Los Angeles General Manager Rob Blake made a small but significant trade at the 2023 trade deadline when he traded a third-round pick to acquire the rights of Erik Portillo. The day prior, he dealt the legendary Jonathan Quick to Columbus as part of a package for Vladislav Gavrikov and Joonas Korpisalo.
Today is about goaltending, if that’s not clear.
It may not seem like a major priority, as there are usually only two on the roster. However, the tale of two teams was told last season with stability in net. It was important enough back in 2021 where the Kings tried desperately to move up and draft Jesper Wallstedt.
While adding Portillo to the pipeline has been helpful, there’s still work to do. This isn’t any disrespect to Portillo’s ability, either. Plans and circumstances change, and a healthy organization ideally has multiple quality players in all positions.
Adam Gajan
Vitals
Date of Birth: May 6, 2004
Height: 6’3
Weight: 176 lbs
Catches: Left
Position: Goalie
2022-23 Season
Gajan spent most of the season with the Chippewa Steel of the North American Hockey League (NAHL). He amassed a record of 19-12-1, 1 shutout, 2.57 GAA and a .917 SV%. He also played 6 games in the USHL, where he went 5-1, 1 shutout, 2.48 GAA and .906 SV%.
The World is a Stage
While most of the season was spent in North America, the lanky netminder participated in one of MM’s favorite event, the World Junior Championship. He represented Slovakia and played in 4 games. His final numbers were 2-2, 1 shutout, 2.40 GAA and .936 SV%. He was recognized as the top goaltender in the tournament and a top-3 player for Slovakia.
Mountain Duluth
The native of Poprad, Slovakia has continued his commitment to playing in North America. He is slated to play for the University of Minnesota-Duluth for the 2023-24 season.
It’s Not All New
Gajan’s birthday may stick out to avid followers of the draft. He is currently 19 years old, marking this his second year of draft eligibility.
Rankings by Independent Scouting Services
Unranked by Future Considerations. Scout Shaun Richardson wrote of Gajan’s game against Team USA, “Of the several viewings I’ve had of Gajan this season, this outing unfolded perfectly for him and really showcased some of the better aspects of his play. He was able to challenge shooters all game and drive to the top of his crease to cut down angles and take away any openings.”
Ranked No. 56 by Bob McKenzie’s midterm rankings. McKenzie didn’t write any specific observations about Gajan’s style of play, but it bears repeating that this specific ranking is based on polling several scouts.
Ranked No. 31 by Corey Pronman. “Gajan has clear NHL athleticism. He has an explosive lower half, with the power to make the toughest lateral saves at higher levels. He’s an aggressive goalie, sometimes to a fault as he can take himself out of position too much, but at times it works well. I do think he generally reads the play and anticipates the play well, but he will need to control his slides and aggression against better players. I’d like to see fewer goals beat him from range too. There’s a lot of development work left still, but Gajan has a lot of pro potential, and projects as an NHL tandem goalie, with a chance to be a legit starter.”
See For Yourself
Below is a shift by shift (err, shot by shot?) video of Adam Gajan against Team USA.
Final Comments
The expected question to begin with is “Los Angeles just traded for a goalie prospect. Why are we worrying about another?” It was addressed a little before, but it’s important to understand certain aspects.
Gajan (or any goalie taken this year) won’t be expected to play regularly in the NHL for at least a few years. Cal Petersen will be 30 next year. Recently acquired Portillo will be in his mid-20s by the time Gajan graduates college. A backup will be needed at the very least. Don’t forget the Kings drafted Jonathan Bernier 11th overall after drafting Quick in the third round. Sometimes, teams don’t know what they have until they create competition for what they need. Los Angeles would definitely benefit from adding another goalie in the pipeline.
The next question becomes, “Is Gajan the guy to add?” If you’re familiar with Mayor’s Manor, you know those simple questions don’t get simply answered.
To start with the positives, there’s a good base frame for the netminder, who stands at 6-foot-3. Weight needs to be added, yet that’s common for all young players. He is also incredibly athletic and competitive. The video above where he plays against Team USA, there are sprawls and stretches and dramatic slides that may remind Kings fans of vintage Jonathan Quick.
That’s where the comparisons will stop, though. Just because one can play a scrambly game well doesn’t mean it will translate appropriately at the higher level. Caution must be exercised, especially since the biggest quality for a young players (especially goaltenders) to develop is consistency. Moreover, his stellar performance at the World Junior Championship is a small sample size. The hardest part of projecting him is the quality of competition. Only 8 players have been drafted out of the NAHL since 2017, six of which are goalies.
At the draft, Blake and company should strongly consider drafting a goalie. Gajan’s ranking is spread out quite a bit, with the combination of his size, athleticism, being older than a lot of his class, and the general quality of competition he’s faced at this point. Taking him in the second round is still defensible, however; the Kings took Samuel Fagemo even though it was his second draft. They also took Tanner Pearson in 2012 in the first despite being 20 years old.
In a perfect world, a high-risk, high-reward goaltender like Gajan would be available late in the draft. More likely, the Kings should expect to grab him no later than the third round if he makes their shortlist.
Chat with David: You can find him on Twitter @Davidenkness to talk more hockey.
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