LA Kings Draft: Day Two Draft Tracker is here
By Ryan Sikes
The LA Kings got a future number one center on Day 1 of the draft. Now let’s see what direction they go on Day 2.
We’ll be updating this thread with every LA Kings draft pick today.
Round 2, 35th overall: Helge Grans, RHD
Measurements
- Height: 6-foot-3
- Weight: 192 pounds
- Age: 18
- Shot: R
Rankings
- #19 by ELITEPROSPECTS.COM
- #28 by FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS
- #35 by TSN/CRAIG BUTTON
- #39 by MCKEEN’S HOCKEY
- #6 by NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING (EU Skaters)
- #15 by DOBBERPROSPECTS/ROBINSON
- #27 by CONSOLIDATED RANKING
- #32 by TSN/McKenzie
Production
Round 2, 45th overall: Brock Faber, RHD
Measurements
- Height: 6-foot-0
- Weight: 194 pounds
- Age: 18
- Shot: R
Rankings
- #37 by ELITEPROSPECTS.COM
- #102 by TSN/CRAIG BUTTON
- #113 by MCKEEN’S HOCKEY
- #44 by NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING (NA Skaters)
- #23 by DOBBERPROSPECTS/ROBINSON
- #56 by TSN/McKenzie
Production
Round 2, 60th overall: Traded to NY Rangers for forward Lias Andersson
I can’t say I saw that one coming, but Rob Blake and the Kings’ front office continue to amaze, grabbing a guy who is a few years ahead of a would-be draft pick. Andersson was taken seventh overall in the 2017 NHL Draft.
LA Kings acquire @liasandersson from the @NYRangers in exchange for pick 60 in the #NHLDraft.
— LA Kings (@LAKings) October 7, 2020
Andersson is 21 years old and can play both the center and left wing positions. He stands at 5-foot-11, 198 pounds, and hails from Smogen, Sweden. To this point, he played in 42 games with the Rangers last year, scoring 2 goals with 4 assists.
But this past season, he only played in 17 games, tallying an assist. Andersson dealt with a lower-body injury and was suspended from hockey for a bit. He’ll get a fresh start in Los Angeles. He’s under contract with a cap hit of $894,166 this next season before becoming a restricted free agent.
Round 3, 66th overall: Kasper Simontaival, RW
Simontaival can play both ways and scored 25 goals with 32 assists in 48 games with the Tappara U20 team last season. For the Finland U18 team, he scored 8 goals with 6 assists for 14 points in only 8 games. Staying in tournament play, he tallied 7 assists in 4 games in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
The Finnish forward stands at 5-foot-9, 172 pounds. Perhaps slightly undersized but he has pinpoint shooting accuracy and he’s quick.
Round 3, 83rd overall: Alex Laferriere, RW
Not to be confused with Alexis Lafreniere, Alex Laferriere spent all of last season with the Des Moines Buccaneers of the USHL. The 18-year-old winger scored 19 goals with 26 assists for 45 points in 42 games.
He stands at 6-foot-0, 179 pounds, and hails from Chatham, New Jersey. Laferriere can play a 200-foot game, who has excellent speed and shooting abilities. A very underrated pick for the LA Kings with their final pick in the third round. He’ll play collegiate hockey at Harvard next season.
Round 4, 112th overall: Juho Markkanen, G
A goalie! No surprise here as a netminder has been taken each year in the Rob Blake era, including two in the 2018 Draft. Markkanen was born in Edmonton but played his hockey over in Finland. The 18-year-old is a very lean 6-foot-2, 146 pounds. With the SaiPa U18 team last year, he recorded a 2.11 GAA and .921 save percentage in 9 games.
In international play, he logged a .927 save percentage in 6 games. The two things he’s best at-positioning and rebound control. The Kings are obviously preparing themselves for life without Jonathan Quick, and aside from Cal Petersen, hopefully, another candidate can emerge from the pack.
He reportedly weighs 170 now, despite Elite Prospects listing him at 146 pounds.
Hearing that goalie Juho Markkanen currently weighs more like 170 lbs, a far cry from the 146 lbs floating around in other places.
— The Mayor | Team MM (@mayorNHL) October 7, 2020
Round 5, 128th overall: Martin Chromiak, RW
Chromiak would have gone much higher in this draft. The problem is that he’s an undersized, but not small, player. At 6-foot-0, 181 pounds, the Ilava, Slovakia native is a right-handed shot who was ranked as the 75th best prospect in this draft, according to TSN’s Bob McKenzie.
He made the transition to North America last season, scoring 11 goals with 22 assists for 33 points in 28 games with the Kingston Frontenacs of the OHL. He tallied four goals on the man advantage and shot the puck at a 13.8 percent clip.
In international play, he tallied 5 goals with 10 assists for 15 points in 14 games for the Slovakia U20 team. Aside from Faber, he was one of my favorite prospects in this draft class, and the LA Kings came away with both of them. Two picks to go!
Quality, opportunistic pick for LA taking Martin Chromiak in the 5th round at pick 128. Put up good numbers after coming over to the OHL last season in a small sample size. Could be a sleeper pick; he should have a good year in Kingston once the OHL gets going.
— David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) October 7, 2020
Round 5, 140th overall: Ben Meehan, D
How about this comment on new LA Kings draft pick Ben Meehan - Think of a more physical version of Alec Martinez. Good puck mover / offensively minded.
— The Mayor | Team MM (@mayorNHL) October 7, 2020
Both players played with USHL @RidertownUSA and coach Mark Carlson. He does a great job developing prospects.
Round 7, 190th overall: Aatu Jamsen, RW
Unranked by most draft experts, I think the Kings see Jamsen’s 6-foot-2, 157-pound and an 18-year-old kid with a ton of potential. The Finnish winger put up 47 points for the Pelicans U18 team of the SM-sarja league in the 2019-2020 campaign. He was off to a fast start this season, scoring 5 goals with 15 assists for 20 points in 9 games.
On a more serious note re: LA Kings pick Aatu Jamsen at 190...
— The Mayor | Team MM (@mayorNHL) October 7, 2020
Scouts tell me the 6-foot-2 forward makes plays, is smart, creates offense, and brings higher level production. Also heard LA was prepared to take him a round or so earlier.