Daryl’s Development – Nicolas Deslauriers

In this next installment of “Daryl’s Development,” I’ll give you some insight on Kings prospect Nicolas Deslauriers.

Right Now
Nicolas is currently playing for the Manchester Monarchs of the American Hockey League (AHL). He is in his second year and as of November 15 he has played in 12 games registering six assists and eight penalty minutes helping the Monarchs sit second in their division and fifth in their conference with a 7-4-0-1 record.

Back Story
Nicolas is a defenseman who was drafted by the Kings in the third round (84^th overall) in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. Last year in his first year as a pro Nicolas scored 1-13=14 points in 65 games and added 67 penalty minutes with the Manchester Monarchs.

What I Know About Him
Nicolas is a solid defender with good size at 6’1 and 215 lbs. He is a strong skater who has added weight and strength since being selected by the Kings and has become a more reliable defenseman for his team. In his last year with Gatineau of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) Nicolas scored 13-30=43 points while adding 5-15=20 in 24 playoff games indicating he has offensive upside to his game that should emerge as he becomes more comfortable as a pro.

Why The Kings Tabbed Nicolas
Kings Amateur Scout (Quebec/Maritimes) Denis Fugere says the following about Deslauriers: “Nick is a good skater who has a hard shot and brings a strong, physical element to his game.”  Fugere added that “Nick was a forward until he played Bantam hockey, which probably contributed to him liking to rush the puck and lead the attack.”  Fugere says, “Nick is now joining the rush and reading the play better which will allow him to be more effective in the play.”  Kings Vice President/Assistant General Manager and General Manager of the Monarchs Ron Hextall says, “Nick is a good guy to have around, he has a lot of energy and an infectious personality while not being a fun guy to play against.  His size, strength and compete levels are all good and he is developing his all round game”.

Going Forward
Since being drafted by the Kings, Nicolas is on a positive path developing and rounding out his game. He is a hard worker and must continue that in order to achieve his goal of playing in the NHL.  He has to continue to adjust to the speed of the game at the pro level and make high percentage decisions with and without the puck in order to gain the trust of his coaches to play in the critical situations of a game.