Soon, I’ll have some extensive quotes from Kings co-director of amateur scouting Michael Futa, talking about the draft, but first, here’s a recap of today’s picks, as copied from the Kings’ news release. It contains relevant biographical info, stats and some quotes from today’s picks: center Tyler Toffoli (second round, 47th overall), center Jordan Weal (third round, 70th overall), defenseman Kevin Gravel (fifth round, 148th overall) and winger Maxim Kitsyn (sixth round, 158th overall).
With first-round pick Derek Forbort added, the Kings’ draft class of five players is the smallest since 1977, when the Kings took four players and didn’t have their initial pick until the fourth round.
Here’s the info on today’s picks…
Toffoli, 18, played the last two seasons for the Ottawa 67’s of the Ontario Hockey League. In 65 regular season games in 2009-10, he had 79 points (37-42=79) and 54 penalty minutes. His 79 points was tied for 17th in the OHL, while his 37 goals were tied for 14th. In 12 playoff games, the 6-0, 178-pound native of Toronto , Ontario recorded 13 points (7-6=13) and 10 penalty minutes. Toffoli also participated in the 2010 OHL All-Star Classic and recorded five assists in the game.
In 2008-09 he recorded 46 points (17-29=46) and 16 penalty minutes in 54 regular season games and eight points (2-6=8) and four penalty minutes in seven playoff games. He finished 12th in rookie scoring and was named to the OHL All-Rookie Team. Toffoli also earned a gold medal for Team Canada at the 2009 Ivan Hlinka Tournament, finishing second in team scoring (3-5=8) in four games.
Said Futa, “We are going to have to wait and see how things play out with the kid. With the development team we have and the program that Dean Lombardi has put together, this kid is tailor-made to come into our system.”
“I’m really excited and I heard that there’s a [development] camp this week, so I’m really excited to get back here with all my gear and show the Kings what I can really do,” said Toffoli from STAPLES Center. “It’s definitely tough waiting overnight [after the first round] and it’s something you think about. Obviously you want to go as a first-round-pick and eventually someone was going to want me. Fortunately for me it was the Kings and I’m really excited.”
Weal, 18, played parts of the last three seasons with the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League. In 72 games in 2009-10, he had 102 points (35-67=102) and 54 penalty minutes. His 102 points was third in the WHL, while his 67 assists ranked second and 35 goals were tied for 20th. Weal, who turned 18 on April 15, was the first 17-year-old to surpass 100 points in more than a decade in the WHL. He is only the fifth player in major junior hockey in the last 10 years to record 100 points in his second season of junior eligibility.
In 2008-09, the 5-10, 162-pound native of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan recorded 70 points (16-54=70) and 26 penalty minutes in 65 games en route to being named a finalist for the 2009 WHL Rookie of the Year Award. He began his junior career in 2007-08 with Regina and had one assist in three games. Weal earned a gold medal for Team Canada at the 2009 U-18 Ivan Hlinka Tournament and represented Canada at the 2010 U-18 World Championships.
“I’m small and quick with great offensive abilities,” said Weal from STAPLES Center . “I really take pride in my defensive game as well. I’m really shifty and I see the ice really well and I feel like I make the players around me a lot better.
“The Kings have a great young team coming up and I get to see them play a lot. Being from Vancouver I get to see the Kings play the Canucks a lot and they had that great playoff series this year. They have great young defensemen in [Jack] Johnson and [Drew] Doughty, but I feel I could bring a little more offense and energy to the lineup.”
In the fifth round the Kings selected defenseman Kevin Gravel (148th overall). Gravel, 18, spent the 2009-10 season with the Sioux City Musketeers of the United States Hockey League. In 53 games he recorded six points (3-3=6) and 36 penalty minutes and participated in the 2010 USHL All-Star Game. In 2008-09 the 6-4, the 185-pound native of Marquette , Mich. played with the Marquette Rangers of the North American Hockey League, recording 14 points (3-11=14) and 29 penalty minutes in 58 games. Gravel was a member of Team USA at the 2009 Ivan Hlinka Tournament.
In the sixth round the Kings selected left-winger Maxim Kitsyn (158th overall). Los Angeles received the 158th overall selection from Atlanta in exchange for the 169th and 199th overall picks.
Kitsyn, 18, spent the last two seasons playing for the Novokuznetsk Metallurg of the Kontinental Hockey League in Russia . In 21 games in 2009-10 Kitsyn recorded two points (1-1=2) and 12 penalty minutes. In 2008-09 he recorded seven points (5-2=7) and 26 penalty minutes in 31 games. The 6-2, 194-pound native of Novokuznetsk , Russia represented his native country at the 2010 World Junior Championships, recording three assists in six games. He earned a silver medal for Russia at the 2009 World U-18 Championships, recording eight points (4-4=8) in seven games. Kitsyn also represented Russia at the 2008 Ivan Hlinka Tournament. Among European skaters, NHL Central Scouting ranked Kitsyn sixth.
Last night the Kings selected Forbort (defenseman) in the first round (15th overall). Forbort, 18, played the last two seasons in the U.S. National Development Program and was the highest rated USHL skater in the final rankings of NHL Central Scouting.
Kings Trade Tracker:
Last night:
-Kings trade 19th and 59th overall picks to Florida for 15th overall pick
Today:
-Kings trade 49th and 109th overall picks to Colorado for 47th overall pick
-Kings trade 79th overall pick to Toronto for a third-round selection in 2012 NHL Entry Draft
-Kings trade 169th and 199th overall picks to Atlanta for 158th overall pick
I like the quality of our draft this year. I think Mr. Lombardi’s team has really honed their craft. I feel they got who they targeted. Forbort, Toffoli and Kitsyn all went well below their projections and the team jumped on the chance to grab them, giving up extra picks to nab the type of player they wanted.
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IMO the biggest move(s)this weekend, were those not made.
Keeping EVERYONE within the Kings organization, (LA/Manchester/Ontario/Jrs) IN TACT. Diligently selecting prospects based on the proven concept of “best player available.” Instead of taking the easy, hometown pick instead.
Way to go, Kings Brass, for another tremendous draft. Keeping the “family” together. And, Solid picks; top to bottom.
As always Mr. Hammond, Continued THANKS.
Go Kings!
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LBlocal Reply:
June 26th, 2010 at 7:34 pm
Using available draft picks to move up (in trade) to select the right player/right time… Didn’t hurt either. errrr… =B gkg!
ps.. wish this site had a user “self edit” option for posts.
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I had a feeling that the Kings would trade away some of their picks. It seems like a way to slow down the high number of assets to give Dean more time to make a decision about who the contenders and pretenders are.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see Kitsyn play in the KHL for a couple more years before playing in the AHL. It was also revealing that the first round pick was a player who’s going to be in college for at least two years. There’s no rush when the cupboard is stacked.
These new draft picks are going to get a rude awakening at the development camp when they see how high the bar is set. Hopefully it’s motivation enough to put the work in. Kozun and Weal could be a nice little battle to determine who gets first shot at a roster spot.
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Soo disappointed in dean at this draft, he had two chanches to draft local kids and refused. Dean does not understand local talent, the impact on ticket sales or the fan support for the kings. Unforntunatly, the ducks do. dean has a one track mind to the draft. big defense in the first round and small forwards in the second. he has no clue. last year he trades up for teubert and passes on meyers (rookie of the year). tim lie. gives him a two year extension???
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David Reply:
June 26th, 2010 at 8:45 pm
@smitty,
Winning and having a better player > less talented player, PR move.
You cant seriously judge a player by one season. Steve Mason (Vezina winner in 09) had a terrible season this year. Just because a player does great one year doesnt mean he is going to be great. Also, who’s to say that Teubert doesnt become a great player?
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David Reply:
June 26th, 2010 at 8:47 pm
@David, Whoops, I meant he won the Calder as well. Tim Thomas won the Vezina that year.
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Daniel Reply:
June 26th, 2010 at 9:57 pm
@smitty, Winning has an “impact on ticket sales or the fan support for the kings”.
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Steve Reply:
June 26th, 2010 at 10:25 pm
@smitty, Noah Clarke was an LA native drafted by the Kings a couple of years ago. Where is he now? Not with the Kings! Just because he’s a native doesn’t mean that team should draft him- the Capitals learned that lesson with Jeff Halpern, a Maryland native.
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KC23 Reply:
June 27th, 2010 at 3:29 am
@smitty,
Only thing that is going to put me in the seats more often is winning as a result of taking the best players available. Couldn’t care less if they came from and I doubt I’m alone. I am a So Cal native as well btw.
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Crown Royal Reply:
June 27th, 2010 at 8:17 am
@smitty,
It was two years ago that Teubert was drafted. The Kings did not trade up to get Teubert they traded down then selected him. This was to gain additional draft pick.
It appears Teubert will be a bit slow to develop but it’s way too soon to write him off. In not drafting Myers the Kings went with what they thought was a better choice. The really big guys are usually busts. The execptions, of course, are two of the three Hatcher brothers (the other a bust) and Pronger.
Hickey and Teubert seemed a natural pairing after their play together on the Canadian National Junior Team in the World Junior Championships. Drafting local players is o.k. but only if they are the best players available.
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DL may want to have a quick chat with Teubs prior to development camp.
Colton Teubert, another 2008 NHL Entry Draft first-round selection, says of his teammate Weal, “the kid’s fast. The thing about him is that he likes to compete in practice; he wants me to play him hard, so I two-hand him and cross check him — that’s what he likes — and for me it’s good, because I have to try and catch him all the time.
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