6. Los Angeles Kings
Fans in Vancouver complained about the short draft pick supply this year. The Los Angeles Kings had yet two fewer picks to work with. Of course, the Canucks are somewhat a rebuilding team while the Kings are not. So there’s that.
Still, the Kings managed to pick up two highly talented defensemen — and two mystery picks. Here is the 2016 Los Angeles Kings draft class:
| Rnd | Pick | Overall | Team | Player | Pos | Country | Height | Weight | Amateur League | Amateur Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 21 | 51 | LAK | KALE CLAGUE | D | CAN | 5′ 11″ | 184 | WHL | BRANDON |
| 4 | 21 | 112 | LAK | JACOB MOVERARE | D | SWE | 6′ 2″ | 198 | SWEDEN-JR. | HV 71 JR. |
| 5 | 21 | 142 | LAK | MICHAEL EYSSIMONT | C | USA | 5′ 11″ | 180 | US WEST | ST. CLOUD STATE |
| 7 | 21 | 202 | LAK | JACOB FRIEND | D | CAN | 6′ 1″ | 182 | OHL | OWEN SOUND |
Kale Clague was one of the most highly-touted offensive defensemen in this draft. Along with Samuel Girard, Cam Dineen, Luke Green and Victor Mete, Clague is one of many undersized defensemen who show a lot of promise offensively. Clague is the cream of that crop, and the Kings were lucky to snag him late in the second round.
Two rounds later, at 112, they picked up another promising two-way defenseman. Jacob Moverare is almost a whole year younger than first-overall pick Auston Matthews, so the upcoming year will be crucial to see where he is really at. By the end of the year, Moverare could look like more of a first-round pick than a fourth-rounder.
Read: Kale Clague — Draft Profiles — Jacob Moverare
With their final two picks, LA selected center Michael Eyssimont and Jacob Friend. If you haven’t heard of them before, you are not alone. Eyssimont is an overage forward of St. Cloud State University and there aren’t many scouts who would have used a draft pick on him. The same goes for defenseman Jacob Friend, whose best asset is his ability to accumulate penalty minutes — which isn’t really a good thing.
Grade: C+
Next: No. 5