LA Kings Draft: Two-round mock draft 1.0

Round 2, 35th overall: Jérémie Poirier

• Position: D
• Height: 6-foot-0
• Weight: 192 pounds
• Age: 18
• Shoots: L

Poirier has been ranked from 28th best to 52nd best draft prospect by various media outlets. The Quebec native is an offensive-minded defenseman, having scored 20 goals with 33 assists for the St. John Sea Dogs of the QMJHL this past season.

To show how much his offensive game has grown, Poirier had just six goals with 15 assists the year before. That said, his defensive game could use some work.

"“An excellent quick passer whom hits teammates with passes through small windows, and whose high end hand-eye coordination enables him in his carries, to slow into soft spots on the attack and let teammates set up.” – Bill Placzek (Draft Site)"

Round 2, 48th overall: Daniil Gushchin

• Position: RW
• Height: 5-foot-8
• Weight: 161 pounds
• Age: 18
• Shoots: L

Gushchin is on the smaller side of draft-eligible forwards, but he’s speedy leading rushes through the zone. He’s an amazing all-around skater and extremely agile, which is why, despite being small, he is viewed so highly. As the NHL continues to get faster, Gushchin is a guy with natural breakaway speed.

In the USHL last season, he scored 22 goals with 25 assists for 47 points in 42 games. In international play, he scored five goals with one assist in the World Juniors for Team Russia. He was selected fourth overall in the CHL Import Draft by the Niagara IceDogs, which is where Kings’ top prospect Akil Thomas spent a considerable amount of time.