One To Watch: Los Angeles Kings

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The recent Stanley Cup champions have built their team around size and skill and added to both of those categories at the 2013 NHL Draft. New additions like 40-goal man Valentin Zykov and 6'7 winger Justin Auger fit the bill not to mention CHL Goaltender of the Year Patrik Bartosak.

L.A.'s NHL depth allows the team the luxury of bringing along their prospects slowly and that's paid off for guys like Slava Voynov, Jake Muzzin, Trevor Lewis, Dwight King and Jordan Nolan. That's good news for guys that are still biding their time on the farm.     

2012 Choice: Martin Jones - The former Calgary Hitmen goalie wasn't drafted but signed after an impressive camp invite. Heading into last year it was feasible that with so many Jonathan Bernier trade rumors going around, a NHL appearance might be in Jones' near future. That didn't happen but he did manage to have arguably his best professional season. He played 56 regular season games and held a 2.53 GAA and 9.19 SV%. 

My Los Angeles prospect pick for One To Watch in 2013-14 comes after the jump. 

One To Watch: St. Louis Blues

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Not unlike the L.A. Kings, St. Louis has been a team that spent much of the last decade planning for the future, one that started to arrive over the last couple of years. The Blues are loaded and have begun to reap the benefits of a proper rebuild.

St. Louis is deep beyond the NHL boasting an array of prospects that most franchises would be envious of. Even after trading away Ben Bishop the Blues are secure with Jake Allen on the farm and Jordan Binnington further down the pipe.

There are some potential gems on the blueline like a personal favourite in Joel Edmundson. Brett Ponich, Jordan Schmaltz, Jani Hakanpaa and the AJHL's Colton Parayko are all worth taking note of.

I expect Jaden Schwartz and Vlad Tarasenko to be in the NHL this year so didn't look at them for this series. I am a believer in both that they can grow into NHL stars one day. 

Ty Rattie is destined for a big year in the WHL and Canada's U20 squad and was almost my pick for this series. The Alberta native is driven and definitely motivated after slipping out of the 1st round in 2011 and getting cut from the 2012 WJC team. I wouldn't bet against him this year. 

The player I went with isn't expected to be star in the NHL but my curiosity is high for him this coming year as he joins a team that has yet to play the first game of its existence.

Bjugstad Returns to Minnesota; Good or Bad?

2010 1st round pick Nick Bjugstad announced earlier this week that he has decided to return to the University of Minnesota for his junior season with the Golden Gophers. 

The soon to be 20-year-old told Florida media that he hopes to get his degree at the end of the year much like St. Louis defenceman Kevin Shattenkirk did in 3 years at Boston University.

I think it's great that Bjugstad is finishing what he started in regard to his academics and I would never criticize a guy for completing his education. But looking at it strictly from a hockey perspective, I wonder if it could potentially be a poor choice.

On Saturday's edition of The Pipeline Show, I asked Florida's Director of Player Development, Brian Skrudland, for his opinion.

3 Years, 3 Cheers for Lucia

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There's been talk about Don Lucia's future at the helm of the Golden Gophers I think since we started our show. Now we can put that to rest as the Don of hockey signed a new 3 year deal to coach the team.

Minnesota is off to a perfect start at 4-0 and are really filling the net, so maybe we won't see another average to poor season like the last 3 for the GG. He'll also get the chance to coach against his son Mario who will play at Notre Dame next season.

USCHO.COM has the details.

Are They For Real?

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Just about every hockey team in a serious, competitive league is now active for the 2011-12 season, (the ivy league schools don't get going until Halloween weekend), and already we're seeing some surprise clubs at the top of the standings. It happens every year in every league but the question is which of these overachievers can continue on with their success and which ones will eventually come back down to Earth?

A quick look at four surprises: the NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs, the Peterborough Petes of the OHL, the WHL's Kamloops Blazers and the Minnesota Golden Gophers.

Gardiner Leaves Gophers for Tri City? [Updated]

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Max Gardiner has left the University of Minnesota after just one season because of a lack of playing time. That according quotes from Gophers head coach Don Lucia in an ESPN story here.

The St. Louis Blues 3rd rounder has 3 options available to him hockey wise: He can turn pro which won't happen. He can play in the USHL after being recently drafted by Dubuque, that story is here. Or he can head to the WHL and suit up for the Tri City Americans who listed him in the fall of 2009.

UPDATE: Guy spoke with Americans GM Bob Tory minutes ago and he offered several comments.

3 Year Extension for Don Lucia

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There has been a lot of speculation about the future of Minnesota Golden Gopher Head Coach Don Lucia. The Gophers will be spectators at the National Championship for a 3rd straight year and after getting swept by Alaska-Anchorage, they will also miss the WCHA Final Five for a second straight season.

So what's next for Lucia?

Top 5 Tuesday: NCAA Stories This Year

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The NCAA season begins this weekend, highlighted by the IceBreaker in St. Louis featuring Boston University, Wisconsin, Holy Cross and Notre Dame. With a new season come new questions, especially considering how much rosters have changed for many teams since last year. That happens every summer but it seems to have really impacted some teams more than normal this year.

With that said, here are 5 stories I'm watching for this year in the NCAA...

TPS Expands - Adds 2nd Live Show

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If you were listening to the program last night then you have already heard the big news but... The Pipeline Show can now be heard twice every week.

The TEAM 1260 approached us and asked if we would consider taking on more air time and after several weeks of discussion and weighing different scenarios, TPS has laid claim to Saturday mornings from 9-11 (Edmonton time) starting this weekend.

Golden Gophers Lose Two More

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As first reported here, the Minnesota Golden Gophers are about to lose two players. The Chicago Blackhawks are expected to sign defenceman Nick Leddy and forward Josh Birkholz has left the program and is likely headed to the WHL's Everett Silvertips.

Another former Gopher Joins The Mavericks

Dean Blais has added another one time Minnesota Golden Gopher coach to his his bench, as Mike Guenztal has joined the Nebraska-Omaha coaching staff. He joins Mike Hastings who was at U of M for one season before hooking up with the Mavs.

Guenztal patrolled the Gopher Bench for 14 years as an assistant before becoming the head coach and G.M. of Des Moines of the USHL last year. Current Mavs bench boss Dean Blais played 2 years for the Gophers in the 70's and all 3 will get to see their former school quite a bit this year as the Mavericks are joining the WCHA.

Keep your head up college boy?

A friend of mine who's a scout pointed something out to me tonight. What do the 3 biggest hits in the NHL this year have in common.

Dion Phanuef on Kyle Okposo
Willie Mitchell on Jonathon Toews
Mike Richards on David Booth

Give up yet?

All 3 victims played NCAA hockey. Okposo at Minnesota, Toews at North Dakota, and Booth at Michigan State.

I'm thinking my scouting friend is alluding that college players don't deal with the kind of contact that major junior players do, especially through the neutral zone.

I think it's just a coincidence. Sure Richards and Phaneuf were known in their junior days as some of the toughest guys in their leagues, but Mitchell played NCAA at Clarkson after going to Notre Dame, and I'm sure he dished out a few checks in the ECAC.

While I do think that major junior is a rougher brand of hockey, all 3 of those on the receiving end of these hits are in their 3rd or on Booth's case 4th year of pro hockey and I would assume don't think it's okay to cruise up ice with your head down or admiring the puck, but rather they just made crucial mistakes at the wrong times.

What do you think?