Kings Sign Pair of Prospects Pushing for NHL Roster Spots Next Season
Many changes are anticipated in Los Angeles during the upcoming season. Although there may still be some unanswered questions, things are beginning to become clearer. In addition to hiring a new head coach and assistant coach, who will help implement a new philosophy in the locker room, the Kings also plan to name a new goalkeeper prior to the July 4th fireworks.
It is anticipated that the team’s 2024–25 roster will undergo some changes as well; defenseman Brandt Clarke is anticipated to be included on the roster for opening night.
What other adjustments are planned?
The management has also penciled in forwards Alex Turcotte and Akil Thomas for NHL jobs next season, as was previously reported.
Many changes are anticipated in Los Angeles during the upcoming season. Although there may still be some unanswered questions, things are beginning to become clearer. In addition to hiring a new head coach and assistant coach, who will help implement a new philosophy in the locker room, the Kings also plan to name a new goalkeeper prior to the July 4th fireworks.
It’s anticipated that the team’s 2024–25 roster will undergo some changes as well; defenseman Brandt Clarke is slated to start on the roster on opening night.
What other adjustments are planned?
As previously mentioned, management has also assigned forwards Akil Thomas and Alex Turcotte to NHL positions for the upcoming year.
The former will become a Restricted Free Agent this summer once his Entry Level Contract (ELC) expires. This past season, Turcotte played 20 games with the Kings in silence, considerably exceeding the 12 NHL games he had collected over the course of the previous two seasons combined. LA’s first-round pick in the 2019 Draft finished with 29 points (10G, 19A) in 35 games at the AHL level. He was also among the top Reign players on a regular basis. A one- or two-year extension will probably constitute a new contract.
For Thomas, the 2023–24 campaign was the breakthrough campaign that both he and the Kings had long anticipated. The 24-year-old forward, who was first chosen in the second round of 2018, was only able to play in 13 professional games the season before. He had two shoulder surgeries, but it didn’t stop him. Following his comeback, Thomas became an important figure for Ontario both on and off the court. Thomas scored 22 goals, which is second most on the squad, while donning a “A” for head coach Marco Sturm. His nine GWG just fell short of teammate Sammy Fagemo’s ten, which led the AHL.
Following a season marred by injuries two years prior, Thomas returned for 2023–24 on a one-year deal. Dennis Bernstein of The Fourth Period claims that he has now inked a fresh two-year contract. It seems a little strange that the first year’s two-way money (i.e., a player makes about $100k in the AHL instead of $800k) is included given that the player is off waivers and the Kings have no intention of sending him to the AHL during training camp. Thomas would need a lot of things to go wrong in order to end up on waivers, and we don’t think he would clear at this time either.
Actually, it was a little odd that he wasn’t listed on the team’s NHL playoff roster for the game against Edmonton. Thomas made his NHL debut late in the season and finished with three goals in just seven games. Maybe more impressive than his offensive prowess was his perseverance on the ice.
He was chosen in the seventh round of the 2019 draft and is a good example of a guy you need to watch rather than simply read about in his stat sheet. He was well-known for his impressive goal scoring in college. Along with his massive 6-foot-5 stature, it was evident at his first Development Camp in Los Angeles that he possessed soft hands, especially in tight situations. Observing him over the previous season in Ontario, it seemed like he continued to improve with each passing game. Sturm frequently claimed that his line and that of fellow prospect Sammy Helenius were the greatest lines Ontario had during the postseason.
After a scorching finish to the regular season in which he had points in six of the team’s final ten games (including four goals), Lee managed four goals in seven postseason games this year.
He inked a new one-year contract with an NHL average annual value (AAV) of $775k, LA revealed earlier today. As is customary for players leaving an ELC, this is a two-way deal.
During training camp, Lee will compete for a spot on the Kings’ roster alongside Thomas and Turcotte. During the Calder Cup playoffs, his size and tenacity were evident, and multiple Kings management representatives informed us that he is almost ready to make his NHL debut.
According to our earlier sources, the Kings are probably currently using five line combinations that resemble the following: