News Article: Mayor's Manor Midseason Top 10 Prospects

[CNS]

LA Kings 2014-15 Midseason Prospect Rankings

As such, our bi-annual rankings of players in the Kings pipeline has become some of the most popular content we produce each year because of the amount of effort that goes into gathering and preparing the write-ups. Additionally, the final slotting of players is influenced by hundreds of hours of game action, talking and debating the team’s prospects with a myriad of well-respected hockey people, including our key sources inside the Kings organization.

LA Kings 2014-15 Midseason Prospect Rankings: No. 6-10

Yesterday, we rolled out the initial article in our three-part series looking at the midseason updates to the LA Kings top 10 prospects list. Already served up were three honorable mentions – defensemen Kevin Gravel, Alex Lintuniemi, and Roland McKeown. Now, we’ll get into the players who secured No. 6-10 in the rankings.

LA Kings 2014-15 Midseason Prospect Rankings: The Top 5

Finally, the wait is over. With the Honorable Mentions and Nos. 6-10 prospects previously revealed in other articles, we are now prepared to share the final five players making up the latest edition of our L.A. Kings Top 10 Prospect Rankings.

Please note - I will be adding the subsequent rankings onto this thread. So if its bumped, come take a peek to see if the newest post is up. Always love to see the debate here and more than willing to ask questions if you have any.

Click to read more...

 

[CNS]

LA Kings 2014-15 Midseason Prospect Rankings: No. 6-10

Yesterday, we rolled out the initial article in our three-part series looking at the midseason updates to the LA Kings top 10 prospects list. Already served up were three honorable mentions – defensemen Kevin Gravel, Alex Lintuniemi, and Roland McKeown. Now, we’ll get into the players who secured No. 6-10 in the rankings.

 

[Jason Lewis]

Great to see some LaDue love.

I've been high on the kid since his draft. Straight up muscled his way into UND's blue line group as a freshman and hasn't looked back. Real good all-around player.

Also surprised to see Auger make the top-10. Really digging his development. At 6'7"-6'8" I love that his game is coming around. That size is such an advantage and he's learning to use it.

Good stuff buddy. Ours will be out next month and we can compare notes

 

[CNS]

Great to see some LaDue love.

I've been high on the kid since his draft. Straight up muscled his way into UND's blue line group as a freshman and hasn't looked back. Real good all-around player.

Also surprised to see Auger make the top-10. Really digging his development. At 6'7"-6'8" I love that his game is coming around. That size is such an advantage and he's learning to use it.

Good stuff buddy. Ours will be out next month and we can compare notes

Thanks Jason. You know I love a good, well educated debate. Looking forward to your list!

 

[Fat Elvis]

Really good read, thanks for sharing it. It's nice to read detailed info on players I never get to see play. Thanks

 

[KingsHockey24]

Kinda surprised that McKeown did not make the top 10.

 

[Captain Mittens*]

Kinda surprised that McKeown did not make the top 10.

Some people are reading too much in to him not making the WJC. He is rounding out his game. I trust our development

 

[Fat Elvis]

Is there going to be room for LaDue in Manchester next season? Seems like there's too many down there this season with Raine getting time at F. Would it hurt for him to stay his jr season or is he better off turning pro?

 

[CNS]

Really good read, thanks for sharing it. It's nice to read detailed info on players I never get to see play. Thanks

Thank you! This is why we do this. We know not everyone can watch prospects play, so we love to pass on as much info on them as possible.

Some people are reading too much in to him not making the WJC. He is rounding out his game. I trust our development

I think the way we described it is perfect - he was told he needs structure in his game. Yannetti told us in our interview the second the draft ended that he lacked an identity. As he tried to find and build an identity, he has to build himself up. But to do that successfully, you have to tear everything down. That is why McKeown didn't make the list. He needs to build his identity as a player and show he can use his incredible skillset in that new identity.

Is there going to be room for LaDue in Manchester next season? Seems like there's too many down there this season with Raine getting time at F. Would it hurt for him to stay his jr season or is he better off turning pro?

Good question and all I can say right now is only time will tell. Currently, Gravel has established himself above the depth chart in Manch over Raine and Ebert. The room in Manch will depend on what happens with Schultz, Bodnarchuk, Forbort, and Miller next year. Three of the four have chances to make the Kings next year, while Bods is a FA (and I would expect he moves on). Just too early to tell.

 

[bob77]

Is there going to be room for LaDue in Manchester next season? Seems like there's too many down there this season with Raine getting time at F. Would it hurt for him to stay his jr season or is he better off turning pro?

I think he needs to turn pro. He's not getting any younger. He's already 22 and would be a 23 yr old junior. He's only a few months younger than Forbort, and yet Forbort played all 3 of his seasons at ND before LaDue even got there.

 

[King'sPawn]

I think he needs to turn pro. He's not getting any younger. He's already 22 and would be a 23 yr old junior. He's only a few months younger than Forbort, and yet Forbort played all 3 of his seasons at ND before LaDue even got there.

Not sure what the rush is. Does and Brzezinski were both a bit older when they started their collegiate career.

 

[DonKingKong]

When will Hockeysfuture/Kings rankings come out? I think that those are the standard the past few times.

 

[Jason Lewis]

When will Hockeysfuture/Kings rankings come out? I think that those are the standard the past few times.

Our Spring rankings will be coming out in about 2-3 weeks here or so.

 

[DonKingKong]

That's great and thanks.

 

[Jason Lewis]

That's great and thanks.

Appreciate that! Thanks! CNS/Tonge is good dude also and you'll get solid info and player thoughts from him as well.

 

[Kingspiracy]

Nice work CNS, I look forward to the top 5.

 

[hawkeyexp]

Great to see some LaDue love.

I've been high on the kid since his draft. Straight up muscled his way into UND's blue line group as a freshman and hasn't looked back. Real good all-around player.

Also surprised to see Auger make the top-10. Really digging his development. At 6'7"-6'8" I love that his game is coming around. That size is such an advantage and he's learning to use it.

Good stuff buddy. Ours will be out next month and we can compare notes

LaDue is great to watch. I go to school at UND and get to watch him play almost every home series. Its scary how close to a system the sioux play as compared to the Kings.

 

[KingCanadain1976]

Cns Jason and who ever else wants to answer where are we strongest weakness in terms of prospects?

 

[CNS]

Nice work CNS, I look forward to the top 5.

Thank you! As do I. I personally love working on this list. Very fun to do and I'm glad people appreciate it.

LaDue is great to watch. I go to school at UND and get to watch him play almost every home series. Its scary how close to a system the sioux play as compared to the Kings.

I have to admit that I personally haven't seen much of LaDue compared to other prospects. But from every person I/we talk to, all we hear is high praise.

 

[PJ Kings Hockey]

What's the latest on Joel Lowry? We don't often hear much about him.

 

[Fat Elvis]

About the Dmen for Manchester next season, there could be Roach, MacDermid, Lintuniemi, LaDue and Leslie all looking to make the team. Sounds like signing Gravel would be in LA's best interest with his improved steady play. With Bods likely not being resigned and possibly 1 dman making LA, you'd have to think that Ontario will have a few of those guys (above) skating for them.
If LaDue was Manchester bound, then he should turn pro. Another yr in school at a top program wouldn't kill him, even at his age.

This will be interesting to watch where the dmen fall into place.

 

[CNS]

What's the latest on Joel Lowry? We don't often hear much about him.

There's a reason for that. I personally am not very high on Lowry. Probably won't get an NHL contract and probably won't be heard of in a few years. Not every kid can make it.

 

[King'sPawn]

About the Dmen for Manchester next season, there could be Roach, MacDermid, Lintuniemi, LaDue and Leslie all looking to make the team. Sounds like signing Gravel would be in LA's best interest with his improved steady play. With Bods likely not being resigned and possibly 1 dman making LA, you'd have to think that Ontario will have a few of those guys (above) skating for them.
If LaDue was Manchester bound, then he should turn pro. Another yr in school at a top program wouldn't kill him, even at his age.

This will be interesting to watch where the dmen fall into place.

Lintuniemi isn't AHL eligible, and LaDue might be kept in the NCAA just so he can get more minutes.

That leaves Roach, MacDermid, and Leslie fighting for AHL/ECHL spots

 

[Fat Elvis]

Lintuniemi isn't AHL eligible, and LaDue might be kept in the NCAA just so he can get more minutes.

That leaves Roach, MacDermid, and Leslie fighting for AHL/ECHL spots

What's the age restriction? Lintuniemi will be 20 next September, which I thought would make him eligible next season.

 

[bob77]

Not sure what the rush is. Does and Brzezinski were both a bit older when they started their collegiate career.

Let me clarify my thought! He not only getting older, 22 now, be 23 next year, but his game is really ready to move to the next level. He gets plenty of minutes if he stays, and probably less if he doesn't. He could possibly make LA AHL team next year, and it's a toss up of whether playing in the ECHL would be better than staying in NCAA. It's a hard call for a kid!! LaDue that is!