Kings Select Forward Koehn Ziemmer at 78th Overall

At pick 78, the Los Angeles Kings selected a big, toolsy winger in Koehn Ziemmer.

Ziemmer was ranked closer to 60 in most pre-draft rankings, meaning he fell a bit to the Kings.

Ziemmer follows a trend in this draft after the Kings selected big defenseman Jakub Dvorak with their first pick. They’re getting bigger in 2023.

What the Experts Are Saying:

Scott Wheeler – The Athletic – June 5th: “He’s a strong, physically mature winger who likes to shoot the puck and shoots it hard, but also regularly beats defenders and goalies one-on-one with a slick set of hands across his body so that they can’t plan for the shot.”

Corey Pronman – The Athletic – May 30th: “Ziemmer has high-end hands and beats a lot of defenders one-on-one. He has the brain to run a power play and makes tough plays consistently at even strength. Ziemmer has the offensive touch, it’s all about whether his style of play will work in the NHL given his skating stride.”

Chris Peters – Flo Hockey – June 1st: “The hockey sense and skill are high end traits, but his skating is a big concern at this point. Guys that think the game and have the offensive creativity like Ziemmer does give themselves a chance, but you’ve got to be able to play at a higher pace as you move up the ranks.”

Kings Get a Power Forward:

The Kings have lacked a power forward in their system for a while now, and they get that player in Ziemmer.

But, this isn’t a pick for need. Ziemmer is good value at 78 and has the potential to be somewhat of a steal.

I’d expect him back in the WHL next season with Prince George, where he should score a lot of goals after a 41-goal draft eligible.