The Kings’ 2013 NHL Draft Review
By Eric Roberts
Jun 30, 2013; Newark, NJ, USA; NHL commissioner Gary Bettman during the 2013 NHL Draft at the Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports
The dust has settled, the picks are in and everyone can now look back and reflect. There were plenty of surprises in a Draft that seemed like it would never end, especially that three-hour first round. But,things sped up after the first round and 211 picks later, the 2013 Draft is history.
Here is how the Kings’ selections went down.
| Rnd | Pick | Overall | Team | Player | Pos | Country | Height | Weight | Amateur League | Amateur Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 7 | 37 | LAK | VALENTIN ZYKOV | LW | RUS | 5′ 11″ | 209 | QMJHL | BAIE-COMEAU |
| 4 | 12 | 103 | LAK | JUSTIN AUGER | RW | CAN | 6′ 6″ | 224 | OHL | GUELPH |
| 4 | 27 | 118 | LAK | HUDSON FASCHING | RW | USA | 6′ 1″ | 213 | USHL | USA U-18 |
| 5 | 25 | 146 | LAK | PATRIK BARTOSAK | G | CZE | 6′ 1″ | 187 | WHL | RED DEER |
| 5 | 27 | 148 | LAK | JONNY BRODZINSKI | C | USA | 6′ 0″ | 202 | WCHA | ST. CLOUD STATE |
| 6 | 27 | 178 | LAK | ZACHARY LESLIE | D | CAN | 5′ 11″ | 168 | OHL | GUELPH |
| 7 | 10 | 191 | LAK | DOMINIK KUBALIK | LW | CZE | 6′ 1″ | 181 | OHL | SUDBURY |
Now lets take at how the Kings did this year.
1. Move On Up.
The Kings went into the Draft not having a pick in the first round, that pick was shipped to Columbus in the Jeff Carter trade. The question heading into the Draft was whether or not Dean Lombardi would move up in the draft, and if he did how far would he move and at what price? Well, the first round came and went and Lombardi did not get in.
However, Lombardi did trade his way into the top 40 when he traded three of the Kings’ picks to the New York Islanders in order to move up into the number 37 spot. That move allowed him to select Valentin Zykov of Baie-Comeau. Zykov was ranked number seven among North American Skaters coming into the draft and was named the Canadian Hockey League’s top rookie after leading all rookies with 40 goals last season.
A solid pick up no doubt.
2. Grabbed Some Big Bodies.
It is no secret the style of play the Kings like to play. They like big bodies and love puck possession. All of the Kings selections were 5 feet 11 inches or taller, five of their seven picks are taller than 6 foot with Justin Auger being the biggest of the group at 6 foot 6 and 224 pounds. Those are some big kids that are still growing and will be tough to play against if and when they make the big club.
3. Restocked The Crease.
There is no question who the Kings’ goalie will be for the immediate future. Even in the backup department the Kings are set. But after that, things get a little shaky with no one really being NHL ready, and with their top prospect, Christopher Gibson not signing a new contract they needed to fill a hole. Lombardi did just that when he selected Patrik Bartosak of the Red Deer Rebels in the fifth round.
Bartosak was the Western Hockey League’s goalie of the year last season and was ranked at number eight among North American goalies by Central Scouting. Bartosak could develop into an NHL level goalie over time. It is an all around good situation because he will have plenty of time to grow with Jonathan Quick and Ben Scrivens up top.
4. No Trades, No Problem.
A lot of people wondered if Lombardi wold use the draft in order to free up some money for the upcoming free agency. The Kings are in a bind right now with the amount of cap space left and the players that need to be given new contracts. As it is now it seems like not everyone will be able to come back. So some wondered if Lombardi would ship out a player or two in a package in order to get into the first round and free up some money for the Kings.
At the end of the draft, Lombardi only brought in prospects and kept his current roster. It will be interesting to see how things play out as the Free Agency gets closer.
It may be the offseason but with the Free Agency is set to start on July 5th which means there is still plenty of action to come. Make sure to check back here for all of your Kings news.Also follow Rink Royalty on Twitter and like us on Facebook in order to stay up to date on all of our news and posts.