|
#9: LA Kings Top-10 Prospects |
|
|
|
|
|
Part 9 in our installment features the LA Kings and what is left of the fruits of their former tanking. A lot of people have complained about the list and where teams should be, we took into account all the prospects when drawing it up but it would be too long winded to make profiles for each guy including people who will never sniff the NHL. Well enough of this gay banter.
1.
Jonathan Bernier, Goaltender,
Los Angeles Kings, NHL,
11th overall, 2006, 22 years old,
5’11, 218.
Yes, yes I know he is in the NHL as a backup currently and that should disqualify him but usually we go by a full first season. Bernier is a lightning quick goaltender with amazing flexibility and elite athleticism. He has amazing puckhandling skills and hand eye coordination. After some fantastic years in junior Bernier took the AHL by storm and was awarded the "Baz Bastien Trophy" for AHL Best Goaltender in 2009. He plays a mixed style that is hard to predict which mixes the Martin Brodeur stand-up with the newer butterfly. Why does he have this style? It is due to his one major weakness, his size. He can’t play a perfect butterfly as he lacks the size so he has an awkward style. This might serve him better down the road however as NHL players get more used to the butterfly style and train to score on them.
Upside: 1A Goalie
NHL Comparable: Jaroslav Halak
2.
Tyler Toffoli, Right Wing,
Ottawa 67’s, OHL,
47th overall, 2010, 19 years old,
5’11, 183.
Toffoli is a big time scorer with amazing offensive instincts, he has an elite wrist shot and can pass as well as he can shoot. He has very soft hands and a lot of creativity in the opponents end. This season he shed the question marks about his consistency and was the cog to the best line in the OHL. Like many offensive talents he needs work in his own end to make it polished enough for the pros. His skating is still his weakness and could hold him back. What’s not to love about a guy who scores 57 goals in 68 games?
Upside: 1st Line/2nd Line Sniper
NHL Comparable: Jonathan Cheechoo Pre-Cyborg Legs
3.
Andrei Loktionov, Center/Left Wing,
Manchester Monarchs/Los Angeles Kings, AHL/NHL,
123rd overall, 2008, 21 years old,
5’11, 192.
Loktionov is a playmaking forward with excellent vision and strong crisp passing. He has good speed and creativity which allow him to set up on the PP very well. He is a two-way forward that can play well in all three zones and has even been known to play the PK and be a shorthanded threat. At 21 he has yet to improve enough on his face-off skills to make it as an NHL centerman and may have to make it as a LW, though his style of play lends itself to center much more easily. Loktionov is a pass first player and often frustrates by the lack of confidence when he has a chance to score opting to pass it off.
Upside: Top-6 Forward
NHL Comparable: Alex Tanguay
4.
Derek Forbort, Defenseman,
University of North Dakota, NCAA,
15th overall, 2010, 19 years old,
6’4, 198.
Forbort is a strong defenseman with good offensive awareness and a solid defensive game. His passing is superb and he makes them crisp and easy to handle. In the defensive end he is strong along the boards and plays well positionally but lacks grit despite his size. His skating is fantastic for a player his size and he uses his long strides to beat forechecking forwards with ease. His shot is still weak for a guy his size and he really needs to work on it or fear developing Tomas Kaberle-like predictability.
Upside: 3-4 Defenseman
NHL Comparable: Jay Bouwmeester
5.
Vyacheslav Voinov, Defenseman,
Manchester Monarchs, AHL,
32nd overall, 2008, 21 years old,
6’0, 190.
Voinov is a two-way defenseman with some good offensive upside. He is a solid skater though has trouble with acceleration. He has excellent passing ability to go with good vision. He has strong positioning in his own end and likes to use the active stick style of defense. One thing the coaches in Manchester have done for him is make him shoot the puck more a weakness he needed to get over, he has progressed each year shooting more and more and now has one of the deadliest shots in the AHL (15 goals last season). He needs to get a bit tougher if he wants to prove he can handle the NHL.
Upside: Top-4 Defenseman
NHL Comparable: Anton Babchuk
6.
Maxim Kitsyn, Left Wing
Mississauga St. Mike’s Majors, OHL
158th Overall, 2010, 19 years old
6‘2, 195 lbs
A big bodied winger willing to play in the dirty areas, this Russian doesn’t fit the stereotype. A speedy skater, who takes the puck to the net, and protects it well, Kitsyn is a willing combatant in traffic. He can line up a quick shot, yet doesn’t shoot nearly enough. Kitsyn has shown a lot of offensive punch, and enough of a “physical” game to like. The only question for him at the moment—how well can he think the game?
Upside: Top Six Power Forward
NHL Comparable? Nikolai Kulemin
7.
Nicolas Deslauriers, Defense
Gatineau Olympiques, QMJHL
84th Overall, 2009, 20 years old
6’0, 205 lbs
Not exactly big for an NHL defenseman, Deslaurier is thick enough that he should be able to handle the rigors of NHL Forwards. His bread and butter are his skating, but it also gets him in trouble. Capable of taking the puck end to end and getting to top speed within a few strides, he’s the kind of defenseman to put you on your feet with one beautiful rush and then frustrate the heck out of you because it didn’t work as he had intended.
Upside: Top Four Offensive Defenseman
NHL Comparable? P.K. Subban
8.
Linden Vey, Right Wing
Medicine Hat Tigers, WHL
96th Overall, 2009, 20 years old
6’0, 181 lbs
A forward of average size, who knows how to work the corners, Vey is a leader and a battler. He’ll take the puck to the net, and score most of his goals in the few feet around the net. More often than not, Vey wins puck battles, and is able to set up plays with some pretty good passing. He’s nothing flashy, but he gets the job done night and out.
Upside: Very Good Checking Forward
NHL Comparable? Kris Versteeg
9.
Martin Jones, Goaltender
Manchester Monarchs, AHL
Undrafted, 21 years old
6’4, 190 lbs
A big goaltender who plays to his strength, Jones shows some good positioning in the net. Shows some decent mobility in the net, but tends to stay within himself. Jones has good puck control and seems to have a control on his rebounds as well. Continued learning of the game is key for his butterfly game.
Upside: Tandem Goalie
NHL Comparable? J.S. Giguere
10.
Thomas Hickey, Defense
Manchester Monarchs, AHL
4th Overall, 2007, 22 years old
5’11, 184 lbs
A swift skating defenseman, Hickey controls a game from the back end with his feet and head. A kid who exudes confidence and leadership, Hickey is an offensive defender to a t. Solid vision and understanding of the play enfolds allow him to move the puck effectively, and quarterback a PP well. He plays bigger than his 5’11 frame would suggest.
Upside: 3-4 Offensive Defenseman
NHL Comparable? Ian White
P.S. Sorry for the Monty Python reference.
Thanks for reading.
Follow me on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/#!/AdamFrenchReal
Join the Discussion:
»