After ranking the top 100 NHL prospects for 2015-16 and ranking each team by organizational depth, ESPN Insider Corey Pronman ranks the top 10 prospects for each NHL team. Here is his entry for the Los Angeles Kings. Extended write-ups on prospects ranked in the top 100 can be accessed here.
The Kings' AHL affiliate won the Calder Cup this past season, showing off the talent of a couple of NHL prospects, particularly Jordan Weal. While they have a couple of prospects on that team, for the most part this isn't a very deep pipeline, with a drop in talent occurring right around their No. 6 slot in the system.
Valentin Zykov's season was up and down due to injuries and some offensive inconsistency. At the top of his game, he's a strong power winger with skill who works hard and can create a lot of offense. His skating is the major area of concern right now. Spencer Watson is small, but he's a very dynamic and shifty playmaker. He's not a blazer for a little guy, but his speed is decent. His issues stem from his defensive and physical play, but with the puck, he's a wizard.
Alexander Dergachyov is a two-way center with size. He's not going to dominate a power play, but his skill level is above average, with good hand-eye coordination for a player of his size. Dergachyov is pretty good on defense and can handle tough assignments. He uses his big frame well to protect the puck, win battles and drive the net. His skating isn't great overall, and I'd peg his speed at about average.
Michael Mersch was a top player in the AHL, showing good competitiveness, hockey sense and ability to make plays in high percentage areas. His skating, while improved, continues to be an issue, and likely limits him to being a bottom-six forward at the NHL level at best. Alex Lintuniemi is a very physical, heady defensive defenseman who skates well, particularly for a 6-foot-3 defender. His puck moving looked fine in the OHL, but will be below average as a pro unless he improves.
After being a top-end prospect years ago, Derek Forbort has stagnated. He's big and skates well, but doesn't show the skill or hockey IQ to be beyond average in either end of the rink. Nic Down (11th) is worth mentioning, as a center with above-average hands who played well in the AHL. He's 25 though, and at the point where if he was going to be an NHLer, he probably would have made that case by now, as he's already heading towards the downhill part of his physical peak. His skating is problematic.
Noteworthy prospect
Justin Auger's rookie pro season got scouts talking. He didn't knock doors down, but a 6-7 forward making skilled plays versus men gets attention. His skating has been -- and continues to be -- a problem, but he's strong on the puck and shows pro-average skill (and way above average for a guy of his stature). He'll need time, but has potential.
2015-16 impact
Weal has done all he can do at the AHL level, and is ready for a full-time NHL job. Mersch and Forbort should at least get long looks at training camp, but the Kings' roster is pretty stocked at the moment, unless there are injuries. If a goalie goes down, it's a coin flip between Patrik Bartosak and J.F. Berube for the first call, although the latter got more ice time this past season.