Kings make gains in draft
that produced Kings goalie Jonathan Quick and Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar.
Thirteen picks later, the Kings used their other fourth-round selection to add defenseman Angus Booth out of Shawinigan of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. A mobile defender with a reputation for poise and steadiness, Booth has earned the trust of his coaches as a two-way defenseman. His body and game alike will need definition as he progresses through levels of competition, but his skating and hockey sense are already ahead of most of his peers.
With their fifth-round selection, they added another defenseman, Otto Salin, a righthanded-shooting Finn.
Salin has also been touted for his skating ability and edgework, though his game skews more toward the offensive side than Booth's with some holes in his defensive game. He has yet to compete at the top level in Finland, but has produced well against his peers in both domestic and international competition.
In the sixth round, the Kings added winger Jared Wright at 169th overall and then defenseman Jack
Sparkes at No. 180.
Wright's calling card is his speed. Not only can he reach a top velocity higher than most of his contemporaries, he can reach them in a hurry with his rapid acceleration. He will take his next step in his first season at Colgate.
In contrast, Sparkes stands out even before he dons skates or pads. At 6 feet, 8 inches, he was the tallest prospect selected. He may also be the heaviest player in the draft, depending on which program one reads or what Sparkes ate for lunch. He played at a lower-level junior league in Ontario, Canada, but will show off his imposing physique, long reach and developing game at Michigan State next season.
The Kings traded their 2023 seventh-round draft selection to the Boston Bruins for pick 215 overall, which they used to select winger Caleb Lawrence out of the Ontario Hockey League's Owen Sound Attack. Lawrence also brings formidable size to the table at 6-foot-7 and 229 pounds. Despite playing in a higher-level junior league, Lawrence may be more of an enigma than Sparkes. Since his rookie season in the OHL, he's competed in just two games in as many years.