Kings trade back, select Greentree at No. 26 overall

LAS VEGAS — Whereas his Southern California rivals traded up towards the end of the first round, LA Kings general manager Rob Blake was content to move in the other direction. He dealt the team’s No. 21 overall pick to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for the No. 26 pick and additional draft capital.

As the first round progressed, top names were constantly called, but the Kings managed to scoop up 18-year-old winger Liam Greentree in the No. 26 spot, who tallied 90 points with 36 goals and 54 assists in 64 games with the Ontario Hockey League’s Windsor Spitfires this past season.

The Oshawa, Ontario, native stands 6-foot-2 and weighs 214 pounds with a knack for generating offensive chances. As Windsor’s captain, he would contribute to the team’s scoring by developing plays early on using his vision and intelligence. His combination of size and scoring ability make him a forceful, yet creative power forward.

Greentree’s main liability is his skating, as he often struggles with acceleration. Also, with Team Canada at the World Juniors, he didn’t stand out nearly as much as one would’ve expected him to, only recording four points in seven games.

However, further development will give Greentree the chance to improve his mobility. His strong hockey IQ allows him to see plays develop before they’ve occurred, which may also help mitigate a lack of top-tier skating. On a Kings team known for its defensive philosophy, his two-way potential and willingness to make hits will certainly come in handy. He’ll just need to improve his defensive awareness—especially in his own zone—and should aim to exert his physicality at a more consistent rate.

His sharp intelligence can often be seen in the offensive zone, as he tends to take shots from seemingly difficult angles, but will capitalize on them nonetheless. His soft hands can usually make up for his amateur skating ability and his passing is aggressive and cerebral.

His best performance of 2023-24 came on Jan. 27 when he notched six points on a hat trick and three assists. He also led the Spitfires with 11 power-play goals, displaying his relentless offensive aspirations every time he’s on the ice.

Although Windsor finished as one of the OHL’s worst teams, Greentree will have the chance to return and lead them once again before making his way to Los Angeles full time. Because the team performed so poorly in 2023-24, Greentree had the chance to shine in many facets of the game, often stepping in on the penalty kill and setting the tone.

With free agency approaching, Blake and company will soon have a more complete picture of how the roster is shaping out ahead of 2024-25. Although Greentree’s game will still need development at the junior level, he’s certainly a big part of the team’s long-term plans, and will look to step up and fill gaps in Los Angeles’ young and inexperienced bottom lines at some point. LA isn’t a top prospect-heavy team at the moment, but adding Greentree will certainly aid the club’s future core.

The Kings possess six total selections, and will pick once in the second round, once in the fourth, once in the sixth and twice in the seventh. Adding a high-upside winger in the first round should excite LA fans for what is to come.