LA Kings: Three breakout candidates at 2021 World Juniors
Here are three LA Kings prospects that are breakout candidates in the 2021 World Junior Championships tournament.
In just over a week’s time, the National Hockey League’s top prospects will partake in one of the best tournaments around. And for the second consecutive season, the LA Kings will be well-represented at the World Junior Championships, sending nine players from the prospect pool from six different countries.
A quick refresher:
- Team USA (Alex Turcotte, Arthur Kaliyev, Brock Faber)
- Team Canada (Quinton Byfield, Jordan Spence)
- Team Sweden (Tobias Bjornfot)
- Team Finland (Kasper Simontaival)
- Team Slovakia (Martin Chromiak)
- Team Czech Republic (Lukas Parik)
At last year’s World Juniors, Samuel Fagemo and Arthur Kaliyev broke out in a big way. Both players were drafted in the second round of the 2019 NHL Draft, establishing themselves as top prospects in the Kings’ organizations with strong performances at the WJC.
Fagemo spent last year with Frolunda of the SHL, scoring 13 goals with nine assists in 42 games. His 22 points were seventh-best on Frolunda, but he turned it on in International play. Fagemo tallied eight goals in seven games with five assists, leading the tournament in both goals and points.
“He didn’t play like this his draft year. Not even close,” said Mark Yannetti. “Our biggest complaint his draft year was that the guy’s got speed, but he doesn’t attack, he doesn’t compete. His game was incomplete and inconsistent. I think it was an eye-opener for him when he didn’t get drafted and sometimes you need that experience to push you forward.”
Unlike Fagemo, Arthur Kaliyev was a point-producing machine before the WJC. He flirted with back-to-back 100-point seasons with the Hamilton Bulldogs of the OHL. In the World Juniors, the 18-year-old tallied four games with two assists in five games.
Who are breakout candidates for the LA Kings at the 2021 World Juniors?
Alex Turcotte
Alex Turcotte will be the first to tell you that his play at last year’s WJC was not up to par. Being drafted fifth overall in the NHL Draft comes with high expectations, and the 18-year-old was frustrated with his play.
“It stinks,” Turcotte said. “We came together three weeks ago and became close as a team and everyone’s sacrificing and you’re not home with your family and everyone’s trying to do their best to win gold. And, you come up short and don’t even medal. It’s obviously tough. I thought we had a good group of guys and that makes it worse, I think. It just stinks.”
Turcotte is one of eight players returning for Team USA, and he’ll be viewed as one of the veterans. As noted, the US failed to medal last season. With a top line of Turcotte, Kaliyev, and Trevor Zegras, the LA Kings’ top prospect will be in a favorable position to have a breakout tournament.
Jordan Spence
To no one’s surprise, Quinton Byfield made the roster for Team Canada. The Kings’ second overall pick in this year’s draft has elite talent but was limited to bottom-six line play in last year’s World Juniors. Conversely, Jordan Spence has been one of the most pleasant surprises in the LA Kings’ organization, which is a testament to how well Mark Yannetti and the rest of the Kings’ scouting department do their homework.
Spence was selected in the fourth round in 2019. After scoring six goals with 43 assists in 68 games, the Sydney, Australia native was named the QMJHL Defensive Rookie of the Year. He followed that with a 52-point season in 60 games and was off to a hot start for the Moncton Wildcats, scoring five goals with 11 assists through the first 13 games.
“I’m an offensive defenseman, I like to carry the puck so I think I’m a puck-moving defenseman,” Spence said. “Good first pass and in the offensive zone, I like being on the power play, making things happen.”
Given how much firepower Team Canada has, Spence should get plenty of opportunities to put the puck on net.
Martin Chromiak
The lone representative on Team Slovakia, Martin Chromiak has had a whirlwind 2020. After beginning last season in Slovakia’s highest-level ice hockey league, Chromiak made a late transition to the North American rink, playing for Kingston of the OHL.
There, he racked up the points-33 points in just 28 games. Had he made the transition sooner, he likely gets taken higher in the draft.
His track record in International play suggests he’s due for a breakout performance out the World Juniors. For Slovakia’s U18 team, Chromiak scored ten goals with 12 assists in 21 games. Last year, for the U20 team, he put up 15 points in 14 games.