It’s time once again to take a lap around the globe and check in on all the LA Kings prospects playing in various leagues. The following updates are for games played through end of day Sunday, March 14, 2021:
AHL Ontario Reign
Historically, we don’t include the Kings pro prospects as part of the tracker. However, given the large number of LA prospects currently playing in the AHL, we will highlight a handful of select guys each week.
The Reign played two games last week, defeating the Tucson Roadrunners 5-4 and downing the Henderson Silver Knights 4-2 at Toyota Sports Performance Center in El Segundo.
Quinton Byfield, Center (2nd overall in 2019)
2021 Season: 1 goal, 7 assists, minus-15, 10 PIM in 15 games played
Against the Silver Knights, Byfield won a key faceoff in the offensive zone, then a few seconds later he picked up an assist on Durzi’s game-winning goal.
Aiden Dudas, Center / Left Wing (113th overall in 2018)
2021 Season: 3 goals, 1 assist, minus-5, 6 PIM in 14 games played
Making his return after sitting out one game, Dudas put the dagger into the Roadrunners with an empty netter. He was a plus-1 in that game and put four shots on goal. Against the Silver Knights, before heading off the ice, he backhanded a puck in deep for an assist on Ontario’s opening goal.
Samuel Fagemo, Left/Right Wing (50th overall in 2019)
2021 Season: 6 goals, 4 assists, minus-6, 2 PIM in 15 games played
Fagemo further extended his team lead in goals with a beautiful backhanded tip-in against the Roadrunners.
Arthur Kaliyev, Right Wing (33rd overall in 2019)
2021 Season: 3 goals, 6 assists, minus-1, 10 PIM in 15 games played
Kaliyev had a productive game against the Roadrunners, registering an assist and two goals, which were both scored by being deflected off Tucson defenders on attempted passes. His second goal would stand as Friday’s game-winner.
Kaliyev gives the Reign 4-3 lead in the 3rd period!
Assisted by Kupari(8) #Reign pic.twitter.com/hhClXlBfTy— Eric (@Kingsgifs) March 13, 2021
Rasmus Kupari, Center (20th overall in 2018)
2021 Season: 2 goals, 9 assists, even +/-, 2 PIM in 10 games played
Kupari returned from his brief stint with the Kings, picking up two assists against the Roadrunners – one where his aggressive forecheck and diving pass behind the net led to Kaliyev’s second tally. Then, against Henderson, after skating three-quarters of a lap around the offensive zone, Kupari sent a slick pass through two defenders to find Turcotte in the slot for his first career goal.
Tyler Madden, Center/Left Wing (68th overall in 2018 by VAN)
2021 Season: 1 goal, 3 assists, minus-1, 2 PIM in 12 games played
Madden picked up his first pro goal against San Diego a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, he took a gigantic hit up high from Bakersfield’s Luke Esposito which resulted in a five-minute major. Per John Hoven of MayorsManor, Madden is expected to remain out for the foreseeable future.
Akil Thomas, Center/Right Wing (51st overall in 2018)
2021 Season: 3 goals, 2 assists, minus-10, 6 PIM in 15 games played
Thomas picked up another apple when he poked a puck forward on the breakout to spring Blaine Byron for a goal against the Roadrunners. He also had a handful of blocked shots and a couple of scoring chances against the Silver Knights on Saturday, yet didn’t record any points. He continues to be one of Ontario’s most versatile and engaged players.
Alex Turcotte, Center (5th overall in 2019)
2021 Season: 1 goal, 2 assists, minus-3, 6 PIM in 9 games played
Turcotte collected his first professional goal against Henderson, positioning himself in the slot where Kupari could find him, so he could fire a quick wrister past the goalie. Later, on the powerplay, Turcotte picked up an assist, as his shot deflected off a defender right to Sean Durzi, who promptly put it in the net.
Kale Clague, LH Defenseman (51st overall in 2016)
2021 Season: 0 goals, 3 assists, minus-6, 6 PIM in 10 games played
Clague registered an assist against Tucson by sending a pass towards the net for a Fagemo tip-in that tied the game.
Sean Durzi, RH Defenseman (52nd overall in 2018)
2021 Season: 1 goal, 4 assists, minus-4, 16 PIM in 15 games played
Against the Silver Knights, he jumped on a deflected Turcotte shot that came out to the top of the circles and wristed it quickly on net for his game-winning, powerplay tally. He was also a plus-2 against Tucson.
Cole Hults, LH Defenseman (134th overall in 2017)
2021 Season: 1 goal, 1 assist, minus-2, 5 PIM in 9 games played
Picked up his first pro assist against Tucson after taking the puck deep into the left corner where Kaliyev recovered it for his first tally.
Austin Strand, RH Defenseman (Free Agent Signing in 2017)
2021 Season: 0 goals, 2 assists, minus-1, 0 PIM in 5 games played
Had two assists this weekend, one in each game.
Reign players not tracked this week include: Lias Andersson, Daniel Brickley, Jacob Moverare, Markus Phillips, Jacob Ingham, and Matt Villalta
EUROPE
Martin Chromiak, Slovakia, Left Wing (128th overall in 2020)
2021 Season: 7 goals, 11 assists, plus-7, 0 PIM in 30 games played
Chromiak appeared in a 3-2 shootout win against Michael Brodzinki’s Slovan Bratislava. He had an even plus-minus rating.
Aatu Jämsen, SM-sarja-Pelicans U20, Right Wing (190th overall in 2020)
2021 Season: 16 goals, 34 assists, plus-16, 40 PIM in 34 games
After lighting up the U18s, 18-year-old Jämsen is continuing his torrid pace in the U20s. Currently, he sits second overall in league scoring. The Junior Pelicans played one game this week, a 4-3 win over Jukurit, where Jämsen recorded a goal and an assist.
Kasper Simontaival, Finland, Center (66th overall in 2020)
2021 Season
Ligga-Tappara: 2 goals, 3 assists, plus-3, 8 PIM in 27 games played
Mestis-TUTO Hockey: 3 goals, 4 assists, plus-1, 4 PIM in 5 games played
Playing in the Liiga, Simontaival drew in against KalPa, playing 11:17 and had an even plus-minus rating.
Helge Grans, SHL Malmö Redhawks, RH Defenseman (35th overall in 2020)
2021 Season: 3 goals, 8 assists, minus-16, 0 PIM in 37 games played
Malmö did not play this week.
Kim Nousiainen, Liiga-KalPa, LH Defenseman (119th overall in 2019)
2021 Season: 8 goals, 14 assists, plus-15, 10 PIM in 45 games played
KalPa had a week to forget after dropping four games in a row, but 20-year-old Nousiainen continued to impress. Against JYP, the young Finn led all skaters with 21:15 of ice team and picked up his team’s lone goal with a top-shelf snipe. Later, he registered a primary assist vs. the Pelicans, was a plus-1 and led his team in ice time with a whopping 24:05.
Juho Markkanen, Finland, Goalie (112th overall in 2020)
2021 Season
Ligga-SaiPa: 2.04 GAA, .917 save 5 in 1 game played
U20 SM-sarja-SaiPa U20: .916 save % in 10 games played.
Mestis Ketterä: 4 wins, 3.14 GAA, .876 save% in 8 games played
U20 Mestis-Ketter U20: 5.00 GAA, .814 save% in 1 game played
The 18-year-old made his pro debut this week for SaiPa, stopping 22 of 24 shots in a 2-1 loss to Ilves.
Bulat Shafigullin, KHL Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk, Forward (82nd overall in 2018)
2021 Season: 7 goals, 7 assists, minus-23, 41 PIM in 56 games played
His team’s 2021 season is now over.
Alexander Dergachyov, KHL Vitayz Podolsk, Center (74th overall in 2015)
2021 Season: 11 goals, 12 assists, minus-22, 22 PIM in 53 games played
Like Shaffigullin, Dergachyov is enjoying his off-season, as his team also missed out on the playoffs.
NCAA – COLLEGE HOCKEY
Brock Faber, Univ. of Minnesota, RH Defenseman (45th overall in 2020)
2021 Season: 1 goal, 6 assists, plus-13, 12PIM in 22 games played
Faber lost an edge and slid shoulder first, head second into the boards near the end of the second period of Sunday’s quarterfinal win against Michigan State. He was able to get up under his own power but did not finish the game. Head Coach Bob Motzko said that he is going to rest him during the semifinals game in hopes of him returning for the championship game.
ICYMI yesterday – Faber skipped the third period after this…. pic.twitter.com/IZOYyQQBfs
— John Hoven | The Mayor (@mayorNHL) March 15, 2021
LA Kings prospect Brock Faber has delivered during his freshman season… https://t.co/KfXh1PlGSG
— John Hoven | The Mayor (@mayorNHL) March 11, 2021
Want more?
How about a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year?
Brock. Faber. Legit. https://t.co/uoXPbR0FF9
— John Hoven | The Mayor (@mayorNHL) March 11, 2021
David Hrenak, St. Cloud State, Goalie (144th overall in 2018)
2021 Season: 13 wins, 2.54 GAA, .907 save% in 21 games played
The NCHC Frozen Faceoff kicked off on Friday, where the Huskies won their opening bout 2-1 against Colorado College. He only faced seven shots and allowed one goal. Seeded No. 1 in the tournament, the Huskies were set to face second seeded University of Minnesota Duluth on Monday.
Andre Lee, UMass-Lowell, Center / Left Wing (188th overall in 2019)
2021 Season: 6 goals, 6 assists, plus-5, 16 PIM in 16 games played
Lee had the primary assist on the Riverhawks opening goal Wednesday and had another primary helper on the tying goal in the quarterfinal upset of Boston University. The nationally unranked Riverhawks advanced to the semis and are set to face the No. 1 team in the country this Wednesday in the tourney final, Boston College.
Ben Meehan, UMass-Lowell, LH Defenseman (140th overall in 2020)
2021 Season: 0 goals, 7 assists, minus-1, 27 PIM in 13 games played
Seeded No. 7 in Hockey East’s annual tournament, the Riverhawks played their opening game on Wednesday against No. 10 seed University of Vermont, where Meehan picked up an assist on the way to a 5-3 win. In their 2-1 quarterfinal upset victory over second seeded Boston University, Meehan had three shots on goal.
USHL
Alex Laferriere, Des Moines Buccaneers, Right Wing (83rd overall in 2020)
2021 Season: 19 goals, 17 assists, plus-7, 31 PIM in 36 games played
The right-winger was on fire this week putting up four goals and four assists in three games played. In the Buc’s 5-1 drubbing of Sioux Falls, he had a goal and three assists, including a highlight-worthy cross-ice pass through the legs of a defender to set up a teammate for a one-timer. He had two goals and an assist in their 5-4 SO win to finish out the back-to-back with Sioux Falls.
Brayden Doyle, Dubuque Fighting Saints, LH Defenseman (157th overall in 2019)
2021 Season: 4 goals, 13 assists, plus-3, 12 PIM in 33 games played
Doyle played two games this week, earning an assist in the Saint’s 5-4 win over the Youngstown Phantoms.
Lukas Parik, Dubuque Fighting Saints, Goalie (87th overall in 2019)
2021 Season: 6 wins, 3.45 GAA, .856 save % in 13 games played
LA’s top goaltending prospect was pulled in favor of the backup in both games he played against the Youngstown Phantoms this past week, Parik had allowed four goals on 12 shots in the first game and three on 15 shots in the second game.
QMJHL
Jordan Spence, Val-dOr Foreurs, RH Defenseman (95th overall in 2019)
2021 Season (traded in January)
Moncton Wildcats: 5 goals, 11 assists, minus-4, 14 PIM in 13 games played
Foreurs: 4 goals, 10 assists, plus-8, 0 PIM in 13 games played
Last week, the Foreurs had a shootout win where Spence picked up two assists, including a primary on the game-tying goal with 26 seconds remaining. The Foreurs did not play this week.
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Lead photo courtesy of Ontario Reign