With the declining quality of the prospect pool, lack of depth with the big club, and the moving out (e.g., madden) or impending moving out (e.g., Fagemo) of former prospects,and the aging of key players it seems like there are opportunities both in ONT and potentially with the big club for next year. Looks like most of the top college guys have signed many international guys available. Any word on who the Kings are in on?
Any Kings college or international free agent signing rumors?
- Thread starter Troy_Ice
- Start date
DarkLeftHand
Super Star
We should be set to have an influx of younger prospects making the jump to the AHL next season, I think. Ziemmer, Conmy, Connors, Hughes, Lawrence should all be eligible for regular duty at forward with the Reign if they all get signed. That being said, I’m not sure the Kings will be keen on replenishing with undrafted college and international guys.
DryKing
Power Forward
Considering it looks like the Kings will be declining to offer a contract to Jack Hughes, it feels like the prospect pool will continue to move backwards. I really don't envision Blake signing an available college player better than this guy.
Mania also seems worthy of a shot, but is not expected to get one from the Kings.
Thankfully we at least have a couple stellar goalie prospects (George and Slukynsky), one of which is likely to be with the Reign by next season (or possibly the end of this season), and Greentree who likely will jump straight to the Kings roster next season.
Jack Hughes - Stats, Contract, Salary & More
Eliteprospects.com hockey player profile of Jack Hughes, 2003-11-02 Westwood, MA, USA USA. Most recently in the NCAA with Boston Univ.. Complete player biography and stats.
www.eliteprospects.com
Matthew Mania - Stats, Contract, Salary & More
Eliteprospects.com hockey player profile of Matthew Mania, 2005-01-11 Brandon, FL, USA USA. Most recently in the OHL with Flint Firebirds. Complete player biography and stats.
www.eliteprospects.com
DryKing
Power Forward
I really don't understand the rationale of giving up on Hughes. Consistency has been listed as a main contributing factor, but all the more reason to bring him into the Kings system and then work on honing his game. He's 7th in scoring on Boston University this season while playing on the 2nd line. The way BU is stacked, you don't keep that position without solid skill.
DarkLeftHand
Super Star
I missed this article when it was published a few days ago, but I’m not surprised they are passing on Hughes. I was very perplexed at the time by the draft pick, when they could’ve taken Lane Hutson, Goyette, or Poitras instead.
Editing to add: I think the rationale behind giving up on Hughes might be due to his lack of consistency, but also the team wanting to go much bigger overall. I suspect the thing which caught Kings eye was that Hughes had that tantalizing spark of skill, like Turcotte, but also lacks the motor of Turcotte, while still suffering from the same lack of size.
Editing to add: I think the rationale behind giving up on Hughes might be due to his lack of consistency, but also the team wanting to go much bigger overall. I suspect the thing which caught Kings eye was that Hughes had that tantalizing spark of skill, like Turcotte, but also lacks the motor of Turcotte, while still suffering from the same lack of size.
Last edited:
Point taken on a few of those guys. I’m excited to see George, who is apparently ahead of Hammer even if their draft years would suggest otherwise . Of course, Hughes (understandably) isn’t being given a contract, and I figured Conmy would go back to school for his junior year. I’d be surprised if Greentree jumped straight to the big club, it’s just not theK!ings MO, even if his skill set is exactly what they need (eventually).Considering it looks like the Kings will be declining to offer a contract to Jack Hughes, it feels like the prospect pool will continue to move backwards. I really don't envision Blake signing an available college player better than this guy.
Mania also seems worthy of a shot, but is not expected to get one from the Kings.
Thankfully we at least have a couple stellar goalie prospects (George and Slukynsky), one of which is likely to be with the Reign by next season (or possibly the end of this season), and Greentree who likely will jump straight to the Kings roster next season.
Jack Hughes - Stats, Contract, Salary & More
Eliteprospects.com hockey player profile of Jack Hughes, 2003-11-02 Westwood, MA, USA USA. Most recently in the NCAA with Boston Univ.. Complete player biography and stats.
Matthew Mania - Stats, Contract, Salary & More
Eliteprospects.com hockey player profile of Matthew Mania, 2005-01-11 Brandon, FL, USA USA. Most recently in the OHL with Flint Firebirds. Complete player biography and stats.
I know the college FA class was supposed to be on the weak side. By now all the top college guys seem to have signed. I haven’t heard anything about the international guys though. I had hoped we might find a righty forward who could shoot to bring into the system for the pp. There’s a Russian righty center who seems like he might be a fit, in two dimensions (we could use a right handed center as well) but I haven’t heard anything about any of the international (euro) guys. I’d also like to see a bit more defensive depth.
They also should have Kirsanov coming over next year.
DryKing
Power Forward
Yeah I agree with you, I thought it was an odd pick too. I believe the Kings Org said something about him doing everything well when the drafted Hughes, but it seemed like there were better options out there. I just don't think we have a whole lot at the AHL level currently, so I don't really see why we don't give him a shot to prove himself. We've signed bigger longshots.
I'm probably the minority but I feel Greentree proved in the preseason that he was good enough to make the roster this year. I totally understand why the Kings sent him back to the OHL but he looks ready to make the jump to me. But I agree, it's not the Kings style to bring up a player so quickly and think he will be a strong addition to the Reign roster next year.
I don't track the European leagues but the below article recently came out. Maybe there is an option there (likely moreso than college currently).
Statue4Deano
Super Star
Kings Sign Defenseman Otto Salin To A Three Year Entry Level Contract | Los Angeles Kings
The LA Kings signed defenseman Otto Salin to a three-year entry-level contract through the 2027-28 season. Salin, 21, played in 56 games for TPS Turku of Liiga, Finland’s top professional hockey league, where he set career-marks in games played, goals (8), assists (20) and points (28) with 14...
www.nhl.com
hokiecat
Super Star
The Kings prospect pool is pretty dismal. Like it is the goalies and Greentree and then a pile of broken toys.
I would put you in the minority that Greentree is NHL ready. I like him and he's got a solid NHL future, but he's also paired with baby Protas and I don't see anyone in DC looking to have Ilya on the NHL roster next fall. Instead the focus is on top players like Ryan Leonard. Greentree stands out because he is the only top-tier skater in our prospect pool so he appears to be more impressive than he really is.
DryKing
Power Forward
All good points and my honest opinion is that you are spot on.
The reason I would rather see Greentree in the NHL than AHL is due to the fact that the Kings have stacked the AHL with vets, rather than legitimate prospects, and the bulk of the opportunities and play time go to those vets. I don't think Greentree is so much ready for the NHL as able to compete in it. That could, however, come with the risk of developing bad habits. My fear, however, is that he gets assigned to the AHL next season, and isn't put in a position to lead the team in regards to key opportunities or spend time on a lined with skilled linemates that will push him forward.
I just don't like what the Reign has become - a holding pen for vets to help drive team wins instead of a team focused on prospect development first and foremost (just my opinion though).
McSorleyFan
3rd Line Winger
I too want to see Greentree in the NHL next season. However, According to the NHL-CHL transfer agreement, players drafted from the CHL are generally ineligible to play in the AHL until they turn 20 years old by December 31 of the given season or have completed four full seasons in the CHL.
Given that Greentree will be 19 years old at the start of the 2025-2026 season and, assuming he has not completed four full CHL seasons by that time, he would not be eligible to be assigned to the AHL for that season. Instead, he would need to either remain on the Kings' NHL roster or be returned to the CHL.
He looks to have outgrown the OHL ... so, he may feel being sent back to the Spitfires as a bad thing if he can't crack the big club next year.
Given that Greentree will be 19 years old at the start of the 2025-2026 season and, assuming he has not completed four full CHL seasons by that time, he would not be eligible to be assigned to the AHL for that season. Instead, he would need to either remain on the Kings' NHL roster or be returned to the CHL.
He looks to have outgrown the OHL ... so, he may feel being sent back to the Spitfires as a bad thing if he can't crack the big club next year.
Last edited:
DryKing
Power Forward
That's interesting, so it's NHL or OHL then. The Kings only have 4 NHL level forwards on contracts that will expire at the end of the season: Lewis, Lafferriere, Jeannot and Kuzmenko. Lewis will be gone, but hopefully the other three are extended. I wonder if the Kings will be willing to make room for Greentree on the roster. It may very well come down to how Jeannot and Kuzmenko play in the playoffs.
Also I agree with you that he is in need of stronger competition in order to further his growth as a player.
Statue4Deano
Super Star
The current prospect pool looks shallow at forward but there’s a couple kids with NHL upside and they’ve got some wild cards with nice skill sets.
I’d argue the blueline is relatively stacked with a handful of guys who very likely will see NHL time they just need some experience. Otto Salin has 2nd pairing upside. Booth already looks like a near lock for 3rd pairing at the NHL level in a few seasons. If Hoven is right about Kirsanov coming over this summer that’s another kid with real NHL potential. Then there’s Dvorak. Maybe he’s something. Too early to tell. And the Kings just signed Wooley to an ELC. It’s not often a 6th round pick gets an ELC after his draft+1 season. There’s a lot to like about his game.
Then there’s the goaltending prospects. Not much more needs to be said about Geroge and Slukynsky. They both have NHL starter upside at a minimum.
So while the organization lacks top end forwards and dmen they have plenty of depth, a necessity for every contending organization.
DryKing
Power Forward
That sums up the Kings prospects over the last several years - very little top end talent; plenty of depth talent. Hopefully a surprise or two will pop up.
Thankfully we are finally in a good place, in terms of prospects, when it comes to goaltending. Between our prospects, and Darcy, that future looks bright in that position.
Statue4Deano
Super Star
And we’re finally seeing the plan work out at the NHL level.
The next wave of home grown players like Byfield, Laf, Clarke, Spence, Turcotte and Helenius are all 24 or under and contributing next to the established prime aged guys like Kempe, Anderson and Moore, while the gaps are filled in via trade/free agency like Fiala, Kuz, Gavrikov and Foegele.
You develop where you can and you trade prospects and pieces to fill in the gaps.
An organization generally can’t control when they have a superstar in the prospect pool but they can cultivate an environment where they find and develop NHL quality talent.
Statue4Deano
Super Star
Very good news. Adds another hard working, high effort 2 way forward to the Reign.
DryKing
Power Forward
True to a degree, but an Organization can control trading away top draft picks or utilizing veterans no longer in the future plans to obtain picks/prospects. The Kings have not done a good job in this category.
None of the forwards currently in the system project to be a replacement for guys like Doughty, Kopitar, Kempe, Fiala etc at present. The only forward currently with NHL projections, besides Helenius, is Greentree (and possibly Chromiak). Furthermore 9 out of 10 of the Reigns top 10 scorers are all over-agers. Granted we have still a 2-3 more years before significant need may arise to replace some of our aged star players, but we don't even have a prospect currently in the AHL with 3rd line NHL center projections. There really is no defending this.
Sure we can solve through trades, but homegrown players often yield the most fruit.
Statue4Deano
Super Star
There’s a reason LA was in on Rantanen and will be in on Marner when he hits free agency. Both players fill an immediate and long term need that will not be filled internally.
If the Kings can get out of the 1st Round, Blake will have the green light to go big game hunting this off-season. It’s a long shot but if Blake can get a prime aged offensive free agent like Marner to buy in then the forward portion of the prospect pool becomes far less of a concern.
DryKing
Power Forward
Fingers crossed on this. Obtaining a top tier player would really catapult the Kings forward.
Tell that to Theo Fleury...
