The Los Angeles Kings will pick at #18 in the first round of
the 2002 draft with a much more relaxed outlook. The Kings still need to
beef up their system, but unlike in years’ past they have a solid base on which
to add.
The 2002 Draft is deep, but only in the sense that after a
certain number of picks, the talent level of the prospective draft picks is very
similar. Look for teams to take a player who may not be the best
player left when they pick, but rather the player that best fits their
organization at that pick. Count the Kings among those teams.
If this was the NFL draft, the Kings would likely trade out
of 18 for a late first rounder and an additional second round pick. With
so many teams in a similar situation, that scenario is not likely to
happen. So assuming the Kings stay at 18, what will they do?
Nearly every mock draft and draft preview have the Kings
taking a defenseman at 18. Don’t bet on it. The Kings could use some
young defenseman in their system, but unless someone like Anton Babchuk or Steve
Eminger become available at 18, which in extremely unlikely, the Kings are
likely to pass and still get a quality defenseman in rounds 2 or 3.
Same could be said for another need the Kings have, goaltender. Look for
them to grab a goalie in round 2, a defenseman in round 3 (or visa-versa) and
grab the best players available after that.
That leaves forward as the most likely scenario in round
one. With Frolov, Aulin, Lehoux and Cammalleri the Kings have legitimate
scoring prospe Read more»
