Pavel Malyugin 
The LA Kings made five selections in the 2023 NHL entry draft. They did not have a first-round pick, as it was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets in the Vladislav Gavrikov deal. (Later dealt to the Philadelphia Flyers, who selected defenseman Oliver Bonk).
The Kings had selections in rounds two to six, drafting two defensemen, one goaltender, and two forwards. While not having a first-round pick, the Kings gained value and bolstered their prospect pool.
We’ll break down and grade every pick the LA Kings made in the 2023 draft. The gradings will be made based on multiple categories. Those categories include:
Value (based on consensus rankings)
Reach/Steal
Quality of Player
Ceiling and floor
So without a minute to waste, here’s the LA Kings’ 2023 draft: graded.
Jakub Dvorak (Round 2, Pick 54)
Pos: LD
Team: Bílí Tygrí Liberec (Czechia)
2022-23 Stats: 24 GP, 0G, 2A, 2 PTS
To me, it felt clear that the Kings were looking to strengthen their left side of the defense, and that’s why they went with Jakub Dvorak. The Kings have plenty of highly offensive defensemen in the system, so it’s no surprise they went with a shutdown player to balance things out.
I had Dvorak ranked a little lower than where he was picked, but this reminds me of the Jack Hughes pick the Kings made in 2022. There were better players available, but they went with a suitable player. I would have liked to see someone like Riley Heidt, Timur Mukhanov, or Jacob Fowler get called when LA was at bat, but I don’t think they reached. The Red Wings had drafted names like Andrew Gibson and Brady Cleveland just before Dvorak, which made me believe defenders needed teams this year. I think the reasoning for this pick was that the Kings wanted Dvorak, and they didn’t see him available at 78. Therefore, they took him now. I don’t think the LA Kings reached with this pick.
Dvorak is a highly-skilled defender who’s mastered the game by playing a physical force style. He’s learned how to fully push away men twice his size using his 6’5 frame, and he does it by using his hips and frame to close down on players while simultaneously closing gaps. His active stick work creates a total closure of any lanes. He moves around his stick following the puck while predicting the opponent’s play, making for a smart defensive game.
The Kings have been targetting big-body players who play physically, and Dvorak is that. He relies a lot of his game on physicality. Sometimes it works out when he lays a massive hit, and sometimes it backfires when he gives up an odd-man rush. Another issue that comes from his physicality is the comprehensive absence of offensive plays. His skating is rough. It doesn’t let him engage offensively at all. It’s a big learning gap for him. He could pair well with a guy like Brandt Clarke, but it’ll be a few years before he develops into an NHL player.
I don’t see him being a top-four defenseman in the NHL one day. Truthfully speaking, the Kings would be lucky if he even becomes a bottom-line defender. A player of his caliber takes years to develop, if ever. He’s a player that can cause missteps here and there. A lot of those mistakes will seep into his NHL game. I think the Kings knew what they were doing with this pick, but you could tell they made this selection based on security. At the very least, he will be a 7th defenseman in the NHL, but the chances of him becoming a full-time NHL player is low.
They played it safe and drafted for a chance at a lower-line player. If there weren’t better players on the board, I wouldn’t be upset with this pick. But seeing how many players there were that I liked more than Dvorak, I wish the Kings could have done a bit better. Nonetheless, a valid draft pick by the LA Kings.
Grade: B
Koehn Ziemmer (Round 3, Pick 78)
Pos: RW
Team: Prince George Cougars (WHL)
Stats: 68 GP, 41G, 48A, 89 PTS
Just so you know early, Koehn Ziemmer was a fantastic pick. By most major scouting outlets, Ziemmer was projected to be a 60 pick. I had Ziemmer just outside the first round for a good reason.
Not only did Ziemmer terrorize the WHL using his deadly scoring ability, but he also possessed a physical playing capability while maintaining a competitive skillset. Ziemmer loves to include the body when he plays. He lures opponents into corners like a lion with its prey, and when he has the chance, he pounces on them. Opponents hate playing against him because of how many little nudges and checks he gives. He can push opponents away from the puck. He knows how to clear out any area using his total force. A highly-competitive individual, Ziemmer has incorporated a power-forward style into his game while he plays skillfully.
His shot is terrific, too. The wind-ups and timing are immaculate, seeing how he’s adapted Auston Matthews’ drag-and-release. His shot is deadly, and we’ve seen him operate it in the powerplay. He waits for his teammates to set him with a nice pass, and once he gets it, he picks his corner and rifles it. He outmoves them. And if he can’t, he’s not afraid to use his physicality to make way. This kid is every NHL coach’s dream.
I do think the issues with him are worrisome. His skating is what I believe to be his biggest issue. When he moves, his mechanics aren’t completely there. His strides are choppy; it cuts him off from puck races. He can’t outpace opponents and he relies on a lot of physicality. His movement lacks a lot of fluidity. It creates a roughly paced agility ability.
But the real reason why I think NHL GMs let Ziemmer drop is because of his risk.
Ziemmer is the type of player teams would love on their third line. He can step in on the powerplay if needed. He plays to his heart, can score, and knows how to play to the best no matter what he’s given. But the issue is that you’ll need to heavily rely on your development staff. He’s a massive work in progress, and to get him to the NHL, you’re going to need to polish up things.
With that in mind, the Ziemmer pick has tons of potential. He’s a player who possesses a style of hockey, not many players have anymore. It was a terrific pick, and I’m excited to see how he develops. Hopefully, he slots into LA Kings’ third line one day.
Grade: A
Hampton Slukynsky (Round 4, Pick 118)
Pos: G
Team: Warroad High (USHS-MN)
Stats: 28-1-1,941 Sv%
This one caught me off guard. There were so many other goalie prospects on the board, I was surprised to see Hampton Slukynsky‘s name. But dead honest, I do like this pick.
Seeing how it’s only a fourth-round pick there comes almost no risk. Plus, this pick does have some potential. Hampton thoroughly dominated his high school league. There comes risk with drafting players out of high school, but the Kings seemed sure of Slukynsky.
Slukynsky’s foot movement isn’t super snappy. Many modern goalies move around quickly by making little shifty movements with their feet, but I’ve noticed that with Hampton, it’s nonnative. He has little pushes that help him slowly make his way around the crease while staying effective. He tracks pucks down well and shifts his attention to watching the movement of the puck rather than having his body follow it. When the puck comes flying at him, he falls fast and gets super jumpy. He relaxes a lot when the puck isn’t coming his way, but the second it comes at him, he’s quick to bounce.
I like how he moves because it’s different. It’s an experiment, but how reliable is the bouncing technique? I genuinely think there is some potential there, and that’s why I’ll stay positive about it.
He can occasionally slip too far from the net. That’s an issue as his movement is a little too slow to get around and it leaves open space in the net. He needs to depend on his stopping much more, but luckily, it’s a fixable issue. His positioning is terrific, but he makes extra movements in his crease that are unnecessary. It makes him risky.
But let me tell you this: when I watch him, I see a sharp and loaded goalie. Give him a few years, and his ability to be dialed in and to be able to be locked and loaded, he’ll be dangerous. It’ll take a terrific goalie coach to get him to where he needs to be. It will not be easy. But I like the potential. He reminds me a lot of a shotgun. He takes a second to load up (get into position), and when he goes down, that’s the actual shot. The only issue is that a shotgun isn’t accurate, bullets go flying. That relates to how Slukynsky can push himself way too far out of his crease.
While he’s still got another year before he goes to University, it’s a creative pick that could be a good gamble for the LA Kings.
Grade: C+
Matthew Mania (Round 5, Pick 150)
Pos: RD
Team: Sudbury Wolves (OHL)
Stats: 67 GP, 10G, 28A, 38 PTS
This is where I knew that the Kings were drafted by the best player available because even with the already stacked right side, they took another one. Matthew Mania was projected as a top-100 pick in the draft and he was taken at 150.
Matthew Mania was Sudbury’s best defender in 2022-23. He brought a physical yet controlled style that helped him look flashy in every way. His best attribute- and by far- is his handles. Mania incorporates these terrific handles with his skating. It creates numerous dangerous rushes. He knows how to get from one end of the ice and make it to the other, simply by dancing around opponents. Mania’s a modernized defender who’s figured out how to flow into zones and how to creatively find ways to the puck. He’s not an offensive defender. His defensive IQ is viable. He isn’t fully offensive, as he gets back in time and still manages to defend rushes and control the net.
The upside on Mania is incredible. Defenders like him come and go as they please, but a lot of them never reach their true potential. With Mania, if he hits it, you can hit big. The confidence in his game allows him to make these rushes and they allow him to make these sorts of moves that make him stand out. Mania’s manipulation game and it’s incredible. Watching him fool opponents left and right is so much fun. He knows how to make his enemies look foolish by squeezing by and gaining space. He almost reminds me of a European player, the way he creates open ice and utilizes large spaces.
Matthew Mania is a terrific pick for 150, and I was so excited to see his name pop up. He’s got NHL potential to be a full-time bottom-four defender.
Grade: B+
Ryan Conmy (Round 6, Pick 182)
Pos: RW
Team: Sioux City Musketeers (USHL)
Stats: 60 GP, 33G, 29A, 62 PTS
Ryan Conmy was a late 2004 birthday, which means he was a borderline 2022 draft-eligible player. Usually with players like that, you take their stats with a grain of salt. but with Conmy, it’s different. This season, Conmy played his rookie season in the USHL, scoring 33 goals and going two points over PPG.
One of the more interesting things I’ve learned about Conmy: he played defence to finish off the 2022-23 season in the USHL. He’s a good shooter with a quick release. His pace is a little slow for my liking, though. He knows how to shake off opponents on the wall well, but he doesn’t know what to do with the puck after. His passing is filled with red flags, as well as his light taps he calls “forecheck”.
He doesn’t play lazy when he has the puck, but when he doesn’t, it’s rough. The issue is, he plays a little selfishly and you’d like to see a better hockey IQ.
With that in mind, he’s a natural scorer.
He knows how to rush to the net despite footspeed being an issue, and he’s a weapon when it comes to shooting. He loads up quickly and he understands how to find the back of the net. His shots have accuracy and his style contains a quick shot. I wouldn’t say there’s risk seeing how it’s a sixth-round pick, but the upside is almost invisible to me. I hope he proves me wrong, but with players like Tuomas Uronen and Nikita Susuyev on the board, I wish LA could have done better here.
Grade: C-
The LA Kings had a relatively good draft, having a few steals and one or two reaches. I do think the Kings balanced out their picks between making consensus picks and going off the board, but overall, they did well.
Even though the rebuild phase is over for LA, they continue to improve their prospect pool. The 2023 NHL draft came and went, and it’s fair to say that the LA Kings did some tidy work with what they were given.
Cover Photo courtesy of Koehn Ziemmer on Instagram (@Ziemmer_13)