Dempsey
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The HFNHL LA Kings held the 15th overall pick in the draft, the highest they've picked in 2011 when they selected centers Mark Scheifele and Sean Couturier back-to-back at 10th and 11th, respectively. After drafted forwards in the first round for a few years in a row, the Kings went ahead and took a defenseman in the first round.
Cam York, defenseman
HFNHL draft position: Round 1, 15th overall
Drafted in NHL by Philadelphia Round 1, 14th overall (+1)
The top defenseman from the USNTDP, York is a modest 5'11" in stature but can skate and think the game at a very high level. His skills in both ends are excellent, but he'll need time to develop his game further and get stronger. He'll do that at the University of Michigan.
Samuel Ersson, goaltender
HFNHL draft position: Round 2, 46th overall
Previously drafted in 2018 in round 5, 143rd overall
Ersson was selected in the NHL last year by the Flyers but was undrafted in the HFNHL. In 2018-19 he jumped from the SuperElit to the Allsvenskan where he was the league's best goaltender at the age of 19 and a candidate for league MVP. He was excellent for Sweden in the U20 WJC and really drove his stock up. The Kings have largely ignored the goaltender position at the draft over the years but are very excited to add Ersson to the prospect pool where he leaps over Joey Daccord as the organizations top goaltender prospect.
Mattias Norlinder, defenseman
HFNHL draft position: Round 3, 77th overall
NHL draft position: Round 3, 64th overall (+13)
Norlinder is a late '00 birthdate who was able to make the jump from the SuperElit to the Allsvenskan mid-season and end up on the top pairing. At 6'0" he doesn't have the biggest frame, but his speed and skating are both excellent. A smart defenseman who checks a lot of boxes, the Kings can be patient with him until he's ready to come over.
Patrick Moynihan, forward
HFNHL draft position: Round 4, 108th overall
NHL draft position: Round 6, 158th overall (-50)
Moynihan was a benefactor of playing on some good lines on the USNTDP team, but was more than just a passenger. A smart, hard-working type, he will put in his work at Providence College where he'll have all the time needed to develop. Moynihan is the type of forward you can find on almost every NHL team's third or fourth lines.
Marc Del Gaizo, defenseman
HFNHL draft position: Round 4, 112th overall
Drafted in NHL by Nashville Round 4, 109th overall (+3)
Del Gaizo is a late-'99 born defenseman who was passed over in both the NHL and HFNHL last year after a pretty good year in the USHL. As a 5'10 defenseman he'll always have his doubters, but his excellent freshman season at UMass where he put up 13-16-29 in 41 GP got him drafted. He played on the same team as Cale Makar but actually received only second-unit PP time.
Johan Sodergran, forward
HFNHL draft position: Round 5, 139th overall
Previously drafted in 2018 by LAK in round 6, 165th overall
Sodergran was drafted last year in the NHL by the LAK and then went on to put up 13 points in the SHL as a teenager. At 6'3" he has an excellent size/skating combination and was a notable standout in the NHL Kings' prospect camp, so much so in fact that it earned him a contract and he could play in the AHL next season.
Peter Diliberator, defenseman
HFNHL draft position: Round 6, 170th overall
Previously drafted in 2018 by VGK in round 6, 180th overall
Another NHL-drafted player from 2018, Diliberator is a 6'0" defenseman who this past season went on to put up 19 points in 38 games for Quinnipiac. He played on a team with several NHL-draft defensemen who have since turned Pro which will expand his role.
Dominic Basse, goaltender
HFNHL draft position: Round 7, 201st overall
Drafted in NHL by Chicago in round 6, 167th overall
Basse is a high school goaltender drafted by Youngstown of the USHL where he will play for another two years before heading to Colorado College. He's a 6'6" bean pole who put up some serious numbers and has some nice raw talent.
Jami Krannila, forward
HFNHL draft position: Round 7, 205th overall
Undrafted in NHL
Krannila is a hard-working forward with good wheels. He played in the USHL and had a good season, but went undrafted in the NHL. He'll head to St.Cloud U and give it another shot next year.
Bonus selection:
Karel Plasek, forward
Previously drafted by HFNHL Kings in 2018 round 7, 206th
Was undrafted in NHL in 2018. Selected in 2019 by Vancouver round 6, 175th overall
Selected in the last few picks of last year's draft, Plasek went undrafted. After moving up the ranks in his native Czech Republic, he was drafted in the NHL this year in the 6th round despite not really being on many people's radar. The Kings really liked the pick at the time last year and now that he's got a landing spot in the NHL his path has become a little clearer.
Cam York, defenseman
HFNHL draft position: Round 1, 15th overall
Drafted in NHL by Philadelphia Round 1, 14th overall (+1)
The top defenseman from the USNTDP, York is a modest 5'11" in stature but can skate and think the game at a very high level. His skills in both ends are excellent, but he'll need time to develop his game further and get stronger. He'll do that at the University of Michigan.
Samuel Ersson, goaltender
HFNHL draft position: Round 2, 46th overall
Previously drafted in 2018 in round 5, 143rd overall
Ersson was selected in the NHL last year by the Flyers but was undrafted in the HFNHL. In 2018-19 he jumped from the SuperElit to the Allsvenskan where he was the league's best goaltender at the age of 19 and a candidate for league MVP. He was excellent for Sweden in the U20 WJC and really drove his stock up. The Kings have largely ignored the goaltender position at the draft over the years but are very excited to add Ersson to the prospect pool where he leaps over Joey Daccord as the organizations top goaltender prospect.
Mattias Norlinder, defenseman
HFNHL draft position: Round 3, 77th overall
NHL draft position: Round 3, 64th overall (+13)
Norlinder is a late '00 birthdate who was able to make the jump from the SuperElit to the Allsvenskan mid-season and end up on the top pairing. At 6'0" he doesn't have the biggest frame, but his speed and skating are both excellent. A smart defenseman who checks a lot of boxes, the Kings can be patient with him until he's ready to come over.
Patrick Moynihan, forward
HFNHL draft position: Round 4, 108th overall
NHL draft position: Round 6, 158th overall (-50)
Moynihan was a benefactor of playing on some good lines on the USNTDP team, but was more than just a passenger. A smart, hard-working type, he will put in his work at Providence College where he'll have all the time needed to develop. Moynihan is the type of forward you can find on almost every NHL team's third or fourth lines.
Marc Del Gaizo, defenseman
HFNHL draft position: Round 4, 112th overall
Drafted in NHL by Nashville Round 4, 109th overall (+3)
Del Gaizo is a late-'99 born defenseman who was passed over in both the NHL and HFNHL last year after a pretty good year in the USHL. As a 5'10 defenseman he'll always have his doubters, but his excellent freshman season at UMass where he put up 13-16-29 in 41 GP got him drafted. He played on the same team as Cale Makar but actually received only second-unit PP time.
Johan Sodergran, forward
HFNHL draft position: Round 5, 139th overall
Previously drafted in 2018 by LAK in round 6, 165th overall
Sodergran was drafted last year in the NHL by the LAK and then went on to put up 13 points in the SHL as a teenager. At 6'3" he has an excellent size/skating combination and was a notable standout in the NHL Kings' prospect camp, so much so in fact that it earned him a contract and he could play in the AHL next season.
Peter Diliberator, defenseman
HFNHL draft position: Round 6, 170th overall
Previously drafted in 2018 by VGK in round 6, 180th overall
Another NHL-drafted player from 2018, Diliberator is a 6'0" defenseman who this past season went on to put up 19 points in 38 games for Quinnipiac. He played on a team with several NHL-draft defensemen who have since turned Pro which will expand his role.
Dominic Basse, goaltender
HFNHL draft position: Round 7, 201st overall
Drafted in NHL by Chicago in round 6, 167th overall
Basse is a high school goaltender drafted by Youngstown of the USHL where he will play for another two years before heading to Colorado College. He's a 6'6" bean pole who put up some serious numbers and has some nice raw talent.
Jami Krannila, forward
HFNHL draft position: Round 7, 205th overall
Undrafted in NHL
Krannila is a hard-working forward with good wheels. He played in the USHL and had a good season, but went undrafted in the NHL. He'll head to St.Cloud U and give it another shot next year.
Bonus selection:
Karel Plasek, forward
Previously drafted by HFNHL Kings in 2018 round 7, 206th
Was undrafted in NHL in 2018. Selected in 2019 by Vancouver round 6, 175th overall
Selected in the last few picks of last year's draft, Plasek went undrafted. After moving up the ranks in his native Czech Republic, he was drafted in the NHL this year in the 6th round despite not really being on many people's radar. The Kings really liked the pick at the time last year and now that he's got a landing spot in the NHL his path has become a little clearer.
