Kings Development Camp: Immense Defensive Depth

The Los Angeles Kings concluded their Development Camp on Tuesday, with the second day of public scrimmages. It was interesting atmosphere on Monday and Tuesday morning, with plenty of top Kings propsects on display for the coaches, media and fans alike in El Segundo.

Photo by Harry How/Getty Images via Zimbio

First and foremost, the Kings are absolutely stacked on defense. With all top six defenseman returning and expected to keep their roles with the Kings, it serves as motivation for the long line of prospects who hope to possibly steal a roster spot in September’s training camp. On display at camp were three notable defenseman, all of whom are in the Kings plans for the future, but with unknown time frames. Jake Muzzin(right) was the most polished at camp, showing significant improvement from his brief time in the NHL last season, when he broke camp with the Kings. After losing his roster spot to Alec Martinez in November, Muzzin headed to Manchester to complete the year. His adaption to the AHL game is evident, as Muzzin showed a newfound maturity on the ice, and played with a ton of confidence. He was almost toying with the other prospects by moving the puck efficiently, creating an offensive role on defense, and staying his ground on the back-check. It will be interesting just how much of a run at Martinez he give in training camp, and surely it’s a depth problem that the Kings love having. Radio broadcaster Daryl Evans of Kings Vision talked with Muzzin while at camp:

If Muzzin was the most exciting defenseman, Nicolas Deslauriers was the most promising overall defenseman. Built in the mold of a Willie Mitchell, Deslauriers’s play on the ice summed up in word: steady. He plays a controlled game, with tremendous awareness for the puck and opposing forwards. When watching him skate on the ice, it was easy to notice a cerebral approach to the game, and the camp itself. This was the third Development Camp for Deslauriers in Los Angeles, so he was well adapted in his play. He should open the season with the Manchester Monarchs of the AHL, a league that should test the defensive strengths of Deslauriers, who posted a +22 in 48 games last season for the Gatineau Olympiques of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Given the confidence and strong defensive game of Deslauriers, it wouldn’t be out of reach for him to someday fill a future void of a Rob Scuderi, Willie Mitchell or Matt Greene with the Kings. He’s a year or two from the NHL by way of depth, but he’ll fit in when he gets there.

Derek Forbort, the Kings’ No. 1 pick in 2010 was another top defensive prospect at the camp, despite skating with a nagging back injury. Unlike Muzzin and Deslauriers, Forbort is still extremely raw. He has the size of a prototypical defenseman, at 6-foot-5, but his hands are slightly behind the curve of his physicality. The talent is definitely there for Forbort, and he may evolve in to a strong force in the NHL some day, but his play in camp was marred by a bevy of mistakes. Poor turnovers in his own zone, and minus-3 rating on Monday was not a good sign for a player expected to really start to hit the rise in his development. While his back injury surely limited his play, his movement of the puck and pass selection had little to be hampered. Forbort is still a work in progress at just 19-years-old, and hopefully another solid season at North Dakota will bolster his progression. Like Jack Johnson, he’s got the talent to do big things, it’s just a matter of working out the kinks and getting there.