LA Kings Draft

Photo Credit: NHL.com

The 2021 NHL Draft is officially upon us. Check back here for all the latest LA Kings draft picks as they come in!

After ending the shortened 2021 season with a 21-28-7 record, the LA Kings landed the No. 8 overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft. Entering Friday, the Kings held seven draft selections, including two in the third round. Los Angeles sent the 40th overall pick in the second round to Nashville as part of the Viktor Arvidsson deal.

The organization will look to continue adding prospects to arguably the best prospect pool in the league, headlined by Quinton Byfield, Alex Turcotte, Rasmus Kupari, and Arthur Kaliyev, among others. A quick refresher of the Kings draft picks and spots overall.

We will be updating this draft tracker as each pick rolls in.

Round 1, 8th Overall

Brandt Clarke – Defenseman

Summary

The LA Kings are getting a defenseman with elite puck sense. A true offensive defenseman, Brandt Clarke scored six goals with 32 assists for the Barrie Colts of the OHL during the 2019-20 season. With the OHL season being canceled this past year, the Ottawa, Ontario native played in Slovakia against men for HC Nove Zamky, tallying five goals and 10 assists in 26 games. At the U18s in Frisco, Texas, Clarke amassed two goals and seven points in seven games, helping Team Canada win the gold medal.

Vitals

  • Age: 18
  • Height: 6-foot-2
  • Weight: 190 lbs
  • Shot: R

Rankings

  • Ranked #4 by CONSOLIDATED RANKING
  • Ranked #4 by ELITEPROSPECTS.COM
  • Ranked #2 by FCHOCKEY
  • Ranked #6 by NEUTRAL ZONE
  • Ranked #7 by TSN/BOB McKENZIE
  • Ranked #6 by MCKEEN’S HOCKEY
  • Ranked #2 by TSN/CRAIG BUTTON
  • Ranked #7 by NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING (NA Skaters)
  • Ranked #7 by SPORTSNET
  • Ranked #5 by ISS HOCKEY
  • Ranked #3 by RECRUIT SCOUTING
  • Ranked #5 by DOBBERPROSPECTS
  • Ranked #2 by DRAFT PROSPECTS HOCKEY
  • Ranked #5 by SMAHT SCOUTING
  • Ranked #2 by THE PUCK AUTHORITY

Quotables

A dynamic offensive defender who could have the highest ceiling of any player in the 2021 draft class. He has good size but needs to fill out his frame and his skating is elite. A potential number one defenseman in the future. – Dobber Prospects

Smarts and sound decision making are both qualities that Clarke can reveal throughout the entirety of his shifts. He’s a confident, decisive puck carrier who constantly scans the ice to his front and rear regardless of whether or not he has the puck. – The Draft Analyst

The most noticeable part of Clarke’s game is how poised he is, especially with the puck. His composure is remarkable for a player his age, rarely being pressured into turnovers and walking the blueline with confidence. He is an excellent passer and patient with the puck. Clarke has great instincts, and will anticipate his teammates and opponents’ moves before unloading the puck, whether through a pass or by shot. – Raw Charge

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Round 2, 42nd Overall

Francesco Pinelli – Forward

Summary

The LA Kings traded their 49th and 136th overall picks to have the 42nd overall pick and grab forward Francesco Pinelli. Pinelli is known as a team player and willing to do whatever it takes to help his group win games. He is once again, another player that LA grabs in the second round that had first-round projections. Last season he was one of the players, much like Brandt Clarke who was forced to find a way to play hockey with the OHL unable to continue. He found himself playing with HDD Jesenice in the AlpsHL scoring 11 points in 13 GP. Look for him to re-join his OHL squad the Kitchener Rangers come next season.

Vitals

  • Age: 18
  • Height: 6’1″
  • Weight: 185lbs
  • Shot: L

Rankings

  • Ranked #24 by CONSOLIDATED RANKING
  • Ranked #16 by ELITEPROSPECTS.COM
  • Ranked #31 by FCHOCKEY
  • Ranked #24 by NEUTRAL ZONE
  • Ranked #23 by TSN/BOB McKENZIE
  • Ranked #25 by MCKEEN’S HOCKEY
  • Ranked #24 by TSN/CRAIG BUTTON
  • Ranked #15 by NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING (NA Skaters)
  • Ranked #29 by SPORTSNET
  • Ranked #25 by ISS HOCKEY
  • Ranked #12 by RECRUIT SCOUTING
  • Ranked #26 by DOBBERPROSPECTS
  • Ranked #31 by DRAFT PROSPECTS HOCKEY
  • Ranked #22 by SMAHT SCOUTING
  • Ranked #36 by THE PUCK AUTHORITY

Quotables

“Pinelli (6-0, 185) is an elite skater with excellent puck pursuit, work ethic and a high compete level who is capable of contributing on the power play and penalty kill.” – NHL.com

“Pinelli missing his draft year is a big hole in his development but not quite as drastic as McTavish. Like McTavish, we could have estimated Pinelli to end up somewhere in the high 20’s or low 30’s equivalency-wise.” – Hockey Prospecting

Round 2, 59th Overall

Samuel Helenius – forward

Summary

The LA Kings once again traded up to get their man in the second round, this time trading their 2021 third-round pick and 2021 fourth-round pick to the Carolina Hurricanes for the Hurricanes 2021 second-round pick, 59th overall. The Kings would use this pick to select Samuel Helenius, a center who played last season for JYP of the Finnish Liiga League. The hulking center is six feet, six inches tall, and weighs 201 pounds. He has great skating skills for a player his size and is known to have a full 200 feet game. Helenius adds to an already ridiculously deep center prospect pool. He will most likely return to the Liiga League next season

Vitals

  • Age: 18
  • Height: 6’6″
  • Weight: 201lbs
  • Shot: L

Rankings

  • Ranked #102 by eliteprospects.com
  • Ranked #117 by FCHockey
  • Ranked #44 by TSN/Bob McKenzie
  • Ranked #70 by McKeen’s Hockey
  • Ranked #15 by NHL Central Scouting (EU Skaters)
  • Ranked #74 by Recruit Scouting
  • Ranked #56 by Dobber Prospects
  • Ranked #79 by Draft Prospects Hockey
  • Ranked #74 by Smaht Scouting
  • Ranked #49 by The Puck Authority
  • Ranked #28 by thedraftanalyst.com

Quotables

“Being the son of former goon Sami Helenius, he shares some of the qualities of his father relating to the physical side of his game. Helenius throws his body around a lot and he does that well, which makes him a menacing force on the forecheck. Once the play gets along the boards in either zone, Helenius is a tough customer and hard to escape due to his size and massive wingspan.” – EliteProspects 2021 NHL Draft Guide

“Overall, Samuel Helenius is a solid player. At very worst he will be able to be plugged into an NHL fourth line and be able to contribute to a penalty kill in a few years time”. – smahtscouting.com

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Round 3, 84th Overall

Kirill Kirsanov – defenseman

Summary

The LA Kings traded up once again in the 2021 draft, this time trading their 2021 third-round pick and their 2021 sixth-round pick to the Calgary Flames for the Flames third-round pick. This time, the Kings used their new pick to draft eighteen-year-old defenseman Kirill Kirsanaov. Kirsanov played last season for St. Petersburg of the KHL, totaling three assists in twenty-nine games played. Known to be a solid defensive defenseman, Kirsanov is also said to play a very mature game for someone his age. It is unknown at this point where he will play next season.

Vitals

  • Age: 18
  • Height: 6’1″
  • Weight: 198lbs
  • Shot: L

Rankings

  • Ranked #60 by eliteprospects.com
  • Ranked #116 by FCHockey
  • Ranked #73 by TSN/Bob McKenzie
  • Ranked #83 by McKeen’s Hockey
  • Ranked #41 by TSN/Craig Button
  • Ranked #30 by NHL Central Scouting (EU Skaters)
  • Ranked #57 by DobberProspects
  • Ranked #73 by Draft Prospects Hockey
  • Ranked #76 by Smaht Scouting
  • Ranked #63 by thedraftanalyst.com

Quotables

“He can pierce through neutral zone defenses, challenge defenders one on one and bump the puck laterally to a teammate skating in a nearby corridor to win the offensive blue line, and that, repetitively. Once his team establishes itself in the opposing end, he turns mostly into a distributor, moving the puck laterally and taking his chances to shoot”. – EliteProspects 2021 NHL Draft Guide

“Kirsanov outgrew the junior ranks two seasons ago and established himself as a steady defender for SKA in the KHL. He won’t wow you with any particular skill and his skating screams average, but he delivers results and continues to earn the trust of coaching staffs at multiple levels”. – thedraftanalyst.com

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