Check In With The Kings’ 2012 Draft Picks

June 22, 2012; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Tanner Pearson is selected as the number thirty overall draft pick to the Los Angeles Kings in the 2012 NHL Draft at CONSOL Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

The season may have just ended but there is still plenty of action and news that will surround the NHL over the next few days. The 2013 NHL Entry Draft will produce plenty of rumors and generate enough news for any hockey fan, but until then, every fan is left grasping at insider tweets and articles to quench their thirst for news on what may happen.

Before this year’s Draft kicks off on June 30th, let’s take a look back at who the Kings selected last year and what they have done since they became apart of the Kings organization.

Round One

#30 Overall, Tanner Pearson – LW

Pearson was the Kings’ only first round pick last year, and could be the Kings’ only first round pick for sometime since the Kings do not have a first round pick in this year’s draft at the moment. He came into the draft ranked at number 25 among North American skaters in Central Scouting’s final rankings.

He signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Kings on August 3, 2012 and spent the 2011-2012 season with the Kings’ AHL affiliate, Manchester Monarchs. Over 64 games played with the Monarchs, he scored 19 goals and recorded 47 points with a plus-17 rating, however his production fell off in the Calder Cup Playoffs where he only recorded one assist and a minus-2 rating in the Monarchs’ first round elimination.

Pearson did make his NHL debut during game three of second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs this year. He registered only 5:44 of ice time on the Kings’ fourth line. He came up as one of the Kings’ black aces and grabbed a start while with the team, not bad if you ask me.

Round Two

No pick.

Round Three

No pick.

Round Four

#121 Overall, Nikolai Prokhorkin – LW

There has been plenty of drama surrounding Prokhorkin since the Kings drafted him last summer.After signing a contract with the Kings, the KHL’s CSKA Moscow questioned the validity of the contract because of the transfer agreement between the two leagues. However, the Russian forward was still assigned to the Monarchs where he played eight games and recorded a lone assist.

However, the Kings ultimately lost the battle and Prokhorkin was sent back to Russia where things had to get settled with the KHL before he could play. A large amount of time elapsed before things were finally cleared up between the two parties. During his time in Russia, Prokhorkin has spent time with CSKA and their farm team THK Tver. While with the big club he played in 14 games, scored two goals and recorded three points.

The drama seems to have come to an end and Prokhorkin will have to play out the remainder of his contract in the KHL. So the Kings will not be able to really see him until he is 22-years-old.

Round Five

#151 Overall, Colin Miller – D

Miller was the second of three OHLers to be selected by the Kings last year. Miller spent time with the Kings at their development camp at the beginning of the 2011-2012 season. After being selected by the Kings last year, he returned for his third year with the Sault Set. Marie Greyhounds and scored a career high 20 goals and recorded 55 points in 54 games. He was named the Greyhounds’ team captain at the beginning of the season and was the recipient of the Mickey Renaud Captains Trophy given to the captain that best exemplifies leadership on and off the ice, with a passion and dedication to hockey and his community.

Round Six

#171 Overall, Tomas Hyka – RW

Hyka was the first of two picks for the Kings in the sixth round of last year’s draft. Originally, the Flyers wanted to grab Hyka,he even played with the team for one preseason game, but because of the CBA they could not sign him and released him to his CHL team. So the Kings were able to grab him the next year.

Last season, Hyka returned for his second year with the Gatineau Olympiques of the QMJHL where he played in 49 games, scored 20 goals and recorded 54 points, a 10 point drop from his point total the season before. Hyka also represented the Czech Republic during the World Junior Championships this year where he scored three goals and recorded five points in six games.

#181 Overall, Paul Ladue – D

Ladue was the only player that played in the United States that the Kings selected last year.  Ladue played for the USHL’s Lincoln Stars and is set to play college hockey at the University of North Dakota next season. In his second and final season with the Stars, he played in 62 games scored 12 goals, grabbed 49 points and recorded a plus-27 rating.

Round Seven

#211 Overall, Nick Ebert – D

Ebert was the Kings’ final selection last year, coming in at number 211 overall. The New Jersey native scored eleven goals and totaled 38 points  in 68 games for the Windsor Spitfire of the OHL last season. He was called up to play for the Kings’ ECHL affiliate, Ontario Reign where he played in the final four games of the regular season and the Reign’s ten game playoff run. Over the 14 games, Ebert scored two goals and recorded ten points. Both goals and seven of those points came during the playoffs.