Los Angeles Kings' forward Alex Turcotte was picked fifth overall in the top five in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft in the first round. Turcotte has not gotten enough ice time in the past few years in the 2020s decade for the Kings to get a real opportunity to prove himself for LA in the West in the past few seasons.
The Los Angeles Kings trading Phillip Danault to the Habs gives a new young center player to step up in Alex Turcotte this regular season in the West
Most of Turcotte's playing time on the ice in the past few seasons in the West for head coach Jim Hiller and the Kings on the forward roster lines has been with the fourth line forward group for LA. Turcotte being a former top-five overall pick for the Kings in the first round of the draft hasn't really gotten the right development opportunity to prove himself with LA in the 2020s decade.
With the Kings trading center Phillip Danault to the Montreal Canadiens late this week late on Friday night, Turcotte's opportunity could have finally arrived with LA on this team this regular season in the West. The big question now is whether Turcotte can take advantage of more playing time and a bigger role with the Kings' forward top lines group.
Turcotte is confident in his ability to make an impact on the third-line forward group for Hiller and the Kings in the offensive zone this regular season in the West, when he spoke with the local media in a press conference this weekend.
"Great opportunity for me. I'll be ready for it. I'm confident in myself. Just going to go out there, work as hard as I can, do the best that I can, hopefully produce more and show them what I've got."Alex Turcotte
It's hard to be impatient with a player who has averaged under 10 minutes in average time on the ice per game this regular season in the West. Turcotte has registered two goals and six total points in 30 games played this regular season for LA.
This past season in the 2024-25 campaign, Turcotte played very briefly on the first forward line for hiller and the Kings in the West with center Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe at the wing with the top unit 5-on-5. Turcotte and the Kings scored 16 goals in the offensive zone at even strength at 5-on-5 offensively when Alex was playing with Kopitar and Kempe with the top forward line unit.
Turcotte's playing time has fallen slightly early this regular season in the West. His numbers have improved in offensive areas and on both ends of the ice this campaign for the Kings and Hiller.
For the past few seasons in the 2020s decade, Turcotte has waited patiently to get an opportunity to produce in the offensive zone and with his goal scoring and playmaking with the Kings and Hiller. From what new general manager for the Kings, Ken Holland, said after the Danault trade this weekend to the local media on Friday night late, Turcotte will center the third-line forwards line this regular season.
"He [Alex Turcotte] is very competitive. Very determined, goes to hard areas, back checks. I think he does all the things that a third-line center can do defensively. He hasn’t really had a great opportunity in a lot of this time here in LA on the offensive side of the puck. We’re going to give him an opportunity here to play some minutes."Ken Holland on Alex Turcotte
Turcotte deserves the opportunity to show what he can do with his development and offensive playmaking on both ends of the ice for the Kings in the West this regular season.
This is a gambling risk the Kings and Holland with the front office are taking with Turcotte sliding up to the third-line forward center role in the top-nine core group this month in late December in the West. Turcotte will be a young center player position with a team that is in one of the biggest TV markets in the league in the NHL to contend for a spot in the postseason next spring for the Kings.