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Wednesday, November 8, 2000
Los Angeles Kings
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First Round Picks: No. 20
1999-2000 Record: 39-31-12 (4), 94 points (11th overall)
What they need
The Kings are in need of additional speed at forward (a deficiency that some noted was
a key in their first round loss to Detroit) and some youth and depth both at center and on defense.
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HOMEGROWN KINGS
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Kings draftees who played 20 or more games with Los Angeles in 1999-00: (All stats with Los Angeles) |
| Name (drafted) |
GP |
G-A-Pts |
Rob Blake
(70th in '88)* |
77 |
17-39-56 |
Luc Robitaille
(171st in '84) |
71 |
36-37-73 |
Garry Galley
(100th in '83) |
70 |
9-21-30 |
Jere Karalahti
(146th in '93) |
48 |
6-10-16 |
Jamie Storr
(7th in '94) |
42 |
18-15-5, 2.53 |
Frantisek Kaberle
(76th in '99) traded to ATL |
37 |
0-9-9 |
Vladimir Tsyplakov
(59th in '95) Traded to BUF |
29 |
6-7-13 |
In their system
Smallish centerman (5'10", 160) Justin Papineau (46th overall in '98) had a good year at Belleville (OHL), with 40 goals and 76 points in 60 games. Seventy-six points were also registered by left wing Andrei Shefer (43rd overall in '99, 34 G, 42 A) in 66 games for Halifax (QMJHL). On the down side, center Scott Barney (29th overall in '97) of the OHL's Peterborough Petes missed the entire season with serious back problems that required surgery and has placed his career in doubt.
Another '97 draftee plagued by injury was defenseman Richard Seeley (137th overall), whose first pro campaign at Lowell (AHL) was limited to 36 games due to a concussion. Another rearguard, Jason Crain (74th overall in '99) battled back from a knee injury to post 11 points and 32 PIM's in 35 games for Ohio State (NCAA-CCHA).
In goal, the Kings have three youngsters manning the net: Cory Campbell (92nd overall in '99), who was 24-12-2 with a 3.37 GAA in 43 games at Belle-ville (OHL), Alexei Volkov (76th overall in '98), who was 23-13-2 with a 3.35 GAA in 40 games for Halifax (QMJHL), and Matthew Yeats (248th overall in '98), who posted a 15-5-4 mark with a 2.69 GAA in 26 games at Maine (NCAA-Hockey East).
Recent draft history
The Kings have had a first round pick in just 16 of 31 Entry Drafts since the current system was first instituted in 1969. In recent years, Los Angeles has leaned toward their defense with opening round choices. Of their last four first round selections, three have been defense-oriented (two defensemen, one goaltender).
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FIRST-ROUND SELECTIONS (LAST FIVE YEARS)
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| YEAR |
PICK |
PLAYER |
POS. |
'99 TEAM |
'99 G-A-Pts |
| 1998 |
21 |
Mathieu Biron
(Traded to NYI) |
D |
NY Islanders (NHL) |
60 GP, 8 pts. |
| 1997 |
3 |
Olli Jokinen
(Traded to NYI) |
C |
NY Islanders (NHL) |
11-10-21 |
| 1995 |
3 |
Aki Berg |
D |
Los Angeles (NHL) |
3-13-16 |
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ALSO SEE
Kings' first-round history
Team Needs: Mighty Ducks of Anaheim
Team Needs: Dallas Stars
Team Needs: Phoenix Coyotes
Team Needs: San Jose Sharks
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