Just a few years ago, the Los Angeles Kings‘ prospect pool was the envy of the league. Widely considered one of the best pools in hockey, the Kings have fallen into the back half of the league in this category recently.
While it wasn’t a big step back, after graduating players like Arthur Kaliyev and Alex Turcotte this last season, The Athletic’s Corey Pronman dropped the Kings another spot in his annual U-23 pipeline rankings.
Because this list includes all U-23 players, Quinton Byfield is still eligible and is really propping up the Kings’ ranking alongside Brandt Clarke.
Unless they draft a potential star next summer or Liam Greentree emerges as one, they’ll fall further next summer even with Clarke in the system.
However, I don’t want to focus on the top players in this article. There’s been plenty of content on them this summer and I want to shift focus onto the depth of this system and what Pronman thinks of it.
After Greentree, every Kings prospect falls into Pronman’s “has a chance to play NHL games” tier. Essentially, he projects them to be depth pieces at best.
It’s certainly an indication of the current lack of depth in the prospect pool, but I also think it’s a little harsh in some areas.
Aatu Jamsen, Koehn Ziemmer & Francesco Pinelli:
These are the three names that stuck out to me on the list. All three are in the “has a chance to play” tier and that was a surprise for me.
I’d definitely put Aatu Jamsen in that tier, but it felt a little harsh on Francesco Pinelli and Koehn Ziemmer.
Firstly, I wouldn’t have them in the same tier. Maybe his rookie season in North America changes my perception, but I don’t see much of a path for Jamsen, or at the very least, not an equal path as Pinelli and Ziemmer.
Jamsen’s got some puck skills, and despite still being listed at 154 pounds (which I’ve been told is not an accurate weight) there’s some compete and physicality there. Still, I don’t see any of it getting him to the NHL, especially with mediocre skating.
Contrast that with Ziemmer and Pinelli, who both have legit NHL traits and similar compete (although Pinelli could show it more consistently) and I don’t see them in the same tier.
Ziemmer was very productive when healthy in the OHL and has true NHL puck skills, shooting and high-end compete. Skating and athleticism are an issue, but he’s got everything you need to be a bottom-middle six forward in the NHL.
Pinneli is a different player but similarly has legit NHL puck skills and creativity. He’s worked hard at playing less on the perimeter last season and if getting to the interior becomes a common part of his game there’s no reason he can’t be a third-line winger in the NHL.
I think Pronman is too high on Jamsen and too low on both Ziemmer and Pinelli.
Jared Wright, Kenny Connors & Jack Hughes:
On to a trio of college players, only Kenny Connors made Pronman’s article.
Jack Hughes missing just two years after being drafted in the second round is a bad spot to be in but an understandable omission.
Hughes hasn’t developed much in college and his NHL future looks dubious at best. Mark Yannetti has spoken on a potential late physical development, similar to what former Kings prospect Nic Dowd experienced, but that a lottery.
The big commission is Jared Wright. Wright isn’t a future star by any means, but he looks like a safe bet to play NHL games. He’s a big, physical winger who can absolutely fly and finish chances.
That kind of winger often finds a role in the NHL and in a few years, Wright could be a fixture in the Kings’ bottom six. He’s got all the tools you want from a bottom-six, penalty-killing winger.
Connors is a similar player, but isn’t quite as big or fast and doesn’t have the same scoring touch. He’s got more puck skills and a bit better hockey IQ which could even things out.
Of this group, Wright is the one I’d bank on to carve out an NHL career but I can see why Pronman chose Connors.
Kings Prospect Pool in a Tough Spot:
It’s no secret that the Kings have hurt their prospect pool in an attempt to chase playoff success in the last few seasons and this article is a reminder of that.
Soon the Kings won’t have any potential impact players under-23 and have failed to develop any not named Byfield from their once-great prospect pool.
Clarke could get there and needs to, but that’s still a work in progress.
