Prospect Info: Kings Prospects in CHL/College/Europe Part 3

@Herby ... sorry about Michigan. That really sucks.

 

Yeah brutal, feel terrible for the players. Michigan is going to have 9 underclassmen who could potentially be signed to NHL contracts before next season. Could be completely decimated or could have 9 first round picks on the roster next season.

 

Outside of Beecher/Bordeleau (who I’m 50/50 on) all the younger guys should come back. I see Power very much like a defensive Byfield, soooo much raw potential. No reason to rush him into the NHL(even if he goes #1).

Johnsons body probably not ready.

Berniers probably could be a #3 center on a bottom feeder no problem. But why not let him continue to develop offense? And get huge minutes for the US next year at the WJC. On what will be a much weaker team than this year.

 

It's pretty wild to think how high the potential for every one of those guys is. Like you say, outside Beecher and Bordeleau, most are just scratching the surface even as insanely good players already. Would love to see two more years out of Power and Beniers in particular. no doubt they could hang in pro this moment, but wnt to see their offense/confidence take off.

 

Great to see David Hrenak's team beat Boston U and Boston college! Is Hrenak good enough to play in LA right away?

 

Love to see Faber's team against Hrenak's team!

 

He might not even be good enough to sign to a ELC.

 

From my understanding Hrenak seems fairly well regarded within the organization, I doubt he'd play in the NHL in the next year or so though

 

I think he's better than Villalta and Ingham

 

Better than Villalta? Personally don't think so. Better than Ingham? At the moment yes, but Ingham has higher potential. I can see them bringing in Hrenak, but then you suddenly got a long jam of goalies in Ontario and not enough ice time for everyone.

 

This is really the first time in a long time the Kings don't have an obvious answer to a NHL caliber in the pipeline. We've been spoiled-- Bernier, Jones, Cambell, and Petersen have all been destined for the NHL

It may not matter who the best of Villalta, Ingham, or Hrenak might be if none of them are good enough for the NHL

I have my eye on Lukas Parik, but I think its a crapshoot at best right now.

 

I don't think you can say Campbell was destined for the NHL considering he was drafted in 2010, played 1 NHL game in '13-'14 and didnt really play any meaninful time with LA until '18-'19

 

Fine, feel free to nitpick the secondary and less relevant point. It doesn't change the fact that Petersen was in the system by 2017 and that the Kings have had a goaltending prospect with legit NHL potential for the last decade..... until now.

 

I’d say Villalta is busting out so far.

All the others have some time. Ingham and Parik are guys to watch and see how they mature.

Hrenak has a chance but will be a tough call. Kings are at 49/50 contracts right now and he will UFA in August if they don’t sign him.

Big logjam in Ontario as well with Villalta on the books for one more season.

How Blake manages the contract count will drive allot of this going forward.

 

Obviously as a Kings fan I hope one of the prospects pan out, but I just have this feeling that we have quantity and not necessarily quality at this time. Better to have a few lottery tickets than none at all, but my optimism isn't as high on this crop of tenders.

 

Villalta is our worst goalie prospect IMO. I was at the rookie tournie in Irvine and he was clearly the least impressive. Parik and Ingham both looked big, poised and confident while Vilallta just looked average. Vilalta had good numbers in Juniors playing on a stacked team but imo simply not an high caliber goalie.

Save % in playoffs brutal as it save % at pro level.
Matt Villalta at eliteprospects.com

Not an expert on goalies or Hrenak- but not sure how anyone can think he is less than Villalta.

 

Curious- but can Villalta be bough out of his current contract? Agred with you- bust as goalie..

 

No, but he can be sent down to the ECHL or can negotiate a mutual contract termination with the Kings.

 

TY

 

No true bluechippers that's for sure, but a few guys with high ceilings. I'm extremely high on Parik, we've seen both his highs and lows. He's unstoppable when he's on, big, athletic, poised. I think Ingham is a bit of a dark horse but he's got some real ability. Hrenak is kind of a forgotten man unfortunately, I don't think he pans out to much but he's got attitude. Villalta--I had hope but I'm done with him. The guy just gives up way too many clunkers, he's like the bad version of Quick, and that's a few-year pattern not just this year.

Luckily we're set for at least a half decade with Cal and if Quick leaves it's easy to pick up a backup, but I imagine the coming years are going to see some G draftees or trades using our many assets.

 

I think by process of elimination, Parik is the leading contender for a NHL spot, but still a long way to go.

In the past, we've had a steady dose of quotes from guys like Ranford, Imoo, Emerson, Mayor, Rosen, etc about goalie prospects that pretty much say "he's a sure fire NHL goalie" that applied to Bernier, Jones, Petersen, etc in the pipeline. Sadly, I just don't hear that with this crop, so "I hope prospect XYZ" pans out is the best those of us with glasses that are half full can muster.

Agree we need to draft a couple of goalies and get a few more lottery tickets.

While we're at it, can we get the goalie whisperer Imoo back?

 

For me it's Petersen, Quick and a cast of hopefuls that "might" turn out to be something. Nothing that can step in to be an effective NHL caliber goalie. If Quick is selected by Seattle and/or traded, they are going to have to acquire a solid back-up for Petersen. Which is why I don't think they move Quick in a trade (Unless Blake is really courted by someone willing to overpay). Just my thoughts.

 

I have high hopes foe Ingham and Parik, both are young and show promise. It’ll take some time. Never been high on Villalta, just don’t like the games ive seen him in. And I’m biased on this, but with Hrenak I’m down on anybody from St Cloud State. Except for Lizzotte everybody from there we gets seems to be so bleh. Roe, Gravel, Brodzinski, Eyssimont, and Dowd who was the best one and we traded him.

 

I agree with everything you said, and yes as I have argued before the results of players playing multiple years in college blows one year players out of the water. But many teams don't care, they think that their development system is superior and thus they rush kids before they are ready. There is also the Adam Fox type concerns where a guy may get to the point where he says "I'll just wait it out and sign where I want"

Power may be better off going back to school, but if he's the #1 overall pick there is pressure for teams to bring that player in. The last #1 overall to not play in the NHL as an 18 year old was Erik Johnson 15 years ago.

Beniers might actually be one of the few who actually cares about getting an education, he is pre-med, was going to go to Harvard and both his parents are Ivy League grads. But even for a guy like that, if a team who is going to pay you tens of millions over the next decade wants you to leave now, it's hard to say no for a lot of reasons.

 

As for goalies Parik is my favorite but for the wrong reasons. I just think he may outscore Wagner and Lizotte.

As for the draft I still take BPA no matter how deep our cupboard is. If on draft day a deal can be made to bring in a 23 to 26 year old that immediately helps the team and is a true top 6 forward or top 3 Dman I am all for it.

as for this year we are out of it. Trade AA, trade AI, trade anything that isn’t part of the core going forward.

knowing our luck we will have a 6 to 8 pick in the first with a few weeks left and then go on a 7 game win streak.

I like what Blake, Yannetti and co have done the last few years. Let’s keep that train and that youth rolling.