Ben Shelley: Three Kings prospects earn medals at World Juniors

Big fan of Simontaival's game. I just don't know where he'd fit. The "tiny guy" role is filled by Lizotte, and while Simontaival has the hands and puck skills Lizotte lacks, I don't think anyone in the system can play that energy/pest role like him. Simontaival looks like a trade piece at this point more than anything else.

I think Lizotte is a bridge player the next 2 years so by the time his contract is up I think the next wave of kids like Simontaival and Chromiak both of whom I love will be ready.

I think Lizotte is a bridge player the next 2 years so by the time his contract is up I think the next wave of kids like Simontaival and Chromiak both of whom I love will be ready.
- Earl Skakel

Could be. I'm not saying so much that Lizotte is in the Kings' long term plans beyond his current term, but I'm not sure the two prospects you mentioned (or anyone else in the system, for that matter) can provide what Lizotte gives shift-by-shift. He's an innings eater who gets less than 15 min of ice a night, wins about half his face-offs, and takes defensive zone starts. Those are important, bottom 6 tasks and he's very good at all those things. Anderson-Dolan is the closest thing in the system to Lizotte, but he hasn't been able to take his roster spot despite several opportunities.

The two guys you mentioned are primarily wingers who, with their offensive skill, look better suited for middle six roles. That's a crowded depth chart right now. Perhaps Simontaival will fill Iafallo's shoes one day? Maybe Arvidsson's role? He isn't even signed, yet, so I'm curious how his game will translate to the AHL.

I think we are both guessing and I think Lizotte is perfect for what Kings need now as pretty much every team in the league wants what the Islanders have had the last few years with their 4th line
Martin Czikas Clutterbuck
Lemieux Lizotte Grundstrom

in 1-2 years I think Lizotte will easily be replaceable, I mean in Ontario alone we have
Turcotte
Thomas
Kupari
Madden
Anderson-Dolan although he's not waiver exempt anymore
so it will be interesting when the next batch of kids come in like SimonTaival,Chromiak,Fagemo.... I do think we have too many prospects which has never been said before with the Kings so it will be interesting too see where some of the prospects end up.

Although smaller guys I do like how Simontaival and Chromiak go to the dirty areas and with the way the league is and is heading smaller players can thrive so even if Lizotte is in the long term plans I think you could have 1-2 more smaller guys on the roster up front.