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The HFNHL LA Kings haven't had a top-10 pick in over a decade, but continue to add depth to the prospects list and come up with players who could make a name for themselves. Here's a look at the top 25 prospects of the HFNHL LA Kings.
1. Jack Studnicka, center
Studnicka takes the top spot on the Kings' prospect list this year, and although he doesn't have the first-round pedegree you look for in the top spot, he's been meeting every expectation and then some since being taken in the second round of the 2017 HFNHL Entry Draft. Studnicka's stock is rising after a successful AHL debut making the All-Rookie team after posting 49 points in 60 games. The 6'2" center oozes leadership qualities and has the strength and determination to become a valuable contributor at the NHL level.
2. Cam York, defenseman
American-born defenseman Cam York had a successful freshman campaign at the U. of Michigan in 2019-20, posting 16 points in 30 games on a club that didn't score a lot of goals. Not huge numbers, but enough to build on as he continues to work on his game and add mass to his slight 5'11" frame.
3. Henrik Borgstrom, center
The second big center on the list is forward Henrik Borgstrom, who was previously ranked number 1. Acquired as part of a trade that sent Jamie Benn a couple years back, Borgstrom had a bit of a down year when he was expected to take that next step towards becoming a top-6 NHLer. He has all the tools to succeed and next season will be key in telling what we have in the future.
4. Noel Gunler, winger
A pure-offence type winger who can snipe with the best of them, Gunler was the Kings' first round pick in the 2020 entry draft. He'll take some more time in the SHL and then head to North America which is when we'll get a real idea of what he may be able to do in the NHL.
5. Jesper Boqvist, center/winger
Boqvist put up some excellent numbers in Sweden and, after a slow start in the NHL along with a slow start in the AHL demotion, the 21-year-old started putting tons of pucks on net and ended up scoring 8 goals in his 19 games for Binghamton. He has all the tools to be a goal scorer in the NHL if all goes well in the coming years.
6. Noah Cates, center
Cates is a bit of an underrated prospect as he wasn't a high draft pick, but has done nothing but continue to progress at an excellent clip during the two years since he was selected. He has a good 6'1" frame, has an excellent work ethic and plays a smart game that could allow him to play a variety of roles in the NHL one day. As a somphomore at the U. of Minnesota-Duluth, Cates put up 14 goals and 33 points in 34 games to tie for second in team scoring.
7. Jonatan Berggren, winger
Another Swedish forward who's been putting up good numbers in the SHL is Jonatan Berggren, a 5'10" speedster who has the hands and offensive instincts to match. Along with Gunler and Boqvist, Berggren is another potential top six forward and the Kings feel at least one of the three should provide some scoring in the future. If that ends up being Berggren we wouldn't be surprised as he has a lot of tools in the toolbox.
8. Mattias Norlinder, defenseman
It took a while to get to the second defenseman on the list, and he's still a bit of an unknown commodity. Norlinder was drafted as a second-time eligible in 2019, and quickly broke out in the Allsvenskan with 18 points in 34 games including 7 goals as a 19-year-old. A tremendous skater with excellent offensive insticts, Norlinder will need to add muscle to his slight 6'0" frame and continue to get more assertive in the defensive zone. Will move on to the SHL next season.
9. Janne Kuokkanen, center
Kuokkanen is a player who the Kings thought could be an NHLer by now, but after three very good seasons in the AHL he has yet to get a real taste of the big league. A late-season trade to the NHL's New Jersey Devils may see him get his chance in 2020-21.
10. Joey Daccord, goaltender
The Kings have recently been adding more and more goalie prospects to their system, but the only one far enough along in development to be close to the show is Joey Daccord, who ended 2020 on a strong note in the AHL. He should be battling for a backup role with the NHL's Ottawa Senators in the coming seasons and may have what it takes to break through when given the chance. Daccord is known as one of the best puckhandling goalies to come along in the past several years.
11. Samuel Ersson, goaltender
Swedish goaltender Samuel Ersson had a so-so season in the SHL after really breaking out in 2019-20. He is one of a few goaltending prospects in the Kings' system where you don't know which one will make it, you just hope at least one of them will. Ersson was the MVP of the Allsvenskan as a 19-year-old, which is certainly no easy feat, and was voted a top-3 player for Sweden at the 2019 WJC.
12. Patrick Moynihan, center
While there are certainly players ranked lower on the list that have a higher boom or bust potential, Moynihan slots in here for his smart two-way game, work ethic and leadership abilities that give him a good floor potential that could see him carve out a nice career in the NHL.
13. Joel Blomqvist, goaltender
Blomqvist, to many, is the second-best goaltender available in the 2020 entry draft. He's got sound fundamentals and puck-tracking ability, and is sure to be securing a spot on the Finnish WJC team very soon.
14. Peter Diliberatore, defenseman
Diliberatore is a smooth-skating 6'0" defenseman currently with Quinnipiac University of the NCAA. He has on the radar for Canada at the WJC and put up 21 points including 6 goals in 34 games as a sophomore. He'll play another season and then likely turn pro and start in the AHL.
15. Dmitri Rashevsky, winger
Rashevsky is a bit of an unknown, a 2020-eligible not yet drafted in the NHL but selected by the Kings in the 3rd round. He was actually passed over in 2019, but then went on to score 44 goals and 74 points in 61 games in the MHL. Although he's not a speed demon, he has one of the best shots in the entire draft and knows where to go to score goals. A boom-or-bust prospect for sure.
16. Samuel Johannesson, defenseman
17. Lauri Pajuniemi, winger
18. Adam Mascherin, winger
19. Marc Del Gaizo, defenseman
20. Bulat Shafigullin, winger
21. Ilya Konovalov, goaltender
22. Joel Kiviranta, winger
23. Mitchell Vande Sompel, defenseman
24. Jake Leschyshyn, winger
25. Carl-Johan Lerby, defenseman
1. Jack Studnicka, center
Studnicka takes the top spot on the Kings' prospect list this year, and although he doesn't have the first-round pedegree you look for in the top spot, he's been meeting every expectation and then some since being taken in the second round of the 2017 HFNHL Entry Draft. Studnicka's stock is rising after a successful AHL debut making the All-Rookie team after posting 49 points in 60 games. The 6'2" center oozes leadership qualities and has the strength and determination to become a valuable contributor at the NHL level.
2. Cam York, defenseman
American-born defenseman Cam York had a successful freshman campaign at the U. of Michigan in 2019-20, posting 16 points in 30 games on a club that didn't score a lot of goals. Not huge numbers, but enough to build on as he continues to work on his game and add mass to his slight 5'11" frame.
3. Henrik Borgstrom, center
The second big center on the list is forward Henrik Borgstrom, who was previously ranked number 1. Acquired as part of a trade that sent Jamie Benn a couple years back, Borgstrom had a bit of a down year when he was expected to take that next step towards becoming a top-6 NHLer. He has all the tools to succeed and next season will be key in telling what we have in the future.
4. Noel Gunler, winger
A pure-offence type winger who can snipe with the best of them, Gunler was the Kings' first round pick in the 2020 entry draft. He'll take some more time in the SHL and then head to North America which is when we'll get a real idea of what he may be able to do in the NHL.
5. Jesper Boqvist, center/winger
Boqvist put up some excellent numbers in Sweden and, after a slow start in the NHL along with a slow start in the AHL demotion, the 21-year-old started putting tons of pucks on net and ended up scoring 8 goals in his 19 games for Binghamton. He has all the tools to be a goal scorer in the NHL if all goes well in the coming years.
6. Noah Cates, center
Cates is a bit of an underrated prospect as he wasn't a high draft pick, but has done nothing but continue to progress at an excellent clip during the two years since he was selected. He has a good 6'1" frame, has an excellent work ethic and plays a smart game that could allow him to play a variety of roles in the NHL one day. As a somphomore at the U. of Minnesota-Duluth, Cates put up 14 goals and 33 points in 34 games to tie for second in team scoring.
7. Jonatan Berggren, winger
Another Swedish forward who's been putting up good numbers in the SHL is Jonatan Berggren, a 5'10" speedster who has the hands and offensive instincts to match. Along with Gunler and Boqvist, Berggren is another potential top six forward and the Kings feel at least one of the three should provide some scoring in the future. If that ends up being Berggren we wouldn't be surprised as he has a lot of tools in the toolbox.
8. Mattias Norlinder, defenseman
It took a while to get to the second defenseman on the list, and he's still a bit of an unknown commodity. Norlinder was drafted as a second-time eligible in 2019, and quickly broke out in the Allsvenskan with 18 points in 34 games including 7 goals as a 19-year-old. A tremendous skater with excellent offensive insticts, Norlinder will need to add muscle to his slight 6'0" frame and continue to get more assertive in the defensive zone. Will move on to the SHL next season.
9. Janne Kuokkanen, center
Kuokkanen is a player who the Kings thought could be an NHLer by now, but after three very good seasons in the AHL he has yet to get a real taste of the big league. A late-season trade to the NHL's New Jersey Devils may see him get his chance in 2020-21.
10. Joey Daccord, goaltender
The Kings have recently been adding more and more goalie prospects to their system, but the only one far enough along in development to be close to the show is Joey Daccord, who ended 2020 on a strong note in the AHL. He should be battling for a backup role with the NHL's Ottawa Senators in the coming seasons and may have what it takes to break through when given the chance. Daccord is known as one of the best puckhandling goalies to come along in the past several years.
11. Samuel Ersson, goaltender
Swedish goaltender Samuel Ersson had a so-so season in the SHL after really breaking out in 2019-20. He is one of a few goaltending prospects in the Kings' system where you don't know which one will make it, you just hope at least one of them will. Ersson was the MVP of the Allsvenskan as a 19-year-old, which is certainly no easy feat, and was voted a top-3 player for Sweden at the 2019 WJC.
12. Patrick Moynihan, center
While there are certainly players ranked lower on the list that have a higher boom or bust potential, Moynihan slots in here for his smart two-way game, work ethic and leadership abilities that give him a good floor potential that could see him carve out a nice career in the NHL.
13. Joel Blomqvist, goaltender
Blomqvist, to many, is the second-best goaltender available in the 2020 entry draft. He's got sound fundamentals and puck-tracking ability, and is sure to be securing a spot on the Finnish WJC team very soon.
14. Peter Diliberatore, defenseman
Diliberatore is a smooth-skating 6'0" defenseman currently with Quinnipiac University of the NCAA. He has on the radar for Canada at the WJC and put up 21 points including 6 goals in 34 games as a sophomore. He'll play another season and then likely turn pro and start in the AHL.
15. Dmitri Rashevsky, winger
Rashevsky is a bit of an unknown, a 2020-eligible not yet drafted in the NHL but selected by the Kings in the 3rd round. He was actually passed over in 2019, but then went on to score 44 goals and 74 points in 61 games in the MHL. Although he's not a speed demon, he has one of the best shots in the entire draft and knows where to go to score goals. A boom-or-bust prospect for sure.
16. Samuel Johannesson, defenseman
17. Lauri Pajuniemi, winger
18. Adam Mascherin, winger
19. Marc Del Gaizo, defenseman
20. Bulat Shafigullin, winger
21. Ilya Konovalov, goaltender
22. Joel Kiviranta, winger
23. Mitchell Vande Sompel, defenseman
24. Jake Leschyshyn, winger
25. Carl-Johan Lerby, defenseman
