The Kings’ fifth-round pick, Kevin Gravel, is an 18-year-old defenseman listed at 6-foot-4, 185 pounds. A native of Marquette, Mich., Gravel had three goals and three assists in 53 games last season for Sioux City of the USHL. Here’s a quick bio of Gravel, plus an interview he did with McKeen’s Hockey… Gravel bio Gravel [...]

With the No. 148 overall pick, in the fifth round, the Kings selected defenseman Kevin Gravel from Sioux City of the USHL. Then, in the sixth round, the Kings traded up into the No. 158 spot and selected 19-year-old Russian forward Maxim Kitsyn, who played in the KHL last season. The Kings gave up their [...]

Two more California natives went fairly early today. Jason Zucker, a left winger and Newport Beach native, went 59th (second round) to Minnesota. Zucker played locally for the Los Angeles Hockey Club. Taylor Aronson, a defenseman and Placentia native, went 78th (third round) to Nashville. Aronson played locally for the Junior Kings.

Here are some quotes from Kings third-round selection Jordan Weal… —– Question: Did it feel like a long wait to get picked? WEAL: “I didn’t get too worried about the numbers and stuff. I knew I was going to go to a team, and I’m going to go to a team and show them I [...]

Here are some quotes from Tyler Toffoli, the Kings’ second-round pick… —– Question: You’re listed as a center, but you also play right wing? TOFFOLI: “When I came to the OHL, I moved to the right wing, so that’s where I’ve been playing for the past two years.” Question: What did it feel like to [...]

Here’s the NHL.com bio on Kings third-round pick Jordan Weal, who is a junior teammate of Kings defensive prospect Colten Teubert in Regina… Jordan Weal bio

The Kings have traded their third-round pick, No. 79, to Toronto for a third-round pick in 2012.

With the No. 70 pick, the Kings selected center Jordan Weal from Regina of the WHL. Weal was ranked No. 30 among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting. He had 35 goals and 67 assists in 72 games with Regina last season, his second season with the Pats. Weal is listed at 5-foot-10, 162 [...]

Here’s some info on Tyler Toffoli, the Kings’ second-round pick… Toffoli bio on NHL.com Toffoli recap on HockeysFuture.com Also, click below to check out a video package on Toffoli…

In the second round, the Kings moved up two spots. They traded their No. 49 and No. 109 picks to jump up to No. 47 and acquired center Tyler Toffoli from the Ottawa 67′s of the Ontario Hockey League. Toffoli, 18, recently completed his second season in Ottawa and totaled 37 goals and 42 assists [...]

NHL Draft – Day 2

Here’s what Dean Lombardi had to say tonight after the first round of the draft, and after the Kings selected defenseman Derek Forbert at No. 15. The Kings enter tomorrow with seven picks, but you never know what might happen. The draft resumes at 10 a.m., and I’ll be hosting a chat at that time, [...]

The New York Islanders ended up with the 30th and final pick of the first round, as they sent their Nos. 35 and 58 picks to Chicago. With the 30th pick, the Islaners selected Brock Nelson, a high-school forward from Minnesota. That’s the end of the first round. I’m hoping to have quotes from Dean [...]

Here’s a couple photos from the stage after the Kings drafted Derek Forbort… And here’s more from the Kings’ official news release on Forbort… In 26 games played against USHL competition in 2009-10 he had 14 points (4-10=14), 26 penalty minutes and a plus-12 rating.  Forbort also competed in the U-18 World Championships in 2010, [...]

With the 29th overall pick, the Anaheim Ducks selected forward Emerson Etem, a Long Beach native from Medicine Hat of the WHL. Etem had been ranked eighth among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting, and the announcement of his name drew a large ovation from the crowd.

At No. 24, Chicago selected forward Kevin Hayes, a Massachusetts high-school player. At No. 25, Florida traded with Vancouver (with the Canucks acquiring Keith Ballard) and the Panthers selected center Quinton Howden from Moose Jaw of the WHL. At No. 26, Washington selected center Evgeny Kuznetsov from Russia. At No. 27, Phoenix selected goalie Mark [...]

Here are two interviews with Derek Forbort, the first one done with myself and Nick Nickson, and the second one done as part of the official “scrum” after the pick. The most interesting thing from the interviews is that Forbort apparently only had a two-minute interview with the Kings, so it will be interesting to [...]

Derek Forbort, the Kings’ first-round pick, is a Duluth, Minn., native who is headed to the University of North Dakota in the fall. Forbort’s hometown paper in Minnesota included a story about him this morning… Forbort poised to make Duluth hockey history Also, click below for a quick highlight video of Forbort…

Montreal moved into the No. 22 spot, which they acquired from Phoenix. Montreal sent picks No. 27 and 57 to Phoenix for picks Nos. 22 and 113. At No. 22, Montreal picked Jarred Tinordi, a defenseman from the USA Under-18 team and the son of former NHL defenseman Mark Tinordi. With the 23rd pick, the [...]

No. 16: St. Louis selects Vladimir Tarasenko, RW, Russia. No. 17: Colorado selects Joey Hishon, C, Owen Sound (OHL). No. 18: Nashville selects Austin Watson, LW, Peterborough (OHL). No. 19: Florida selects Nick Bjustad, C, Blaine HS (Minn.) No. 20: Pittsburgh selects Beau Bennett, RW, Penticton (BCHL) No. 21: Detroit selects Riley Sheahan, C, Notre [...]