The Los Angeles Kings had one of the best prospect pools in hockey just a few years ago, with recent high selections such as Quinton Byfield, Alex Turcotte, Gabriel Vilardi, and more. Now, almost all of these draft picks are in the NHL, either with the Kings or traded elsewhere. Nonetheless, there are a few names to keep an eye on.
Brandt Clarke
Heading into the season, the Kings only had one prominent prospect in Brandt Clarke. Projected to earn a full-time role in the NHL this season, his development has staggered as a result of the abundance of defensemen at the NHL level for the Kings. With no room for Clarke, he only found his way into 16 games in the NHL, scoring two goals and six points. An impressive performance for the 21-year-old has provided fans with some assurance he can translate his game to the NHL, but he needs a real opportunity.
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Since his NHL stint, he has returned to the Ontario Reign of the American Hockey League (AHL) where he has underwhelmed. He has not been bad, but he has just five assists in 10 games, disappointing numbers for the highly touted prospect. With eight goals and 38 points in 42 games in the AHL this season, it has not been a great stretch for Clarke, but with such a small sample size there should be no cause for worry for the kid.
Ryan Conmy
Ryan Conmy is a lesser-known prospect in the Kings’ system, a 2023 sixth-round pick out of the Sioux City Musketeers of the United States Hockey League (USHL). The right winger was not expected to do much this season but has thrived for the University of New Hampshire, scoring 14 goals and 31 points in 34 games this season.
A speedy forward who knows how to find the open ice, Conmy utilizes his shot well, putting pucks on the net to create offensive opportunities. He embodies the traits every coach wants in a player: hardworking, resilient, smart, and skilled. He positions himself well as a resilient forechecker, and he is an under-the-radar defensive forward. He may be just 5-foot-10, but he plays bigger than his body and is likely to be a fan favorite in a few years once he joins the Kings team.
Draft Outlook
For the first time since 2021, the Kings will have their first-round pick. While they could trade it at the draft, likely for a goaltender, they possess it for now, so who should fans start thinking about as potential selections? The pick will be in the second half of the first round, depending on how the Kings fare in the playoffs, so who will be available when their name gets called is anyone’s guess. However, fans can start speculating to get some extra excitement as the summer approaches.
The Kings do not have any major positional needs, but they are more likely to take a forward considering the abundance of defensemen in their prospect pool. Right winger Terik Parascak is a name that stands out as an offensive powerhouse, utilizing his hockey IQ and blistering wrist shot to create offense. He is projected to be a late first-round pick or an early second-rounder. Another name to follow is Swedish center Lucas Pettersson. Similar to Parascak, Pettersson has a great shot but is a center. He is responsible at both ends of the ice and is closer to reaching the NHL than most as he has some professional experience in Sweden. He, too, is projected to be a late first or early second-round pick. Other names to keep an eye on are forwards Igor Chernyshov, Linus Eriksson, and Tanner Howe. For the defenseman, the team could look into Adam Jiricek and Cole Hutson.
The Rest of the Pool
The Kings have a weaker prospect pool, but there are many other names to keep an eye on. Koehn Ziemmer, a right winger selected 78th overall in the 2023 Draft, sustained a lower-body injury in November but still finished the season with 11 goals and 31 points in 23 games with the Prince George Cougars of the Western Hockey League. Kasper Simontaival is an undersized winger but has had a great season for KalPa of Liiga, scoring 17 goals and 33 points in 56 games, continued improvement over his three full seasons in his fourth season in the men’s professional Finnish league. Other names to track are Otto Salin, Jakub Dvorak and Erik Portillo.
With the Kings leaving their rebuild and likely beginning their hunt for a Stanley Cup these playoffs, prospect reports are no concern for the franchise. However, there are a handful of names they should keep an eye on as they prepare to hunt for a Stanley Cup in the short and long term.
