Prospect Info: 2019 Draft Discussion: LA Kings pick 5th, 22nd overall

[AzKing]

Button comes across as a lazy guy who has done little research and is just going with the latest buzz rather than what each team actually would be focusing on.

I just roll right by any “Expert” who has the Kings taking a goalie at #22 because it means they know nothing about the team needs. There is a zero percent chance that the Kings use one of their first two picks on a goalie.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Carter Hart was the first goalie selected at the 2016 draft, going 48th overall in the 2nd round to Philadelphia. He was without a doubt the best goalie available and who I would have liked to have seen the Kings select, but he went ahead of the Kings' first selection that year (who happened to be Kale Clague).

In 2017, the first goalie selected was Jake Oettinger, who went 26th overall to the Dallas Stars. The next goaltender selected was Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen at 54th overall by the Sabres, and he's arguably one of the best goalie prospects out there.

I think taking a goalie in the 2nd or 3rd round is likely if the Kings have the fortune of landing two highly skilled players with their first two selections.

 

[Master Yoda]

Wasn't it reported that Blake and Co believe Bowen Byram will be there at #5 because the thought is both the Hawks and Avs are going Forward??
I am starting to believe that it will actually happen.. I've always thought that Chicago would steal Alex Turcotte from us but it now seems like the Avs have their sights set on Cozens, big bodied, fast skating sniper..

I think it was a poster with "insider" info. Either that or he over heard someone at a Del Taco.

 

[Peter James Bond II]

Draft day trades.

Mayor thinks Kings may trade #5 down and #22 up and get 2 players in the 8-15 range? Something like that...not sure if that's easily pulled off. In theory, if Turcotte or Byram is not around at #5, perhaps do it and still get a Zegras, Dach, or Boldy at 8-9 and then possibly get Kaliyev, Newhook, or Krebs at the 14- 15 ish mark. Could get 2 top talents, instead of 1 top talent and a near top talent at 22. I like that in theory.

Dream would be getting rid of Toffoli and the 22 to move up a few spots... Someone mentioned doing that on another board. but who would do that, considering:

Toffoli is close to negative value. 4.6 million. Subpar ability at EVERYTHING: Subpar Skating, no physical presence, easy to play against, subpar playmaking, 5.8 shooting percentage was #450 in NHL forwards!! 226 shots, 13 goals. 3 pp goals, 2 pp assists. Putrid. link: to #450 shooting percentage. His shooting percentage of 5.8% would be 81st among DEFENSEMEN!!! Matt Roy had a higher percentage! See his name above TT:
2018-19 NHL Hockey Stats and League Leaders - Shooting - National Hockey League - ESPN

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

The only team's who would even consider trading for Toffoli are those who need to reach the cap floor, and they sure as hell aren't giving up a first round pick for him. Given Ottawa's predicament of needing bodies and to reach the cap floor, I'd look at trading him to the Sens for a 2nd round selection, then trying to package two 2nd round picks to move up into the 1st round again, or just hanging onto the pick and have four selections in the top 60.

 

[Telos]

To be honest, I am okay with anything on draft day. We are going to end up with some decent young players no matter what that will take time to develop. We likely have the first worst draft pick if Turcotte and Bryam are gone at 5. If they decide to move down, I am fine with that, as long as they are aiming high. We are starved for talent, I wouldn't move down for a couple of third liners. If you're looking for a forward, I hope they are looking at skill over size or intangibles.

 

[kings11]

I think it was a poster with "insider" info. Either that or he over heard someone at a Del Taco.

Pretty sure it was Tito's Tacos

 

[raswilliam]

The only team's who would even consider trading for Toffoli are those who need to reach the cap floor, and they sure as hell aren't giving up a first round pick for him. Given Ottawa's predicament of needing bodies and to reach the cap floor, I'd look at trading him to the Sens for a 2nd round selection, then trying to package two 2nd round picks to move up into the 1st round again, or just hanging onto the pick and have four selections in the top 60.

Draft day trades.

Mayor thinks Kings may trade #5 down and #22 up and get 2 players in the 8-15 range? Something like that...not sure if that's easily pulled off. In theory, if Turcotte or Byram is not around at #5, perhaps do it and still get a Zegras, Dach, or Boldy at 8-9 and then possibly get Kaliyev, Newhook, or Krebs at the 14- 15 ish mark. Could get 2 top talents, instead of 1 top talent and a near top talent at 22. I like that in theory.

Dream would be getting rid of Toffoli and the 22 to move up a few spots... Someone mentioned doing that on another board. but who would do that, considering:

Toffoli is close to negative value. 4.6 million. Subpar ability at EVERYTHING: Subpar Skating, no physical presence, easy to play against, subpar playmaking, 5.8 shooting percentage was #450 in NHL forwards!! 226 shots, 13 goals. 3 pp goals, 2 pp assists. Putrid. link: to #450 shooting percentage. His shooting percentage of 5.8% would be 81st among DEFENSEMEN!!! Matt Roy had a higher percentage! See his name above TT:
2018-19 NHL Hockey Stats and League Leaders - Shooting - National Hockey League - ESPN

contract year for toffoli. You know he's hitting gym this summer instead on cruising the Manhattan beach boardwalk in Rollerblade scoping on bikinis like he appeared to be doing last summer. Expecting a solid bounce back year for him and more value at the trade deadline.

 

[fsanford]

The only team's who would even consider trading for Toffoli are those who need to reach the cap floor, and they sure as hell aren't giving up a first round pick for him. Given Ottawa's predicament of needing bodies and to reach the cap floor, I'd look at trading him to the Sens for a 2nd round selection, then trying to package two 2nd round picks to move up into the 1st round again, or just hanging onto the pick and have four selections in the top 60.

Maybe You send Toffoli and the 22nd to Montreal for the 15th.. Or with Colorado at 16, if there is a guy you really want. Is moving up 6 or 7 spots greater value than a # 2 pick you might get for him later at the deadline?

Of course he could have a bounce back year. I am not ready to judge anyones future performance based on this past season debacle.

 

[Brodeur]

In 2017, the first goalie selected was Jake Oettinger, who went 26th overall to the Dallas Stars. The next goaltender selected was Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen at 54th overall by the Sabres, and he's arguably one of the best goalie prospects out there.

Maybe unrelated to the discussion, but I still have my doubts about Luukkonen. He has a nice résumé this season, but it was a below average crop for the OHL the last couple of seasons. The WJC gold is nice, but the US/Canada both had average/below average entries due to guys playing in the NHL. I guess I view him similarly to Tyler Parsons who had about as good a junior career as anybody could have asked for, but I wondered if he had better pro potential than say a guy like Eric Comrie.

Tough thing with Oettinger was that he was two weeks too old to participate in the WJC this year. So for a lot of prospect rankings, it's simply out of sight out of mind. He had a pretty good season for a middling BU club. For the goalies, the true test will be how they fare in the AHL.

 

[kovacro]

Luukkonen apparently aggravated his injury in Rochester after he was reassigned their for their playoff run. Not sure how long he could be out for but, I think there may have been some discussion he could miss time going into next season.

Sabres prospect Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen played through hip injury

He was really good this season with Sudbury and arguably the best goalie in the OHL. Saw him two, maybe three times on TV and only saw him play once live but came away impressed when he played against Hamilton. I believe he shutout the Bulldogs in that one.

 

[KingsFan7824]

Button comes across as a lazy guy who has done little research and is just going with the latest buzz rather than what each team actually would be focusing on.

I just roll right by any “Expert” who has the Kings taking a goalie at #22 because it means they know nothing about the team needs. There is a zero percent chance that the Kings use one of their first two picks on a goalie.

I wouldn't turn down any talent at that pick. If a goalie is the best way to go, go that way. Quick's day in the sun is over, regardless of what happens with him. Campbell is already 27, and a UFA after next year. Petersen will already be 25 at the start of next season. After that, it's a lot of who knows. Not saying they must draft a goalie that high, but any goalie taken this year would probably only be 23 when Petersen is 30. Younger than Petersen is right now. There is absolutely nothing that the Kings don't need for the future.

 

[Choralone]

Pronman has a list on the Athletic, but his rankings are based on rankings of who he thinks are "best" - not who he thinks will be drafted by which team, which is a little different.
Pronman's 2019 NHL Draft Board: Top 107 prospects

 

[Herby]

Pronman has a list on the Athletic, but his rankings are based on rankings of who he thinks are "best" - not who he thinks will be drafted by which team, which is a little different.
Pronman's 2019 NHL Draft Board: Top 107 prospects

Interesting that he has 5 players in his elite or better tier, with Hughes and Kaako each in their own tier and then Byram, Turcotte and Caufield as elite/star players.

This is now two of the most respected draft experts having Caufield as the 5th best prospect in the draft, with Pronman basically saying he's in a tier above any of the centers the Kings might consider taking. I know many people are set in their ways and just refuse to draft a player like that with a top 5 pick. But it seems more and more likely that if the top 4 goes as expected that Caufield is the logical pick for the Kings at 5. Not only does he appear to be the best player left, but he also fits a massive organizational need.

 

[Choralone]

Interesting that he has 5 players in his elite or better tier, with Hughes and Kaako each in their own tier and then Byram, Turcotte and Caufield as elite/star players.

This is now two of the most respected draft experts having Caufield as the 5th best prospect in the draft, with Pronman basically saying he's in a tier above any of the centers the Kings might consider taking. I know many people are set in their ways and just refuse to draft a player like that with a top 5 pick. But it seems more and more likely that if the top 4 goes as expected that Caufield is the logical pick for the Kings at 5. Not only does he appear to be the best player left, but he also fits a massive organizational need.

Yeah, and he has Dach two tiers lower at 10 - who a lot of us had slotted in for the Kings at 5 (myself included). For those who don't have a subscription, he has his rankings as:

Special NHL Prospect / Elite NHL Player
1. Jack Hughes, C

Special / Elite Bubble
2. Kaapo Kakko, LW

Elite NHL Prospect / Star NHL Player
3. Alex Turcotte, C
4. Bowen Byram, D
5. Cole Caufield, RW

Elite / High-End Bubble
6. Trevor Zegras, C
7. Dylan Cozens, C

High-End NHL Prospect
8. Matthew Boldy, LW
9. Philip Broberg, D
10. Kirby Dach, C
11. Alex Newhook, C
12. Vasili Podkolzin, RW

The definition for his tiers:

• Special prospect: Projects to be one of the very best players in the league at their position.
• Elite prospect: Projects to be top 10-15 percent of the league at their position.
• High-end prospect: Projects as a top-line forward who can play on your PP1/top pairing defenseman. This is an upper half of the first round quality prospect.

 

[Ray Martyniuk]

Carter Hart was the first goalie selected at the 2016 draft, going 48th overall in the 2nd round to Philadelphia. He was without a doubt the best goalie available and who I would have liked to have seen the Kings select, but he went ahead of the Kings' first selection that year (who happened to be Kale Clague).

In 2017, the first goalie selected was Jake Oettinger, who went 26th overall to the Dallas Stars. The next goaltender selected was Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen at 54th overall by the Sabres, and he's arguably one of the best goalie prospects out there.

I think taking a goalie in the 2nd or 3rd round is likely if the Kings have the fortune of landing two highly skilled players with their first two selections.

 

[Ray Martyniuk]

Why would the Kings draft a goaltender in the second round? They have obvious needs at RDefense and have Petersen,Vallalta,Hrenak,Kehler and Ingram waiting their turn. Petersen is going to be great 'tender for the Los Angeles Kings! Like to see the Kings draft Byram(5th), then a LWinger(22), Kaeden Korczak (33rd)! LA can draft a goalie 5th round or 6th round!

 

[Herby]

contract year for toffoli. You know he's hitting gym this summer instead on cruising the Manhattan beach boardwalk in Rollerblade scoping on bikinis like he appeared to be doing last summer. Expecting a solid bounce back year for him and more value at the trade deadline.

That's fine, as long as he is traded at the deadline.

The worst thing that happens is he bounces back and Blake signs him to some stupid ridiculous extension. Would rather have him play like he has the last season and a half and get traded for a 3rd at the deadline than have a good season and be rewarded with an extension.

 

[Choralone]

I may as well go down the line in Pronman's article and include the next two tiers for our # 22 pick:

High-End / Very Good Bubble
13. Peyton Krebs, C
14. Arthur Kaliyev, LW
15. Ryan Suzuki, C
16. Cam York, D

Very Good NHL Prospect / First-Round Pick
17. Philip Tomasino, C
18. Nils Hoglander, LW
19. Patrik Puistola, LW
20. Thomas Harley, D
21. Raphael Lavoie, RW
22. Moritz Seider, D
23. Bobby Brink, RW

Definitions:

• High-end prospect: Projects as a top-line forward who can play on your PP1/top pairing defenseman. This is an upper half of the first round quality prospect.
• Very good prospect: Projects as a top-six forward/top-four defenseman/starting goaltender. A prospect I would endorse using a first-round pick on.

 

[King'sPawn]

Interesting that he has 5 players in his elite or better tier, with Hughes and Kaako each in their own tier and then Byram, Turcotte and Caufield as elite/star players.

This is now two of the most respected draft experts having Caufield as the 5th best prospect in the draft, with Pronman basically saying he's in a tier above any of the centers the Kings might consider taking. I know many people are set in their ways and just refuse to draft a player like that with a top 5 pick. But it seems more and more likely that if the top 4 goes as expected that Caufield is the logical pick for the Kings at 5. Not only does he appear to be the best player left, but he also fits a massive organizational need.

And many other rankings have Caufield outside of the top five.

Caufield is a better Mike Cammalleri; he's an extremely gifted goal scorer who doesn't drive the play. He takes advantage of a situation, as opposed to controlling a situation.

Caufield is very far from the logical pick and there's no certainty he's the best player available at 5. Just my opinion.

 

[Choralone]

My preference is still to go for centers and/or defensemen. I feel like we should get a center with the # 5 because of all the uncertainty surrounding Vilardi, and I'm not certain we will get a pick this high again. Turcotte, Cozens, Dach, and Zegras in that order for me. That said, if we went Byram and another D (Seider or Vlasic) at 5 and 22, I wouldn't be unhappy.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Why would the Kings draft a goaltender in the second round? They have obvious needs at RDefense and have Petersen,Vallalta,Hrenak,Kehler and Ingram waiting their turn. Petersen is going to be great 'tender for the Los Angeles Kings! Like to see the Kings draft Byram(5th), then a LWinger(22), Kaeden Korczak (33rd)! LA can draft a goalie 5th round or 6th round!

They have needs everywhere, and if the best available player is a goaltender like another Carter Hart, it would be foolish to pass on a great goaltemder of that quality. Keep in mind how many years left before Petersen will become a UFA and how many potential franchise goalies they have in the pipeline signed to an ELC.

 

[RocketKing]

My preference is still to go for centers and/or defensemen. I feel like we should get a center with the # 5 because of all the uncertainty surrounding Vilardi, and I'm not certain we will get a pick this high again. Turcotte, Cozens, Dach, and Zegras in that order for me. That said, if we went Byram and another D (Seider or Vlasic) at 5 and 22, I wouldn't be unhappy.

Assume the top 4 guys are gone, here's what I think it comes down to.

With the total unknown surrounding Vilardi it seems like the Kings HAVE to go ahead and take one of the top elite Centers and from that POV I'm thinking Cozens has to be that guy. He's exceptionally fast and a more skilled scorer who probably most likely to pan out over then next group of Centers. We need scoring and we simply can't pass on a huge potential No 1 / 2 Center. I just cant see how we could?

 

[AzKing]

The Kings could go Caufield but I just feel that they have 3 guys on their radar and one will be there: Turcotte, Byram and Cozens.

If they trade down and are still in the top 10 then I think it will be one of Caufield, Dach, Zegras or Krebs.

 

[Herby]

And many other rankings have Caufield outside of the top five.

Caufield is a better Mike Cammalleri; he's an extremely gifted goal scorer who doesn't drive the play. He takes advantage of a situation, as opposed to controlling a situation.

Caufield is very far from the logical pick and there's no certainty he's the best player available at 5. Just my opinion.

Cammalleri in his prime would have been a 90 point player in today's more open league. As far as not driving the play, plenty of great goal-scorers throughout history fit that bill, people compare his arsenal of shots to Brett Hull, Hull was one of the best players in the league by playing very similar to how Caufield projects to play.

I'm just of the belief that a top 5 pick should be a swing for the fence, the Kings need stars, and I think, assuming the top 4 goes as expected he gives the Kings the best chance at drafting a game-changing type player. Just doesn't seem like there is the upside with anyone else assuming Turcotte and Byram go right before him.

Assume the top 4 guys are gone, here's what I think it comes down to.

With the total unknown surrounding Vilardi it seems like the Kings HAVE to go ahead and take one of the top elite Centers and from that POV I'm thinking Cozens has to be that guy. He's exceptionally fast and a more skilled scorer who probably most likely to pan out over then next group of Centers. We need scoring and we simply can't pass on a huge potential No 1 / 2 Center. I just cant see how we could?

I discussed this theory in another post, if the Kings know GV is basically done maybe they feel they have to take a C, but I think that is a flawed way of thinking unless they have the C rated higher. If the Kings have Cozen's ranked higher fine grab him, but if there list is similar to Pronman's it would not be wise to take a less rated C for the sake of taking a C.