Los Angeles Kings: Top 8 prospects worth getting excited about
The Los Angeles Kings have a very impressive prospect pool. Which of their prospects are worth getting the most excited about?
Continuing on with the top eight prospects series, todays article will go over one of the most stacked prospect pools in the entire NHL in the Los Angeles Kings. The 2010s were overall highly successful for the Kings organization, as they won two Stanley Cups in 2012 and 2014, and were one of the top teams in league standings for a number of seasons.
Unfortunately, as it typically goes in professional sports, the top teams eventually see themselves fall down the standings. That is now the case for the Kings, as their top players have began to age.
As a result they have not won a playoff game since 2016, and have missed the playoffs entirely the past two seasons. However, general manager Rob Blake has done a terrific job in both acquiring and developing prospects. With the amount of talented prospects they have, the Kings look like they will soon become a top team once again.
As mentioned in all of the top 8 prospects articles, any player who has played more NHL games than games in any other league in a season, regardless of the season, will not be included on this list. With that being said, here are the top 8 prospects in the L.A. Kings organization.
8. Akil Thomas
The fact that Akil Thomas is ranked number eight on this list shows just how deep the Kings prospect pool is. In fact, there are many other players left off this list who some will argue should be here over Thomas.
Regardless, the 20-year-old forward who was taken in the 2nd round (51 overall) of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft is an incredible talent, proven by his 84 points in just 47 OHL games this season mixed between the Niagara IceDogs and the Peterborough Petes.
Thomas became a household name early this year when he scored what ended up being the game winning goal in the gold medal team for Team Canada at the World Juniors against Team Russia.
Although it was just his second point of the tournament, he has proven how good he is offensively with 315 points in 241 career OHL games. He is likely still a year or two away from the NHL, but he will be exciting to watch next season as he is set to make his professional hockey debut.
7. Rasmus Kupari
At first glance, Rasmus Kupari’s six goals and eight points in 27 games seems quite disappointing for the 20th overall pick of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. However, it is important to keep in mind that he was just 19-years-old for the entirety of the season. This is very young for the AHL, given that players who play junior hockey in North America are not able to play in the league until they are 20.
If you look back just one season prior, it is easy to see how talented Kupari is. In 43 games with Karpat of the SM-liiga, he posted a very impressive 12 goals and 33 points in 43 games. Considering that is a league which has many older and former NHL players, those totals are very promising.
Unfortunately for Kupari, his season was cut short after suffering a torn ACL in the first game of the 2020 World Juniors, but he was able to have surgery soon after and will be good to go for the 2020-21 season. Look for him to produce much more this upcoming season.
6. Arthur Kaliyev
The 19-year-old Arthur Kaliyev is the most controversial of the eight prospects on this list. Despite a 51 goal, 102-point 2018-19 season with the Hamilton Bulldogs of the OHL, the Staten Island, New York forward saw himself fall to the 2nd round (33 overall) of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. This was due to the fact that despite his clear offensive talent, his defensive game leaves plenty to be desired.
This past season saw Kaliyev continue to excel offensively, putting up 44 goals and 98 points in just 57 games. He also represented Team USA at the 2020 World Juniors where he yet again impressed with four goals and six points in five games.
While there is clearly improvement needed away from the puck, there is no denying his clear skill. While Kaliyev may be given one more season in the AHL to sort out his defensive game, the Kings also need scoring and may give him an opportunity to crack the opening day lineup.
5. Tyler Madden
When the Kings decided to trade Tyler Toffoli to the Vancouver Canucks this past season, the biggest piece they received was 2018 3rd round pick (68 overall) Tyler Madden.
The son of former NHLer John Madden had a fantastic sophomore season for Northeastern University, putting up 19 goals and 37 points in just 27 games. This was a big jump from his already impressive freshman campaign where he scored 12 goals and added 16 helpers in 37 games.
The one concern regarding Madden is his size. Height isn’t a big issue as he stands at 5-foot-11, but he is currently listed at just 150 pounds. The soon to be 21-year-old will have to put on weight before he is ready to make an impact at the NHL level, but aside from that doesn’t seem very far away. He is an extremely promising prospect for the Kings.
4. Samuel Fagemo
Forward Samuel Fagemo has impressed in a big way since being drafted in the 2nd round (50 overall) of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. Playing in the SHL for Frolunda HC the past two seasons as an 18 and 19-year-old, he has 27 goals and 47 points in 84 games. Considering just how good of a league the SHL is, those numbers are extremely impressive.
This past World Junior Tournament, Fagemo showed just how good he is when matched up against players his own age, posting a ridiculous eight goals and 13 points in just seven games. Those numbers were good enough to lead the entire tournament, and showed both Kings management and its fans how talented he is.
While he was expected to play the 2020-21 season in North America, that appears to no longer be the case given the delayed start to the season. As of now, it seems likely he will spend the entire season in Sweden, looking to build upon his already impressive totals.
3. Gabe Vilardi
After being taken by the Kings with the 11th overall pick at the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, Gabe Vilardi was finally able to show fans just how good he is. The 2019-20 season marked his first as a pro, and he certainly made the most of it.
The 6’3″ centerman appeared in 32 games with the Ontario Reign of the AHL, posting nine goals and 25 points in 32 games. He also appeared in 10 games with the Kings and played like he belonged, registering three goals and seven points.
The recently turned 21-year-old has a good shot at making the Kings out of training camp this upcoming season. While it is important to remember he is still very young, it is hard to not have high expectations for the Kingston, Ontario native. He proved during his time in the OHL and now professionally as well that he knows how to put up points. Although it’s early, he appears to be a star in the making.
2. Tobias Bjornfot
While the Kings obviously had high hopes for Tobias Bjornfot when they selected him with the 22nd pick at the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, they likely didn’t expect him to be as good as he looks early on. Despite being just 18-years-old this past season, Bjornfot played in 44 games with the Reign, posting six goals and 19 points.
Bjornfot actually made the L.A. Kings roster out of training camp last season, which was very unexpected. However, after going minus four in just three games, the Kings made the decision, and likely the correct one, to send him to the AHL for the remainder of the season.
As mentioned previously, due to the upcoming season being delayed, he is currently playing in the SHL for Djurgardens IF. It remains to be seen whether he will rejoin the Kings organization once this season begins, but regardless, it is clear they made a terrific late first round selection in the Swedish defenceman.
1. Alex Turcotte
Bjornfot wasn’t the only excellent 1st rounder taken by the Kings at the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, as they also selected American born forward Alex Turcotte with the 5th overall pick. At the time, Turcotte had just finished his season with the U.S. National Under-18 Team in the USHL, posting an incredible 12 goals and 34 points in just 16 games. He then moved on to the University of Wisconsin for this past season, and the great offensive play continued.
In 29 games as a freshman, Turcotte produced nine goals and 26 points. He also represented Team USA at the 2020 World Juniors, but was unable to have the same impact as put up just two assists in five games.
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Despite the disappointing output, he is the Kings most promising prospect, which says a lot given some of the other names on this list. After his college season ended, he immediately signed an entry-level contract with the Kings, meaning his 2020-21 season will be in either the NHL or AHL. While he will likely be given time to get his feet wet in the minors, he may have the chance to see some time with the Kings this next season if he is able to continue producing.