Between 2019 and 2021, the Los Angeles Kings dominated the EP Rinkside Prospect Pool Rankings, a testament to their unwavering commitment to strategic development. The organization placed a premium on acquiring and retaining draft picks, while also strategically pursuing prospects from other teams. Additionally, the team enjoyed the fortune of securing several lottery selections during this period.

However, in the past year, the Kings experienced a setback, as five of their top 10 prospects either graduated to the main roster or were traded. As of this year, they have slipped further, now occupying the 22nd position. This signals a departure from their previous emphasis on building through the draft and accumulating youthful assets. Instead, the Kings have transformed into a team that has clinched playoff berths in consecutive seasons and is aggressively striving for a deep postseason run.

Consequently, more players are likely to depart, particularly those with promising and foreseeable trajectories. Currently, the Kings possess merely two players within the top 100 rankings in this assessment. Despite this, they maintain a reasonably promising depth, boasting 14 players within their system projected to attain or approach NHL-level capabilities in the future. Nevertheless, the impending graduation of Brandt Clarke this autumn will further narrow their prospects.

It’s winning time in LA.