Prospect Info: 2021 Los Angeles Kings Prospect Rankings #13

[King'sPawn]

Rank. Name, Pos (%), change from last year
1. Quinton Byfield, F (98.6%), +0
2. Brandt Clarke, D (43.3%), NR
3. Alex Turcotte, F (69.9%), +0
4. Arthur Kaliyev, F (94.1%), +1
5. Brock Faber, D (44.6%), +9
6. Rasmus Kupari, F (67.1%), +3
7. Akil Thomas, F (35.4%), +4
8. Samuel Fagemo, F (47.5%), -2
9. Tyler Madden, F (65.9%), -1
10. Francesco Pinelli, F (34.2%), NR
11. Helge Grans, D (48.8%), -1
12. Kale Clague, D (29.0%), +0

+ Austin Strand, D

Last year's rankings for comparisons (and what I'm referencing for "change of last year"): Prospect Info: - 2020 Los Angeles Kings Prospect Rankings #40

Here are the rules I'll be following:

- I won't vote unless it's a tie breaker. So there should never be an "overtime" or tie to keep this going.
- the crieteria for prospects is straightforward: they have to be eligible to win the calder, and the Kings must own the player's rights, whether it's through the draft or an SPC (so AHL-only contracts don't count, but a player like Tkachev counts, since he is Calder-eligible)
- feel free to make a nomination after voting. Again, in the event of a tie, I'll be the tie breaker.
- use whatever criteria you wish for the next best available. Raw skill? Upside? NHL readiness? Progress since drafted? Astrological Sign?

I'll always list the candidates in alphabetical order. By default, I'm setting the timer at 24 hours, as I hope to go through the entire list. If it seems like a landslide, I'll call it early.

List of eligible players to be nominated:
Brayden Burke, F
Alexander Dergachyev
Braden Doyle, D
Aidan Dudas, F
Sean Durzi, D
David Hrenak, G
Jacob Ingham, G
Aatu Jamsen, F
Alex Laferriere, F
Andre Lee, F
Juho Markkanen, G
Ben Meehan, D
Markus Phillips, D
Bulat Shafigullin, F
Johan Sodergran, F
Matthew Villalta, G

Click to read more...

 

[The Lukeman]

 

[BringTheReign]

Kirsanov (tiered with Spence, Simontaival, and Chromiak).

Add Laferriere.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Kirsanov for me, this draft's Faber. He's just played so few games over the year exposure is pretty low, but despite bein glabeled a defensive D, like Brock, he's much toolsier than that label. Sky is the limit and I think this is like Voynov in that draft where lesser-known dmen will be players. But like @BringTheReign i have a really tight tier here of Kirsanov, Spence, Chromiak, Simontaival, Nousiainen, Tkachev.

Add Laferriere.

 

[Reclamation Project]

On the journey of building a Stanley Cup contender the Kings will need a few undrafted players who become impact players. Dobber PNHLe currently projects him as 2nd line potential. I've put him on the second line next to Danault in my lineup. He's a lotto ticket but the Kings need a couple of those. I'm excited to see him next season!

 

[Islcey]

Add Laferriere

 

[SufferingSelfCreated]

I firmly believe by this time next year, Chromiak will be in our top 5. He's starting to believe.

 

[KingTech]

add Burke

 

[YP44]

SPENCE

 

[regulate]

These rankings are fun no doubt, but it always baffles me when the best players right now that are already playing pro are ranked so low in these polls. Matt Roy years ago was similar if memory serves me right. I guess we are just talking highest potential only? Now we have arguably the best D man in ONT last year still barely even scratching out a few votes in Moverare, who has played pro hockey now for 3 years and he looks great in his first year in North America and no one hardly notices. It seems to be about the shiny new toys.

 

[Master Yoda]

I have a feeling I'm going to be voting Moverare for a while.
For me, the next group starts here with Moverare, Chromiak, Helenius, Nousiainen, Spence, Kirsanov, Simontaival, but again going with the guy closest to being NHL ready.
Add Ingham

 

[Master Yoda]

These rankings are fun no doubt, but it always baffles me when the best players right now that are already playing pro are ranked so low in these polls. Matt Roy years ago was similar if memory serves me right. I guess we are just talking highest potential only? Now we have arguably the best D man in ONT last year still barely even scratching out a few votes in Moverare, who has played pro hockey now for 3 years and he looks great in his first year in North America and no one hardly notices. It seems to be about the shiny new toys.

Nobody really knew about or paid attention to Roy until Stothers one day declared him the best dman in Ontario. Next thing you know, he's playing top 4 minutes in LA.
Hoping something similar happens to Moverare

 

[Gjwrams]

Nobody really knew about or paid attention to Roy until Stothers one day declared him the best dman in Ontario. Next thing you know, he's playing top 4 minutes in LA.
Hoping something similar happens to Moverare

Need to get him signed first.

 

[Gjwrams]

These rankings are fun no doubt, but it always baffles me when the best players right now that are already playing pro are ranked so low in these polls. Matt Roy years ago was similar if memory serves me right. I guess we are just talking highest potential only? Now we have arguably the best D man in ONT last year still barely even scratching out a few votes in Moverare, who has played pro hockey now for 3 years and he looks great in his first year in North America and no one hardly notices. It seems to be about the shiny new toys.

Well! Most of are Americans so our attention span is limited.

Kidding aside. I do like his game and for me, after the first 10 it's really a crap shoot. I think every player that has been picked so far will play in the NHL, and not just for a cup of coffee.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

These rankings are fun no doubt, but it always baffles me when the best players right now that are already playing pro are ranked so low in these polls. Matt Roy years ago was similar if memory serves me right. I guess we are just talking highest potential only? Now we have arguably the best D man in ONT last year still barely even scratching out a few votes in Moverare, who has played pro hockey now for 3 years and he looks great in his first year in North America and no one hardly notices. It seems to be about the shiny new toys.

Groan, this again?

Go ahead and make your case for Moverare instead of condescending others who are voting on, yes, potential, but also the full picture.

The way I personally see it for THIS poll, Kirsanov is also excelling in the pro game vs. men, and I don't necessarily feel like Moverare has any more upside than Kirill. You could just as easily say Moverare's slow development is a bad sign for his upside (i wouldn't, but it's been raised).

Matt Roy came out of relatively nowhere not because of 'shiny new toy' but because he came from a relatively unknown university and grew exponentially as a pro. That's the fun part of projections--sometimes guys can surprise! For all we know, Spence is the next Roy. Maybe Moverare takes a huge step forward. We know you are high on him and that's great; but it also doesn't mean other posters have no attention span as most are justifying their picks with sound reasoning.

You have to respect that some development philosophies WON'T be "most NHL ready = best prospect."

 

[BigBrown]

I think Moverare is a solid prospect but suffers a bit from Björnfot and Mikey Anderson also being new school defensive d-men with decent mobility and puck movement. He's also not as good of a skater as them, from my limited understanding. So right now it's hard to imagine a place for him at an NHL level. That could, of course, change with a single trade.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I think Moverare is a solid prospect but suffers a bit from Björnfot and Mikey Anderson also being new school defensive d-men with decent mobility and puck movement. He's also not as good of a skater as them, from my limited understanding. So right now it's hard to imagine a place for him at an NHL level. That could, of course, change with a single trade.

I think the organization has done a great job identifying guys like this and with Moverare in particular the 'highest IQ in the draft' compliment doesn't escape notice. You can tell he reads the game exceedingly well--my question for him is does he move well enough to do it at the next level. I could see him as a 3rd pairing/PK guy on that alone but his other tools most notably skating are what will make him any more than that. For me, I don't see him improving the raw skills enough to be dynamic enough with the puck and stout enough without to be any more than a bottom pairing guy where I see others with a higher ceiling than that.

 

[The Lukeman]

I think the organization has done a great job identifying guys like this and with Moverare in particular the 'highest IQ in the draft' compliment doesn't escape notice. You can tell he reads the game exceedingly well--my question for him is does he move well enough to do it at the next level. I could see him as a 3rd pairing/PK guy on that alone but his other tools most notably skating are what will make him any more than that. For me, I don't see him improving the raw skills enough to be dynamic enough with the puck and stout enough without to be any more than a bottom pairing guy where I see others with a higher ceiling than that.

Question: Moverare has to go thru waivers, right? If so, I doubt he makes it thru. He has been a fantastic D-man this past season

 

[KINGS17]

Kirsanov, again.

Add Follow The Reaper.

 

[King'sPawn]

These rankings are fun no doubt, but it always baffles me when the best players right now that are already playing pro are ranked so low in these polls. Matt Roy years ago was similar if memory serves me right. I guess we are just talking highest potential only? Now we have arguably the best D man in ONT last year still barely even scratching out a few votes in Moverare, who has played pro hockey now for 3 years and he looks great in his first year in North America and no one hardly notices. It seems to be about the shiny new toys.

I always encourage people to use their own criteria. These polls reflect which prospect(s) encompass most of those criteria the best.

NHL readiness is a legitimate way to pick. Even if you go with readiness, Moverare isn't the go-to answer necessarily. Tkachev is older and has put up great numbers in arguably a better league.

As far as Matt Roy, he was a 7th rounder who played in a good, but not elite collegiate program. This isn't to knock him - but these are legitimate factors when ranking.

These constantly change over time as we get more info.

 

[Ray Martyniuk]

Wasn't this suppose to be about Martin Chromiak?I think Chromiak will be a great player just needs to add some muscle. A playmaker and scorer the Kings need in the worst way. Like to see him slotted next to Kopi-Star when Dusty Bottoms calls it a career already

 

[KingsCourt]

Delete

 

[triplcrown]

I firmly believe by this time next year, Chromiak will be in our top 5. He's starting to believe.

John Hoven rerported a couple days ago that Chromiak looked like the fastest guy on the ice in rookie camp, at least on the 1st day.

 

[kilowatt]

John Hoven rerported a couple days ago that Chromiak looked like the fastest guy on the ice in rookie camp, at least on the 1st day.

What's crazy is... who is he better than in front of him! We have a clear top four, then a really solid five through nine, so he's battling Pinelli, Grans, and Clague for the tenth spot? I think he's in that third tier of prospects for us right now with room to improve still. Just insane the amount of depth we have.

 

[Basilisk]

What's crazy is... who is he better than in front of him! We have a clear top four, then a really solid five through nine, so he's battling Pinelli, Grans, and Clague for the tenth spot? I think he's in that third tier of prospects for us right now with room to improve still. Just insane the amount of depth we have.

Sometime last year, probably shortly after we had ranked our 40 total prospects, I put forth a trade idea. It was something along the lines of (and I'm paraphrasing myself here), "what if we took prospects 21-40 and traded them to Seattle for their 1st round pick in 2021" (or it could even have been "a low first round pick", 15-30 or something). At the time, Chromiak was number 22 or something. NOBODY here thought it was a good idea. And when I say that, what I mean is they thought whoever we were trading with (or trying to trade with) just would not see the upside value. I was just looking for a way to radically reduce the quantity of prospects in the system, since we had (and have!!!) too many. Everybody was under the impression that nobody would want our "trash". Well, how about NOW??? Too late!!!!