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LA Kings Prospect Tracker – Week Ending December 9, 2019

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As the parent club continues to press on and struggle, it’s a mixed bag with the current group of LA Kings prospects – some are continuing to outperform expectations, while others are facing a little adversity. To the latter point, keep in mind some road bumps are expected. Building a road to the future is never easy and without a few potholes and speedbumps, regardless if you’re viewing things at the NHL level or all the way down to the junior leagues. This is a process, and it takes time.

EUROPE

Samuel Fagemo: Forward, Frölunda HC, SHL (2nd round pick in 2019)

Regular season: 6 goals, 5 assists, plus-4, 4 PIM in 20 games played

Fagemo was blanked in the lone Champions Hockey League game, but his net crashing created enough space to allow his linemates to crank in a rebound. Frölunda lost 3-2, yet they can redeem themselves this week in the second quarterfinal match. The native of Göteborg, Sweden, also picked up an assist back in regular SHL action this week, staying out for almost the entire final three minutes to help bring his team back in. Most notably, but as expected, Fagemo was named to Sweden’s preliminary WJC roster.

Jacob Moverare: Defense, Frölunda HC, SHL (4th round pick in 2016)

Regular season: 5 goals, 6 assists, plus-13, 6 PIM in 23 games played

An inverse of his fellow countryman and Kings prospect in Fagemo, Moverare picked up an assist in the CHL, as his teammate capitalized on the blueliner’s breakout pass. He also stayed out for a large chunk of regulation’s end but was held pointless in the SHL.

Kim Nousiainen: Defense, KalPa, Liiga (4th round pick in 2019)

Regular season: 2 goals, 5 assists, minus-4, 24 PIM in 28 games played

Along with Rasmus Kupari, Nousiainen was also named to Finland’s preliminary WJC roster. He capped off his week with another assist, but possibly his most remarkable feat this week was when he doubled his penalty minutes, picking up 12 minutes for an illegal check to the head. Not a typical play from the young defender.

Bulat Shafigullin: Forward, Reaktor Nizhnekamsk, KHL (3rd round pick in 2018)

Regular season: 9 goals, 8 assists, plus-7, 10 PIM in 12 games played (MHL)

0 goals, 0 assists, minus-1, 0 PIM in 2 games played (KHL)

Shafigullin did not play again this week. His last game of record was November 14. There is no timetable on his potential return for now.

NCAA + USHL

Braden Doyle: Defense, Dubuque Fighting Saints, USHL (6th round pick in 2019)

Regular season: 4 goal, 10 assists, plus-9, 2 PIM in 20 games played

The Kings most recent sixth-round pick exploded this week with hats and apples. He picked up a hat trick one night, adding an assist the following night. His 14 points more than doubles the next highest Dubuque blueliner (who has six), and this week’s performance shot him up to top-5 in scoring by a defensemen. In case you’re wondering, this offensive surge has not stopped the Fighting Saints from being tops defensively either. They’ve allowed 10 fewer goals than the next best defensive team.

Dávid Hrenák: Goalie, St. Cloud State University Huskies, NCHC (5th round pick in 2018)

Regular season: 4-6-4, 3.05 GAA, .887 SV%, 0 SO in 14 games played

While it’s early to say things have turned around, St. Cloud picked up a pair of wins this week to get things back on track. No doubt Hrenák’s 20 and 27-save performance provided the support needed.

Cole Hults: Defense, Penn State Nittany Lions, Big Ten (5th round pick in 2017)

Regular season: 4 goals, 10 assists, plus-11, 12 PIM in 17 games played

Hults’ scoring rate dropped this week, but he still picked up an assist over the weekend as Penn State exchanged wins with Michigan. Overall, the Wisconsin native is focusing on growing into a pro, so raw numbers are not the top priority presently.

Andre Lee: Forward, UMass-Lowell River Hawks, Hockey East (7th round pick in 2019)

Regular Season: 4 goals, 8 assist, plus-7, 12 PIM in 17 games played

Los Angeles’ freshest face and most recent pick added three more assists this week as the River Hawks traded W’s with Providence this week. His totals put him in the top-five among Hockey East freshmen.

Alex Turcotte: Forward, Wisconsin Badgers, Big Ten (1st round pick in 2019)

Regular season: 6 goals, 9 assists, minus-9, 10 PIM in 16 games played

Turcotte failed to earn a point this week, extending his pointless streak to six games. He generated plenty of chances, so the trouble producing isn’t from lack of trying. In preparation for the upcoming World Junior Championships overseas, Team USA announced their evaluation camp roster – and to the surprise of nobody, Turcotte is among the group of high-end draft picks included at forward.

Canadian Junior Leagues

Aidan Dudas: Forward, Owen Sound Attack, OHL (4th round pick in 2018)

Regular season: 11 goals, 19 assists, plus-12, 10 PIM in 23 games played

Dudas experienced a bit of a mixed bag this week; he didn’t play due to injury, but he did get an invitation to Canada’s camp for the World Junior Championship. Plenty of other talented players were passed up, so we take this as a good sign Hockey Canada thinks he has a good chance to get back into action before December’s end. For more on his injury status see here.

Jacob Ingham: Goalie, Kitchener Rangers, OHL (6th round pick in 2018)

Regular season: 10-3-3, 3.05 GAA, .916 SV%, 0 SO in 16 games played

After Kitchener changed coaches and Ingham recovered from a brief injury, the 19-year-old netminder has posted four straight wins. Most recently, he made 51 saves in regulation and went 3-for-3 in the shootout in the Rangers’ 3-2 shootout win. As can be expected, he was the first star. He also continued to promote giving blood (by wearing #68 – 6ive 8lood); it’s probably safer to spread the word than for him to give the ice in his veins.

Arthur Kaliyev: Forward, Hamilton Bulldogs, OHL (2nd round pick in 2019)

Regular season: 28 goals, 27 assists, plus-4, 14 PIM in 30 games played

The Arty Party had an unusual cold snap this week, with Kaliyev picking up just a single assist in two contests. This mild slump dropped him down to third overall in league scoring. He’s still had an amazing season, being held without a point in only four of the 30 games this season (although two of his last three). As with so many other prospects on this list, he’s been named to a World Junior Championships camp this week and is expected to be part of the annual showcase for hockey’s top young talent.

Lukáš Pařík: Goalie, Spokane Chiefs, WHL (3rd round pick in 2019)

Regular season: 9-2-2, 2.59 GAA, .914 SV%, 0 Shutouts in 13 games played

Our returning third star of the month of November picked up another pair of wins this week, including a 34-save outing to launch Spokane to a 4-1 win. He also earned himself an invite to the Czech Republic’s U-20 roster, as he is expected to be one of the goalies representing his native country at the WJC.

https://twitter.com/TheWHL/status/1202115176033480704

Jordan Spence: Defense, Moncton Wildcats, QMJHL (4th round pick in 2019)

Regular season: 2 goals, 19 assists, plus-17, 14 PIM in 26 games played

Spence picked up a goal this week and continued to anchor the top-pairing for the third best goals-against group in the QMJHL. Canada’s blueline was a little too deep this year for the recent fourth-round pick to receive an invite to their WJC team. Considering how he upped his game as a rookie last season, we expect this to give him some internal motivation and perhaps another push in his performance for the balance of the season.

Akil Thomas: Forward, Niagara IceDogs, OHL (2nd round pick in 2018)

Regular season: 15 goals, 29 assists, plus-2, 30 PIM in 27 games played

Thomas saw his scoring streak abruptly end earlier last week, which topped out at eight games. Then, he got back on his horse in the last game before leaving to attend Canada’s WJC camp, picking up an assist and the game winning goal in regulation’s final minute. If he ends up being traded out of Niagara in the next few weeks, this would certainly end up as a perfect exclamation point for his time with the IceDogs.

Keep in mind, this weekly tracker only covers prospects not playing professional hockey in North America. In essence, the report serves to provide updates on all players in the pipeline — signed or unsigned — excluding those in the NHL, AHL, and ECHL.

NOTE: Author David Hofreiter can be found on Twitter @Davidenkness if you’re interested in talking more hockey with him or asking further questions about these players.