Jason Lewis: Los Angeles Kings Preseason 2016-17 Top 20 Prospects: 1-10

I find it amazing how OLD some of these guys are.

Yeah thats a weak prospects pool, I like Kale Clague and Erik Cernak a lot tho, really looking forward to see how they progress

Yeah when a 26 year old and a couple 24 year olds crack your top 10 prospects list it's a pretty good indication that the cupboards are bare.

Yeah when a 26 year old and a couple 24 year olds crack your top 10 prospects list it's a pretty good indication that the cupboards are bare.
- Kinger411

It's all in the quality but it's true the older age has it's detrimental factors. From a quality standpoint though, age aside, the Kings get unfairly lumped in with having a "Bad" pipeline. LOTS of useful players in this system.

Also, Mersch, Gravel and Dowd were all collegiate players which kind of adds to that older age factor. Likewise with Forbort and LaDue. Kings REALLY let those college guys develop.

Absolutely no high end talent here but I don't think any team has been as successful as the Kings finding a fit in the system and getting the guy an NHL job, even if only a temporary one.

Many on these guys will play. A few will have long careers, some shorter, and the rest will just have a cup of coffee; but I think most will get to play and that says a lot considering how many guys get drafted and never lace it up at the NHL at all.

God I hope Dean has a plan.

Kempe is a legit high end talent, but he's also one with a caveat surrounding him on probability.

It speaks to the system that there are more "high floor" guys ready to step in; sure they're older and not necessarily as electrifying, but if they play the style the Kings brass wants, they'll get the opportunity. Besides, even if they were high end talents, unless they play they way Sutter wants, they're not playing at all.

Kempe is a legit high end talent, but he's also one with a caveat surrounding him on probability.

It speaks to the system that there are more "high floor" guys ready to step in; sure they're older and not necessarily as electrifying, but if they play the style the Kings brass wants, they'll get the opportunity. Besides, even if they were high end talents, unless they play they way Sutter wants, they're not playing at all.
- hiway39

Some on Insider have said they hope that Kempe will be Hagelin. Hagelin is decent but not anything close to high end. I suggested Kempe is similar to Lars Eller with a little more sandpaper. Kempe plays sooner than later but he may be second line talent at most.

If the kids dont play in the NHL by 22,23 yrs old, they will never reach their potential.

Some on Insider have said they hope that Kempe will be Hagelin. Hagelin is decent but not anything close to high end. I suggested Kempe is similar to Lars Eller with a little more sandpaper. Kempe plays sooner than later but he may be second line talent at most.
- CRTNLarva_2.0

Kempe has a surprising nastiness to him that started coming out later in the year. Really good to see. He is feisty.

I had Kempe penciled in as the Kings future 3rd line center back when he was drafted, and after watching him in Ontario for a season, I still have him there. He had a strong showing in the AHL, but then again so did Linden Vey and Pavel Rosa. He's not as offensively gifted as Tyler Toffoli, but he certainly has greater upside than Dowd or Shore. 3C is a weak spot in the lineup and I'm hoping Kempe can fill the hole in 2017-18.

Kempe has a surprising nastiness to him that started coming out later in the year. Really good to see. He is feisty.
- Jason_Lewis

Feisty is always good but I hope he can put up some points to go with it, ala Landeskog type.

I had Kempe penciled in as the Kings future 3rd line center back when he was drafted, and after watching him in Ontario for a season, I still have him there. He had a strong showing in the AHL, but then again so did Linden Vey and Pavel Rosa. He's not as offensively gifted as Tyler Toffoli, but he certainly has greater upside than Dowd or Shore. 3C is a weak spot in the lineup and I'm hoping Kempe can fill the hole in 2017-18.
- tkecanuck341

If he is going to succeed at the next level it's probably going to be at wing. He played almost strictly wing all of last year in the AHL and that seems to be the future moving forward.

Erik Cernak might be a real player in the not to distant future .

Erik Cernak might be a real player in the not to distant future .
- rubberduckies

https://www.google.com/se...2#imgrc=jps4nNHSBRljzM%3A

I had Kempe penciled in as the Kings future 3rd line center back when he was drafted, and after watching him in Ontario for a season, I still have him there. He had a strong showing in the AHL, but then again so did Linden Vey and Pavel Rosa. He's not as offensively gifted as Tyler Toffoli, but he certainly has greater upside than Dowd or Shore. 3C is a weak spot in the lineup and I'm hoping Kempe can fill the hole in 2017-18.
- tkecanuck341

pavel rosa, wow.

Far too many prospects are given "high" probabilities of reaching their potential, IMO. If just half become useful NHLers (even if they don't reach their potential), the organization will probably be happy. If most hit their potential (which is what these projections suggest), the organization will be dancing in the streets. That's simply not realistic.

It's all in the quality but it's true the older age has it's detrimental factors. From a quality standpoint though, age aside, the Kings get unfairly lumped in with having a "Bad" pipeline. LOTS of useful players in this system.
- Jason Lewis

When you routinely have all of these unbiased outsiders popping in to comment on how bad the pipeline is, and every publication (from The Hockey News to Bleacher Report to The Score to Hockey's Future to ESPN) putting it in the bottom-5 of the entire NHL, it's probably quite fair to say that it's a bad pipeline. It is what it is, as Kopitar would say. This Kings blogger just accepted it and started a conversation about why it is:

Jewels From the Crown: How the Los Angeles Kings Ended Up With a Bottom-5 Prospect Pool

pavel rosa, wow.
- hiway39

I've been a Kings fan for a looooooooooooong time.

I've been a Kings fan for a looooooooooooong time.
- tkecanuck341

you and me both, pal. you see how peter ahola is a scout for LV now?

Far too many prospects are given "high" probabilities of reaching their potential, IMO. If just half become useful NHLers (even if they don't reach their potential), the organization will probably be happy. If most hit their potential (which is what these projections suggest), the organization will be dancing in the streets. That's simply not realistic.

When you routinely have all of these unbiased outsiders popping in to comment on how bad the pipeline is, and every publication (from The Hockey News to Bleacher Report to The Score to Hockey's Future to ESPN) putting it in the bottom-5 of the entire NHL, it's probably quite fair to say that it's a bad pipeline. It is what it is, as Kopitar would say. This Kings blogger just accepted it and started a conversation about why it is:

Jewels From the Crown: How the Los Angeles Kings Ended Up With a Bottom-5 Prospect Pool
- Osprey

"Unbiased outsiders": Do you even see the inconsistency with your logic from post-to-post, blog-to-blog?