn't a major selling point. The Kings face a decision: bring him over next season or let him refine his game in Finland. Regardless, Simontaival's offensive potential is undeniable. The key will be ironing out his inconsistencies and becoming a more well-rounded player.

10. Hampton Slukynsky, G, Fargo Force (USHL)

Hampton Slukynsky is a talented and athletic goaltender with a high ceiling. He boasts exceptional quickness and agility, allowing him to cover a lot of ground in the crease and make highlight-reel saves. His vision and anticipation are also impressive, as he consistently reads plays and positions himself to cut off shooting lanes. He has a penchant for the highlight reel save because of his play reading ability and because he never quits on a save, always competing for sight lines and to push to make those second/third chance saves. His glove hand is particularly strong, and he shows poise and confidence in his game. A classic butterfly netminder, he does have a tendency to scramble in his crease and can be taken out of position. With continued development, Slukynsky has the potential to become a backup goaltender in the NHL due to his upside as an athletic and agile netminder.

PROSPECT CRITERIA: Players under 26 years of age as of 9/15/2024 who have appeared in less than 60 games (30 for goalies) and less than 25 in one season (25 for goalies).

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK – LOS ANGELES KINGS – Top 20 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #18

Brock Otten, Derek Neumeier, Chapin Landvogt and Josh Bell — Tue, 03 Oct 2023 18:21:43 +0000

PITTSBURGH, PA - OCTOBER 20: Los Angeles Kings Defenseman Brandt Clarke (92) moves the puck during the second period in the NHL game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Los Angeles Kings on October 20, 2022, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire)

Top 20 Los Angeles Kings Prospects

1. Brandt Clarke - D

If the Kings' plan all along was to give Clarke just a taste of the NHL before letting him go back to the OHL so that he would set the entire league on fire, then boy, mission accomplished. The growth in his game from 2021-22 to last season was meteoric, which really goes to show how much of a difference it can make to be around some of the best players in the world for a few weeks. His hockey sense in the offensive zone is almost spooky, as he loves to rove around and change position, and no matter where he goes or what he does the puck always seems to find him like a magnet. Opposing teams just have no answer for defending him when he activates like that. He will be given every opportunity to stay with Los Angeles for the entirety of this season.

2. Jordan Spence - D

Spence might have been ready to be a full-time NHLer last season considering the impressive audition that he gave in 2021-22, which even included some playoff games, but the Kings decided to not rush things and to let him marinate a little longer, and he's still young enough that it won't have hindered his ultimate upside in any way. There are few defensemen in his age range who think the sport as well as Spence does, and that goes a long way towards overcoming some of the limitations that he has between his size and mobility. He works very well on the power play, not necessarily as the one driving things through his stick, but more so by setting his teammates up to be more effective. Spence has a long NHL career ahead of him, though it's still a little murky to project how high up in a defence corps he will be able to play.

3. Alex Turcotte - C

Turcotte simply cannot catch a break when it comes to staying healthy. Ever since his draft year his career has been beleaguered by injuries and illnesses, from hip issues to mononucleosis to COVID to two concussions. Despite being the fifth overall pick in 2019, he has only played in 12 NHL games thus far and is still searching for his first NHL point. Even more concerning, the missed games have made it hard for him to fully find his game even down at the AHL level. When healthy and at his best he is a two-way possession specialist, always in the right position, and always making the right decisions with the puck. Where do things go for him from here? The Kings have been patient, but with his smaller stature, average footspeed, and lengthy injury history it's difficult to not worry about what the physicality of the NHL could do to him.

4. Samuel Fagemo - RW

Fagemo's name was one of the most surprising to not hear get called at the 2018 draft, his first year of eligibility. His natural knack for scoring goals was clearly evident even back then, but the rest of his game was still coming along. It didn't take him long to make every NHL team look foolish though, as he stormed out of the gate the very next season and hasn't stopped lighting the lamp at any level since. His shot is nasty, with a quick, hard release that he can both disguise and unload from difficult angles. His play without the puck is still very rough to watch at times, as he is easy to box out and he doesn't generate many scoring chances for himself or his teammates, but prospects who can find the back of the net with the frequency Fagemo can don't grow on trees.

5. Francesco Pinelli - C

The Kitchener Rangers badly underperformed as a team this season, but they did have one bright and shining constant: their captain, superstar Pinelli. He really came into his own last season as one of the best players in the entire league, crossing the 40-goal plateau and becoming a real three-zone, 200-foot force in a way that he hadn’t been before. He saved his very best hockey for the playoffs, helping the Rangers upset the heavily favoured Windsor Spitfires in the opening round. He is an impressively well-rounded and complete player, though his mental makeup stands out as his strongest quality. He's very focused and driven and maintains an even keel through the tougher times of the season. If Pinelli can continue improving his skating, which he will probably work tirelessly to accomplish, then he should be able to reach an even higher level.

6. Jakub Dvorak - D

One of the most enticing physical specimens of the 2023 draft, Dvorak spent last season solidifying himself as one of the top defensive options in his league at any age, leading to his 2nd round selection by the Kings. Looking surprisingly coordinated despite his considerable height, Dvorak spent this past season (as a 17-year-old) entirely with powerhouse Liberec in Czechia’s top men’s league. Featuring a wide wingspan, which he uses to good effect as a poke-checker, Dvorak has been a devastating physical force against his peers internationally, albeit a cage-wearing target playing pro back home. Always ready to apply himself physically, he has been nondescript in his work with the puck but is quite capable of making decent breakout passes and getting pucks to the net from the blueline. Czechia made heavy use of him at both the Hlinka Gretzky Cup and U18 Worlds last season, where he logged over 19 minutes of ice time per game in every outing. Looking like a future beast on the PK, Dvorak eats up time and space with his long reach and affinity for board work. He’s docked to spend the upcoming season gaining further experience and responsibility with Liberec in the Czech Extraliga.

7. Alex Laferriere - RW

Laferriere just keeps getting a little better and a little better year over year, and he's done it so many years in a row now that it would be foolish to expect anything else. His game is unassuming in a way, as he doesn't have a single tool that really jumps out at you, but he's seemingly always around the puck, and when you check the box scores he often has more points than you would have expected. He certainly helps advance Harvard's reputation for being a place that recruits and fosters smart prospects. Laferriere plays in a way that is simple yet effective, and safely projects as a 40-50 point-scorer in the show at his peak, even if he never plays higher than the second or third line and slots most comfortably in a supplementary role.

9. Aatu Jamsen - RW

There is no feeling as uniquely satisfying for a scout than vouching for a prospect in the seventh round who turns out to be a solid professional player and eventually becomes a regular NHLer. Jämsen has accomplished the former and is on a good trajectory for the latter, so the Kings scouts who facilitated that selection must be at least a little excited right now. He is a toolsy winger who has played for his hometown hockey organization, the Lahti Pelicans, from their youth programs up through every single level to Finland's highest league, the Liiga. And it was in the Liiga last season where he showed that his credibility as an offensive threat wasn't just confined to junior. Due to a lack of international exposure, Jämsen is currently one of the best-kept secrets in the prospect world.

10. Erik Portillo - RW

Portillo saw the writing on the wall in Buffalo, with the Sabres having fellow highly-touted young netminders in Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Devon Levi in their system, and made it clear that he didn't wish to sign his first NHL contract with them. The team eventually agreed and his rights were traded to the Kings, where his path to success is more clear. He's an enormous, fairly technically sound goalie who was a late bloomer and has since flashed tantalizing potential. He still needs to refine the details in his play. He put up some dazzling numbers with Michigan, but on the flip side, had the luxury of playing behind a team that usually had the puck. The AHL might be an eye-opening challenge for him, and how he responds could be indicative of just how good he really is — and how good he could still become.

11. Akil Thomas - G

Injuries, specifically a shoulder injury, have really derailed Thomas’ development, limiting him to only 13 games last season. The former Canadian WJC hero still has terrific offensive upside, but he just needs to find a way to stay healthy.

12. Tyler Madden - C

2022-23 was a step back for Madden as he saw his offensive production (on a point per game basis) decrease from the year prior. Time is running out for the once promising prospect as he is no longer exempt from waivers. The talent level is still high but he continues to have trouble with consistency and is prone to playing primarily on the perimeter.

13. Martin Chromiak - C

Chromiak’s first pro year had its ups and downs, but he showed enough promise to remain a highly thought of prospect in the system. The focus moving forward needs to be on getting both quicker and stronger.

14. Samuel Helenius - C

The massive center was a huge (no pun intended) disappointment in his first full pro season in North America, scoring all of two goals for AHL Ontario. It’s starting to look like his offensive upside may be pretty limited, but the physical tools nevertheless give him a chance to be a solid bottom six center.

15. Jack Hughes - C

A slippery offensive player, Hughes’ skill shines through as he looks to attack the offensive zone. Strength and speed deficits continue to prevent him from being a more consistent player and he’ll look to take a big step forward in his junior season with Northeastern this year.

16. Kasper Simontaival - RW

An undersized, but competitive winger, Simontaival continues to improve every year in Finland. Positive progression is a good thing and he is starting to look like a future middle six candidate for Los Angeles in the near future.

17. Kenny Connors - C

The big surprise of the Kings’ system last year, Connors adjusted to the NCAA game seamlessly with UMass and even earned a place on the American WJC team. A competitive, two-way center, he is altering the perception of his upside.

18. Otto Salin - D

A mobile, offensively oriented defender, Salin is coming off a strong rookie season in Liiga with HIFK. A potential powerplay quarterback, the Kings are looking for him to tighten up his decision making and play in his own end.

19. Kim Nousiainen - D

The smaller defender’s development appears to be headed in the wrong direction. Once thought to be a top defender in the system, his play in the AHL thus far has been uninspiring. This is likely a big year for his development, especially given LA’s depth.

20. Matthew Mania - D

It was pretty shocking for us to see Mania fall as far as he did on draft day, but the Kings may have gotten a good one here. Mania is an impressive mover on the back-end and he is still gaining confidence in how to use it to his advantage offensively. Defensively, he is a work in progress, but the upside is high.

2023 NHL DRAFT: A Review

Chase Rochon — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 14:10:53 +0000

Another long year of amazing hockey has come and passed as we oficially end the 2023 scouting season and shift from the star-studded offensive draft class to the defensive-heavy 2024 NHL draft. This year's class was super fun and had the potential to bring the big stars and deep depth that we saw in the 2015 draft. This makes it very difficult to rank the winners and losers as every team acquired some very talented athletes in their organization that should make an impact for many years to come. Some teams acquired some elite star players at draft positions they didn't think would be possible at lower picks and later rounds. Those picks make the difference between good and great drafting by ﬁnding those diamonds in the rough.

NHL hockey operations departments are made up of the best of the best in the industry and have been through more drafts and different case studies over more years than I have been alive, which creates some hesitation in handing out grades for teams that we felt drafted poorly or passed on talent or upside. It is important to remember that teams take into consideration so many intangibles and factors outside any eye test or analytics can tell us. They have considerable resources and information networks public scouting teams can only dream of.

Most importantly, people need to remember these young athletes are human beings that just had the best week of their lives and treating them disrespectfully and pre-judging a young man that has yet to fully develop mentally and physically is completely unfair. I think every fan base should be showing love and support for the future players that are going to put in blood sweat and tears for the team you cheer for and go to war against the opposition.

With all that in mind, here is how I think all 32 teams performed at the 2023 NHL Draft based on my own rankings as well as the wonderful team at McKeen’s that I have the pleasure working alongside.

HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA - DECEMBER 29: Canada's Connor Bedard #16 backhands the puck while Austria's Tim Geifes #21 defends during Preliminary Round - Group A action at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship at Scotiabank Centre on December 29, 2022 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. (Photo by Matt Zambonin/IIHF)

#1 Chicago Blackhawks (A+)

1 Connor Bedard (F)

19 Oliver Moore (F)

35 Adam Gajan (G)

44 Roman Kantserov (F)

55 Martin Misiak (F)

67 Nick Lardis (F)

93 Jiri Felcman (F)

99 Alex Pharand (F)

131 Marcel Marcel (F)

167 Milton Oscarson (F)

195 Janne Peltonen (D)

It feels very ﬁtting that the number one ranked team had the number one pick this year in the generational talent of Connor Bedard, who is expected to make an immediate impact. Kyle Davidson clearly agrees by bringing in some veteran support this summer in Taylor Hall, Nick Foligno and Corey Perry. This pick was obvious. What makes the Blackhawks stand out is what might be my favourite selection of the entire draft in Oliver Moore at 19th overall, where I, alongside Davidson, was in shock this player was still on the board—followed by selecting one of if not one of the best goaltenders in Adam Gajan. We absolutely loved Nick Lardis at McKeens, and we ﬁnd this to be amazing value in the early third round. Roman Kantserov, Martin Misiak, Alex Pharand and Marcel Marcel are other great pickups to round out the real depth of this draft class for the Blackhawks as they build the next generation in Chicago.

#2 Columbus Blue Jackets (A)

3 Adam Fantilli (F)

34 Gavin Brindley (F)

66 William Whitelaw (F)

98 Andrew Strathmann (D)

114 Luca Pinelli (F)

156 Melvin Strahl (G)

194 Oiva Keskinen (F)

224 Tyler Peddle (F)

The Blue Jackets' dreams came true when Adam Fantilli was still waiting for them at third overall, as the rookie Hobey Baker winner would have been selected ﬁrst overall in any other draft. Followed up by his Michigan teammate Gavin Brindley who we at McKeens had ranked #26. William Whitelaw ranked at #39 by McKeen’s, and Andrew Strathmann, ranked #39 by me, are amazing values. I really like Luca Pinelli at #114 and thought it was a great move to trade for the last pick in the draft and select Tyler Peddle, who was in attendance and should have been selected much higher. This will be the draft that could really put the Blue Jackets over the top to be a future contender in the Metro.

#3 Philadelphia Flyers (A)

7 Matvei Michkov (F)

22 Oliver Bonk (D)

51 Carson Bjarnason (G)

87 Yegor Zavragin (G)

95 Denver Barkey (F)

103 Cole Knuble (F)

120 Alex Ciernik (F)

135 Carter Sotheran (D)

172 Ryan MacPherson (F)

199 Matteo Mann (D)

The Flyers got a player with arguably the highest upside in the class in 7th overall in Matvei Michkov alone, which is enough to rank them this high. Aside from whether there is any truth to rumours that he somehow orchestrated his way to Philadelphia, he was genuinely excited to be drafted by the organization. The possibility that he will be coming to play in North America perhaps sooner rather than later could completely alter the landscape of the rebuild for GM Daniel Briere. They followed up by selecting Oliver Bonk, who our Ontario scouts adore at McKeens, including myself. Bonk will continue to develop in London. The Carson Bjarnson pick could age very well as a good young goaltender with a long road of development ahead. Denver Barkey and Alex Cienik are great value picks at 95th and 120th.

#4 Seattle Kraken (A-)

20 Eduard Sale (F)

50 Carson Rehkopf (F)

52 Oscar Fisker Mølgaard (F)

57 Lukas Dragicevic (D)

84 Caden Price (D)

116 Andrei Loshko (F)

148 Kaden Hammell (D)

168 Visa Vedenpää (G)

180 Zeb Forsfjäll (F)

212 Zaccharya Wisdom (F)

Seattle has been consistently one of the better drafting teams since they entered the league, and they continued that streak in Nashville. Eduard Sale is very much a gamble with questions about his compete lvel and lack of production against pros. However, he possesses elite ﬁnishing ability and was dominant against players his own age. He has a very high ceiling that I believe can be developed properly in the OHL, followed by the development team in Seattle. At the end of the day, with such a great prospect pool, you can take a swing for upside at #20 overall and can add a true top-line ﬁnisher for Shane Wright or Matty Beniers. The Kraken continues to favour the CHL and loaded up with more players in Carson Rehkopf, Lukas Dragicevic and Caden Price in the late second round. They had all been viewed as late ﬁrst/early second round talents. Oscar Fisker Mølgaard has the potential to bring some real energy to the bottom six and PK and become a really good role player for the team. I had him ranked at #30th betting on his high motor and relentless pressure with some ﬁnishing ability.

#5 Carolina Hurricanes (A-)

30 Bradly Nadeau (F)

62 Felix Unger Sörum (F)

94 Jayden Perron (F)

100 Alexander Rykov (F)

126 Stanislav Yarovoy (F)

139 Charles-Alexis Legault (D)

158 Ruslan Khazheyev (G)

163 Timur Mukhanov (F)

190 Michael Emerson (F)

222 Yegor Velmakin (G)

Bradley Nadeau was the highest player selected from the BCHL after having a monster year. He was ranked #27 by McKeens, which makes for a good pick late in the ﬁrst. Where Carolina impressed us was how well they drafted in the later rounds picking up some of the biggest steals of the draft in Jayden Perron who we ranked 34th and Timur Mukhanov ranked 98th. As they typically do, Carolina drafted great to add to the loaded prospect pool.

#6 Buffalo Sabres (A-)

13 Zach Benson (F)

39 Anton Wahlberg (F)

45 Maxim Strbak (D)

86 Gavin McCarthy (D)

109 Ethan Miedema (F)

141 Scott Ratzlaff (G)

173 Sean Keohane (D)

205 Norwin Panocha (D)

Draft after draft Buffalo ﬁnds themselves selecting some great players but I think Zach Benson could be the final elite piece they need to take them back to the playoffs and end the long drought. Benson is the smartest player in the draft after Connor Bedard. They followed up with good picks in Anton Wahlberg and Maxim Strbak. I really like the value of Ethan Miedema and Scott Ratzlaff in rounds 4 and 5.

#7 St. Louis Blues (B+)

10 Dalibor Dvorský (F)

25 Otto Stenberg (F)

29 Theo Lindstein (D)

74 Quinton Burns (D)

76 Juraj Pekarcik (F)

106 Jakub Stancl (F)

138 Paul Fischer (D)

170 Matthew Mayich (D)

202 Nikita Susuyev (F)

Dalibor Dvorský and Otto Stenberg could be an amazing one-two punch down the middle in the near future as the Blues shift towards the future and away from the team that won them the 2019 Stanley Cup. I think Dvorsky and Stenberg both have been underrated as they tend to be looked at as “safe picks” - a term that I sometimes hate because it shouldn’t discount the true skill these players have. Because they are viewed as having lower ceilings than some other top names in the class they fell at the draft, and St. Louis took full advantage and selected the best player available. The rest of the Blues draft was very average, not making any poor selections but also not taking any swings on some big names with upside.

#8 Washington Capitals (B+)

8 Ryan Leonard (F)

40 Andrew Cristall (F)

104 Patrick Thomas (F)

136 Cameron Allen (D)

200 Brett Hyland (F)

206 Antoine Keller (G)

The Capitals may not have had the luck they had hoped for in having Michkov fall to them, but they were very quick to the podium to select the NTDP gritty winger in Ryan Leonard. He brings a hard game and that’s no slight on the raw skill this kid has. After this year’s playoffs, NHL teams are looking to mold their roster after the Florida Panthers and Vegas Golden Knights and Leonard ﬁts that profile. Many, including myself, expected Andrew Cristall to fall on draft day but to 40th overall was quite surprising and Washington took full advantage, taking some risk on a junior perimeter player. Going into the draft year we expected Cameron Allen to be the ﬁrst OHL player off the board, but after a brutal season his stock plummeted. It’s hard to believe this talented young player entirely forgot how to play hockey and I think the Caps were willing to take this bet at 136.

#9 Colorado Avalanche (B)

27 Calum Ritchie (F)

31 Mikhail Gulyayev (D)

155 Nikita Ishimnikov (D)

187 Jeremy Hanzel (D)

219 Maros Jedlicka (F)

The Avalanche wouldn’t have expected to select Calum Ritchie and Mikhail Gulyayev with these very late ﬁrst rounders who we ranked 19th and 24th. This is great value at these picks. I ﬁnd it very interesting that they went with a very smart player who has a low ceiling and a high ﬂoor in Ritchie but then took a bit of a gamble on Gulyayev who is the polar opposite with a high ceiling and low ﬂoor. Not having many picks, and not many high ones, they can consider it a win if Colorado can get a couple NHLers from such minimal selections.

#10 Los Angeles Kings (B)

54 Jakub Dvorak (D)

78 Koehn Ziemmer (F)

118 Hampton Slukynsky (G)

150 Matthew Mania (D)

182 Ryan Conmy (F)

Jakub Dvorak has been such an underrated player all season long because he hasn’t been playing due to injury and is not flashy and doesn’t have much of a highlight reel but he might be the best defensive defenseman to come from this draft class. Big frame players like Dvorak are rare and hard to ﬁnd and are typically viewed as underrated even in the NHL because they are never noticeable with the puck. Dvorak shut down all the top players in the U.S. NTDP top line, Dvorsky, Michkov and even Connor Bedard at international competitions. He makes life so hard for attackers and will be a nightmare for goal scorers in the NHL and people will wonder how he was selected so late. The Kings followed this up with good picks in Koehn Ziemmer and Matthew Mania.

#11 Florida Panthers (B)

63 Gracyn Sawchyn (F)

127 Albert Wikman (D)

159 Olof Glifford (G)

191 Luke Coughlin (D)

198 Stepan Zvyagin (F)

Florida was another team that capitalized on an underrated player who slid on draft day in Gracyn Sawchyn. He played on a star-studded Seattle Thunderbirds team and didn’t get the opportunity to play top minutes but that didn’t stop him from putting up over a point per game. He will continue to grow under a great development program as he gains more ice time and expect him to put up monster numbers in the WHL for the next two seasons.

#12 Dallas Stars (C+)

61 Tristan Bertucci (D)

79 Brad Gardiner (F)

125 Aram Minnetian (D)

157 Arno Tiefensee (G)

189 Angus MacDonell (F)

221 Sebastian Bradshaw (F)

Dallas had very minimal draft capital and made the absolute most of it to no one's surprise as they usually do. Amazing value in Tristan Bertucci and Aram Minnetian.

#13 Vegas Golden Knights (B-)

32 David Edstrom (F)

77 Mathieu Cataford (F)

96 Arttu Kärki (D)

192 Tuomas Uronen (F)

Vegas selecting David Edstrom almost felt destined to happen as the last pick of the first round as we expected him to be selected in the ﬁrst round. Great pick for the Stanley Cup winners. Arttu Karki was also my favorite Finnish defense this year and I think 96 is excellent value for a player of his skill.

#14 San Jose Sharks (B-)

4 Will Smith (F)

26 Quentin Musty (F)

36 Kasper Halttunen (F)

71 Brandon Svoboda (F)

123 Luca Cagnoni (D)

130 Axel Landén (D)

132 Eric Pohlkamp (D)

196 David Klee (F)

203 Yegor Rimashevsky (F)

The Sharks drafted the highly skilled forward Will Smith very high, and I know he has gained some real hype over the past few months to get into the top 5 but personally having him just outside the top 10 makes it very hard to justify so much talent and other options at pick 4. This is a take that really could come back to bite me but I just don't love what Smith and Musty bring to the table outside of the high offensive skill that they clearly both have. In terms of value picks I think Halttunen is the Sharks best pick. If he played in London last season, he would have been called on day one of the draft and still has the opportunity to come over next season and be one of the best players in the league right away. The Sharks drafted very well but 13 other teams just did better.

#15 Calgary Flames (B-)

16 Samuel Honzek (F)

48 Étienne Morin (D)

80 Aydar Suniev (F)

112 Jaden Lipinski (F)

176 Yegor Yegorov (G)

208 Axel Hurtig (D)

The Flames had a solid draft and got a player we can expect the be a safe NHLer in Samuel Honzek that was expected in this range. I think Etienne Mornin could be the steal for them. This is a player that is extremely intelligent, and I personally have a lot of faith will continue to have success in his own development each season and could be viewed as a late ﬁrst rounder in the near future. Aydar Suniev at 80th overall is also great value.

#16 Montréal Canadiens (B-)

5 David Reinbacher (D)

69 Jacob Fowler (G)

101 Florian Xhekaj (F)

110 Bogdan Konyushkov (D)

128 Quentin Miller (G)

133 Sam Harris (F)

144 Yevgeni Volokhin (G)

165 Filip Eriksson (F)

197 Luke Mittelstadt (D)

Montréal might be the most talked about team post draft for all the wrong reasons so being dead in the middle at 16 may come as a surprise to most. The dislike for me comes from picks 101-197 where they took seven guys they could have gotten in rounds 6 or 7, and unfortunately some of those picks were in rounds 4 and 5. Jacob Fowler is a good goalie that could be huge for them, with the organization having such little depth in that department. Now Reinbacher who is the talk of Twitter and unfortunately for terrible reasons. The only argument I can understand against him is that Michkov should have been the pick, but there were many question marks surrounding the Russian and his intentions, leaving the Habs in a situation with lots of uncertainty at pick #5. So, they understandably took a player with a lot of certainty in elite defenseman David Reinbacher. He has been the only player under 18 shutting down grown professional athletes and ex-NHLers for two years. If that's not impressive enough he didn't just defend, he also produced higher than anyone in their DY-2 and DY-1 ever.

David has a good head on his shoulders and will develop all the necessary skills to round out his game to become a high-end defenseman who will eat lots of minutes and make a huge impact. He may not put up great offensive numbers or make highlight reel plays. That's ok, he plays defense for a reason. Leave that for the loads of talented players you already have and let Reinbacher make the other team's life a living hell and win hockey games, because that's what it's all about.

#17 Arizona Coyotes (B-)

6 Dmitri Simashev (D)

12 Daniil But (F)

38 Michael Hrabal (G)

70 Jonathan Castagna (F)

72 Noel Nordh (F)

81 Tanner Ludtke (F)

88 Vadim Moroz (F)

102 Terrell Goldsmith (D)

134 Melker Thelin (G)

160 Justin Kipkie (D)

162 Samu Bau (F)

166 Carsen Musser (G)

Arizona may have not drafted our best player available in their slots, but they took an interesting strategy to this year's draft that might have been the best option based on the current state of the team. Dmitri Simashev was our number one ranked defenseman in the class while Danill But has displayed shades of Evgeni Malkin at times. Both played on the same team this past season. This put Arizona in a safer situation to swing on upside and internally develop them together and could very well be a big payoff. Hrabal is the pick that gives some extra value as my personal favorite goaltender in the class. Drafting all players over 6'0" is another interesting strategy that is hard to disagree with. Middle of the pack supports my mixed feelings on the drafting of the Coyotes.

#18 Winnipeg Jets (C)

18 Colby Barlow (F)

82 Zachary Nehring (F)

146 Jacob Julien (F)

151 Thomas Milic (G)

210 Connor Levis (F)

Winnipeg is facing a lot of potential turnover on their roster this season. Colby Barlow makes an excellent pick for the Jets, bringing in a character Canadian guy, on and off the ice, as a key piece to build upon. You can expect Barlow to score lots of goals in the near future. The rest of the picks are very average, so they receive an average grade.

#19 New York Rangers (C)

23 Gabe Perreault (F)

90 Drew Fortescue (D)

152 Rasmus Larsson (D)

178 Dylan Roobroeck (F)

183 Ty Henricks (F)

Gabe Perreault was good value at 23rd as I thought his production this season would lead to him going much higher than he should have and I think this was a good range for him. A smart player who can be a great complement to some high-end skill just like he did with the NTDP. The rest of the picks were not very average.

#20 Detroit Red Wings (C)

9 Nate Danielson (F)

17 Axel Sandin Pellikka (D)

41 Trey Augustine (G)

42 Andrew Gibson (D)

47 Brady Cleveland (D)

73 Noah Dower Nilsson (F)

117 Larry Keenan (D)

137 Jack Phelan (D)

147 Kevin Bicker (F)

169 Rudy Guimond (G)

201 Emmitt Finnie (F)

Detroit's draft was very interesting to me because I find it hard to criticize Steve Yzerman’s picks which have been excellent in the past with some home runs to show for it. Nate Danielson and Axel-Sandin Pellika are great players who will be NHLers and good ones. They just didn't strike me as the types of players Detroit has recently drafted with some hard nose battlers that are going to be warriors. I think it might take a while for either to become impact playoff players relative to some of the skill still left on the board, such as Oliver Moore at pick #9 and still available at #17. They pass with a C as most other picks were good, but just that they were good and not great, where teams ahead of them made some great picks.

#21 Edmonton Oilers (C)

56 Beau Akey (D)

184 Nathaniel Day (G)

216 Matt Copponi (F)

Beau Akey is a good pick that has a good path in front of him to reﬁne his offensive talents and become a threat from the point for the Colts over the next couple of seasons and get a real chance to make the Oilers. Hard to judge a team with such little options at the draft.

Leo Carlsson of Sweden at a practice session during the 2023 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship on May 25, 2023 in Riga.
Photo: Joel Marklund / BILDBYRÅN /

#22 Anaheim Ducks (C-)

2 Leo Carlsson (F)

33 Nico Myatovic (F)

59 Carey Terrance (F)

60 Damian Clara (G)

65 Coulson Pitre (F)

85 Yegor Sidorov (F)

97 Konnor Smith (D)

129 Rodwin Dionicio (D)

161 Vojtech Port (D)

I think passing on Fantilli will be something that will haunt Anaheim for a long time and really hurts their grade even though they are getting a great talent in Leo Carlsson. Unfortunately, I have a hard time seeing Carlsson being the 2nd best player that comes from this class and when they are a top team in the league soon this selection might be the difference between a contender and a champion. Other than that, Myatovic, Terrance and Pitre are solid picks.

#23 Vancouver Canucks (D+)

11 Tom Willander (D)

75 Hunter Brzustewicz (C-)

89 Sawyer Mynio (D)

105 Ty Mueller (F)

107 Vilmer Alriksson (F)

119 Matthew Perkins (F)

171 Aiden Celebrini (D)

Willander was ranked 23rd by us at McKeens and is a great defenseman who happens to be in a star studded offensive heavy draft. I think the Canuks were guilty of drafting for need rather than best player available and that affected the grade. Other than that, there isn’t too much to like in the class other than Hunter Brzustewicz at 75 was a great selection.

#24 Nashville Predators (C-)

15 Matthew Wood (F)

24 Tanner Molendyk (D)

43 Felix Nilsson (F)

46 Kalan Lind (F)

68 Jesse Kiiskinen (F)

83 Dylan MacKinnon (D)

111 Joseph Willis (F)

121 Juha Jatkola (G)

143 Sutter Muzzatti (F)

175 Austin Roest

218 Aiden Fink

Nashville was the host of this year’s draft and advised by new GM Barry Trotz in an interview to take some swings on high upside to add some high-end skill to the prospect pool. Well, they just didn’t do any of that and delivered a mediocre draft outside of top prospect Matthew Wood. What makes their draft so disappointing is that after 10 consecutive picks, the next best value pick was David Poiles last pick in Aiden Fink in the 7th round. Expectations were high and far from reached.

#25 Tampa Bay Lightning (D)

37 Ethan Gauthier (F)

115 Jayson Shaugabay (F)

179 Warren Clark (D)

193 Jack Harvey (F)

211 Ethan Hay (F)

Tampa will ﬁnd a way to develop these players, especially Ethan Gauthier, because that’s what they do best within their system. I just believe they could have done it with the better options available and left talent on the table with every pick.

#26 New Jersey Devils (D+)

58 Lenni Hämeenaho (F)

122 Cam Squires (F)

154 Chase Cheslock (D)

164 Cole Brown (F)

186 Daniil Karpovich (D)

New Jersey was very inactive and didn’t take many swings this year and they are in a situation where they didn’t need to. Lenni Hameenaho was ranked 84 for us at McKeens and was a bit of a reach.

#27 Ottawa Senators (D)

108 Hoyt Stanley (D)

140 Matthew Andonovski (D)

204 Owen Beckner (F)

207 Vladimir Nikitin (G)

215 Nicholas VanTassell (F)

Ottawa did not have many picks and none very high. Hoyt Stanley is the only pick which has had some hype going into the draft and been noticeable this season. I wouldn’t expect anyone from the class to make the roster.

#28 Pittsburgh Penguins (D-)

14 Brayden Yager (F)

91 Emil Pieniniemi (D)

142 Mikhail Ye. Ilyin (F)

174 Cooper Foster (F)

217 Emil Järventie (F)

223 Kalle Kangas (D)

Another situation where good players were selected but when I look at this class, and Emil Jarventie is the best value pick in the 7th round, that is an issue for me. Yes, Brayden Yager is an excellent player with a deadly shot and a good head on his shoulders. It’s hard to give high grades when top 5-10 talents were still available where he was picked. This strikes me as more of a situation where the Penguins scouting staff were left to make the pick, more so than Dubas, and they went with the guy they targetted going into the draft rather than the best player available.

#29 Toronto Maple Leafs (D-)

28 Easton Cowan (F)

153 Hudson Malinoski (F)

185 Noah Chadwick (D)

The Easton Cowan pick is very difficult to grade because it really could go both ways. I understand the pick because you’re getting, debatably, the hardest working player in the class whose development is skyrocketing at a high pace under the teachings of the Hunters in London. You can expect this growth to continue over the next couple seasons. It woudl appear the Leafs aren’t selecting the 28th best player currently and are banking on Cowan being a ﬁrst round talent in 3-5 years, an approach I agree with. The issue I have with this pick is I really think you could have selected him later, and possibly much later. The 2nd round Is still a reach but at least you’re not leaving talent on the table in this deep draft and getting the maximum value out of each pick. I just think this was some poor asset management and the Leafs just focused on getting their guy. Time will be the true indicator.

#30 New York Islanders (D)

49 Danny Nelson (F)

113 Jesse Nurmi (F)

145 Justin Gill (F)

177 Zach Schulz (D)

209 Dennis Good Bogg (D)

Islanders drafted some good leadership in a pair of Captains in Danny Nelson and Zach Shulz. When that is the best thing to be said about the selections that is an issue.

#31 Boston Bruins (F+)

92 Christopher Pelosi (F)

124 Beckett Hendrickson (F)

188 Ryan Walsh (F)

214 Casper Nässén (F)

220 Kristian Kostadinski (D)

Beckett Hendrickson is the only reason they aren’t ranked 32nd.

#32 Minnesota Wild (F)

21 Charlie Stramel (F)

53 Rasmus Kumpulainen (F)

64 Riley Heidt (F)

149 Aaron Pionk (D)

181 Kalem Parker (D)

213 Jimmy Clark (F)

The Wild are the only team that gets an F grade. It’s not because I don't like the players in Charlie Stramel and Rasmus Kumpulainen because they are prospects I had on my personal board, but it’s very hard to justify these picks with the options still available on the board at the time of the picks. These are just too far off the board to not trade back and still get the player you want. We at McKeens ranked both these players as 3rd round talents.

MCKEEN’S 2023 NHL DRAFT GUIDE – Two Round Mock Draft

Brock Otten — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 22:05:22 +0000

First Round

1 - Chicago Blackhawks - Connor Bedard (Regina, WHL)

Regardless of whether you believe that the Hawks deserved to win the first overall selection…it did happen. And the timing for the Chicago organization couldn’t have been better as they transition from the Patrick Kane/Jonathan Toews era to the Connor Bedard era. This is a game changer that should accelerate the Blackhawk’s rebuild.

2 - Anaheim Ducks - Adam Fantilli (Michigan, NCAA)

Talk about power down the middle. By selecting the University of Michigan star, the Ducks can now boast a one/two punch at center of Mason McTavish and Adam Fantilli. That likely pushes Trevor Zegras to the wing long term, which might not be a terrible thing considering his struggles at the faceoff circle and defensively. Fantilli is one of the most polished two-way forwards in the league and his speed and strength should allow him to jump into the NHL immediately.

3 - Columbus Blue Jackets - Leo Carlsson (Orebro, SHL)

This is where things get really interesting. Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen doesn’t draft a ton out of Sweden (Finnish bias?...lol), however I believe that this would be the best pick for the organization. Carlsson is the most ready to make an immediate impact in the NHL and he would give the Jackets a potential two-way rock to build their forward group around. This is a team who wants to compete soon and turn their fortunes around.

4 - San Jose Sharks - Will Smith (USNTDP)

For the life of me, I just can’t see Mike Grier going with Michkov here. Smith would give San Jose a highly skilled playmaker to continue to build around. He could help to elevate the play of some of the team’s complementary players. He may take a few years in College with BC, but the end product should be a high-end offensive player. Question…would it be shocking to see the Sharks reach for a defender like David Reinbacher here?

5 - Montreal Canadiens - Ryan Leonard (USNTDP)

It really seems like the Canadiens would pass on Michkov should he be available to them. It could be smoke and mirrors, but all signs do point to that fact. So, who do they select? Lots of hype around Reinbacher. I think they’re happy with their defensive depth right now. IMO. I truly believe that Ryan Leonard could be their target. Here’s a forward who can make an impact in a lot of different ways and who plays the power game that Montreal really seems to want to play in the future. Obviously Dalibor Dvorsky could be an option here too.

6- Arizona Coyotes - Matvei Michkov (HK Sochi, KHL)

I just can’t see Michkov falling that far. Yes, there is inherent risk. But the reward is so great. Arizona wants to become relevant again, but they also want to have sustainability. They haven’t shied away from drafting Russians in recent years, and this is a big fish. The timing of his arrival in the NHL should be perfect for Arizona’s inevitable resurgence.

7- Philadelphia Flyers - David Reinbacher (Kloten, NL)

A big, right shot defender, it seems like a sure thing that he’ll be drafted in the top ten, even if he’s our third ranked defender. The Flyers seem like a really good fit for him. Reinbacher is a potential two-way force from the right side who could develop into an all-situations player for Philadelphia and would complement other young defenders like Cam York and Emil Andrae exceptionally well.

8 - Washington Capitals - Oliver Moore (USNTDP)

Would it be shocking to see Moore drafted ahead of Ryan Leonard? I don’t think so. NHL teams put such a premium on true centers and Moore is just that. Watching the Capitals in recent years, it’s obvious that they need to focus on upgrading the speed quotient of this team again and Moore is the best skating player available this year. The range of outcomes for him runs the gamut of Dylan Larkin to Andrew Cogliano, but Moore should play and would fit in well with this roster, perhaps better than some of the power wingers slated to go here. Nate Danielson could be an option here too, especially given Washington’s Western bias.

9 - Detroit Red Wings - Dalibor Dvorsky (AIK, Allsvenskan)

I think one thing Detroit proved at last year’s draft was that they wanted to focus on getting back to being difficult to play against in the future. There is a desire for the full rebuild to be over and it’s now time to focus on getting players who can be strong playoff performers. Dvorsky is raw, but as we have seen internationally, he is a big game player who can potentially grow into an all-situations type.

10 - St. Louis Blues - Axel Sandin Pellikka (Skelleftea, SWEJ20)

One of the top offensive defenders available this year, Sandin Pellikka proved at this year’s U18’s that he can defend too. The progression in his game over the course of the year should have teams lining up to select him given the weakness of the defense crop. St. Louis needs to inject new life into their blueline, specifically in the puck moving department.

11 - Vancouver Canucks - Nate Danielson (Brandon, WHL)

Lots to like here for the Canucks. Danielson is a strong candidate to be an all situations top six center for them in the future. And let’s face it, the center depth in the organization isn’t amazing right now. There is a need for a player like Danielson. He’s really the last player in this grouping of ranked players who is likely to stick down the center, so I’d expect all these guys to go high.

12 - Arizona Coyotes (via Ottawa) - Matthew Wood (UConn, NCAA)

Skating concerns be darned, someone is going to bite on Matthew Wood early in the first round. He’s just been too good the last few years. As we’ve seen with Jason Robertson, skating development can occur as conditioning improves. Wood has so many other good qualities and he would be the perfect complementary player for them in the future.

13 - Buffalo Sabres - Dmitri Simashev (Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, KHL)

Our top ranked defender, can you imagine a future where the Sabres have both Owen Power and Dmitri Simashev? The massive defender skates well and should at least develop into a high end stay at home type. The Sabres haven’t been scared off by taking Russian players too. This seems like a great fit.

14 - Pittsburgh Penguins - Daniil But (Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, KHL)

One of the things Pittsburgh needs to do at the draft this year is focus on selecting players with upside. For far too long, the focus was on safer prospects and the combination of that, plus a lack of first round selections, has left the system in disarray. Insert Daniil But, a big winger who could end up being an Evgeni Malkin kind of player thanks to his combination of power and skill. The Penguins have had some success drafting out of Russia, so I don’t see it scaring them off.

15 - Nashville Predators - Tom Willander (Rögle, SWE J20)

One of the draft's biggest risers, Willander was so good in the second half, and it has caused many (including us) to shift their opinion of his potential. He now looks like a lock to be a top four, right shot defender. I see Nashville looking at adding a potential defender at this spot and perhaps they go more offensively oriented with Gulyayev or Dragicevic, but the well-rounded profile seems to fit them more.

16 - Calgary Flames - Zach Benson (Winnipeg, WHL)

The fall for Benson ends here with Calgary selecting him. We love Benson, but there’s definitely some concern that NHL scouts are concerned with the fact that he’s undersized and not a dynamic athlete. However, his playmaking ability would really help the Flames moving forward and I think they need to gamble on his upside. I could also see Calgary opting for an offensively oriented defender here too.

17 - Detroit Red Wings (via New York Islanders) - Mikhail Gulyayev (Avangard Omsk, KHL)

One of the top skating defenders available this year, Gulyayev would be a great fit in the Detroit system. The Red Wings have a lot of solid young defenders in their system, but none have the skating ability, shot, and powerplay quarterbacking potential that Gulyayev possesses. Getting him and Ryan Leonard in the first round would be terrific for an organization trying to take that next step and sustain it.

18 - Winnipeg Jets - Colby Barlow (Owen Sound, OHL)

Obviously, there are a lot of different routes that the Jets could take here, but Barlow makes a lot of sense. The high-end goal scorer is also very versatile and plays a powerful North/South game. Maybe there are some similarities between him and Rutger McGroarty, but this Jets team wants to have multiple players of that ilk on their roster.

19 - Chicago Blackhawks (via Tampa Bay) - Gabe Perreault (USNTDP)

Where Perreault goes on draft day will be really interesting. His athletic tools aren’t terrific, but you can’t argue with the success he had this year. He’s just such an intelligent and creative player. With your new team identity forming around Connor Bedard, Perreault seems like an amazing fit to play with him in the future. Plus, Perreault is a bit of a local kid, having grown up as part of the Chicago Mission program.

20 - Seattle Kraken - Samuel Honzek (Vancouver, WHL)

The Kraken wouldn’t have had to travel far to get a good look at Honzek this year. After using their top picks on centers in their first two drafts, they opt for a big, skilled winger to play with them in 2023. Honzek’s upside is excellent, and he is actually someone who could go much higher than this.

21 - Minnesota Wild - David Edstrom (Frölunda, SWE J20)

Doesn’t this just scream a Minnesota Wild selection. Edstrom was a late season riser thanks to the progression he showed over the year from an offensive perspective. He has both a solid floor and a high ceiling and given the draft’s lack of true centers, I expect him to go pretty high on draft day.

22 - Philadelphia (via Columbus, via Los Angeles) - Eduard Sale (HC Kometa Brno, Czechia)

Philly is up for the second pick of the first round, acquired in the Provorov trade. After adding a defenseman to replace him with the seventh pick, they opt for the best forward available on the board. That is a quality playmaking winger with size in Eduard Sale, currently ranked #17 by McKeen's. Sale could definitely go higher than this too, so the value is terrific.

23 - New York Rangers - Cal Ritchie (Oshawa, OHL)

Cal Ritchie grew up playing for the Oakville Rangers, so this just seems like a great story. Tons of pictures of him wearing Rangers gear at a young age! But this would be a great pick for New York for a lot of reasons. Ritchie is one of the most intelligent forwards available this year and while his OHL season wasn’t outstanding, his international performances were.

24 - Nashville Predators (via Edmonton) - Brayden Yager (Moose Jaw, WHL)

Maybe Yager goes higher than this. We’re certainly lower on him than the consensus in the scouting community. However, he seems like the kind of player that Nashville would love to add into their system; the kind of player they’ve been drafting for the last decade or so, helping them to remain consistently strong.

25 - St. Louis Blues (via Toronto) - Quentin Musty (Sudbury, OHL)

We’ve got Musty outside of the first round because of concerns over his feet and wavering compete levels, but given his size and skill package, it seems unlikely that he falls out of the first. St. Louis would be a good place for Quentin, and I could see them being quite interested in him. There’s a need to inject new skill and life into the wing group in St. Louis and Musty has one of the higher offensive ceilings in the draft.

26 - San Jose Sharks (via New Jersey) - Bradly Nadeau (Penticton, BCHL)

The Sharks have focused on drafting some pretty good playmakers in recent years and they took Will Smith fourth overall earlier in this mock. So why not take a chance on a high-end finisher like Brad Nadeau. Nadeau also brings a strong compete level and is someone with a good upside, so long as you believe that the BCHL competition was good enough to truly challenge him this year.

27 - Colorado Avalanche - Ethan Gauthier (Sherbrooke, QMJHL)

A solid complementary goal scorer, Gauthier has a good motor too. There is a need for him to get quicker and consistency was an issue at times this year. However, the Avs are going to want a player who can jump into their lineup in a few years and help them win and Gauthier has a lot of strong pro level attributes already. He scores from between the dots and Colorado missed that a bit this year with so many injuries to those types of players.

28 - Toronto Maple Leafs (via Boston) - Gavin Brindley (Michigan, NCAA)

Kyle Dubas is no longer at the helm, but for now it looks like the scouting staff will remain the same under Brad Treliving. Brindley is the type of player that the Leafs organization has been targeting lately at the draft. His compete level and skating are at the top of this draft class and his offensive upside might be a tad underrated. This is someone who is going to play through the middle six for years to come.

29 - St. Louis Blues (via Dallas) - Oliver Bonk (London, OHL)

The Blues have the luxury of three first round picks this year and that gives them a ton of flexibility. So far in our mock they’ve taken Sandin Pellikka and Musty, so grabbing a safer defender like Bonk could make a lot of sense. A highly intelligent two-way player, Bonk has the bloodlines and the work ethic to help him improve.

30 - Carolina Hurricanes - Anton Wahlberg (Malmö, SHL)

The Hurricanes always seem to align their draft ideals with the amateur scouting community, often selecting independent scout darlings in recent years. Insert Anton Wahlberg. Much like Swedish teammate David Edstrom, he improved massively over the course of the year, learning to use his size and quickness to be a very effective player inside the offensive zone. The athletic tools are going to be very intriguing to Carolina.

31 - Montreal Canadiens (via Florida) - Riley Heidt (Prince George, WHL)

Coming into the year, this pick would have been seen as a steal, but this is sort of where Heidt is projected to go now. I could see Montreal being very interested in Heidt as he possesses similar qualities to other forwards they have drafted recently. How his game ultimately comes together at the pro level remains a mystery, but he has a lot of interesting tools.

32 - Vegas Golden Knights - Tanner Molendyk (Saskatoon, WHL)

Molendyk is not only one of the smarter defenders available this year, but he’s also one of the better skaters. That combination will be very intriguing to a team like Vegas. He’s way more athletic than the defenders they have been selecting the last five or so years and would give the organization a bit of a different look on the back end.

Second Round

33 - Anaheim Ducks - Michael Hrabal (Omaha, USHL)

If we don’t have a goalie taken in the first round, I would suspect that we see a huge run on them early in the second. The Ducks haven’t drafted a goalie since Lukas Dostal. He’s turned into a great prospect, but there’s a need to look further down the road. Hrabal is raw, but he might have the best upside of the goalies available.

34 - Columbus Blue Jackets - Carson Bjarnason (Brandon, WHL)

The goalie run continues with the Jackets taking Carson Bjarnason. He has number one upside as he continues to learn to harness his athleticism and he helps fill an organizational need in the future.

35 - Chicago Blackhawks - Lukas Dragicevic (Tri-City, WHL)

It could be surprising if Dragicevic drops out of the first round considering the talent he brings from the back end, but there are definitely concerns over how good he can become defensively. The Hawks are swinging for true upside here and hope that he can be a strong powerplay quarterback for them in the future.

36 - San Jose Sharks - Carson Rehkopf (Kitchener, OHL)

One thing that the Sharks really seem to be focusing on as a scouting team is drafting athletes. They’re looking for guys who can play fast, who bring size, and who have a large runway to improve. Rehkopf had a very inconsistent year, but the talent is there. With all the graduations in Kitchener this year, it’ll be his team to run moving forward.

37 - Montreal Canadiens - Trey Augustine (USNTDP)

We know how commonly the Canadiens have gone to the U.S. Development program in recent years and Augustine was the rock for that team in net, helping them capture gold at the U18’s. It seems likely that Montreal will look to draft a goalie fairly high this year because Primeau hasn’t really developed according to plan, and they let Dichow’s rights expire.

38 - Arizona Coyotes - Otto Stenberg (Frölunda, SHL)

I really like Stenberg. I think he’s a lot better than he showed in the SHL and when playing outside of international competition. Part of me doesn’t believe that he falls, but players with his profile have fallen outside of the first many times. This would be a great selection for Arizona, adding speed and skill to their forward group in the future.

39 - Buffalo Sabres (via Philadelphia) - Danny Nelson (USNTDP)

One of the most improved players in this draft class from start to finish this year, Nelson is an intriguing athlete. There’s a chance that he might not be more than an Adam Lowry type. But it will be interesting to see how his offensive game develops outside of the shadow of Smith and Moore. The Sabres system is stacked, but this type of center is something that they could focus in on.

40 - Washington Capitals - Adam Gajan (Chippewa, NAHL)

I fully expect someone to jump on Gajan pretty early. He was so good at the U20’s this year and he has the athletic tools needed to reach a high ceiling as an NHL starting netminder. The Capitals haven’t focused a ton of attention on goaltenders at the draft in recent years, but there is a need to add one into the system. Additionally, they have been an organization that does not shy away from drafting re-entry players.

41 - Detroit Red Wings - Kasper Halttunen (HIFK, Liiga)

The first of three consecutive selections for the Wings, look for variance in these selections. In Halttunen, the Wings get a high upside goal scoring winger who struggled playing against men this year, but who dominated his own age group. He could easily go higher than this.

42 - Detroit Red Wings - Maxim Strbak (Sioux Falls, USHL)

Strbak would be a great selection for the Wings in this area as a potential top four, defensively oriented defender. He is a fierce competitor, and his offensive skill set might be a tad underrated. If the feet can improve more at Michigan State, he could be quite the player.

43 - Detroit Red Wings - Charlie Stramel (Wisconsin, NCAA)

There is a significant chance that Stramel will go in the first round even after a poor year at Wisconsin. NHL teams love his profile; that big power center with middle six upside. For the Wings, I believe that this would be a no- brainer if he is still available. Stramel is a little more athletic than Rasmussen and has better physical tools than Veleno.

44 - Chicago Blackhawks (via Ottawa) - Nick Lardis (Hamilton, OHL)

One thing that the Hawks really focused on last year at the draft was adding speed and strong skaters to their prospect group. I’m sure that this was extremely intentional and there aren’t many better skaters than Nick Lardis available this year. His second half explosion has vaulted him up into this kind of territory thanks to his combination of speed and goal scoring ability.

45 - Buffalo Sabres - Andrew Cristall (Kelowna, WHL)

Quite the fall for Cristall, but there is real concern inside the NHL scouting community around his size and skating combination. He is so reliant on using his edges and lacks the linear quickness to gain separation against better skating defenders. But the upside is so significant because of his creativity, skill, and IQ. Well worth the risk in this area of the draft, especially for an organization with a deep talent pool.

46 - Nashville Predators (via Pittsburgh) - Nico Myatovic (Seattle, WHL)

This is the kind of player that the Predators have won with previously, that hardnosed, physical, strong two-way forward out of the CHL. Myatovic improved a lot in the second half with the Thunderbirds and he is the type of player that I believe NHL scouts are going to like a lot more than independent, amateur ones.

47 - Nashville Predators - Arttu Karki (Tappara U20, U20 SM-sarja)

After taking Willander in the first, the Predators take Karki, a strong puck moving defender who was excellent in Finland this past season. Lots to like about his skating ability and offensive upside. He’s almost like a more athletic version of Kulonummi, who they took last year.

48 - Calgary Flames - Beau Akey (Barrie, OHL)

After taking Zach Benson in the first round, the Flames opt for an athletic blueliner from the OHL in the second, taking Akey. He is one of the better skating defenders in the draft and is still learning how to use that mobility to his advantage at both ends. Shades of a young TJ Brodie here, waiting to be unlocked and that worked out well for the Flames in 2008.

49 - New York Islanders - Jayden Perron (Chicago, USHL)

This is the fourth straight year that the Islanders don’t have a first-round selection and their talent pool is hurting because of it. So, the focus needs to be on selecting a player with significant upside. The highest upside player remaining is probably Perron, an undersized, but skilled forward with the Chicago Steel. He excels playing with pace and would immediately become one of the better prospects in their system.

50 - Seattle Kraken (via Winnipeg) - Andrew Gibson (Sault Ste. Marie, OHL)

One of the better defensive defenders available in the draft this year, Gibson would give the Kraken a type of player that they haven’t really drafted yet in their two years of existence; a staunch, physical defender with reach. He had a really good U18’s for Canada and we know how much Seattle loves drafting from the OHL.

51 - Chicago Blackhawks (via Tampa Bay) - William Whitelaw (Youngstown, USHL)

This just seems like the type of player that Chicago scouts would really love. Again, we have the speed component. But we also have a competitive player who can score goals. There are concerns over his size and IQ, but he had a great playoff for Youngstown in helping them capture a Clark Cup.

52 - Seattle Kraken - Jacob Fowler (Youngstown, USHL)

Personally, I believe Fowler is the top goaltender in this class. But I think that because his physical/athletic tools aren’t quite as strong as the likes of Hrabal and Bjarnason, he probably ends up more in this range. His performance in the Clark Cup playoffs was a masterpiece. Yes, Seattle did draft Niklas Kokko early last year, but when you’re trying to build out a strong prospect group, you need good goaltending depth.

53 - Minnesota Wild - Coulson Pitre (Flint, OHL)

Pitre is exactly the kind of player that the Wild could use in their system; a competitive power winger who can play in all situations. Pitre is one of the most physical forwards available this year and he is that rare kind of power forward who also has good vision with the puck. He’s the perfect complementary piece.

54 - Los Angeles Kings - Oscar Fisker Mølgaard (HV71, SHL)

The second straight draft that the Kings don’t have a first-round selection and they have to be very happy to see Oscar Fisker Mølgaard still available here. The Kings love players like him. He’s a competitive two-way forward with versatility who can probably move through their system pretty quickly.

55 - Chicago Blackhawks (via New York Rangers) - Tristan Bertucci (Flint, OHL)

At this point, the Blackhawks have about half the picks in the first two rounds it seems like. Here they nab Tristan Bertucci, a player who improved substantially in the second half at both ends. He has intriguing physical and athletic tools and could project as a John Marino kind of player with the right development.

56 - Edmonton Oilers - Koehn Ziemmer (Prince George, WHL)

It seems like Edmonton has been searching for this kind of player at the draft for several seasons now. They took Reid Schaefer last year but then dealt him in the Ekholm deal. Ziemmer is a pure goal scorer, but he also brings a competitive edge. The only thing holding him back is a lack of dynamic skating ability.

57 - Seattle Kraken (via Toronto) - Carey Terrance (Erie, OHL)

Speed is the name of the game for Terrance. But versatile is a word that also fits. He showed at the U18’s with the U.S. team that won gold, that he can play a complementary role different from the play driving role that he fills in Erie. He is already a committed two-way player too. Lots to like here.

58 - New Jersey Devils - Gracyn Sawchyn (Seattle, WHL)

Definitely a bit of a fall for Sawchyn, at least compared to where a lot of independent scouting agencies have him ranked (including us). But there are concerns over his slight frame and lack of dynamic skating. That said, this is a great selection for a New Jersey team that doesn’t have a first this year. Sawchyn has great offensive upside and the Devils haven’t shied away from taking players with skating weaknesses in recent years.

59 - Anaheim Ducks (via Colorado) - Easton Cowan (London, OHL)

Have to think that there were quite a few NHL scouts impressed with Cowan’s playoff performance for London in the OHL playoffs where he transformed into a much more assertive offensive player. He has speed to burn and he’s tenacious to boot. This is a future high character, middle six guy for the Ducks.

60 - Anaheim Ducks (via Boston) - Aram Minnetian (USNTDP)

Pretty rare to see the first U.S. NTDP defender off the draft board this late, but it’s an odd group. Minnetian seems like the most likely to go in the second-round range (or Fortescue). This is a solid upside pick for the Ducks because of how well Minnetian skates. Consistency was an issue for him, especially in the defensive end, but he’ll be given time to grow.

61 - Dallas Stars - Martin Misiak (Youngstown, USHL)

It took some time for Misiak to adjust to the USHL, but as the USHL playoffs rolled around, he was firing on all cylinders along with Will Whitelaw. He was a huge piece of that Phantoms’ Clark Cup winning team. He plays a two-way power game and projects as a solid middle six option for Dallas in the future.

62 - Carolina Hurricanes - Jakub Dvorak (Bili Tygri Liberec, Czechia)

It wasn’t the easiest season for Dvorak, as he battled through injuries. However, he returned in time to play at the U18’s, giving scouts a taste of what he can bring to the table as a future top four, stay at home defender. The Hurricanes love raw, toolsy types like Dvorak and they’ve drafted players out of Czechia the last two drafts.

63 - Florida Panthers - Felix Nilsson (Rögle, SHL)

It was really unfortunate that Nilsson had to miss the U18’s due to a wrist injury. He was shooting up draft lists with his strong second half. Ain intelligent and high energy playmaking center, Nilsson fits the Florida Panthers MO at the draft and would be a great pick for a team without a first-round selection this year.

64 - Minnesota Wild (via Los Angeles) - Drew Fortescue (USNTDP)

No defender on the U.S. U18 team improved as much as Fortescue did this year. His athletic tools are through the roof and at the very least, he looks like he could be a solid #5, safe, stay at home type. But what if his game continues to improve at a rapid rate? The Wild have targeted similar kinds of defenders at the draft in recent years.

2023 NHL Combine: Part One – Fitness Testing Overview & Results

Chase Rochon and Joely Stockl — Tue, 13 Jun 2023 22:07:17 +0000

Another NHL Combine has come and gone in Buffalo, NY this past week. For the 106 invited players, it was a week full of 1-on-1 interviews with NHL teams, interviews with the media, and a variety of fitness tests. The fitness testing results mean more to some NHL executives than they do to others, but nonetheless it is always fascinating to see who finished atop the leaderboards in the fitness testing categories. The Combine is also the final opportunity for players to submit their height and weight, which is always an intriguing progression to monitor. The NHL Combine is the perfect precursor to the NHL Draft. It is some of these player’s first times meeting their competitors on the draft board, and it allows for these players to meet their future management of the team that drafts them in Nashville in just a few weeks.

Standouts

Nick Lardis of the Hamilton Bulldogs placed 1st in four categories: Vertical Jump, Squat Jump, No Arm Jump, & Pull Ups (15). This standout performance puts more eyes on the late riser, who arrived in Hamilton and tore it up through the second half of the season putting up 46 points in 33 games. Lardis has skyrocketed on many draft boards, including McKeen’s, as he finished 32nd overall and snuck his way into the tail end of the first round. He is a player that has certainly benefited from being the “go-to” player on the Bulldogs, and his success will hopefully lead into next season as the team moves to Brantford.

Another player from the OHL, Brad Gardiner also performed exceptionally well in the fitness tests. The two-way centre from the Ottawa 67’s finished in the top 10 in five of the categories completed on the weekend of the Combine, as well as in the Grip Strength test completed earlier in the week. Gardiner likely drew some more attention with this performance, as he was one of the later ranked players out of the 106 at the Combine (McKeen’s has Brad Gardiner ranked at 163rd).

Leading the results in the consensus “most difficult” category, the VO2 MAX, was Seattle Thunderbirds forward Nico Myatovic. In their media availability, nearly every player stated that the VO2 MAX was the hardest fitness test of them all. The VO2 MAX is a gruelling test of oxygen utilized during maximum effort. By winning in this category, Myatovic has likely gained some respect points from teams and players.

The tallest player at the Combine measured up at 6 '6.75”, and that was Czech goaltender Michael Hrabal. Hrabal is one of the top ranked goaltenders heading into the NHL Draft, and he was one of seven goalies invited to the Combine. Hrabal’s size is definitely a draw for some teams, as we see NHL goaltenders getting taller and taller each year.

Fitness Testing Results (excluding Functional Movement Screen & Grip Strength)

Top 10 from each category;

VO2 Max

Nico Myatovic
Brad Gardiner
Bradly Nadeau
Beckett Hendrickson
Noel Nordh
Easton Cowan
Aram Minnetian
Paul Fischer
Axel Sandin Pellikka
Hunter Brzustewicz

Wingate Test

Noah Dower Nlsson
Danny Nelson
Tom Willander
Hunter Brzustewicz
Cameron Allen
David Edstrom
Brayden Yager
Tanner Molendyk
Samuel Honzek
Jonathan Castagna

Pull Ups

Nick Lardis- 15
Danny Nelson- 14
Bradly Nadeau- 14
Cameron Allen- 14
Connor Bedard- 14
Brad Gardiner- 13
Jaden Lipinski- 13
Nate Danielson- 13
Oliver Moore- 13
Denver Barkey- 12

Pro Agility (Right)

Easton Cowan
Jonathan Castagna
Brady Cleveland
Samuel Honzek
Scott Ratzlaff
Brandon Svoboda
Brad Gardiner
Beau Akey
Andrew Gibson
Hunter Brzustewicz

Pro Agility (Left)

Easton Cowan
Jonathan Castagna
Oliver Moore
Brandon Svoboda
Jayden Perron
Brad Gardiner
Ethan Gauthier
Beau Akey
Andrew Gibson
Bradly Nadeau

Bench Press (50% of Body Weight)

Axel Sandin Pellikka
Charlie Stramel
Mathieu Cataford
Lukas Dragicevic
Ryan Leonard
Cameron Allen
Jonathan Castagna
Bradly Nadeau
Brad Gardiner
Nate Danielson

Standing Long Jump

Charlie Stramel- 118”
Samuel Honzek- 117.5”
Cameron Allen- 117”
Tom Willander- 116.5”
Beau Akey- 116”
Nick Lardis- 114.5”
Maxim Strbak- 112.8”
David Reinbacher- 112”
Nate Danielson- 111.5”
Jayden Perron- 111”

Vertical Jump

Nick Lardis
Cameron Allen
Colby Barlow
Caden Price
Charlie Stramel
Nate Danielson
Jesse Nurmi
Beau Akey
Oliver Moore
Ethan Gauthier

No Arm Jump

Nick Lardis
Oliver Moore
Samuel Honzek
Jesse Nurmi
Colby Barlow
Cameron Allen
Jayden Perron
Jonathan Castagna
Nate Danielson
Charlie Stramel

Squat Jump

Nick Lardis
Jesse Nurmi
Colby Barlow
Nate Danielson
Jonathan Castagna
Cameron Allen
Tanner Molendyk
Noah Dower Nilsson
Oliver Moore
Tom Willander

Heights & Weights

Name Height /Weight

Beau Akey 6’0”/175

Cameron Allen 6’0”/192

Trey Augustine 6’1.25”/190

Denver Barkey 5’8.75”/155

Colby Barlow 6’0.5”/195

Connor Bedard 5’9.75”/185

Zach Benson 5’9.75”/170

Tristan Bertucci 6’1.75”/175

Carson Bjarnason 6’3.25”/190

Oliver Bonk 6’1.5”/180

Gavin Brindley 5’8”/168

Hunter Brzustewicz 5’11.75”/190

Luca Cagnoni 5’9”/182

Jonathan Castagna 6’2.25” /195

Mathieu Cataford 5’11”/190

Alex Ciernik 5’10.25”/174

Brady Cleveland 6’4.75”//210

Easton Cowan 5’10.5”/170

Andrew Cristall 5’9.5”/175

Nate Danielson 6’1.5”/186

Noah Dower Nilsson 5’11.75 “/185

Lukas Dragicevic 6’1”/194

Jakub Dvorak 6’5”/210

Dalibor Dvorsky 6’1”/200

David Edstrom 6’3”/185

Paul Fischer 6’1”/200

Drew Fortescue 6’1”/176

Adam Gajan 6’2.75”/180

Brad Gardiner 6’1”/184

Ethan Gauthier 5’11.5”/183

Andrew Gibson 6’2.75”/202

Terrell Goldsmith 6’4”/220

Kasper Halttunen 6’3.25”/215

Lenni Hameenaho 6’1”/185

Riley Heidt 5’10.5”/180

Beckett Hendrickson 6’1.5”/174

Samuel Honzek 6’3.25”/195

Michael Hrabel 6’6.75”/215

Larry Keenan 6’3.25”/186

Jesse Kiiskinen 6’0.25”/190

Rasmus Kumpulainen 6’2.75”/190

Nick Lardis 5’11”/168

Ryan Leonard 5’11.75 “/190

Kalan Lind 6’0.5”/158

Theo Lindstein 6’0”/185

Jaden Lipinski 6’3.75”/210

Dylan MacKinnon 6’2”/190

Matteo Mann 6’5.5”/230

Gavin McCarthy 6’1.5”/186

Ethan Miedema 6’4”/208

Aram Minnetian 5’11”/195

Martin Misiak 6’1.5”/200

Tanner Molendyk 5’11”/181

Oscar Fisker Molgaard 5’11.75“/166

Oliver Moore 5’11”/195

Etienne Morin 6’0”/180

Carsen Musser 6’4”/212

Quentin Musty 6’1.5”/200

Nico Myatovic 6’2.5”/180

Sawyer Mynio 6’0.5”/163

Bradly Nadeau 5’10.25”/160

Zach Nehring 6’2.75”/182

Danny Nelson 6’3”/212

Felix Nilsson 6’0.5”/187

Noel Nordh 6’1.5”/200

Jesse Nurmi 5’11”/168

Tyler Peddle 6’1”/204

Gabriel Perreault 5’10.75”/163

Jayden Perron 5’9”/166

Alex Pharand 6’2.5”/205

Emil Pieniniemi 6’2.25”/175

Luca Pinelli 5’8.75”/167

Aaron Pionk 6’0.75”/173

Coulson Pitre 6’0.75”/170

Caden Price 6’0.5”/190

Scott Ratzlaff 6’0.5”/175

Carson Rehkopf 6’2.5”/195

David Reinbacher 6’2.25”/194

Eduard Sale 6’1.75”/175

Axel Sandin-Pellikka 5’11”/180

Gracyn Sawchyn 5’10.75”/155

Zachary Schulz 6’1”/197

Jayson Shaugabay 5’9.25”/165

William Smith 5’11.75 “/180

Jakub Stancl 6’3”/202

Otto Stenberg 5’11”/185

Charlie Stramel 6’3”/222

Andrew Strathmann 5’10.75”/185

Maxim Strbak 6’1.25”/198

Aydar Suniev 6’1.5”/192

Brandon Svoboda 6’3.25”/209

Carey Terrance 6’0.25”/178

Jordan Tourigny 5’11.25”/165

Anton Wahlberg 6’3.25”/192

William Whitelaw 5’8.75”/175

Tom Willander 6’1”/180

Matthew Wood 6’4”/197

Brayden Yager 5’11”/170

Koehn Ziemmer 6’0.25”/210

Jakub Dvorak – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2026 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #27 Los Angeles Kings – Organization Overview – Top 15 Prospects

Prospect System Ranking – 27th (Last Year - 24th) GM: Ken Holland Hired: May 2025 COACH: D.J. Smith (Interim) Hired: March 2026

1. Carter George, G, Soo Greyhounds (OHL)

2. Henry Brzustewicz, D, London Knights (OHL) (Currently with Ontario Reign, AHL)

3. Vojtech Cihar, LW, Kelowna Rockets (WHL)

4. Hampton Slukynsky, G, Western Michigan (NCAA) (Currently with Ontario Reign, AHL)

5. Kenny Connors, C, Ontario Reign (AHL)

6. Erik Portillo, G, Ontario Reign (AHL)

7. Jared Woolley, D, Kitchener Rangers (OHL)

8. Jimmy Lombardi, C, Flint Firebirds (OHL)

9. Koehn Ziemmer, RW, Ontario Reign (AHL)

10. Jared Wright, RW, Ontario Reign (AHL)

11. Kristian Epperson, LW, University of Denver (NCAA)

12. Ryan Conmy, RW, Boston College (NCAA)

13. Martin Chromiak, LW, Ontario Reign (AHL)

14. Petteri Rimpinen, G, Kiekko-Espoo (Liiga)

15. Jakub Dvorak, D, Ontario Reign (AHL)

MCKEEN’S 2025-26 NHL YEARBOOK – LOS ANGELES KINGS – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #24

Los Angeles Kings Top-15 Prospects

1 - Liam Greentree

2 - Carter George

3 - Henry Brzustewicz

4 - Hampton Slukynsky

5 - Koehn Ziemmer

6 - Erik Portillo

7 - Ryan Conmy

8 - Jared Woolley

9 - Francesco Pinelli

10 - Kristian Epperson

11 - Petteri Rimpinen

12 - Caeden Herrington

13 - Vojtech Cihar

14 - Jimmy Lombardi

15 - Jakub Dvorak

2025 NHL PROSPECTS REPORT: #25 LOS ANGELES KINGS – Top 15 NHL Affiliated Prospects

2025 WORLD JUNIORS: Team Preview – Team Czechia

Key Players

Eduard Šalé, RW

Michael Hrabal, G

Adam Jiříček, D

Jakub Dvořák, D

Jakub Štancl, LW

Tomáš Galvas, D

Adam Jecho, RW/C

Miroslav Holinka, C/W

Jiří Felcman, C

Petr Sikora, RW/C

Sleeper Player

Vojtěch Čihař, RW/C

MCKEEN’S 2024-25 NHL YEARBOOK – LOS ANGELES KINGS – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #21

Los Angeles Kings Top-15 Prospects

1. Brandt Clarke

2. Liam Greentree

3. Erik Portillo

4. Alex Turcotte

5. Carter George

6. Francesco Pinelli

7. Jakub Dvorak

8. Samuel Fagemo

9. Koehn Ziemmer

10. Hampton Slukynsky

11. Akil Thomas

12. Martin Chromiak

13. Aatu Jamsen

14. Jack Hughes

15. Otto Salin

MCKEEN’S 2024 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #21 Los Angeles Kings – Organization Overview – Top 15 Prospects

1. Brandt Clarke, D, Ontario Reign (AHL)

2. Erik Portillo, G, Ontario Reign (AHL)

3. Samuel Fagemo, RW, Ontario Reign (AHL)

4. Francesco Pinelli, C, Ontario Reign (AHL)

5. Jakub Dvorak, D, Swift Current Broncos (WHL)

6. Alex Turcotte, C, Ontario Reign (AHL)

7. Koehn Ziemmer, RW, Prince George Cougars (WHL)

8. Martin Chromiak, C, Ontario Reign (AHL)

9. Kasper Simontaival, RW, KalPa (Liiga)

10. Hampton Slukynsky, G, Fargo Force (USHL)

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK – LOS ANGELES KINGS – Top 20 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #18

Top 20 Los Angeles Kings Prospects

Prospect System Ranking – 27th (Last Year - 24th)
GM: Ken Holland Hired: May 2025
COACH: D.J. Smith (Interim) Hired: March 2026