Last year, the LA Kings used their first-round pick on Windsor Spitfires' forward Liam Greentree. It looks like it is going to be a great pick for the Kings, and he is arguably their best prospect right now.
This year, Greentree's teammate Jack Nesbitt is in the NHL Draft and it wouldn't be that surprising to see the Kings select him in the first round. Let's take a look at the player and how he might fit within the Kings' system.
Jack Nesbitt Stats
Jack Nesbitt has played the past two seasons with the Windsor Spitfires in the OHL and made a huge jump in production. In the 2023-24 season, he would play in 58 games and had nine goals and nine assists.
However, this past season he played in 65 games and finished with 25 goals and 39 assists and his +/- went from -32 to +12. He also recently played for Team Canada at the IIHF U18 World Championships and had five points in six games.
Jack Nesbitt Scouting Report
The scouting report on Neutral Zone projects Nesbitt as a second- or third-line center and wrote this about the Spitfire center:
"Jack Nesbitt projects as a middle-six, two-way NHL center with power-forward potential. His combination of size, skating ability, and offensive tools makes him an enticing prospect, but he must continue to develop his physicality, playmaking, and shooting efficiency to reach his ceiling. If he addresses these areas, he could become a reliable second- or third-line center capable of playing in all situations."
Jack Nesbitt Highlights
Why the Los Angeles Kings would draft Jack Nesbitt in the 2025 NHL Draft
The scouting report on Neutral Zone views Nesbitt as a mid-to-late second round pick but depending on how the first round goes, the Kings might be comfortable taking him with their pick in the first round. They don't have their second-round pick after trading it last year in the Tanner Jeannot trade and it would be very unlikely he would still be available in the third round.
Nesbitt is someone that has played well alongside Liam Greentree and that familiarity is certainly a bonus but not the only reason to draft him. He is a big forward that can help the Kings continue this trend of more physical players who aren't afraid to forecheck.
While the scouting report notes Nesbitt at times can be timid, this shouldn't scare the Kings too much and is something that can be overcome.