Joe Patarino 
After a quiet day without a pick in Round 1, the LA Kings made five selections on day two of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft in Nashville.
With five picks on Thursday, the LA Kings will leave Nashville with two forwards, two defensemen, and a goaltender.
Introducing your newest LA Kings 👑
📲 https://t.co/BYFfMqcwQG #GoKingsGo | @WinmarkResale pic.twitter.com/KtkRE7A2ZN
— LA Kings (@LAKings) June 29, 2023
Jakub Dvorak, Defenseman
With their second-round pick, 54th overall, the Kings selected 6’5″ Czechian defenseman Jakub Dvorak.
Jakub Dvorak is a tall (6’5”) rangy left shot defenseman who excels in both ends of the ice.
He missed four months last season due to a broken collarbone.#GoKingsGo pic.twitter.com/Je2MekgOtY
— Russell Morgan (@NHLRussell) June 29, 2023
Dvorak just turned 18 in May and has had some injuries throughout his developmental years. According to The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler, “He’s a 6-foot-5, steadying defenceman who can kill penalties, has played tough matchups internationally, and can really shoot it when he steps into his slap shot.”
LA Kings Director of Scouting, Mark Yanetti, spoke to the media after the draft and noted that Dvorak was among their top-tier players left with the pick.
It’ll be a work-in-progress for Dvorak, who Wheeler noted his skating is “among the worst in the draft.” The hulking blueliner will have plenty of time to develop in the LA Kings organization.
In 24 games with Bílí Tygři Liberec of the top professional league in Czechia, Dvorak picked up a pair of assists and six penalty minutes.
Koehn Ziemmer, Forward
With their third-round pick, the LA Kings selected winger Koehn Ziemmer.
Love the Koehn Ziemmer pick.
He had 89 points (41g,48a) in 68 games last season in the WHL with the Prince George Cougars.
This kid is electric.#GoKingsGo pic.twitter.com/whrB2Adpyq
— Russell Morgan (@NHLRussell) June 29, 2023
Ziemmer is coming off an electric season in the WHL, scoring 41 goals and 89 points in 69 games. It was the second straight season he scored at least 30 goals – he tallied exactly 30 for Prince George the year prior.
Wheeler’s scouting report said, “He’s a strong, physically mature winger who likes to shoot the puck and shoots it hard but also regularly beats defenders and goalies one-on-one with a slick set of hands across his body so that they can’t plan for the shot.”
There’s little questioning his offensive talent, and he was ranked much higher than where the LA Kings drafted him (78th overall) by most outlets. Wheeler notes his potential issues will be his skating, but projects that he can be a middle-six winger.
Hampton Slukynsky, Goaltender
One of the big questions around the Kings in this draft is if they’d add to their very thin goaltending pipeline. They did so in the fourth round (118th overall) with Minnesota native Hampton Slukynsky.
Kings select goaltender Hampton Slukynsky with the 118th overall pick.#GoKingsGo
— Russell Morgan (@NHLRussell) June 29, 2023
In 30 games with Warrod High of the US High School league, Slukynsky went 28-1-1 with a 1.47 goals-against average and a .941 save percentage.
The 6’1″ netminder was ranked in the 200s by most scouting outlets. At the end of the day, the Kings did need to walk out of this draft with a goaltender, and Slukynsky was who they settled on.
Matthew Mania, Defenseman
My personal favorite of the LA Kings’ selections is American defenseman, Matthew Mania.
Matthew Mania is a high skilled right shot defenseman who put up 38 points (10g,28a) in 67 games last season with the Sudbury Wolves.#GoKingsGo pic.twitter.com/WIojPgubs2
— Russell Morgan (@NHLRussell) June 29, 2023
In 67 games with the Sudbury Wolves of the OHL, Mania scored ten goals and 38 points and, by most accounts, was an excellent value pick.
From Wheeler: “He’s already one of the smoother-skating defencemen in the draft, he’s got pro size and will get stronger (he’s already sneaky strong), he’s got legit one-on-one skill and made some high-end plays off the line and in transition this year, and he battles and competes when the intensity rises.”
At 6’1″ and 180 pounds, he’s already big enough and will surely fill out as he ages.
The Elite Prospects Draft Guide also sang his praises, “Few players squeeze as much value out of every puck touch. Mania never settles, instead manipulating multiple opponents to create a better option. There’s so much creativity to Mania’s game.”
If he can improve his defensive game, there’s a talented player in Mania.
Ryan Conmy, Forward
The final pick for the Kings’ draft came in the sixth round (182nd overall) in Virginia native Ryan Conmy. Last season, Conmy played 60 games with the Sioux City Musketeers of the USHL, scoring 33 goals and 62 points, earning him USHL All-Rookie Team honors.
Bend the knee to the newest King 👑 #SCMuskeeers | #USHL | #LAKings | #NHLDraft | @LAKings | @ryan_conmy pic.twitter.com/wGxTOUaRZ5
— Sioux City Musketeers (@Musketeerhockey) June 29, 2023
The 5’10” winger is committed to the University of New Hampshire for the 2023-24 season.
Up next in the offseason for the LA Kings offseason is Unrestricted Free Agency, which opens up on Saturday, July 1st, at 9 am PT.
(Main Photo Credit: Ronald Hansel, Juniorský hokej)