While the Kings haven’t played hockey in a couple weeks, General Manager Rob Blake and his crew have kept themselves busy with other administrative duties, including negotiating a contract extension with Marco Sturm. Their next major deadline which must be addressed, however, is the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.
The Draft itself is a little over a month away, with Round 1 taking place on Wednesday, June 28. As of this writing, Los Angeles does not have a first-round pick. Their first selection is at 54 overall, which is the middle of the second round. Rounds 2-7 take place Thursday, June 29, starting at 8 AM Pacific Time.
Predicting upcoming picks in the first round can be a task, especially while teams are still holding internal meetings to get their lists finalized. However, teams may just know some players better due to inherent relationships, which headlines the first article of this years’ series.
Luca Pinelli
Vitals
Date of Birth: April 5, 2005
Height: 5’9
Weight: 161 lbs
Shoots: Left
Position: Forward
2022-23 Season
Pinelli spent the entire season for the Ottawa 67’s in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). He scored 63 points (29 G, 34 A) in 67 games.
What’s In a Name?
Ardent readers and followers of the future undoubtedly recognize the last name Pinelli – Luca is the younger brother of Kings prospect Francesco. While normally it’s interesting to point out players who are teammates, Kitchener’s Captain undoubtedly has a lot more insight of the younger Pinelli’s character and personality, which undoubtedly has been factored in by Director of Amateur Scouting, Mark Yannetti.
You Ottawa-nt Them
The Ottawa 67’s has a pretty rich history going back to the OHA. A fan favorite, Jim Fox, played there for three seasons before playing his professional career with the Kings. Other notable players drafted out of this franchise by Los Angeles were cup-winner Tyler Toffoli, and current Minnesota Wild blueliner Jacob Middleton.
The Winning Top Prospect
Every year the CHL – which is comprised of the Western Hockey League (WHL), Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) – hosts an annual single game of the top draft eligible prospects from all three leagues. Pinelli not only made the cut of top-40 players to participate, he scored the game winner for Team White en route to a 4-2 victory.
Rankings and Comments by Independent Scouting Services
Ranked No. 31 in an article of the biggest midterm risers for Future Considerations. They wrote: “Easily the biggest riser in the midterm rankings jumping 62 spots, Luca Pinelli has put launched into first-round consideration from an original third-round projection. Pinelli is leading the Ottawa 67’s in scoring, with 53 points (22 goals, 32 assists) through 52 games, ahead of multiple teammates who have already been drafted. Standing at only 5’9”, his offensive production is what gives him the best opportunity to hear his name called on the first night of the NHL Draft.
‘Pinelli has shot up the ranks because he has been amazing for the 67’s this season. He has shown the ability to be a potential play driver who can elevate the level of his linemates,’ FCHockey chief Ontario scout Austin Broad said. ‘He isn’t the biggest player but has shown his skating ability and vision can allow him to get up and down the ice with the puck. If he adds strength, he can become more explosive with his first few steps and be more capable in the cycle game. This is the key for him going forward. His vision and puck skills have elevated him, if he can work on his few areas of concern, he has a shot to keep rising up the ranks.’”
Ranked No. 44 by McKeen’s Hockey back in November of 2022. They added no additional comments on his play, though he undoubtedly gained a lot of positive attention as he led Ottawa in playoff scoring.
While not a ranking site, Dominic Tiano of OHL Writers wrote: “Pinelli works hard at both ends of the ice. His defensive game – reading, understanding and coverage are all well accomplished. He’s also very good at transitioning to offence. Playing on the league’s best team has helped, along with a boost in confidence.
Pinelli also has some excellent hockey IQ. He reads and reacts quickly in the offensive zone. Despite his size, he has a willingness to get in on the forecheck and uses brains over brawn to come up with the puck. Along with some excellent playmaking skills, Pinelli also has a very good shot. At this level, it’s enough to beat goaltenders.
Along with his size, another issue Pinelli needs to overcome is the lack of explosiveness in his skating. And when you are on the small side like he is, you want to at least have that breakaway speed to skate away from the opposition. If he can add a speed element to his game, then it would give him all the tools to be a play driver.”
See For Yourself
Here is a shift-by-shift video of Pinelli from November 21
Final Comments
Though only 18 years old, the younger Pinelli has already shown a variety of qualities which compare favorably to his brother: leadership, skill, and responsibility. He may not wear a letter for Ottawa, but expecting it to happen eventually is well within reason. The diminutive forward already gets deployed in all situations and he shows up regardless of how big the stage is – whether it’s a single top-prospect game or the playoffs. During postseason, he scored 18 points (7 G, 11 A) in 11 appearances.
That said, there are valid concerns for him to take his skills to the next level. As mentioned, he is not just small in stature, but he also has a pretty light frame of 161 lbs. Trying to fight off defenders who are almost all bigger than a player can wear him down. Usually, this smaller size can be overcome with superior skating skills. Pinelli, however, doesn’t have a remarkable top speed and needs additional space to accelerate. Based on these drawbacks and style of play, he could have a career trajectory closer to Jordan Weal; fantastic junior career who will have a good minor career while struggling to make the majors.
It’s not out of reach for him though. The Kings have a fan favorite of Blake Lizotte, who has overcome a lot of adversity and carved out a very solid career. Pinelli has shown a lot of compete and plays in all situations. The willingness to learn and the competitive edge will allow for many opportunities for him in the future.
There are two questions to answer about him as far as the draft goes:
1. Will he be available at 54? The draft itself is a crapshoot. While teams outline multiple scenarios, all it takes is one or two off-the-board picks to throw things off. As some teams have many extra picks already, it’s a very real possibility he won’t even be available to the Kings when they pick.
2. If he falls to 54, should the Kings take him? The short answer is most likely not. Make no mistake, any team who adds Pinelli to the organization will get a talented player. While the advice on draft day is always “take the best player available,” it’s important to point out how nebulous this statement is. Teams define “best player” using several different criteria. A smaller, albeit skilled, two-way forward with average skating just doesn’t usually meet the criteria for a player the Kings would pick.
Of course, there are always scenarios where he could be acquired. He just does not seem like a good fit for the organization at this time, yet hopefully that will just make a fun future article of when the Pinelli brothers play an NHL game against each other.
Chat with David: You can find him on Twitter @Davidenkness to talk more hockey.
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