You’ll Have To Look Closely To See Where LA Kings LW Prospect Valentin Zykov Has Improved

July 15, 2014 by 16 Comments

LA KINGS PROSPECT WATCH: Throughout the summer, Frozen Royalty will be taking a look at several of the Los Angeles Kings’ young prospects. In this installment, the focus is on 2013 second round selection Valentin Zykov. An audio interview with Zykov is also included.

Los Angeles Kings 2013 second round pick forward Valentin Zykov
during the team’s 2014 Development Camp on July 8, 2014,
at the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo, California.
(click above to view larger image)
Photo: David Sheehan/FrozenRoyalty.net

EL SEGUNDO, CA — After looking at Los Angeles Kings’ left wing prospect Valentin Zykov’s statistics in his two seasons with the Baie-Comeau Drakkar of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, you might wonder if he has improved from the previous year.

In 2012-13, the 6-2, 205-pound (weight at start of the 2013-14 season) native of St. Petersburg, Russia scored 40 goals and tallied 35 assists for 75 points in 67 regular season games. He also played in 19 playoff games, scoring ten goals and adding nine assists for 19 points.

Last season, Zykov’s numbers were not much different. In 53 regular season games, he scored 23 goals and contributed 40 assists for 63 points, and in 22 playoff games, he scored seven goals and added 15 assists for 22 points.

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2013 Late-Round LA Kings Draft Pick Defenseman Zach Leslie Did His Best To Get Noticed

August 8, 2013 by 12 Comments

Defenseman prospect Zach Leslie, was selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the sixth round (178th overall) of the 2013 NHL Draft.
(click above to view larger image)
Photo: Gann Matsuda/FrozenRoyalty.met

EL SEGUNDO, CA — Traditionally, players who are selected by National Hockey League teams in the later rounds of the annual draft are overlooked until they move up a team’s depth chart significantly, and defenseman Zachary (Zach) Leslie, who was selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the sixth round (178th overall) of the 2013 NHL Draft, is no exception.

Indeed, there was no media coverage when he was announced as the Kings’ sixth round pick. No television, radio, web or print interviews. But fast forward a few weeks, and like so many of the other Kings prospects, the 6-1, 172-pound native of Ottawa, Ontario jumped at the chance to get noticed at the team’s annual Development Camp in July.

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2013 NHL Draft: LA Kings Net Seven Prospects, Maybe Even A Couple Of Gems

July 1, 2013 by 12 Comments

LOS ANGELES — Despite not having a selection in the first round of the 2013 National Hockey League Draft, held on June 30 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, the Los Angeles Kings appear to have made the most of their ten picks in this year’s draft, adding seven new prospects to their system.

The Kings watched the cream of the 2013 prospect crop skate past them in the first round as a result of the acquisition of forward Jeff Carter from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for defenseman Jack Johnson and a conditional first round pick in the 2012 or 2013 NHL Draft, on February 23, 2012. At the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, the Blue Jackets opted for the Kings’ 2013 first round pick, leaving the Kings on the sidelines until the second round.

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2013 NHL Draft Will Be A Bigger Crapshoot Than Usual For The Los Angeles Kings

June 27, 2013 by 4 Comments

LOS ANGELES — On June 30, the brain trusts of all thirty National Hockey League teams will gather in Newark, New Jersey to help determine the future of the league at the 2013 NHL Draft, where hockey’s best and brightest young prospects will be on the edge of their seats—along with their families—waiting for their name to be called.

The Los Angeles Kings do not have a first round selection in this draft, unless they acquire one via trade, which is not expected. The following are their picks in this year’s draft (subject to change, due to trades):

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