LA Kings: Ranking the top ten prospects post-NHL Draft

Here’s what the post-draft rankings should look like for the LA Kings prospect pool.

Already boasting one of the league’s best prospect pools, the LA Kings added nine more picks in the 2020 NHL Draft, including the second overall pick. LA has done a tremendous job acquiring draft capital and utilizing it to rebuild for what looks like a promising future.

The NHL roster is mostly set for next season, with a couple of openings should one of the prospects shine in training camp and preseason. But the 2020-2021 season will be all about developing the prospect pool, whether that’s at the NHL level or their respective lower-level leagues.

Here are the top ten prospects in the Kings’ farm system post-draft.

Honorable Mentions:

Carl Grundstrom, Jaret Anderson-Dolan, Tyler Madden, Kale Clague, Aidan Dudas

1. Quinton Byfield, C

Byfield was the consensus number two pick in the 2020 NHL Draft. Despite the Kings’ having a wealth of centerman prospects in their system, the Sudbury Wolves forward was the right pick. He described himself as a big, speedy forward, and that’s exactly what the Kings’ are getting. Byfield will be atop LA’s top line one day, projected to be the next Anze Kopitar.

He scored 32 goals with 50 assists in 45 games in the OHL last season. It’ll be interesting to see where he begins in his Kings’ tenure. Several scouts have said that he doesn’t need any more time in the OHL, so he could be looking at Ontario to start the 2020-2021 season.