After a number of years of settling on at a excessive point, the Kings have begun to rebound. They are seeking to win, they are buying and selling kids, graduating them or in some circumstances they have not been a success. The machine is at the method down, however there are nonetheless promising younger avid gamers to assist the workforce try to compete, led by way of extremely rated Quinton Byfield and Brandt Clarke.
Key Extras: Jakub Dvorak, Cohen Zimmer
Key Subtraction: Rasmus Kupari
Primary graduate: Samuel Fagemo
2022 Rating: No. 10
2023 NHL Draft Grade: C+
Whole 2023-24 NHL Pipeline Ratings
participant rating
1. Quinton Byfield, C
8/19/2002 | 6-foot-5 | 220 kilos | pill left
Draft: No. 2 in 2020
Tier: Best of the Lineup Participant
Skating: Above NHL reasonable
Puck Talents: NHL Moderate
Hockey Sense: NHL Moderate
Competitiveness: NHL reasonable
Research: Byfield featured ceaselessly for the Kings this season and used to be in a key position by way of the tip of the season. It is a lot more uncomplicated to dream on Byfield’s toolkit. Giant guys who can skate like him, have the talents, and paintings arduous, it isn’t simple to seek out. He has the entire makings to change into a extremely productive long run NHL participant. His sport hasn’t fairly hit the pro point but, however there were some adjustments this season that get you thinking about his possible. He has performed a couple of wing roles within the NHL, and it is still made up our minds whether or not he’s a wing or middle, however he initiatives as a top-line ahead.
2. Brandt Clark, D
2/9/2003 | 6-foot-2 | 185 kilos | shoots proper
Drafted: No. 8 in 2021
Tier: Bubble height and center of the lineup participant
Skating: Unhealthy
Puck Talents: Above NHL Moderate
Hockey Sense: Above NHL Moderate
Competitiveness: Above NHL reasonable
Shot: Above NHL reasonable
Research: Clarke made the Kings out of camp and, after being despatched again to junior, took the second one part of the season to the OHL as that league’s absolute best participant. Clarke is an excessively skilful and inventive participant. He constantly assaults the frenzy and pinch from the blue line and will make many difficult performs with the puck as a handler or passer. His knock-kneed skating battle has at all times been a subject in his sport, however he’s a aggressive participant who does not shy clear of bodily play. This must assist him change into a just right sufficient NHL defender to head at the side of a very good offensive line within the workforce’s height 4.
3. Arthur Kaliyev, RW
6/26/2001 | 6-foot-2 | 210 kilos | pill left
Draft: No. 33 in 2019
Tier: Bubble height and center of the lineup participant
Skating: Underneath NHL reasonable
Puck abilities: Underneath NHL reasonable
Hockey Sense: Above NHL Moderate
Competitiveness: NHL reasonable
Shot: Prime-end
Research: Kaliev had a just right 2nd season with the Kings and scored at a top quality price, albeit with a deficient efficiency throughout the playoffs. Kaliev could be very unhealthy throughout the offensive zone because of his very good offensive sense and shot. He’s a danger to attain from the fringe within the NHL, whilst additionally having the imaginative and prescient to make a number of tricky performs with the puck. Festival in his sport won’t ever excite you, and he lacks supreme footspeed, so he may not be a driving force of equivalent energy and will infrequently frustrate coaches. He’ll ranking numerous targets and assist within the energy play such a lot that I will be able to be seeing a top-six wing for a very long time.
4. Jordan Spence, D
2/24/2001 | 5-foot-10 | 180 kilos | shoots proper
Draft: No. 95 in 2019
Tier: Center of the Lineup Participant
Skating: NHL Moderate
Puck Talents: NHL Moderate
Hockey Sense: Above NHL Moderate
Competitiveness: NHL reasonable
Research: Spence has excelled as a qualified on the AHL point and used to be some of the league’s absolute best defensemen remaining season. Spence is a really perfect sensible puck-mover who can run energy performs like a professional. He makes loads of inventive passes and presentations nice steadiness from the offensive blue line to the ahead with robust puck abilities. There is not any doubt that he has NHL offense, however as a 5 foot 10 inch tall defenseman who is simply as just right a skater, whether or not he can protect within the NHL is controversial. He has proven that he can protect and play heavy mins within the AHL. The tale within the NHL can be other, however he is sensible sufficient that I feel he can give you the chance to be a 2nd or 3rd pair defenseman and feature a occupation.
5. Tobias Bjornfot, D
4/6/2001 | 6-feet | 200 kilos | pill left
Draft: No. 22 in 2019
Tier: Estimated NHL Sport Play
Skating: NHL Moderate
Puck Talents: NHL Moderate
Hockey Sense: NHL Moderate
Competitiveness: Above NHL reasonable
Research: Bjornfot performed lots of the 12 months within the AHL after being an ordinary participant for the Kings the former season. He’s a cast particular person in spite of being an all-round defenceman. He performed on each particular groups for Ontario. He can skate neatly, has some assault together with his toes and is just right defensively on account of his achieve and pageant. Bjornfot’s offense won’t ever be flashy, however he has a cast first-pass assault and will transfer the puck successfully. I nonetheless see one NHL participant, however it is most probably the 3rd pair selection.
6. Jakub Dvorak, D
5/25/2005 | 6-foot-5 | 210 kilos | pill left
Drafted: No. 54 in 2023
Tier: Estimated NHL Sport Play
Skating: Unhealthy
Puck abilities: Underneath NHL reasonable
Hockey Sense: NHL Moderate
Competitiveness: Above NHL reasonable
Research: Dvorak’s season used to be going nice, however a damaged clavicle dominated him out for a couple of months, together with lacking the International Juniors. His offensive totals do not soar out at you, however Dvorak is a cast two-way guard. He is a huge, sensible defender who stops every now and then on account of his achieve, thoughts and paintings ethic. He is not a punishingly bodily participant, however Dvorak does not shy clear of the use of his frame and places up a robust effort defensively. He can transfer neatly off the ice, however his natural talent/velocity does not stick out from a puck-transport viewpoint.
7. Cohen Zimmer, RW
12/8/2004 | 6-feet | 210 kilos | shoots proper
Drafted: No. 78 in 2023
Tier: Estimated NHL Sport Play
Skating: Unhealthy
Puck Talents: Above NHL Moderate
Hockey Sense: NHL Moderate
Competitiveness: NHL reasonable
Shot: Above NHL reasonable
Research: Zimmer is a extremely skilful and inventive ahead who has performed middle and wing however as a qualified he’s most probably a winger. Zimmer has excessive palms and beats a number of defenders one-on-one. He has the thoughts to run the facility play and performs the harsh sport constantly even at equivalent energy. Zimmer has an offensive contact; It is all about whether or not his taste of play will paintings within the NHL given his skating growth. His skating is fairly instantly and difficult, slightly like Jason Robertson’s, and raises considerations over his professional projection. There’s some physicality to Zimmer’s sport and he can play across the web, however I would not name him the high-energy sort. I feel he performs the sport, however with regards to projecting a protracted occupation within the NHL, the questions of skating will stay till he proves that they not do.
8. Kirill Kirsanov, D
9/19/2002 | 6-foot-1 | 198 kilos | pill left
Drafted: Quantity 84 in 2021
Tier: Estimated NHL Sport Play
Skating: NHL Moderate
Puck Talents: NHL Moderate
Hockey Sense: NHL Moderate
Competitiveness: NHL reasonable
Research: Kirsanov performed the season with SKA’s VHL workforce the place he gained actual mins on each particular groups. Kirsanov is a smart all-around defenceman. He has NHL qualities in his skating and puck-moving, however neither of them are top-notch and he’s of reasonable dimension. He is a constant puck-mover who could make some stops and looks as if a qualified however I have no idea if you’ll be able to ever get greater than a 3rd pair of defensemen.
have a possibility to play*
Martin Chromiak, RW
8/20/2002 | 6-feet | 187 kilos | shoots proper
Draft: No. 128 in 2020
Research: Chromiak is an excessively professional wing that may create and end performs and used to be a top quality rookie within the AHL. Alternatively, his skating must strengthen in an effort to play on the subsequent point.
Kenny Connors, c
3/10/2003 | 6-foot-1 | 199 kilos | pill left
Drafted: No. 103 in 2022
Research: Connors had a robust freshman season at UMass and made america International Juniors workforce. He’s a quick, aggressive ahead. The query is whether or not or no longer he has sufficient puck abilities/offense, however he has a possibility to take action.
Atu Jamsen, RW
7/22/2002 | 6-foot-1 | 154 kilos | pill left
Draft: No. 190 in 2020
Research: Jameson is a huge winger with some talent and playmaking skill, however his skill to create on the web is intriguing and has noticed him in finding luck in opposition to males this season. Even if he must be quicker.
Alex Laferriere, RW
10/28/2001 | 6-feet | 173 kilos | shoots proper
Draft: No. 83 in 2020
Research: Laferriere used to be exceptional within the ECAC remaining season. He has glaring NHL abilities, can beat defenders one-on-one with velocity, and has a cast paintings price. He is not positive, however he is neatly on his method to changing into a productive skilled with a chance to play within the NHL.
Matthew Mania, D
1/11/2005 | 6-foot-1 | 180 kilos | shoots proper
Drafted: Quantity 150 in 2023
Research: Mania is a skilled offensive minded defender. He has the skating, talent and imaginative and prescient to make performs at a excessive point. Mania is in a position to skate the ice at a robust clip, and makes loads of managed exits and entries. He’s an artistic puck-mover who can in finding alternatives for others to create possibilities. He’s just right at taking pictures the puck on the blue line and will break out power together with his skating. He has NHL offense, however whether or not he can protect on the best point is a huge query. Frenzy can also be overly competitive aggressively and absence pageant on his personal finish. I feel there is sufficient ability to in all probability get some taking part in time, however he’s going to wish to easiest his sport to in reality have an NHL occupation.
Francesco Pinelli, c
4/11/2003 | 6-feet | 185 kilos | pill left
Drafted: Quantity 42 in 2021
Research: Pinelli is an excessively inventive middle with robust imaginative and prescient and palms that may shoot the puck neatly. Kitchener’s captain has been a robust junior participant over the last two years, however his skating might save you him from changing into a sound NHL participant.
Alex Turcotte, c
2/26/2001 | 5-foot-11 | 185 kilos | pill left
Draft: No. 5 in 2019
Research: Turcotte’s construction has been derailed by way of accidents and offensive manufacturing hasn’t took place in years. The 2019 No. 5 pick out is a sturdy skater who drives arduous and will get to the web, however whether or not his sport is just right sufficient to change into a sound NHL ahead, particularly at his dimension, is in query 4 years after he used to be drafted.
*Indexed in alphabetical order
Participant eligibility: All skaters who’re 22 years of age or more youthful as of September 15, 2023, without reference to what number of NHL video games they’ve performed, are eligible. Participant top and weight are taken from the NHL.
Software grade: Software grades are in keeping with a six-level scale that takes under consideration how neatly the function compares to the NHL (deficient, beneath reasonable, reasonable, above reasonable, high-end, and specialised). Will grade “Moderate” in this scale manner the device initiatives the similar because the NHL reasonable, which is supposed to be a good, no longer a grievance. Skating, puck abilities, hockey sense, and competitiveness are graded for every projected NHL participant. Shot grades are best integrated if a shot is especially just right or dangerous.
Tier Definitions: The aim of the tier is to turn more or less the place within the reasonable NHL lineup a participant initiatives to be ranked.
(Photograph of Quinton Byfield: Gary A. Vasquez/USA TODAY)
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