C Alex Turcotte - USNTDP, USHL (2019, 5th, LAK)

[Fat Elvis]

Glad there are so many non-King fans that are incredibly educated on Kings prospects.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I was joking about Detroit but not really joking about them trading him. They should seriously consider. Sometimes a prospect pool can get too full at certain positions, and then you end up wasting assets. I feel LA is approaching that point at C.

Tend to agree but I also think it's important to see which will start to pan out before you start rearranging pieces.

Example, Vilardi doesn't appear like he's going to stick at center.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

The poster youre talkin to was a massive Turcotte fan during his draft year. Pretty sure he had Turcotte ranked first overall. Its clear he still has very strong feelings for him as a prospect.

So that’s reason to attack me for bringing up facts?

Besides, I’ve not seen anyone who tries to act so smug about how they ranked players in that draft than you do. You’d think that you actually had been proven right about anything, which you haven’t been, yet you act like you have.

We are all fans. Your opinions aren’t any more worthwhile than any of us.

 

[Lt Dan]

Turcotte was called up to the Kings today

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Is he going to play?

 

[bland]

Is he going to play?

Likely not, unfortunately. Athanasiou is coming off IR and Doughty is going on LTIR so the thought is that the Kings are banking some cap for later on with some paper transactions. They only have 5 defensemen with sending Clague and Strand down today to extend their previous waiver clearances, both will be brought back up tomorrow and the forwards will be likely be sent right back.

Just a bump to the next paycheck and a "kid, you're up next" pat on Turcotte's back.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

He hasn't gotten his shot yet but he's ridiculous right now.

If you watch Ontario at all, he's got his hands on everything. Just got done disarming Newhook in his own zone, getting the breakout pass, carrying it the length of the ice before issuing a drop pass and dragging checkers with him, gets rewarded with the tap in rebound. He does this stuff game in and game out--the 'problem' he has is the same as Drew Doughty, he's often the 'third assist' where everything starts. I guarantee anyone watches three games of this kid they will believe in him. He's just the absolute motor. Toews-like. The only thing you would want him to do more is put on 25-30 pounds so he can just go right through everyone the way you can tell he wants to.

He'll be up this year and I doubt he'll go back down.

 

[Dominance]

He hasn't gotten his shot yet but he's ridiculous right now.

If you watch Ontario at all, he's got his hands on everything. Just got done disarming Newhook in his own zone, getting the breakout pass, carrying it the length of the ice before issuing a drop pass and dragging checkers with him, gets rewarded with the tap in rebound. He does this stuff game in and game out--the 'problem' he has is the same as Drew Doughty, he's often the 'third assist' where everything starts. I guarantee anyone watches three games of this kid they will believe in him. He's just the absolute motor. Toews-like. The only thing you would want him to do more is put on 25-30 pounds so he can just go right through everyone the way you can tell he wants to.

He'll be up this year and I doubt he'll go back down.

Kings took the wrong Alex

Great post, though. It’s strange to me how it’s seen as a negative when kids aren’t in the NHL yet a bare two years after being drafted.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Kings took the wrong Alex

Great post, though. It’s strange to me how it’s seen as a negative when kids aren’t in the NHL yet a bare two years after being drafted.

It's partially smart marination, partially self-sabotage by the Kings, having wayyyy too many middle sixers in the org. JAD should be up right this moment, too, he's as ripe as it gets. Plenty of talent marinating and ready/borderline-ready

 

[Dominance]

It's partially smart marination, partially self-sabotage by the Kings, having wayyyy too many middle sixers in the org. JAD should be up right this moment, too, he's as ripe as it gets. Plenty of talent marinating and ready/borderline-ready

To be honest, the Danault signing struck me as mind-numbingly stupid.

 

[SenzZen]

To be honest, the Danault signing struck me as mind-numbingly stupid.

Did you miss this?

Doughty sees Kings 'running out of time,' wants aggressive offseason

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Did you miss this?

Doughty sees Kings 'running out of time,' wants aggressive offseason

Doughty and Kopitar asked for the signing. It's still stupid. You don't let two players that aren't part of your next window dictate what the team should be doing. The Kings aren't becoming a playoff team due to Danault. Signing Danault blocks the strength of the organization, center prospects, and creates cap problems down the road when they might need the space. It would've made a lot more sense to sign a LHD, if they wanted to sign a big free agent.

 

[kings11]

Doughty and Kopitar asked for the signing. It's still stupid. You don't let two players that aren't part of your next window dictate what the team should be doing. The Kings aren't becoming a playoff team due to Danault. Signing Danault blocks the strength of the organization, center prospects, and creates cap problems down the road when they might need the space. It would've made a lot more sense to sign a LHD, if they wanted to sign a big free agent.

That’s actually false, signing Danault helps keep the kids in lower pressure matchups and allows them to make the necessary mistakes followed up by much needed veteran guidance. Danault’s presence also allows the Kings to better utilize Kopitar, the kids have started to trickle in and wouldn’t you know it… they been pretty successful.

While the Kings seem to have a glut of centers at the moment, they also feel very confident being able to move whoever to the wing. Kupari, JAD, Turcotte, Byfield and Vilardi can all play the wing assuming one or two don’t get traded.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

That’s actually false, signing Danault helps keep the kids in lower pressure matchups and allows them to make the necessary mistakes followed up by much needed veteran guidance. Danault’s presence also allows the Kings to better utilize Kopitar, the kids have started to trickle in and wouldn’t you know it… they been pretty successful.

While the Kings seem to have a glut of centers at the moment, they also feel very confident being able to move whoever to the wing. Kupari, JAD, Turcotte, Byfield and Vilardi can all play the wing assuming one or two don’t get traded.

I don't want to derail this thread about the Kings roster construction, so I'll make this my last post on this topic for now.

I understand the things you are saying, and I'm sure that was the rationalization. I just don't think it makes sense. You pick two guys in the top 5, another just outside the top 10, you are projecting at least two of those guys to play their natural positions. Could they play other positions? Probably, but you reduce the value of the pick, and since it's a league with a cap, you undermine your initial roster building strategy when you decide to sign Danault.

If this was a situation where the Kings had a 1C gifted to them, you don't second guess the situation for prospects, but they spent a sizable amount of the cap on an aging center that is probably at best an average 2C, and maybe only a good 3C, depending on who you ask. It seems like a hasty decision to not utilize the strengths of your organization in a league where you can't outspend your roster building errors. You need precision to build a great team.

 

[Fjordy]

I agree with @Pavel Buchnevich . I also don’t understand the signing of Danault, it looked weird. Kopitar, Vilardi, Byfield, Turcotte and LA still have prospects that can play in the center. I think players like Turcotte and Byfield should play in the center, not on the wing. Even if Blake listened to Doughty's words, they could have signed a defender or another winger, but not the center.

 

[kings11]

I don't want to derail this thread about the Kings roster construction, so I'll make this my last post on this topic for now.

I understand the things you are saying, and I'm sure that was the rationalization. I just don't think it makes sense. You pick two guys in the top 5, another just outside the top 10, you are projecting at least two of those guys to play their natural positions. Could they play other positions? Probably, but you reduce the value of the pick, and since it's a league with a cap, you undermine your initial roster building strategy when you decide to sign Danault.

If this was a situation where the Kings had a 1C gifted to them, you don't second guess the situation for prospects, but they spent a sizable amount of the cap on an aging center that is probably at best an average 2C, and maybe only a good 3C, depending on who you ask. It seems like a hasty decision to not utilize the strengths of your organization in a league where you can't outspend your roster building errors. You need precision to build a great team.

I don’t disagree with what you’ve said per say, I see it both ways honestly.. it does create a logjam at center but isn’t that a good problem to have?

As for Turcotte, having last seen the kid play here in Las Vegas a week ago.. let me say this, he’s almost ready! He has elite hockey IQ and awareness, he’s Mike Richards tough with the intangibles, he’s a 200ft player .. he’s a fricken hockey teams dream!! He’s the kid you win with.

 

[Waterbuf]

I think the Kings brass looked around at other rebuild teams and saw the risk of becoming too terrible, you don't want to develop players in an environment like Buffalo or Arizona if it can be helped. Worse case scenario Danault is like the best 3C in the league. I think there will still be ice time enough for the rookies to develop properly. And if not they'll do the right thing and use them as trade chips to get them in a situation where they can play.

 

[kings11]

I think the Kings brass looked around at other rebuild teams and saw the risk of becoming too terrible, you don't want to develop players in an environment like Buffalo or Arizona if it can be helped. Worse case scenario Danault is like the best 3C in the league. I think there will still be ice time enough for the rookies to develop properly. And if not they'll do the right thing and use them as trade chips to get them in a situation where they can play.

This is another point I wanted to mention, the Kings want the kids to be in a winning environment, they might not make the playoffs but if they make a strong push and the kids experience it.. think of how valuable that is to their development..

 

[driller1]

Last year the Kings 2nd line got their teeth kicked in on a nightly basis and Kopitar had to do the heavy lifting in the D zone. Now Danault can do the heavy lifting, Kopi can play offense, and the kids can marinate and develop without getting their asses handed to them on a nightly basis. Win-Win. Having too much talent is a good problem to have and with Byfield hurt and Turcotte logging heavy minutes in the AHL, there really isn't another 2C candidate on the Kings roster.

 

[BigKing]

Not all of the center prospects will either:

a) Make it in the NHL as centers
b) Not be used as trade chips to fill needs in other positions
c) Make it at all
d) Hit projections if they do make it

Vilardi probably isn't a center in the NHL so he fits "a" and could be a "b" and/or a "d". On the surface, the big one is looking at how Byfield and Turcotte fit in since you have Kopitar and Danault in there. The answer could be Turcotte moves to wing.

 

[Ed Ned and Leddy]

Not all of the center prospects will either:

a) Make it in the NHL as centers
b) Not be used as trade chips to fill needs in other positions
c) Make it at all
d) Hit projections if they do make it

Vilardi probably isn't a center in the NHL so he fits "a" and could be a "b" and/or a "d". On the surface, the big one is looking at how Byfield and Turcotte fit in since you have Kopitar and Danault in there. The answer could be Turcotte moves to wing.

Playing Turcotte off the wing is like riding a full-suspension mountain bike on the sidewalk imo. You're really not capitalizing on what the player brings to the table. I think Byfield's skill set would translate more naturally off the wing if anything, but honestly both players strike me as natural centers.

I agree with the posters above, locking up Kopitar and Danault for 15m+ was a strange play for a team with arguably the league's most impressive center prospects. It's definitely something they can maneuver around, but I wouldn't have made that add personally.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Re: danault we're already seeing the benefits of that signing, kopitars minutes and deployment are FAR different and he's going beastmode while Danault helps Iafallo show the hockey world who he is away from Kopitar too. It was also clear watching Carter and Vilardi getting caved in at 2C last year that if the kids came in this year expectations would be sky high while STILL burying Kopitar. You don't have to agree with it, but it makes sense--and became an even greater benefit when Byfield went down early with injury. He doesn't have to rush back to capture a 2C spot etc.

Kings have too many kids and not enough spots and I have some issues with that but 1. it's fixable and 2. learning from Kopitar and Danault? Kings' young Cs are in heaven. Some will become wings. I can't see Thomas, Madden, Vilardi at C in the NHL, for example. And some will be packaged for other pieces/natural wings/defensemen/goalies.

Turcotte--he's so damn versatile I could see him breaking in anywhere from Kopitar's wing to immediate fulltime 3C.

Playing Turcotte off the wing is like riding a full-suspension mountain bike on the sidewalk imo. You're really not capitalizing on what the player brings to the table. I think Byfield's skill set would translate more naturally off the wing if anything, but honestly both players strike me as natural centers.

I agree with the posters above, locking up Kopitar and Danault for 15m+ was a strange play for a team with arguably the league's most impressive center prospects. It's definitely something they can maneuver around, but I wouldn't have made that add personally.

I can understand why you'd say that but having seen Byfield channel Malkin this year there's no way that guy is not a C. Just an unreal presence, freak of nature.

Turcotte's versatility--while better used at C with his vision and such--he's still so good he'll make full use of his tools at W as well until it's time. I don't think he's a W long term.

 

[bsu]

Re: danault we're already seeing the benefits of that signing, kopitars minutes and deployment are FAR different and he's going beastmode while Danault helps Iafallo show the hockey world who he is away from Kopitar too. It was also clear watching Carter and Vilardi getting caved in at 2C last year that if the kids came in this year expectations would be sky high while STILL burying Kopitar. You don't have to agree with it, but it makes sense--and became an even greater benefit when Byfield went down early with injury. He doesn't have to rush back to capture a 2C spot etc.

Kings have too many kids and not enough spots and I have some issues with that but 1. it's fixable and 2. learning from Kopitar and Danault? Kings' young Cs are in heaven. Some will become wings. I can't see Thomas, Madden, Vilardi at C in the NHL, for example. And some will be packaged for other pieces/natural wings/defensemen/goalies.

Turcotte--he's so damn versatile I could see him breaking in anywhere from Kopitar's wing to immediate fulltime 3C.




I can understand why you'd say that but having seen Byfield channel Malkin this year there's no way that guy is not a C. Just an unreal presence, freak of nature.

Turcotte's versatility--while better used at C with his vision and such--he's still so good he'll make full use of his tools at W as well until it's time. I don't think he's a W long term.

Where did you see that?

 

[bland]

Kopitar's contract expires in two and a half seasons, and it wouldn't surprise me one bit if he and the Kings had a lengthy conversation about his future plans before signing Danault. Anze may very well wish to return home with his kids instead of lingering around in his late 30s.

But aside from that conjecture, its very important to note that the LA Kings of the past two years were very short of professionalism and accountability on ice and off. Danault brings that in spades - the team had a nasty habit of caving in on itself and letting that 3rd goal allowed turn into 6 without response. It's been no enviornment to introduce kids into the league. Adding a player like Danault was vital, and honestly, there is no logjam at center if you see what they are doing, even though it may look that way on paper from the outside.

Gabe Vilardi has spent the majority of his very young pro career playing himself out of the middle, and a lot of us in LA have seen him as a longterm winger for a couple of years now.

Turcotte is my favorite Kings prospect by a huge margin. He is ideally a center, that high speed connectivity and buzzsaw like approach to pressuring the opposition and funnelling pucks into high danger areas won't be harmed much by an NHL introduction on the wing.

He and Byfield are still really, really young. By 24-25 the Kings could be looking at this up the middle:
Byfield (22)
Turcotte (24)
Danault (32)

That is just nothing to worry about.

 

[Ed Ned and Leddy]

Re: danault we're already seeing the benefits of that signing, kopitars minutes and deployment are FAR different and he's going beastmode while Danault helps Iafallo show the hockey world who he is away from Kopitar too. It was also clear watching Carter and Vilardi getting caved in at 2C last year that if the kids came in this year expectations would be sky high while STILL burying Kopitar. You don't have to agree with it, but it makes sense--and became an even greater benefit when Byfield went down early with injury. He doesn't have to rush back to capture a 2C spot etc.

Kings have too many kids and not enough spots and I have some issues with that but 1. it's fixable and 2. learning from Kopitar and Danault? Kings' young Cs are in heaven. Some will become wings. I can't see Thomas, Madden, Vilardi at C in the NHL, for example. And some will be packaged for other pieces/natural wings/defensemen/goalies.

Turcotte--he's so damn versatile I could see him breaking in anywhere from Kopitar's wing to immediate fulltime 3C.




I can understand why you'd say that but having seen Byfield channel Malkin this year there's no way that guy is not a C. Just an unreal presence, freak of nature.

Turcotte's versatility--while better used at C with his vision and such--he's still so good he'll make full use of his tools at W as well until it's time. I don't think he's a W long term.

I mean, I think everything you've said is correct. But at the end of the day, even with Thomas, Madden, and Vilardi off the wing, there are three spots for the four of Kopitar, Danault, Byfield, and Turcotte. I agree with you that Turcotte would likely make a strong winger, but is that really maximizing value for the Kings?

I think you could play him off the wing, but you might be better served packaging him for some serious improvement on your blue line or wings. Just my two cents, we'll see how things play out I suppose. It's a good problem to have.