Former Top 5 Pick Called Up To NHL, Immediately Becomes Trade Candidate

There are a number of prospects around the NHL, who, for one reason or another, haven't been able to make their mark at the top level, and have mostly been toiling away in the minors, while being labelled as potential trade-chips come the deadline on March 8th.

In Los Angeles, the Kings' former No. 5 overall pick Alex Turcotte is one of those, but recently got the call to LA, and immediately produced with a goal and assist and a +3 rating in his second game of the season just before the All-Star Break. That put him squarely on the radar of other teams who might be engaging the Kings in trade talks.

Mysteriously, Turcotte played only just over three minutes in his next contest, this past Saturday. 

Alex Turcotte played 3:32 in the first period. @NHLRussell reported that he went for a bit of a skate after the first, perhaps suggesting he tweaked something.

However, he was on the bench for the second and third, but didn’t play.

Keeping an eye on that.#GoKingsGo

— Leib Menter (@liontamer18) February 11, 2024

Assuming he's not injured (or even if he is nursing a minor tweak), Insider David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period is labeling Turcotte as a trade candidate (once again), but this time with at least a small sample size of the 22-year-old showing a little something at the NHL level. 

We are inching closer to the trade deadline, so naturally, that means Alex Turcotte's name will appear in trade speculation out of Los Angeles... Perhaps he becomes a candidate to be moved before the deadline if a selling team wants someone closer to being NHL ready over a draft pick that will still be a few years away.

Pagnotta has a point: draft picks, especially not very high ones, can be a crapshoot. Turcotte, although his prospect status has fallen over the past couple of years due to injuries, is potentially a lot closer to being NHL-ready than an undrafted 18-year-old. 

Turcotte has shown improvement this season in the AHL, registering a pro career-high 23 points in 30 games with the Ontario Reign.

His will be a story to watch as we approach the deadline and the Kings try desperately to maintain their slim hold on one of the two Wild Card spots in the Western Conference. 

Photo: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports