The L.A. Kings are guaranteed to have at least one prospect – perhaps even two – in the 2015 Memorial Cup, Canadian junior hockey’s ultimate prize. Held this year May 21–31, the annual four-team tournament is comprised of the WHL, OHL, and QMJHL champions, as well as the host team (Quebec Remparts). As in past years, the games will be televised by the NHL Network.
GM Dean Lombardi and his staff are most closely watching what is going on in the OHL, where three of the four teams to reach the semi-finals featured Kings prospects. Erie defeated Sault Ste. Marie, thus putting forward Jake Marchment and defenseman Kurtis MacDermid in the OHL Final. Out in the Eastern Conference, the Oshawa Generals finished off the North Bay Battalion, sending L.A.’s 2014 draft pick Matthew Mistele off to the OHL Final for a date with Erie.
For a deeper look at how several Kings prospects did over the past week in the ECHL, OHL, and USHL playoffs, take a look…
MIKE AMADIO: Forward, North Bay Battalion (3rd round pick in 2014, OHL)
Regular season: 24 goals, 47 assists, plus-30, 18 PIM in 68 games played
Playoffs: 6 goals, 9 assists, even, 4 PIM in 15 games played
North Bay played and lost three games in the Eastern Conference Finals versus Oshawa last week, losing the series 4-2. Amadio contributed one assist in the three games.
The buzzer ends this game and the Battalion's season. The Generals win the East finals and will face Erie in the OHL Championship.
— North Bay Battalion (@OHLBattalion) May 3, 2015
Oshawa wins series 4-2.
GM 1: North Bay 6, Oshawa 1
GM 2: Oshawa 1, North Bay 0
GM 3: North Bay 2, Oshawa 1
GM 4: Oshawa 3, North Bay 2
GM 5: Oshawa 4, North Bay 1
GM 6: Oshawa 2, North Bay 1
ALEC DILLON: Goalie, Tri-City Storm / USHL (5th round pick in 2014)
Regular season: 41 games played, 23-11-4 record, 2.27 GAA, .914 SV%
Playoffs: 6 games played, 4-2 record, 2.17 GAA, .923 SV%
Tri-City played in and lost three games in the Western Conference Finals versus Sioux Falls last week, dropping the series 3-1. Dillon started Game 2 and Game 3, making a combined 58 saves on 65 shots.
Sioux Falls wins series 3-1.
GM 1: Tri-City 4, Sioux Falls 2
GM 2: Sioux Falls 3, Tri-City 2
GM 3: Sioux Falls 4, Tri-City 3
GM 4: Sioux Falls 7, Tri-City 3
MAXIM KITSYN: Forward, Ontario Reign (6th round pick in 2010, KHL)
Regular season (AHL): 1 goal, 0 assists, minus-2, 0 PIM in seven games played
Regular season (ECHL): 26 goals, 17 assists, plus-16, 155 PIM in 57 games played
Playoffs: 1 goal, 4 assists, plus-1, 4 PIM in eight games played
The Ontario Reign played the Colorado Eagles in the first round of the ECHL playoffs, winning Game 7 to take the series. In Round 1 of the ECHL playoffs, Kitsyn registered one goal and four assists. Then, Ontario started the second round on Sunday versus the Utah Grizzlies, ECHL affiliate of the Anaheim Ducks. The Reign took Game 1 in overtime, but Kitsyn was a non-factor on the scoresheet.
Ontario leads the series 1-0.
GM 1: Ontario 3, Utah 2
GM 2: UTA @ ONT – Mon, May 4
GM 3: ONT @ UTA – Wed, May 6
GM 4: ONT @ UTA – Fri, May 8
GM 5: ONT @ UTA – Sat, May 9
GM 6: UTA @ ONT – Tue, May 12
GM 7: UTA @ ONT – Wed, May 13
KURTIS MACDERMID: Defenseman, Erie Otters (free agent signing)
Regular season: 8 goals, 32 assists, plus-20, 129 PIM in 61 games played
Playoffs: 0 goals, 2 assists, plus-7, 15 PIM in seven games played
Last week, Erie played two games in the Western Conference finals versus Sault Ste. Marie, which they split. With their Game 6 win, the Otters took the series 4-2 to become the Western Conference Champions. MacDermid returned from his suspension in Game 6 and registered 4 PIM.
#OneGoal pic.twitter.com/V8BgR4hQdy
— Erie Otters (@ErieOtters) May 3, 2015
Erie wins series 4-2.
GM 1: Sault Ste. Marie 6, Erie 3
GM 2: Erie 5, Sault Ste. Marie 2
GM 3: Erie 4, Sault Ste. Marie 2
GM 4: Erie 7, Sault Ste. Marie 5
GM 5: Sault Ste. Marie 4, Erie 2
GM 6: Erie 7, Sault Ste. Marie 3
The Otters will play in the OHL Final versus the Oshawa Generals and fellow Kings prospect Matthew Mistele. The schedule is TBD.
JAKE MARCHMENT: Center, Erie Otters (6th round pick in 2014, OHL)
Regular season: 4 goals, 7 assists, plus-3, 6 PIM in 51 games played
Playoffs: 7 goals, 6 assist, plus-8, 2 PIM in 14 games played
In Erie’s two games last week, Marchment registered a goal to help the Otters become the Western Conference Champions.
What a moment, Western Conference champs baby #onegoal Trophy Bigger things ahead! https://t.co/gbu2bzhtus
— Jake Marchment (@JMarch11) May 3, 2015
Erie wins series 4-2.
GM 1: Sault Ste. Marie 6, Erie 3
GM 2: Erie 5, Sault Ste. Marie 2
GM 3: Erie 4, Sault Ste. Marie 2
GM 4: Erie 7, Sault Ste. Marie 5
GM 5: Sault Ste. Marie 4, Erie 2
GM 6: Erie 7, Sault Ste. Marie 3
The Otters will play in the Finals versus the Oshawa Generals and fellow Kings prospect Matthew Mistele. The schedule is TBD.
MATTHEW MISTELE: Forward, Oshawa Generals (6th round pick in 2014, OHL)
Regular season: 37 goals, 27 assists, plus-8, 34 PIM in 60 games played
Playoffs: 8 goals, 1 assists, plus-4, 12 PIM in 16 games played
Oshawa won all three games in the Eastern Conference Finals versus North Bay last week, taking the series 4-1 to become the Eastern Conference Champions. Mistele was a huge contributor to the wins, with a goal in each game- one being the game winner in Game 6.
Conference champs with the best group of guys ever @Oshawa_Generals
— Matt Mistele (@mmistele22) May 3, 2015
WOO!! Gens are officially the 2015 Bobby Orr Trophy Winners following a 2-1 win over the Battalion #GENSarmy pic.twitter.com/6ETYDtsT7Q
— Oshawa Generals (@Oshawa_Generals) May 3, 2015
Oshawa wins series 4-1.
GM 1: North Bay 6, Oshawa 1
GM 2: Oshawa 1, North Bay 0
GM 3: North Bay 2, Oshawa 1
GM 4: Oshawa 3, North Bay 2
GM 5: Oshawa 4, North Bay 1
GM 6: Oshawa 2, North Bay 1
Oshawa will play in the Finals versus the Erie Otters and fellow Kings prospects Kurtis MacDermid and Jake Marchment. The schedule is TBD.
ALEX ROACH: Defenseman, Ontario Reign (free agent signing)
Regular season: 2 goals, 14 assists, plus-16, 51 PIM
Playoffs: 1 goal, 2 assists, plus-7, 28 PIM in eight games played
In Round 1 of the ECHL playoffs, Roach registered one goal and two assists. On Sunday, the Reign began the second round versus the Utah Grizzlies and picked up a 3-2 win in overtime. Roach was a non-factor on the scoresheet in Game 1.
Ontario leads the series 1-0.
GM 1: Ontario 3, Utah 2
GM 2: UTA @ ONT – Mon, May 4
GM 3: ONT @ UTA – Wed, May 6
GM 4: ONT @ UTA – Fri, May 8
GM 5: ONT @ UTA – Sat, May 9
GM 6: UTA @ ONT – Tue, May 12
GM 7: UTA @ ONT – Wed, May 13
Updates on Jonny Brodzinski, Adrian Kempe, Alex Lintuniemi, and Valentin Zykov – all of whom were assigned to AHL Manchester when their seasons ended, can be found here.
Additional updates on Kings prospects Steven Johnson (defenseman, University of Minnesota), Paul Ladue (defenseman, University of North Dakota, Zac Leslie (defenseman, Guelph Storm), Joel Lowry (forward, Cornell University), Jacob Middleton (defenseman, Ottawa 67’s), Nikolai Prokhorkin (forward, CSKA), and Spencer Watson (forward, Kingston Frontenacs) can be found in previous Prospect Trackers.
3 MUST-READ ARTICLES:
LA Kings 2014-15 Midseason Prospect Rankings: The Top 5
LA Kings 2014-15 Midseason Prospect Rankings: No. 6-10
LA Kings 2014-15 Midseason Prospect Rankings – Honorable Mentions
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