EL SEGUNDO, Calif. – The first round of the 2019 NHL Draft is proving to be a solid class. Most of the players selected have become everyday regulars. number 1 pick jack hughes is a star, and others like it Moritz Cider, matt boldy And cole caulfield They are also fundamental players for their clubs.
The list of quality youngsters is very long. bowen byram, Trevor Zegras, dylan cozens, thomas harley And cam york Now there are proven track records. Philip Broberg, Connor McMichael And Simon Holmstrom Emerging as key players in their respective lineups. Dive deeper into successful tours and you’ll find shane pinto, Nils Hoglander, pavel dorofeyev And Matthias Maccelli In the form of unearthed gems. (No problem dustin wolfThe No. 214 option – it’s the seventh round, guys – is now thriving in the Nets calgary,
As much as teams pour their scouting resources into the draft and build their profiles on players, it’s not a fool-proof exercise. Two other players from the first round, Victor Söderström and Lassi Thomson, are back playing in Europe. Others like Jacob Pelletier, Samuel Poulin and Brayden Tracy have not graduated from the AHL.
alex turcotte Was the No. 5 pick in 2019. Only Hughes (New Jersey), kapo kako (NY Rangers), Kirby Dutch (Chicago) and Byram (Colorado) were previously called Los Angeles Kings Made Turcotte his top selection. The son of former NHL player Alfie Turcotte, a standout player for the United States national under-18 team, he was bound to star for the University of Wisconsin and was expected to become a key player for the Kings in the coming years.
In a banner draft for the US National Team Development Program, Turcotte observed how former teammates Hughes, Zegras, Boldy and Caufield did not take long to make their mark on the league. And it took a huge toll on him as he battled injury after injury, but he didn’t – or, more accurately, couldn’t – do it.
“I think the first few years were really hard,” Turcotte said. “I am friends with a lot of them. Plus, I was really happy for them. It was definitely hard not being able to do the same things as him and I was always comparing things. After the last two years – not this summer, but the summer before that – I think I’ve started to not worry about it anymore and just focus on myself. Accept the situation I was in and try to move forward and try to do the best I can with it.
“I think it’s helped me a lot to develop mentally as a player and I think that’s why I’m feeling really good right now. I have stopped worrying about external things.
‘Now’ had no other meaning for Turcotte. Five years after the historic draft with his NTDP brethren, the 23-year-old has finally made his debut nhl Path. For the first time, he is playing every night for the Kings. His start to the 2024–25 season has been so impressive that head coach Jim Hiller recently moved him to third-line center back Alex Laferriere And Warren Foegele In the form of his wings.
The bumpy road to becoming a regular presence with the Kings has given Turcotte perspective when it comes to tough nights at the office. A history of injury and illness dating back to his NTDP days has regularly thwarted any progress in his development. The issues were over. Hip. Back. Mononucleosis. Appendicitis. And that doesn’t account for other unspecified lower body issues that have kept him out of games here and there.
The majority of the 2021–22 and 2022–23 seasons were spent with the AHL’s Ontario Reign, which was lost due to relegation. An elbow injury to his head during a game against the Bakersfield Condors last December kept him out for three weeks. This came after the Reign had scored 19 points in their first 22 games.
It was the same story with Turcotte: just as he would gain traction and flourish, another new setback would occur.
“Yeah, it was tough,” Turcotte said. “I think the hardest part was mentally. When I was hurt by trauma and stuff, maybe this can sit in your mind. You know what I mean? When you don’t feel better for a certain period of time, you start overthinking. And that probably doesn’t make it any better.
“But I think in a way when I go through adversity or have ups and downs in a season, it’s really nothing compared to that. This will really help me move forward. How to deal with ups and downs. Make me feel more comfortable in those situations and it’s going to feel like nothing.
Alex Turcotte is finally playing a regular role at the NHL level. (Claus Anderson/Getty Images)
In the summer of 2023, Turcotte felt he had gained some sustainable momentum going forward. This was the first offseason in some time in which he could not only do his normal training but also gain weight and get stronger. And while the head injury last season was a setback, it proved to be merely a hurdle to clear. The Kings called him up last January and he scored his first goal in a win four days later nashville,
He suffered an apparent shoulder injury in the match played on March 19. chicago Turcotte was once again in recovery mode. But he was back on the ice with the Reign in April and had a season-ending hat trick in the Calder Cup playoffs, where he helped lead Ontario to the third round. This also allowed another summer in which he could prepare himself for a full-time NHL role.
The Kings made changes to their forward group this season, including forward Blake Lizotte As their fourth line center. Turcotte cemented his spot with a strong training camp and hasn’t looked back. Considering changing my lineup after the 6-2 loss toronto On their season-opening road trip, Hiller pushed Turcotte and shifted quinton byfield Back in the leftist party with former classmates Ange Kopitar And Adrian Kempe,
Settled in the 3C role, Turcotte’s ice time shows he has been given more responsibility. While his four-game point streak ended with Tuesday’s loss in Vegas, his 15 minutes and 23 seconds are his most so far this season. Hockey understanding remains at the forefront of most of his innings; He plays the right game, often creating offensive opportunities.
Hiller said, “The concern was that Turk had performed very well in his role and (when) you get more, sometimes you try to do a little too much.” “He didn’t. I give him full marks. He played the game (in Montreal) like he was playing in a four-hole. Played it in three-holes and was really good. High marks for that and that whole line was really dangerous.
Those who were around him as he battled his many injuries knew that he would help the Kings when he was healthy and able.
“Honestly, he’s just come back to himself,” Byfield said. “When we came into the league during COVID and were playing Ontario, he was always playing like that. He was confident with the puck. Making plays and skating.
“He suffered a lot of injuries, so it was tough to do. “It’s great to see him back and playing really good hockey.”
Akeel Thomas Expressed sympathy with Turcotte during his reign. Thomas, a second-round pick in 2018, had to come back from multiple shoulder surgeries to earn a roster spot with the Kings this season after making his late 2023-24 debut. The two often supported each other when they were inactive.
“I know what he can do,” Thomas said. “I know how good he is. Getting more opportunities for that is something I’ve been looking forward to. He’s doing really well right now and it’s fun to watch. I think he’s probably been our most consistent player in terms of performing every night and doing the right things. I’m a big fan of Alex Turcotte right now.
Getting healthy has allowed Turcotte to play freely. He’s not thinking about the next injury. This is not reflected in his modest point totals, although it should be noted that his goal and three assists in seven games for LA already matches his performance in 20 games with the club last year.
Advanced metrics show someone who could be an impact player for a Kings team determined to remain a playoff participant. According to Natural Stat Trick, Turcotte’s 62.04 Corsi rating in five-on-five play is second only to Vladislav GavrikovThe young center has been on the ice for six goals and only two goals. The scoring chances and high-danger chances are definitely tilted in his favor.
While his even-strength ice time is still low among the Kings forwards and other players are currently being utilized on the penalty kill, Turcotte is getting power-play time with his newly increased role. He’s healthy and happy and finally finding his identity, just like his friends.
“It’s great to be there longer,” he said. “I am not satisfied, and I want more. But I know you have to earn it and work hard. be reliable. be consistent. This is exciting. Just building more confidence in myself and knowing that I can make a difference out there.”
(Top photo: Melissa Majchrzak/NHLI via Getty Images)
(tagstotranslate)Los Angeles Kings