Don’t look now, but it’s almost time for the return of hockey!
In just a few short weeks, dozens of players will report to Toyota Sports Performance Center in El Segundo for the start of Kings Rookie Camp. Day one will consist of little more than medical check-ins and a quick twirl around the ice, then it’s going to quickly be time to jump into some action, as the organization will host this year’s NHL Rookie Faceoff tournament.
Below is a myriad of information to get you primed and ready for what’s to come.
RULES REMINDER
As exciting of a time as this may be, some pesky rules still creep into any conversation.
For starters, any NHL prospect who will play college hockey this season is prohibited from attending Rookie Camp. So even though plenty of those Kings hopefuls attended Development Camp in July, they won’t be back for a second swing in September.
This means that Ryan Conmy (Univ. of New Hampshire), Kenny Connors (UMass), Jack Hughes (Boston), Jack Sparkes (Clarkson), Hampton Slukynsky (Western Michigan), and Jared Wright (Denver Univ.) are all off the board.
In one slightly related note, look for Connors and Wright to turn pro after their college seasons are over sometime next March/April.
And in more rules related information, keep in mind that one of the guidelines NHL teams are supposed to use when putting their Rookie Faceoff rosters together has to do with games played. Essentially, players are supposed to have less than 100 pro games played. Drafted players area also supposed to already be signed to their entry level contract. However, that latter point seems to be used more like a guideline the past few years than an actual hard and fast rule.
With that in mind, the Kings won’t be able to use players like Martin Chromiak, Sammy Helenius, and Andre Lee. Each have played in the tournament before yet have now graduated out of that first tier. Therefore, they’ll join Rookie Camp after the tournament is over on Sept. 16.
OTHER ROSTER NOTES
— Last year, the Kings brought a 27-player roster to the Rookie Faceoff in Vegas. It was comprised of 15 forwards, nine defensemen and three goaltenders. While the bulk of the group were players drafted by LA, the squad was rounded out with camp invitees. Based upon the prospect counts below, there will be room for about 16 invitees this time around, pretty similar to last year.
— As we reported previously, of all the invitees at Dev Camp, there were three players the Kings were believed to have the most interest in. On defense, there was Chris Hedden (Air Force Academy) and Zach Bookman (Merrimack College). With both guys targeted for the NCAA this season, they won’t be returning to LA next month.
— Funny enough, while the Kings have rather quickly repaired their organizational goaltending depth in nearly head-spinning fashion (with Portillo-George-Slukynsky forming a formidable trio), it’s actually a netminder who is an invitee that should be earmarked as somebody to keep a close eye on. QMJHL product Samuel St-Hilaire is the only other player without a contract who the team is believed to be seriously considering for a new deal. The staff got an early look at him during Development Camp, including a nearly lights out performance in one of the scrimmages. Playing for the Sherbrooke Phoenix last season, St-Hilairea produced a .915 save percentage, that was fourth-best in the league. He also had the third-best goals against average (2.41) and tied for the third most shutouts (5).
— Portillo’s participation in the event is assuming he signs his new contract with LA by that point. More on that situation here.
— Defenseman Cole Krygier is a possible addition to the roster. He’s only played 63 games for the Reign since LA acquired him in a rare post-NHL Trade Deadline deal in 2023. At 6-foot-3, he could bring some size and experience to a very young group.
— Last season, Brandt Clarke was scheduled to travel with the Kings for Training Camp in Australia; so, he wasn’t on the Rookie Faceoff roster. In the end, though, he was injured at an Upper Deck hockey event a few weeks prior, eliminating from either camp. This time around, we’ve confirmed that LA’s top defensive prospect will be invited to play in the tournament again.
In 2022, just a few months after being selected at the NHL Draft, Clarke suited up for the Kings at the Rookie Faceoff in San Jose and went on to lead all skaters in shots on goal at the four-day event. He also had an epic walk off (skate-off?) shootout goal to seal a win for LA over Vegas.
— Last year, it was Easton Armstrong (son of former Kings center Derek Armstrong) who represented some hockey bloodlines at the tournament. This time around, look for Parker Murray (son of Glen) to carry the torch. For what it’s worth, the younger Murray caused a few people to sit up in their chairs during July’s Dev Camp. Checking in at 6-foot-5, the 20-year-old winger has bounced around between four different BCHL teams the past few seasons. However, maybe he’s just a late bloomer and could be coming into his own.
— Look for ECHL Greenville forward Patrick Moynihan to be among the camp invitees eventually added to the roster.
PREVIEW: KINGS 2024 ROOKIE CAMP ROSTER
Forwards
26 Liam Greentree – Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
74 Aatu Jamsen – Pelicans (Liiga)
88 Kaleb Lawrence – London (OHL)
38 Francesco Pinelli – Ontario Reign
89 Koehn Ziemmer – Prince George (WHL)
Defensemen
81 Angus Booth – Shawinigan (QMJHL)
54 Brandt Clarke – Ontario Reign *
54 Jakub Dvorak – Swift Current (WHL)
43 Matthew Mania – Flint (OHL)
80 Jared Wooley – London Knights (OHL)
Goalies
40 Carter Geroge – Owen Sound Attack (OHL)
1 Erik Portillo – Ontario Reign
29 Samuel St-Hilaire – Sherbrooke Phoenix (QMJHL)
2024 ROOKIE FACEOFF SCHEDULE
The Kings rookies are scheduled to hold open practices at 11am on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of the Rookie Faceoff weekend.
Games are scheduled as follows:
Friday, Sept. 13
Game 1 – San Jose vs. Utah, 1:00 p.m.
Game 2 – Colorado vs. Anaheim, 3:30 p.m.
Game 3 – Vegas vs. Los Angeles, 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 14
Game 1 – Seattle vs. Colorado, 3:00 p.m.
Game 2 – Utah vs. Los Angeles, 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 15
Game 1 – Vegas vs. Seattle, 1:00 p.m.
Game 2 – Anaheim vs. San Jose, 4:30 p.m.
Monday, Sept. 16
Game 1 – Colorado vs. San Jose, 11:30 a.m.
Game 2 – Utah vs. Vegas, 12:30 p.m.
Game 3 – Anaheim vs. Los Angeles, 3:30 p.m.
NOTE: All Kings games will be available via stream (link will be available on game day)
ROSTERS FOR THE OTHER TEAMS
Anaheim Ducks
Players expected to play include: Stian Solberg, Leo Carlsson, Pavel Mintyukov, Beckett Sennecke, Nathan Gaucher, Cutter Gauthier
Colorado Avalanche
Players expected to play include: Calum Ritchie, Sean Behrens
Seattle Kraken
Players expected to play include: Berkly Catton, Julius Miettinen, Eduard Sale, Nathan Villeneuve
San Jose Sharks
Players expected to play include: Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, Sam Dickinson, Quentin Musty
Utah Hockey Club
Players expected to play include: Tij Iginla, Cole Beaudoin
Vegas Golden Knights
Players expected to play include: Mathieu Cataford, Arttu Karki, and Tuomas Uronen
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