LA Kings: Three players on the outs when the prospects arrive
By Ryan Sikes
When the big-name prospects begin to arrive, which LA Kings on the NHL roster could be finding new homes?
Throughout the 2020-2021 campaign and as players from the prospect pool make their way to the NHL roster, regular playing time is likely to come at the expense of several guys who saw regular shifts this past season. The LA Kings still have a few members of their veteran core intact, as well as promising young players, but the state of the franchise leaves much left open for interpretation.
Where will the guys like Alex Turcotte, Rasmus Kupari, Arthur Kaliyev, and Kale Clague fit in once they get the call? And by call, I mean more than a cup of coffee.
Looking a bit further out, players such as Akil Thomas, Samuel Fagemo, and Tyler Madden will also have a say in the overall lineup. Granted, not all the players are going to pan out, and the LA Kings are likely to package a couple of prospects in future trades to acquire proven commodities.
Kupari’s immediate future remains in question, as he tore his ACL in Team Finland’s opening game of the World Junior Championship. Turcotte could begin the season in Ontario, given the questions surrounding his NHL readiness. Of the players mentioned, Clague appears to make the most sense on the opening night roster.
Clague, 22, is an offensive defenseman who scored eight goals with 17 assists for Ontario last year. He had a brief stint with the LA Kings, playing in four games, but with one year remaining on his three-year entry-level contract, he’s a good bet to plug in on the blue line next year. So as these prospects make their way to the NHL level, playing time is likely to impact the following three players.