Prospect Info: Kings' OHL Prospect Review

[Brock]

My annual look at LA's OHL prospects. Happy to answer any questions.

OHL Prospects: 31 Teams in 31 Days - Los Angeles Kings

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[King'sPawn]

Great article and good list!

My biggest contention is the statement of Durzi being defensively solid. He has looked like a wreck defensively, but I admittedly have seen much fewer games than you.

 

[jfont]

Brock

Many thanks again.

 

[Reaper45]

Always like your insight @Brock thanks again.

 

[LB]

My annual look at LA's OHL prospects. Happy to answer any questions.

OHL Prospects: 31 Teams in 31 Days - Los Angeles Kings

Thanks Brock!

There's been recent comparisons to Tyler Toffoli for Kaliyev, how would you compare them?

As far as Durzi , good to hear that you have confidence in his defense since that's been an issue with him as KingsPawn stated above. Have you seen steady improvement with his D ?

 

[Brock]

Thanks Brock!

There's been recent comparisons to Tyler Toffoli for Kaliyev, how would you compare them?

As far as Durzi , good to hear that you have confidence in his defense since that's been an issue with him as KingsPawn stated above. Have you seen steady improvement with his D ?

First, Durzi, who you and King's Pawn commented on. Earlier in the year, when Durzi was battling through those shoulder issues...yeah I think his defensive game wasn't terrific. He really looked tentative in engaging physically. But by the time the Memorial Cup rolled around, I thought he looked much better.

Keep in mind though...this is at the OHL level. And even if he played a lot of forward his first year in the league, he's still got 3 good years of defense under his belt in the league and should at least be a more than adequate defender with the way he sees the game. At the pro level, I do expect there to be a learning curve. His reads will have to be better. He'll also have to be more assertive too. Sometimes he can be caught puck watching, especially when defending the middle of the ice and near his crease.

But I do think that Durzi does have good hockey sense and I do think that he can be coached to be better in his own end. His skating ability will really play well in that regard at the pro level because if he doesn't get hemmed in his own end and can constantly be on the attack, he won't have to spend a lot of time in the DZ. And the Kings can control his DZ zone starts too, something nearly every time does with their more offensively oriented defenders and powerplay QB's.

As for Kaliyev and Toffoli, I can see why the comparison has been made. Both had/have some doubts cast on their skating ability. Both had/have terrific shots. Both had/have issues away from the puck. Both are/were high end thinkers.

However, going back over all my notes on Toffoli from the same age (just search Toffoli on my site), and from everything I recall, I do think that they are different players. Toffoli showed more "jam" at the same age. This was something that really developed over his OHL career too. He would really get after it on the forecheck and became hungry to have that puck on his stick. Toffoli was also more of a "dangler." He couldn't rely on the size that Kaliyev has to simply take the puck straight to the net. He would have to sneak behind the defense or make a move on a defender to cut to the middle to open up that space for him to use his shot. I also think Kaliyev is/was more patient with the puck and the better playmaker. With his size, he can control the puck down low and really work the half boards, putting defenders on his back and waiting for lanes to open up. Where as Toffoli was also more of a quick strike player who truly projected to be more of a sniper at the pro level.