Los Angeles Kings: Quick Look at Training Camp

Gearing up for the new season? We are here at Rink Royalty! In a month, training camp will get started. For the most part, rosters are set with a few openings on each team where we’ll see some position battles throughout camp. There’s bound to be some nitty gritty competition among teammates. All in love, of course.

As we looked at the Kings roster preview before, we noted a few holes in the lineup. Sutter, Lombardi, and the management team will be taking close looks at some guys poised for surprise impact. These guys will fill these unknowns and holes that the Kings are hoping to square away through training camp and the pre-season.

Let’s take a look at 3 players positioned for a high impact training camp and pre-season on our Los Angeles Kings. These are the guys most likely to land a full-time spot:

1. JORDAN WEAL (C)

A few months ago, we took at deeper look at Weal – his history and the impact he was making to help the Monarchs win the Calder Cup. This kid has produced at every level of play. The Kings have groomed him by bringing him up through their system which means he knows the style of play the Kings are looking for. That being said, he’s exceeded expectations. And it showed with him leading the AHL in scoring during last season’s playoffs.

Sep 25, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Kings center Jordan Weal (60) and Anaheim Ducks defenseman Francois Beauchemin (23) battle for the puck in the second period of the game at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

With the loss of Jarrett Stoll, the Kings are looking for someone to take on that 3rd or 4th line center position…depending on where Nick Shore lands in the lineup. This is the perfect opportunity for a guy like Weal who has listened to critique from coaches, been loyal to the system, and produced at a high level with Manchester.

I see him taking the 3rd line Center role over Nick Shore, but only because he has a little more natural offensive skill. The 3rd line center will likely play with Dwight King & Dustin Brown which means they’ll need someone with a little more offensive prowess.

I can’t wait to see Weal in a Kings uniform!

2. DEREK FORBORT (LD)

Forbort secured top line defensive duty with the Manchester Monarchs last season. He’s big (6’5″) and is known for having great decision making skills with the puck. The Kings drafted him in the 1st round in 2010 so he’s seen a lot of time in the Kings system. It seems they’ve been developing him with the  hopes that he’d secure full-time NHL duty upon arrival, rather than moving up and down between the AHL and NHL.

I think this could be the season where we see Forbort as an NHL regular with the Kings. With so much unknown still surrounding Slava Voynov, there is an obvious hole on the backend for the Kings. But the question remaining is if the Kings would rather have another RD. Right now, they have solid guys slotted for all LD positions (Muzzin, Martinez, McNabb). What they could do is put Martinez on the right side and suit up Forbort. If Forbort has a solid pre-season and training camp, I think he is the most likely guy to secure a defensive position.

3. ADRIAN KEMPE (RW)

Kempe is one of the newer guys in the Los Angeles Kings pipeline. He was drafted in the first round in 2014 and has been playing pro hockey over in Sweden. When it came down to picking #3, it was between Kempe & Valentin Zykov. The reason I think Kempe is better suited for the team right now comes down to something that might seem unimportant…

He’s left handed.

Jun 27, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Adrian Kempe puts on a team cap after being selected as the number twenty-nine overall pick to the Los Angeles Kings in the first round of the 2014 NHL Draft at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Zykov has been impressive at the junior level, but I think the Kings are looking for a lefty up front. Kempe has been playing on his off-wing (RW) as a lefty…similar to Ovechkin or Kovalchuk. There are very few players who can pull that off at the NHL level. Thus, I think Kempe could move over to left-wing to play what should be more of a natural position due to his left-handedness.

The Kings have tried to put Dustin Brown on the left-side and that just never panned out well for them, long-term. So I think it’s unlikely they try it with another player with their current roster.

Sorry, Zykov.

The reality is that not all of these guys will end up on the starting day roster for the Kings. There just isn’t enough room for all of them to make their NHL entrance this coming season. Keep an eye out for training camp and the pre-season and write down these guys numbers so you can see them in action!