Kings to Weaponize First-Round Pick Again or Not?

The Los Angeles Kings went two years without a first-round draft pick following the Adrian Kempe draft in 2014. Then GM Dean Lombardi had just come off of two cup runs in three years and spent two first-round draft picks trying to extend his team's competitive window.

General managers often try to weaponize draft picks to open or extend said window.

Rob Blake went five straight drafts collecting 1st round picks. His first was Gabriel Vilardi in 2017, and now he is with the Winnipeg Jets. His second in 2018, Rasmus Kupari, also with the Winnipeg Jets. In 2019, he landed Alex Turcotte and Tobi Bjornfot, the latter is also not with the organization. The future franchise cornerstone, Quinton Byfield. Finally, in 2021, the Kings selected the other cornerstone, Brandt Clarke.

Blake went for it in 2022 with the move for Kevin Fiala, demonstrating the team management's dedication towards being a contender. It was his first swing towards entering what management believed was a window of opportunity for this franchise to be a championship contender or solidify their ground towards that goal.

Blake sent Jonathan Quick, the 2023 first-round pick, and a third-round pick 2024 for Joonas Korpisalo and Vladislav Gavrikov. Both trades did not end with the Kings notching their way closer to a Stanley Cup.

In fact, the Kings have essentially done worse in their performance since the Fiala trade. Blake has leveraged his risk management towards the final years of Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty's career, as he put post-Quick trade in March of 2022, "We understood that risk. Last year's was a little different scenario. I think we knew the probability of the extension with Fiala in moving that first. We just felt that the team has put themselves in a position to be very competitive and challenge. We want to help do that".

So, what can Blake expect to do with their 2024 first-round draft pick? The organization is reeling regarding its prospect pipeline after a combination poorly manage its pipeline, blocking players, and trading away assets.

Since then, their center depth, which used to be the envy of the league, has been depleted of quality prospects and is left with those who are starting to see their mid-twenties. Their defensive depth has faded away with Blake moving multiple pieces including standout rookie Brock Faber and prospects like Helge Grans.

The defensive pipeline is still in a decent place thanks to high-end assets like Clarke and Jordan Spence, supplemented by a few hopefuls in Jakub Dvorak and Kirill Kirsanov.

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Possibly worse off is the goaltending pipeline, which is heavily reliant on the success of Erik Portillo and the hope that Hampton Slukynsky continues to develop after a strong draft+1 year.

In this upcoming draft, some excellent players might be available at the twenty-first overall pick, with a possibility of moving up with that pick by packaging the rights to Arthur Kaliyev along with it.

Blake will have the decision to make, and that by committee, to either continue the course of action, trade assets for NHL-ready talent, or repair a fragile prospect pipeline that was once as strong as any in the league.

Lombardi swung and missed back-to-back seasons, being let go of in the aftermath. That was after two championships; I expect less leeway for a GM who has not made it past the first round.

To swing and miss on getting NHL ready talent, just to fail again at a second-round playoff berth would prove disastrous for Blake and the Kings.

Blake should re-stock the pipeline.