Growth Plan: Projecting the Los Angeles Kings’ safety checklist for the 2021 enlargement draft

Welcome to the Growth Plan, our summer season sequence projecting the protected lists for the 30 NHL franchises who will take part within the June 2021 Growth Draft.
Over the following two seasons, each crew – save the Vegas Golden Knights, who shall be exempt – shall be planning for the arrival of the NHL’s 32nd franchise and Seattle GM Ron Francis will start to contemplate the choices for his inaugural roster. As such, over the course of the following 30 days, we’ll profile one crew, in alphabetical order, and forecast their potential checklist of protections and exposures, in addition to deal with every crew’s enlargement technique, no-brainers, powerful choices and what classes they realized from the 2017 enlargement course of.
This train requires some vital floor guidelines. The 2021 Growth Draft will observe the identical guidelines because the 2017 Growth Draft, however some assumptions are vital. These are the rules adopted:
No pre-draft trades
All no-movement clauses are honored
Gamers who will change into restricted free brokers in 2020 or 2021 stay with present groups
Gamers who will change into unrestricted free brokers in 2020 or 2021 both stay with present groups or are left off lists completely (eg. Nicklas Backstrom protected by the Washington Capitals, Tyson Barrie not protected by Toronto Maple Leafs or some other crew.)
•   •   • 
The excellent news: the Kings have an unbelievable prospect base they usually received’t have to fret in regards to the likes of Nikolai Prokhorkin, Alex Turcotte, Rasmus Kupari or Tobias Bjornfot. The dangerous information? It’s going to be just a few years earlier than the rebuild bears fruit.
However that’s OK, particularly with the power of the 2020 draft. One other robust draft might put the Kings in an ideal scenario for the long run after years of Stanley Cup runs made constructing a strong prospect basis a problem. With a big majority of the crew’s youth routinely protected attributable to a scarcity of expertise, it’s placing collectively the remainder of the roster that might show to be a bit of difficult.
Los Angeles has been handcuffed by costly offers for declining veterans, however in some instances – ahem, Ilya Kovalchuk final summer season – it appeared like the suitable factor to do on the time. However now the crew is paying the value for it, however the enlargement draft may help them alleviate among the cap points if Seattle desires to pick out a veteran with Stanley Cup expertise.
PROTECTED (7F, 3D, 1G)Forwards:
Anze Kopitar
Tyler Toffoli
Alex Iafallo
Kyle Clifford
Adrian Kempe
Matt Luff
Carl Grundstrom
Defensemen:
Drew Doughty (NMC)
Kale Clague
Derek Forbort
Goaltender:
NOTABLE EXPOSURES: Dustin Brown, Jeff Carter, Jonathan Fast
STRATEGY: The Kings are in rebuild mode, however this iteration focuses on depth. Matt Luff, Adrian Kempe and Carl Grundstrom will probably spend subsequent season within the backside six. All three confirmed nice promise at factors final season and can solidify secondary scoring roles behind the likes of these listed earlier, in addition to Samuel Fagemo and Akil Thomas.
Moreover that, Anze Kopitar isn’t going anyplace and Tyler Toffoli and Alex Iafallo are key scoring property the crew received’t let go. In Toffoli’s case, a pending UFA subsequent summer season, he’s coming off of a troublesome 34-point season however 50 looks as if a extra manageable goal as soon as the Kings begin trending in the suitable course. Then there’s Kyle Clifford, who received’t dazzle anybody offensively however is an effective veteran presence, an enormous physique who can play a bodily sport and is coming off a career-high 21-point season. He will get the job accomplished in a bottom-six position and that’s all you want, particularly if he stays below $2 million on his subsequent contract.
In an ideal world, the Kings would hope to lose Jeff Carter or Jonathan Fast and take the cap house and run. In Carter’s case, he had three 60-plus level seasons earlier than an damage restricted him to only 27 video games in 2017-18 and 33 factors in 76 video games final season. He’s not the identical participant he as soon as was, however he can nonetheless present some worth – however, in L.A.’s case, hopefully elsewhere.
THE NO BRAINER: Even when Fast goes 82-Zero this 12 months and leads the Kings to the Stanley Cup, it’s most unlikely Los Angeles would shield him and his $5.Eight-million cap hit in 2021. For starters, he’ll be 36 in 2021-22 and he’s removed from the identical goalie that had unbelievable runs in 2012 and 2014. Cal Petersen, then again, seems just like the Kings’ goalie of the long run at 24 and can substitute Jack Campbell in Hollywood after subsequent season.
THE TOUGH DECISION: If we’re being cheeky, it’s making a very good lineup out of the present roster. However in actuality, it’s determining the proper protection to show. Drew Doughty is on a NMC and isn’t going anyplace, whereas Kale Clague is among the crew’s most promising prospects and one the Kings received’t wish to let slip away. Derek Forbort is a UFA subsequent summer season however it might be within the Kings’ finest curiosity to maintain him round, however that’s no assure. If he’s signed, he could be a veteran presence to offset the likes of Clague, Bjornfot, Michael Anderson, Sean Durzi and Markus Phillips. After that, Alec Martinez shall be a UFA in 2021 and doesn’t want defending, however he’ll be 34 that summer season and never as enticing of a goal for Seattle, anyhow. Paul LaDue is an intriguing choice, however he’ll be 27 when the season opens in October and nonetheless hasn’t performed a full season after struggling an damage final season.
LESSONS LEARNED: Unhealthy, long-term contracts are an enormous no-no. Jeff Carter and Dustin Brown make over $11-million mixed with 84 factors to point out for – each are signed till 2022 and 34, so it’s not going to get higher for both of them. The Kings wanted to maintain Fast within the secure, however with 4 years remaining on his 10-year deal and coming off a brutal season, his contract received’t be a straightforward one to maneuver anytime quickly. Add Ilya Kovalchuk’s $6.25-million hit to spend time on the fourth line and also you’ll discover an costly crew with not a lot to point out for.
Up Subsequent: Minnesota Wild
Earlier: Anaheim Geese | Arizona Coyotes | Boston Bruins | Buffalo Sabres | Calgary Flames | Carolina Hurricanes | Chicago Blackhawks | Colorado Avalanche | Columbus Blue Jackets | Dallas Stars | Detroit Pink Wings | Edmonton Oilers | Florida Panthers
(All wage cap data through CapFriendly)
Need extra in-depth options, evaluation and an All-Entry move to the newest content material? Subscribe to The Hockey Information journal.
Tags: enlargement, la kings, nhl, seattleConnect: Concerning the AuthorSteven EllisSteven Ellis is a Digital Content material Producer for The Hockey Information. He spends his free time listening to music you would not like and watches obnoxiously-long motor races.