On Facebook
On Flipboard
On Twitter
The LA Kings have 11 prospects in their pipeline who are 20 years or younger — five are playing in juniors.
Welcome to LA, Liam!
We’ve selected forward Liam Greentree with the 26th pick.
https://t.co/BYFfMqd4Ge@WinmarkResale | #GoKingsGo pic.twitter.com/z8welOMrLt
— LA Kings (@LAKings) June 29, 2024
This article will discuss how the prospects in juniors (CHL) are doing so far to close out 2024.
Let’s get started!
Koehn Ziemmer
Age: 20
League: Western Hockey League (WHL)
Team: Prince George Cougars
Position: Center/Wing
Stat line: 22 goals, 12 assists, 34 points, +6 rating in 34 games played
Koehn Ziemmer was eligible to start the year in the AHL but the Kings opted to loan him back to juniors for his final season because there wasn’t room for him to play. The 20-year-old power forward has played well for Prince George, racking up 34 points (22 G, 12 A) in 27 games. Ziemmer, an offensive winger, has played a good portion of the season as their 2C, behind Reilly Heidt, and has won 52.8% of his faceoffs.
He has also been a threat for Prince George’s power play unit, scoring seven goals (leads the team) and recording 12 points (tied for second on the team). Ziemmer will need to work on his skating, a weakness that has been well-known since he was drafted. With a great wrist shot, physicality to his game, and a power play option, Kings fans should enjoy watching him in the AHL next year.
Koehn freaking Ziemmer. pic.twitter.com/mTojlf6ZpB
— Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars) November 11, 2024
Liam Greentree
Age: 18
League: Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Team: Windsor Spitfires
Position: Left/Right wing
Stat line: 24 goals, 32 assists, 56 points, +28 rating in 34 games
Liam Greentree has a lot of upside. With the Kings trading back in the draft, they felt he could still be on the board at pick number 26 and he was. After a 90-point campaign last year, Greentree leads the Windsor Spitfires in goals (24), assists (34) and points (56) this year. His 56 points rank second in scoring and tied for fourth in goals in the OHL. He’s done a bit of everything for Windsor playing on the top line at both right and left wing.
Greentree turns 19 tomorrow. Why is that important? It means he missed the cutoff date by one day to be eligible to play in the AHL next year. So, per the NHL-CHL agreement, it’s the Kings or back to Windsor next year. It’s possible Greentree could be in a similar situation as Brandt Clarke was in 2022, but ultimately I predict he’ll spend the whole season in the OHL and see him in the AHL in 2026.
GREENTREE TAKES BACK THE LEAD
@LAKings 2024 first round #NHLDraft pick Liam Greentree buried one, giving @SpitsHockey a 2-1 lead in the second frame!
#OHL | @CHLHockey | #GoKingsGo pic.twitter.com/RbFoKHgFCu
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) December 20, 2024
Matthew Mania
Age: 19
League: Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Team: Flint Firebirds
Position: Right-handed defenseman
Stat line: 3 goals, 13 assists, 16 points, +5 rating in 34 games played
Matthew Mania was drafted in the fifth round in 2023 by the Kings. Mania is third in scoring for a defenseman on the Flint Firebirds with 16 points in 34 games. He is also a +5 rating and has played on the top defensive pairing. With the Kings not having as much depth on the right side of the defense as they did three years ago, I could see them signing Mania by the June 1st, 2025 deadline. By the way, isn’t that a cool last name?
Blake Smith pic.twitter.com/UAgNOO7c3u
— Flint Firebirds (@FlintFirebirds) October 20, 2024
Jared Woolley
Age: 18
League: Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Team: London Knights
Position: Left-handed defenseman
Stat line: 2 goals, 10 assists, 12 points, +18 rating
Big, physical left-handed defenseman. That’s what Jared Woolley is. The Kings picked him up in the sixth round of this past draft. It was the second straight draft the Kings selected a 6’5″ left-shot defenseman (Jakub Dvorak being the other). Woolley has played top-four minutes for a stacked London Knights team as they look to repeat as OHL champions and compete for the Memorial Cup.
#GoKingsGo left-handed defenseman prospect Jared Woolley records his second goal of the season for the London Knights.
: London Knights #GoKingsGo pic.twitter.com/kMY7DxQzrk
— Kyle Garcia (@Kopitar4HOF) November 10, 2024
Carter George
Age: 18
League: Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Team: Owen Sound Attack
Position: Goalie
Stat line: 4-13-2-3 record, 3.49 GAA, .905 sv% in 23 games played
Goaltending was once a weakness but is now a strength for the Kings in their prospect pool. A Kings fan growing up, Carter George was drafted in the second round this past summer by the Kings and has drawn some comparisons with his style to former Kings netminder Jonathan Quick. George is a better puck-handler than Quick, though. George isn’t tall, measuring 6’1″, but is a damn good goalie.
Don’t let the goals-against average and save percentage fool you. George has played better than his numbers have shown due to poor defensive play from the Owen Sound Attack. George has even stolen games that they shouldn’t have won. He has two shutouts in two games for Team Canada at the U-20 World Juniors.
George will be back in the OHL next season and then it’s most likely AHL in 2026. I know goalies can be voodoo, but I expect George to be the potential number-one goalie for the Kings if everything goes to plan.
GOALIE GOAL! #GoKingsGo prospect Carter George finds the back of the net for @AttackOHL!
pic.twitter.com/t2eaOKoCe3
— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) November 15, 2024
Counting down the top saves of the #OHL‘s first half!
1⃣: @AttackOHL‘s Carter George tops the charts with this precision save with the paddle!
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) December 30, 2024
More must-reads:
- Hurricanes take care of business, sign star winger to lucrative eight-year extension
- Carter Hart, others found not guilty in Hockey Canada sexual assault trial
- The 'Multiple 100-RBI MLB seasons' quiz
Breaking News
Trending News
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
TODAY'S BEST
Chris Pronger to Connor McDavid: A Lost Edmonton Oilers Decade
In the spring of 2006, Chris Pronger was traded to the Edmonton Oilers. He then did something no one thought possible: he made the Edmonton Oilers a Stanley Cup contender again. That playoff run was legendary. Pronger logged enormous minutes, quarterbacked the power play, killed penalties, and led the team in scoring. In every zone and every moment, he was the difference-maker. He was the kind of player who gave an entire franchise a sense of direction—and belief. And then, just weeks after that Game 7 heartbreak in Carolina, he was gone. The Impact of the Oilers Losing a True No. 1 Blueliner Pronger’s trade request stunned the city and changed everything. Instead of building around a generational defenseman in his prime, the Oilers entered a prolonged decline. The team wouldn’t return to the playoffs for another decade. But what if he had stayed? It’s not just about Pronger’s elite play. It’s about the ripple effect of having that kind of presence anchoring a lineup. With Pronger in the fold, free agents might have been more willing to come. The team wouldn’t have scrambled to fill the void on the blue line with a carousel of short-term fixes. Young players could have developed under a true leader instead of inheriting pressure without support. The Oilers Championship Window Closed Too Soon The Oilers were close in 2006. It was not a fluke, but it was a team suddenly galvanized by elite goaltending from Dwayne Roloson, role players like Mike Peca, top-six grit like Ryan Smyth and Fernando Pisani, and above all, Pronger’s towering presence. Run it back even one more year, and who knows? A healthy Roloson, a stabilized core, and the confidence of a team that knew how close they came. Perhaps 2007 would be the season that ended differently for the Oilers. Instead, the Oilers lost their best player and wandered through the wilderness for ten years. How bad did the Oilers become? The 2006–07 season was a major disappointment in Edmonton, capped by the emotional deadline trade of fan favorite Smyth to the New York Islanders. That collapse marked the beginning of a long drought, as the team went on to miss the playoffs for 10 straight seasons until finally returning in 2016–17. Hockey Is Filled with What Ifs, the Oilers Are No Exception Hockey is full of what-ifs. But this one lingers. Because Pronger did come to Edmonton, and he did show what was possible. And for one electric spring, it looked like the Oilers had found the player who could lead them back to greatness. We just never got to find out how far that road might have gone. Fortunately, the team’s return to the playoffs in 2016–17 was spearheaded by Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. And that’s where the team is today. It’s a new era of success, but it took ten years to get there.
Yankees Traded Flourishing Infielder for Struggling Closer
The New York Yankees have made their 2025 goals abundantly clear: They're trying to return to the World Series and win it all. In an effort to do so, the Pinstripes traded pitcher Nestor Cortes and infielder Caleb Durbin to the Milwaukee Brewers this season, adding closer Devin Williams to the roster. Halfway into the season, it looks like that was a big mistake. The Yankees are now looking to fill gaps in the both the bullpen and the infield before the MLB trade deadline rolls around at the end of the month. Utilityman Oswaldo Cabrera was great at third base, but suffered a potentially season-ending injury in May. The Yankees tried to compensate by shifting Jazz Chisholm Jr. to third, but it was clear Chisholm excels at second, and he's since been moved back. Durbin, on the other hand, has only gotten better in Milwaukee. "Over 75 games this season, Durbin is slashing .265/.350/.382 with five homers and elite contact skills at the plate," Alexander Wilson of Empire Sports Media wrote. "He ranks in the 95th percentile in whiff rate and 98th in strikeout rate — rare company for a young infielder. Durbin’s advanced plate discipline would’ve been invaluable in a Yankees lineup that too often leans on boom-or-bust approaches." Then there's Devin Williams, who has been part of a shaky-at-best Yankees bullpen. He has certainly seen improvement since the beginning of the season, when he was pulled from closing duties after a blown save to the Yankees' division rival Toronto Blue Jays. However, it hasn't been quite enough. Toronto swept New York in a four game series earlier this month, securing their lead of the AL east over the Pinstripes. Williams pitched the final inning, giving up two earned runs. He has a 4.82 ERA over 37.1 innings pitched in 41 games. Williams keeps improving, and hopefully will prove that the Yankees made the right choice by acquiring him. However, that still doesn't fill the gaping hole New York has at third base, and they're likely missing Durbin's consistent abilities in the field and at the plate. The Yankees have until the July 31 MLB trade deadline to make any trades to address these issues. Make sure to bookmark Yankees On SI to get all your daily New York Yankees news, interviews, breakdowns and more! Cam Schlittler is Not Yankees Paul Skenes Yankees Fighting Red Sox for Diamondbacks Pitchers Yankees’ Aaron Judge Ties Alex Rodriguez on All-Time List Braves Troll Yankees' Jazz Chisholm With Walk-Up Song Yankees in Trade Talks With Pirates
Charlotte Hornets Reportedly Release 24-Year-Old Guard
Damion Baugh spent his rookie season in the NBA playing for the Charlotte Hornets. The 24-year-old had averages of 7.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.0 steals per contest while shooting 32.3% from the field in 15 games. According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Hornets will now waive Baugh. Via Scotto: "The Charlotte Hornets are waiving two-way player Damion Baugh, league sources told @hoopshype . Charlotte is waiving Baugh to clear a spot for the addition of Antonio Reeves on a two-way contract." ESPN's Shams Charania had first reported that the Hornets were signing Reeves. Via Charania: "The Charlotte Hornets are signing guard Antonio Reeves to a two-way NBA deal, sources tell ESPN. The 2024 Pelicans second-round pick averaged 6.9 points and 40% 3-point shooting in 44 games as a rookie last season."
Three-time All-Star will be key to Fever weathering troubling Caitlin Clark injury update
Following a troubling injury update, Caitlin Clark isn't coming back to rescue the Indiana Fever anytime soon. But Aliyah Boston still can. On Thursday, the Fever announced that Clark remains out with a groin injury and has no timetable for a return. In a social media post, the team emphasized prioritizing "her long-term health and well-being," suggesting the organization won't cut corners in getting Clark back on the court. Indiana won't be title contenders without its star guard, but Boston's continued growth into one of the league's best players should keep it from falling out of the playoff picture. This season, Boston, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2023 WNBA Draft, ranks second in the league in win shares (4.5), trailing only MVP favorite Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (5.8). Boston is averaging 15.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists and one block per game. She has the fourth-highest player efficiency rating (PER), only trailing Collier, Las Vegas Aces center A'ja Wilson and Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas. Per Across The Timeline, she's one of seven players in league history with 1,500 points before turning 24 and is only improving. On June 24, she scored a career-high 31 points on 13-of-18 shooting in a win over the Seattle Storm. In that game, Clark struggled, going 3-of-13 from the court, including 0-of-6 on three-point attempts, and turning the ball over eight times. It was Boston and veteran guard Kelsey Mitchell, who had 26 points, who led the Fever when their star wasn't at her best. The Fever need Clark for them to reach their full potential, but until then, Boston must lead the way. She's arguably been Indiana's best player all season, something she'll have to continue being until Clark returns.
PRIVACY POLICY EDITORIAL POLICY CONTACT US
ABOUT YARDBARKER TERMS OF SERVICE
Use of this website (including any and all parts and
components) constitutes your acceptance of these
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
This site is for entertainment purposes only.
There is no gambling offered on this site.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
