What the LA Kings Need From Ján Chovan Over the Next 3 Years

Sudbury Contract (June 30): The Sudbury Wolves announced his signing on June 30, confirming the North American transition for 2025–26.

“Chovan is expected to come over to North America and play in the OHL with the Sudbury Wolves. He called it a bit of an “experiment” for him but said that playing in the OHL should help “get him ready for the NHL”, with the schedule, size of the rink and style of play more like an NHL or AHL professional grind than it is in Europe.”

Source – ‘Checking In With The Forwards From The 2025 Draft Class‘ – Zach Dooley – lakingsinsider.com – 07/03/2025

Why the LA Kings Drafted Him

Public scouting paints a versatile two-way forward with size, a heavy shot, and strong off-puck reads who was more effective internationally than in Finnish junior league play. Areas flagged for growth: first-step explosiveness, board-battle conversion, and limiting turnovers under pressure.

“He’s a detail-oriented player who can win faceoffs and play all situations. He was also quite involved around the net.”

Source — ‘2025 NHL Draft: Scouting reports on 120 prospects from U-18 World Championship‘ – Steven Ellis – Daily Faceoff – 05/05/2025

Chovan’s THW Profile describes him as a big, hard-working winger/center with good hockey sense who protects pucks well, owns a quick, accurate shot, but doesn’t win many foot or board battles yet and needs more pop in his stride (mechanics over power). It also notes he found pockets at U18 Worlds (clutch goals vs USA/GER) and was an “A”-wearing leader with Tappara U20.

Overall Personal Ranking Scale

Letter	Score Range	Descriptor
A+	8.5–9.0	NHL-caliber top-6/top-4D — elite, ready for NHL role
A	7.5–8.4	True Liiga-level talent — high-end pro / Liiga regular
B+	6.5–7.4	Solid Mestis-level performer — pro depth in Finland’s 2nd tier
B	5.5–6.4	Fringe Mestis / top junior — upper-junior / lower-Mestis
C+	4.5–5.4	Top junior-league regular — high-end U20/U18
C	3.5–4.4	Mid/lower junior-league — developmental junior
D–F	< 3.5	Below pro standard — developmental stages

Forward Toolkit Grades (1–9)

Skating — 5.5 — Straight-line is fine; the swing skill is first-three-steps explosiveness to separate vs. tighter OHL gaps.

Shooting — 6.2 — Quick, accurate release from the flank/high slot; value rises with more inside touches.

Passing — 5.7 — Flashes transition vision and low-to-high finds; must trim low-percentage tosses under pressure.

Handling — 5.6 — Uses reach for puck protection; not a high-deception handler yet.

Sense (IQ) — 6.2 — Defensive scanning and support habits; arrives on time even without elite speed.

Physical/Compete — 5.8 — Engages at net-front/boards; next step is turning engagements into wins more consistently.

Position	Skating	Shooting	Passing	Handling	Sense	Physical
Forward	20%	20%	15%	15%	20%	10%
Defenseman	20%	10%	15%	10%	25%	20%

Skating (5.5) × 20% = 1.10

Shooting (6.2) × 20% = 1.24

Passing (5.7) × 15% = 0.86

Handling (5.6) × 15% = 0.84

Sense (6.2) × 20% = 1.24

Physical (5.8) × 10% = 0.58

Total = 5.86 → 5.9

Overall Snapshot: 5.9 (B – Top Junior)

Band	Grade	Archetype (OHL/AHL Pathway)	What It Looks Like
A	7.5–8.4	AHL coach-trusted middle-six C/LW	Regular PK; situational PP net-front/bumper; positive 5v5 impact vs pros; late-game/defensive starts; FO% ~50 if used at C.
Upper B+	7.2–7.4	AHL call-up track / matchup utility	Drives a line at 5v5 in the AHL; steady PK; board-battle conversion creates zone time; faceoffs trending up.
B	5.5–6.4	OHL top-six driver (target)	Controlled entries → chances; inside-lane touches; PP2 touches; PK cameos; improved decision speed under pressure.
C+	4.5–5.4	U20 SM-sarja top-line	Primary production among team leaders; strong off-puck reads; consistent puck protection and retrievals.

Takeaway: Chovan sits in the OHL B band today; the next rung is an upper B+ AHL track built on board-win conversion, faster reads, special-teams utility, and ~50% draws at center.

NHL Comparable: Nick Paul (Target) — With a Nils Åman Floor

Target Archetype: Nick Paul (Tampa Bay Lightning) — left-shot, middle-six C/LW who toggles positions, wins along the wall, helps on special teams, and adds timely offense without elite top-end speed. That’s the lane for Chovan if separation and board-win rate climb.

Floor: Nils Åman (Vancouver Canucks) — responsible bottom-six center with PK value if the offense levels off but pace/details advance.

Milestone Checklist: The Nick Paul Path (What to Look For)

Faceoff/Center Cred: Regular reps at C and ~50% faceoff percentage (FO%) on volume at the pro level (coach-trust indicator).

Special-Teams Utility: PK cameos that become consistent usage; occasional PP net-front/bumper shifts as a reward.

Board-Battle → Zone-Time: Not just contact, conversion. Wall wins that extend shifts and create low-to-high looks.

5-on-5 Reliability Minutes: Climbing time-on-ice (TOI) in matchup/close-out situations as a coach-trusted piece.

Big-Moment Proof: Start with OHL playoffs, then American Hockey League (AHL); late-game shifts, defensive starts, and situational draws.

Organizational Trust: Role stability and term once the archetype proves repeatable.

Production Plateau That Fits the Role: Sustainable middle-six outputs driven by details (secondary scoring built on wall work and inside timing).

Team Fit: Where the Kings May Need Him (2–3 Years)

Center Succession and Middle-Six Size: As veteran centers age, a versatile C/LW who can take draws, handle matchups, and win along the wall fills a foreseeable gap.

PK/Matchup Minutes: Defensive-utility minutes will turn over; a dependable board-winner with ~50% draws is valuable glue.

Playoff Style: The West still runs through heavy, layered teams. A Paul-type who extends O-zone time from the wall and holds up defensively makes LA tougher in tight, low-event series.

What Kings Fans Should Watch in 2025–26 (KPIs)

Transition Impact: Controlled entries and entries → chances (rush shot-assists, slot-line passes).

Inside-Lane Diet: Slot/inner-slot attempts; one-touch finishes off entries and net-front recoveries.

Board-Battle Conversion: 50/50 wins that become possession or drawn penalties.

Backpressure Detail: Stick-first tracking, F3 discipline, low support reads.

Faceoffs (if used at C): Technique repeatability toward ~50%.

Special Teams: PP2 bumper/flank looks; any PK usage.

Separation Burst: Without a half-step more pop, defenders erase carries before he hits the middle.

Puck Management Under Pressure: Limit low-percentage plays that fueled transition turnovers in junior tape.

Center Viability: Faceoffs and pace through the middle will determine long-term C vs. LW trajectory.

Projection and Kings Timeline (2–5 Years)

2025–26 (OHL Sudbury): Top-nine usage with PP2; aim for tangible 5v5 driving (entries → chances), a stronger inside-lane diet, and better board-win conversion.

2026–27: Either return to OHL as a driver or turn pro with AHL Ontario Reign, depending on strength/pace gains.

Years 3–5: Tracks toward a responsible middle-six forward who can flex C/LW, add PP net-front, and help on PK if the skating pop rises.

Final Thoughts

Chovan’s most realistic endpoint sits in the responsible middle-six C/LW lane, think matchup utility, dependable board work, secondary offense, PP2 net-front/bumper when he’s earning it, and steady PK minutes. If the first-step pop and board-win conversion rise in Sudbury, he can push toward a Nick Paul–style 3C/2LW; if the offense levels off but details keep trending, the floor remains a bottom-six, PK-capable center who helps you close games.

His years in the Finnish development system (Tappara) should keep paying dividends: repetition of team concepts, strong puck support, defensive scanning, and an emphasis on structure over flash, habits that translate cleanly to pro roles. The OHL now gives him what Finland can’t: dense schedules and travel, smaller-ice decision speed, heavier and more frequent wall battles, big-minute special-teams reps, and the playoff grind. If he exits the OHL with quicker reads, more inside-lane touches, and ~50% draws, he’ll arrive in Ontario (AHL) with a clear path to the Kings’ lineup within the 2–5 year window.