Moving on to the defensemen, here’s what Ron Hextall had to say about some of the defensive prospects who played for Manchester this season. Thomas Hickey had one goal and five assists in 19 games. Alec Martinez had seven goals and 23 assists in 55 games. Andrew Campbell had two goals and nine assists in 74 games. Vyacheslav Voynov had 10 goals and 19 assists in 79 games. Jake Muzzin appeared in only one regular-season game, but had one goal and three assists in 13 playoff games. I started off by asking Hextall whether, in a defensive group that seems to have a handful of potential NHL players, any defensemen stood out…
HEXTALL: “They’ve all got work to do in different ways. Hickey was hurt for a long stretch this year, and he had a bit of a rough start to the year. He got hurt for quite a long period of time, but he started playing in Game 3 and he played extremely well. He had a real presence with the puck. He ran our power play and, quite frankly, after he had only played four or five games in 4 1/2 months, he shocked me with the type of poise and confidence that he came in with. In Game 6, he was outstanding. He wanted the puck the whole night against Hershey. He ran our power play and did a real good job, but again, it’s a short period of time. He had his struggles earlier in the year, so I’m not ready to say he’s ready to play, because he’s got to work on his skating a little bit, his strength, and just his overall body and getting stronger.
“Alec Martinez, there’s times where you think he’s ready to play, and then there’s other times where you think he’s just not quite ready. Alec’s got a real nice skill set and everything, but he’s just got to bring more consistent play to the rink every night.
“Campbell, he’s got a real immature body. He’s just a no-nonsense defensive defenseman. He’s got to mature. He’s got to work on his body. Last year, right around Christmas, he had a big drop-off in his energy. He just flat-out ran out of gas. This year, he ran out a little bit toward the end, in the playoffs, but up until then he maintained his energy, so in terms of the kid, he came a long way this year, to last the whole year. But he’s got work to do on the body there. I don’t think it’s going to happen overnight.
“Slava Voynov was in and out. He had a little issue going on with his shoulder, so he was in and out. But Slava improved this year, defensively, and played a much more sound defensive game. He’s got to get better at communicating with his teammates. I think the language is part of it. I was a little surprised when I met with him at the end of the year, though, that he talks a lot better than he did a few months ago, even. But it’s the real quick communication on the ice. He’s still got some work to do there. He’s got to get better at that. Offensively, I think he can push his game to another level next year, but again, this is a 19-year-old kid playing in the American league. I wouldn’t say he’s knocking on the door. He’s got a little bit of work to do, just like the rest of them.
“Muzzin was a pleasant surprise. He’s a real mature kid, in terms of his body. He’s a real big, thick kid. He’s got good hockey sense. He’s got a cannon of a shot. For a kid coming out of junior, he played with an awful lot of poise. A lot of poise with the puck, putting the puck in the right areas, puck management, making the right plays and keeping the game simple. He did a real good job. Again, it’s a short window so it’s pretty hard to evaluate a kid over 12 days and say, `We’ve got something there,’ but there’s certainly a lot there to work with, with Muzzin.”
To follow up, I asked Hextall about the message he would give to these young defensemen. Depending upon trades and/or free-agent signings, it would seem as though there’s an opportunity for at least one prospect to step up and join the Kings this season. I wanted to know whether the message to the young defensemen revolved around seizing an opportunity this summer and going into training camp.
HEXTALLL: “Yeah, that’s fair to say. You never know how this is going to shake out, because obviously things can happen with free agency, or maybe a trade comes up that you don’t see, or whatever. But as it is right now, it looks like one of those guys is going to take a run at it. That’s up to them. The summer is going to be big, for them to get stronger and be in the best shape they can be in to put yourself in the best position to play hockey. There’s something out there for them. Again, we never know until we get there, but I think any of these guys, with the right summer, can do it. This six weeks of playoff hockey was invaluable for these kids. They will all have grown a lot from it, and in all likelihood, we’ll have a spot there.”
Here is my opinion on the Kings top prospects:
- Brayden Schenn
- Jonathon Bernier
- Thomas Hickey
- Colten Teubert
- Andrei Loktionov
- Martin Jones
- Slava Voynov
- Trevor Lewis
- Brandon Kozun
- Kyle Clifford
The future looks awful bright for the Kingers. In a few years these 10 dudes will headline our team. Go Kings!
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puck73 Reply:
May 28th, 2010 at 4:19 pm
@The Future, disagree with you on 2 them, saw Jones play in training camp and he is definately not ready to play with grown men. As for Teubert, his hockey sense doesnt impress me, he makes too many dumb decisions, he has a ways ta go ! The other players you mentioned have looked good and we will see what happens in September. 2 other players that impressed me a lot that you didnt mention are Garrett Roe, and Niclas Deslauriers, both of these players really caught my eye last september.
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The Future Reply:
May 28th, 2010 at 4:34 pm
Thanks, man. I had no idea that Garret Roe and Deslauriers were that good. Didn’t we just draft them last year? The Kings are loaded with so many top-knotch prospects it’s crazy.
On my list, I also didn’t mention guys like Holloway, Cliche, Elkins, Campbell, Zatkoff, and Dwight King.
I just can’t wait until these guys are fully developed and NHL ready. Go Kings!
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puck73 Reply:
May 28th, 2010 at 6:51 pm
@The Future, And then their is Muzzin, King, Czarnik, Wudrick, Mullen, and the list goes on. I like the fact that you mentioned Elkins, I am a big fan of his. After going undrafted out of Ohio State, this kid has come in and done very well at Manchester. I think at 6 ft 3″ this guy could be a very good 3rd or 4th line center on our team shortly. Good comments Future, and I hope I see you at the draft as some of us on this site are going to find a way to meet at a landmark inside or outside of Staples…Stay tuned !
jet Reply:
May 28th, 2010 at 5:04 pm
@The Future, It is amazing. Three years ago, there were maybe 5 players on the Kings Hockey Futures top 20 prospects that I thought might make the Kings some day. I looked at it today and I think maybe 5 of the prospects will not make the NHL.
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luc20rules Reply:
May 28th, 2010 at 7:42 pm
@jet, I nhl team prospects ratings I have not seen the Kings lower than 2nd, and about half have them 1st. We’ve come a long way from the days we trade picks for guys at the end of their careers. The next 10 years we should have a good shot at winning it all may be multiple times.
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jofa6000 Reply:
May 28th, 2010 at 9:35 pm
@The Future, i would place bernier at #1 on the list.
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Thank goodness for Stevie Y, otherwise Hexy would be gone. Hopefully, we can hang on to Hex for one more year. But, with our drafting and player development we is likely gone this summer.
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vindogla Reply:
May 28th, 2010 at 6:29 pm
@jet, wow, good observation, you never know what lurks behind the scenes. Hexy is very good. Maybe he would like to stay for the SC ride here instead of starting one of his own.
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jet Reply:
May 28th, 2010 at 9:50 pm
@vindogla, I would love for him to stay, but I think Hexy is too competitive not to want to build his own group. Also, there are too many GMs with bigger egos than brains currently, so I am afraid he will soon have that opportunity.
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Moondoggie Reply:
May 29th, 2010 at 12:48 am
@jet, Funny, I was thinking the very same thing as I was reading Hexy’s analysis. He’s good, he’s very good. No, he won’t be the GM of the Monarchs and Asst GM of the Kings much longer for sure, he’s too good. I’d be surprised if he wasn’t on Tampa’s initial list of candidates…..
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“Getting stronger”
Man this phrase is used a lot.
Can’t we just cut to a Rocky montage and have these kids emerge ready by the end of summer to take on Clubber Carter or Drago Byfuglien?
We’re in Hollywood after all…
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LBlocal Reply:
May 28th, 2010 at 9:11 pm
@wavesinair, Clubber Carter and/or Drago Byfuglien..
Playing for, or against, these Kings ‘kids’?
{As you know, stranger things have/will happened}
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The way that Hextall talk about these prospects and their bodies kind of gives me the willies. I have this vision of him strolling through the locker room checkin’ guys out. LOL
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puck73 Reply:
May 28th, 2010 at 7:20 pm
@Skebo, What you said about Hexy is real disconcerning, however it does remind of a certain employee who used ta work for XTRA 690 and was accused of “Meat Gazing” in the San Diego Chargers locker room. After that, he was asked not to come into the locker room ever again because he made several players feel uncomfortable. And NOOOO, I am not going to mention his name on this site for fear of a slander suit. However, ask me at the Draft and I will reveal it then !
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Moondoggie Reply:
May 29th, 2010 at 12:53 am
@Skebo, I believe that Hexy’s analysis of the players is dead on in terms of their relative size and strength. These are kids trying to play against adults in the NHL. They got beat up pretty good against Hershey; we all saw that and yet they still held their own. But that was just one series; they’ll be asked to play against huge, physical teams for 82 games next year. Except for Clifford, Muzzin, Westgarth and possibly King & Holloway, most of our kids are going to have to grow into their bodies before making the Kings.
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Campbell’s body AND game are both immature.
As nice of a kid as he seems to be, I’m kind of getting to the point where I feel like it’s almost cruel to keep him around. But of course, who knows what Hexy sees that we don’t. I frequently want to put out a hit on Campbell for all the screening he does on his own net, but maybe I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt until after the start of next season. Feels like Manchester fans have been doing that a lot, though and it always ends the same. With Campbell being heckled more by his own team’s fans than most of the opposing team combined.
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Moondoggie Reply:
May 29th, 2010 at 12:55 am
@holly, I do envy you Holly….I’d have loved to watch Manchester this year, what a fun team, what a great ride. I’ll bet you had a ball watching these kids play…..
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holly Reply:
May 29th, 2010 at 12:54 pm
@Moondoggie,
It’s really amazing to watch these kids play and develop. But what I think is almost just as important is how much Manchester does to kind of get these guys out there as individuals. Between having them do goofy videos and hosting events to get to meet the players, you almost come to feel like you know them as individuals, instead of just hockey players. It’s hard to explain, but from watching Manchester, I’ve begun to truly follow players instead of just organizations. I watched just as many games of other teams in order to watch guys who came through Manchester as I did Kings games this year.
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Quisp Reply:
May 29th, 2010 at 2:56 pm
@holly,
It’s been a nice side-effect of the Kings sucking for so long. You end up rooting for kids who have intentionally or not been following for years. I started watching Windsor last year when Loktionov was there, and now I have this kind of half-baked fan feeling for them. Ditto Wheat Kings. etc..
holly Reply:
May 29th, 2010 at 3:34 pm
I think for me it’s just as much a side effect of the time difference. I usually have at least three hours from when each evening’s hockey schedule begins to when the Kings start.
The Bruins being boring this year helped as well.
on the list, i’ll make a place oscar, think he’s gonna be a Kings important part soon or later!
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from what I’ve read
Muzzin will be the surprise of training camp;
I expect hime to make it happen this year,
as there is definitely a D spot open…
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the kings future looks so bright , i need to wear shades!!!!!
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Holly- not sure how many games you have been to but I’ve been to at least half and Campbell has been one of the top 4 D-men all year! He plays all the tough minutes- up against the other teams top line and PK. D-men are supposed to block shots so get someone to take you to a game and explain the details to you. This kid needs to gain some weight but my bet is he will be in the show long before most of the other most talked about rookies. He is smart..smart……..smart.
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holly Reply:
May 31st, 2010 at 1:25 pm
@Monarchs Fan,
I’ve missed maybe 2 home games the entire regular season and one during the playoffs. I went to all their games in Lowell as well as a number in Providence, Hartford, and Portland.
While he may have been playing in the top 4, he didn’t deserve to be there. Campbell rarely blocks shots. And when he does, it’s a lucky thing because it’d be a goal otherwise… Because he’s parked himself directly in front of Bernier. Campbell is useless, for all intents and purposes. A fact that was made very clear once the team got healthy and fresh blood started coming in. I don’t know that I can think of a single player who has played for the Monarchs at any point in time that so many fans absolutely hated. He’s not a big body. He’s not effective physically or with the puck. Aside from not crashing and burning two months into the season, there was very little growth from Campbell this year. Sure, he has moments when it appears the light bulb has gone on and plays decently for a shift or two, but not consistently enough to suggest that he’ll ever figure it out.
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Quisp Reply:
May 31st, 2010 at 6:59 pm
@holly,
makes that whole hold-out incident even funnier than it was at the time.
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