LA Kings: Will Cuylle is a big-bodied forward with speed to target

If the LA Kings keep all three of their second-round picks, don’t be surprised if they end up taking a forward as well. Will Cuylle would be a great pick.

Inevitably, the LA Kings are going to come away from the second overall pick in next month’s draft with a talented offensive player. All signs post towards Quinton Byfield being that guy, but there is the off-chance that they opt for Tim Stutzle. And beyond that, we’ve outlined a couple of scenarios that can happen.

The Kings will either package a couple of their second-round picks to get back into the first round, or they will keep all three second-round picks. Honestly, Rob Blake and the Kings front office will have to watch the chips fall, and if they have an opportunity to move up to get their defenseman, they’ll do it. However, if they stand pat, they can just grab two defensemen and potentially a forward.

LA has a plethora of offensive talent, especially at the center position. It would seem reasonable that if the Kings go for a forward in the second round, it will be a winger. Today, we are looking at Windsor’s Will Cuylle.

Will Cuylle (Left Winger)

Measurements

• Height: 6′-2″
• Weight: 201 pounds
• Age: 18
• Shot: L

Production

• 2019-2020: 22 G, 20 A (42 points) in 62 games for the Windsor Spitfires of the OHL
• 2019-2020: 2 G, 1 A (3 points) in 5 games for Team Canada in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup
• 2018-2019: 26 G, 15 A (41 points) in 63 games for Windsor
• 2018-2019: 2 G, 1 A (3 points) in 5 games for Team Canada Black in WHC-17

Rankings

• #77 by FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS
• #74 by TSN/CRAIG BUTTON
• #63 by MCKEEN’S HOCKEY
• #34 by NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING (NA Skaters)
• #45 by TSN/McKenzie

Breakdown

Drafted third overall in the 2018 OHL Draft, Will Cuylle presents a speedy, yet physical, option at the left winger position. For an 18-year-old, he already has great size and is an excellent skater, with long strides that can really separate himself from defenders in open ice. He has a quick wrist shot while leading or providing support in odd-man rushes up-ice.

Off the puck, Cuylle loves to camp in front of the net and utilizes his big body to create room for himself. With the puck, the Toronto, Ontario native has terrific stickhandling, edgework, and doesn’t shy away from contact. Cuylle’s physicality is one of his best traits, and he’s more likely to run a defender over than go around them.

He had a strong finish to the 2019-2020 campaign, tallying seven points in the final eight games, including five goals. Cuylle kicked off the 2020 calendar with a hat trick in a lopsided 10-4 victory on the road against the Soo Greyhounds. It marked his second hat trick in the OHL, achieving that same feat in March the previous year.

Look up and down the box score of his game logs, and he’s consistently tallying points. Cuylle loves to put the puck on net, highlighted by a career-best 14-shot effort against Kingston in March. He has all the makings of a future top-six winger.

Quotables

“Good sized winger who plays a power game. Good skater who can generate power on his net drives and who protects the puck well through traffic. Cuylle also has a very good release on his shot and projects as a goal scorer at the next level.” – Brock Otten/OHL Prospects

Pro Comparison

Alex Killorn (NHL.com)

Video

https://twitter.com/OHLHockey/status/1081234762583334913?s=20