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Los Angeles Kings’ 2024 NHL Draft Targets

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Michael Ostrower | Last updated 5/13/24

The Los Angeles Kings own their first-round selection for the first time since 2021 when they selected Brandt Clarke. Since that selection, they have begun the process of adding high-level talent to begin contending for the Stanley Cup once again. They can add to their prospect pool by owning the 21st overall selection in the 2024 draft, so who could be available then?

First Round Targets

The Kings’ main need is goaltending, but that is likely to be solved through a trade or mid-round draft selection. For forwards, they have over six current NHL players who could slot in at center and a few prospects in the system, leaving any centers as unlikely to be selected. For a defenseman, the right side is set, with Clarke, Drew Doughty, and Jordan Spence all likely fitting into the plan for the next five or so seasons, at least. This leaves just the left wing and left side of the defense, both positions lacking talent and youth.

It is less likely to see the Kings draft a left winger, given the roster has Adrian Kempe, Quinton Byfield, and Trevor Moore occupying the space. So, a right wing is probable. There are a few options expected to go in the middle of the first round, such as Michael Brandsegg Nygard, Terik Parascak, and Liam Greentree.

However, Kings’ management will need to decide if these prospects will provide more value than current right-wing prospects within the system, Ryan Conmy and Koehn Ziemmer. If they decide to stick to what they currently have, they could shift the focus to the left wing, with options being Nikita Artamonov, Igor Chernyshov, or even Clarke Caswell.

If the Kings decide to go after a defenseman, they will be left-handed. The options in the middle of the first round are dull, with the only names coming to mind being Aron Kiviharju, Cole Hutson, and Leo Sahlin Wallenius. The most intriguing of the three is Kiviharju, who was a projected top prospect for HIFK of Liiga last season before suffering a season-ending injury earlier this season.

The past two seasons have seen serious stunts to his development, but taking the risk on the high-upside defenseman may be worth it for Los Angeles. However, given the team’s recent struggles with top prospects and injuries, they may be too scared to take on a red-flag prospect, so they could shift their attention elsewhere.

After the First Round

The Kings’ lone other selection in the top 150 will be a fourth-round selection. Here, it will be a shot in the dark on who they could go after. They will likely go best player available, with potential names like Ondrej Becher and Anthony Romani being of note. Also, this could be a good spot to draft a goalie, with names to remember being Eemil Vinni, Ilya Nabokov, Ryerson Leenders, and Carter George. Also, the Kings could trade back into the top 50 or 100 to grab a prospect that they like, or they could trade back from their first-round selection to bring in additional draft capital.

Despite not making a first-round selection since the 2021 NHL Draft, the Kings still have an abundance of youth pushing to join the NHL team. From Alex Turcotte and Akil Thomas to Erik Portillo and Clarke, there are still many young players who have not yet joined the NHL full-time. This means that all the players drafted by the Kings this year will face significant challenges as they start their journeys to reach the NHL. However, this is a great problem to have, and the Kings will be sure to maximize the value of these young assets to get back to the Stanley Cup Final as they did in the early 2010s.

This article first appeared on The Hockey Writers and was syndicated with permission.

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