Prospect Info: 2020 Los Angeles Kings Prospect Rankings #11

[Raccoon Jesus]

Totally agree regarding the tiers. In fact I think we’re into our third tier of prospects already with this poll.

Right, and the leading vote getters on this poll--the only in double digits--are JAD, Thomas, and Clague. I'm not going to slam my fist on the desk becasue someone went Clague over Thomas here and even guys like Faber and Nousiainen are getting votes from people really high on them. It doesn't mean we're down on the other guys, it just means we're talking relatively close in ability and potential.

If someone is going to accuse the whole forum of being wrong, they're gonna need to really show their work.

 

[Choralone]

It's hard ranking these guys. There's too damn many that are good. What a problem to have!

 

[The Lukeman]

I went with defenseman Akil Thomas........ In all seriousness he has a really well rounded game that I don't think anyone else left has. I see him as a middle 6 if he keeps at this pace. I hate the fact that some say he might become trade bait. I LOVE Akil Thomas and his intangibles.

Add Parik

 

[kilowatt]

I went with defenseman Akil Thomas........ In all seriousness he has a really well rounded game that I don't think anyone else left has. I see him as a middle 6 if he keeps at this pace. I hate the fact that some say he might become trade bait. I LOVE Akil Thomas and his intangibles.

Add Parik

Thomas has been dangled as trade bait? I would think Anderson-Dolan and Thomas are some of the most untouchable, sure-thing prospects the Kings have. These guys have all the tools to succeed in the bottom- or middle-six for LA.

 

[bland]

One thing about Thomas as well is that his game looks more in line with that of Byfield's than any other current Kings potential wing prospect. He plays an honest game that leans as much to the east-west as to the north-south, thinking positively with quick, little puck movements and more complimentary than needing to be a primary carrier. He could very easily see a bump up the chain if there is that chemistry, and he does have a very good skill level.

I know that there styles of games aren't similar, but I think Thomas could have a similar impact to that of Alex Frolov. Meaning that his flexibility could allow him to thrive in a variety of roles with a variety of players in a supporting role, including top line minutes.

 

[ScoreZeGoals]

This is just my opinion, but with Fagemo it's more WJC bias than anything else. Things that happen at the WJC are so blown out of proportion that prospects can get super elevated or trashed based on a handful of games. I really like Fagemo, but I think he's a bit higher here than more independent lists would have him

 

[Rusty Batch]

This is just my opinion, but with Fagemo it's more WJC bias than anything else. Things that happen at the WJC are so blown out of proportion that prospects can get super elevated or trashed based on a handful of games. I really like Fagemo, but I think he's a bit higher here than more independent lists would have him

Fagemo is doing really well in the SHL right now.

 

[King'sPawn]

Fagemo is doing really well in the SHL right now.

He's not playing in the SHL right now. H'e playing in Allsvenskan, which is essentially the AHL in Sweden.

 

[BringTheReign]

This is just my opinion, but with Fagemo it's more WJC bias than anything else. Things that happen at the WJC are so blown out of proportion that prospects can get super elevated or trashed based on a handful of games. I really like Fagemo, but I think he's a bit higher here than more independent lists would have him

Wheeler and Pronman at The Athletic both had him in our top 5 if I call correctly, FWIW. One of them had him above Turcotte, I believe.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

This is just my opinion, but with Fagemo it's more WJC bias than anything else. Things that happen at the WJC are so blown out of proportion that prospects can get super elevated or trashed based on a handful of games. I really like Fagemo, but I think he's a bit higher here than more independent lists would have him

The independent lists have him higher than we have him here which would support maybe your WJC theory.

Go ahead and explain to this forum why we should have him lower. No one seems to be able to.

 

[King'sPawn]

The independent lists have him higher than we have him here which would support maybe your WJC theory.

Go ahead and explain to this forum why we should have him lower. No one seems to be able to.

I have Fagemo No 9 on my list. I don't see him as an exceptionally skilled player at the NHL level. I think he is more of an opportunist and volume chance creator.

If he plays in the top-six, he won't be the engine. If he plays in the bottom six, he will generate chances just by throwing stuff at the net, much like Austin Wagner. It doesn't make him a bad player. I just don't think he'll achieve success through the same skill people might assume he has, based on his production.

Then again, I wouldn't say his ranking is necessarily a "recency bias." People just weigh in different factors.

My top 10 list:

Quinton Byfield

Gabriel Vilardi

Alex Turcotte

Tobias Bjornfot

Mikey Anderson

Arthur Kaliyev

Tyler Madden

Helge Grans

Samuel Fagemo

Akil Thomas

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I have Fagemo No 9 on my list. I don't see him as an exceptionally skilled player at the NHL level. I think he is more of an opportunist and volume chance creator.

If he plays in the top-six, he won't be the engine. If he plays in the bottom six, he will generate chances just by throwing stuff at the net, much like Austin Wagner. It doesn't make him a bad player. I just don't think he'll achieve success through the same skill people might assume he has, based on his production.

Then again, I wouldn't say his ranking is necessarily a "recency bias." People just weigh in different factors.

My top 10 list:

Quinton Byfield

Gabriel Vilardi

Alex Turcotte

Tobias Bjornfot

Mikey Anderson

Arthur Kaliyev

Tyler Madden

Helge Grans

Samuel Fagemo

Akil Thomas

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

And that's fine and well-reasoned. A long way from indirectly accusing the whole forum of having peabrained memories at best, not knowing jack about our prospects at worst, being uneducated and 'not noticing.'

I see him as being a high-end Iafallo, complementary but with the ability to do so, and his motor and nose for the net will serve him well in that Pearson role. But I think he's got a little more skill than some are giving him credit for, and that he'll be more effective than flashy, which is boring. If I were basing it on just skill alone I'd probably also have him at 10ish, but to me he's got a little extra something, a drive that makes up for it.

But in the end there are plenty of really good reasons to move those guys up or down a few slots as I've said multiple times--accusing the forum in general of not being attentive isn't one of them. And really isn't productive.

 

[johnjm22]

moved

 

[kingsboy11]

The independent lists have him higher than we have him here which would support maybe your WJC theory.

Go ahead and explain to this forum why we should have him lower. No one seems to be able to.

I'm not saying Fagemo should be rated lower or anything, but I think it comes down to what do you think his potential is going to be. I think on a Championship level team he's going to be a 3rd line energy guy who creates havoc and can play up and down the lineup if there's any sort of injury. He's the kind of player who can play on any line. I've been saying it for a while that I think there's a good chance he makes the team because he fits the system perfectly.

That being said does he have the potential to be a consistent top 6 player? I personally don't think so. So you can make the argument that that there are players behind him that has a higher potential, plus with him being slightly older than some of the other players does that give him an advantage for actually playing professional hockey? I think that's part of it.

 

[Kingfan1967]

Having both Thomas and Clague this low is criminal.

Just goes to show you how good LA's prospects pool is .