LA Kings: Five players destined for NHL taxi squad roster
By Ryan Sikes
What about the LA Kings’ top prospects?
As members of the taxi squad, the previously mentioned five players will be depth pieces on the NHL roster. Fagemo could carve a full-time role for himself, but the likes of Alex Turcotte, Arthur Kaliyev, Quinton Byfield, among others, need regular playing time.
Of course, Byfield’s situation could be a unique scenario in that the OHL is currently scheduled to begin on February 4 and will prohibit all bodychecking.
Byfield already made it clear that he will not leave the WJC early for Kings’ training camp. Given how stacked Team Canada is, he could be in Red Deer, Alberta, for quite some time. The same goes for Turcotte, Kaliyev, and Team USA.
Turcotte and Kaliyev could join the Ontario Reign after the WJC — assuming the league modifies its age requirement for the shortened season — but they’ll need regular playing time once the season begins. They could also both join the Kings at some point this season, but early signs indicate they will not be part of the taxi squad.