Nick Ebert signs ELC after breakthrough season

Los Angeles Kings HeadshotsThe Los Angeles Kings appear to have found some value in Nick Ebert, the puck-moving defenseman selected with the final pick of the 2012 NHL Draft who recently won an OHL Championship with the Guelph Storm, a junior team virtually establishing itself as a Kings pipeline.

Ebert, 20, joined Guelph along with Columbus prospect Kerby Rychel in a mid-season blockbuster trade with Windsor and ultimately posted 13 goals and 53 points in 60 regular season games before totaling five goals and 16 points in the playoffs. Part of an offensive gifted Guelph team, Ebert played with Los Angeles draft picks Justin Auger, a forward, and Zac Leslie, a defenseman. Dustin Brown and Drew Doughty are also Storm alumni.

There’s still a ways to go in his development, but it appears as though the Kings do have an intriguing prospect on their hands. In speaking with those from hockey operations, I’ve been told that Ebert “took off” after the trade and was able to tighten up his defensive responsibilities as his puck moving tendencies and high level of skating shone through.

As noted in this profile by Neate Sager of Yahoo!’s Buzzing the Net blog, Ebert was an extremely well regarded prospect who struggled in his draft year. At one point considered to be a first round lock, Ebert fell to the very last pick of the draft, where Los Angeles snapped him up.

Three players taken with the very last selection since 2002 have played in the NHL: Zach Trotman (211th overall, 2010), Patric Hörnqvist (230th overall, 2005), a four-time 20-goal scorer, and Jonathan Ericsson (291st overall, 2002).

In many aspects, the six-foot, 203-pound New Jersey native has matured well in his paths towards becoming a professional, an effort that was helped both in his time in junior hockey and with Ontario Reign coaches Jason Christie and Mark Hardy, under whom Ebert played for in the 2013 Kelly Cup playoffs. His confidence and fitness levels have grown, and by all accounts, he was outstanding in the run towards capturing the J. Ross Robertson Cup.

As a 20-year-old, he’ll have the opportunity to crack Manchester’s roster in 2014-15. Should that be too steep a transition, he’s eligible to return to the OHL as an overager.

2014 Memorial Cup - Championship

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