Los Angeles Kings forward Alex Turoctte has had an up-and-down NHL career. From making his NHL debut to injuries to a career year, he has seen a lot during his short time in the NHL. With this season being a positive one for the organization in terms of standings, the campaign for Turcotte has been anything but a success. One has to wonder if the Kings are wasting Turcotte in the role they currently have him in.
Turcotte joined the Kings organization after being selected fifth overall in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. A smaller player, he showed tremendous heart and skill proving to Los Angeles why he was the pick for them. After one season in the American Hockey League with the Ontario Reign, he made his NHL debut and played eight games with the Kings. Then injuries hit one after another and he be came a player who could not stay on the ice.
That brings up to present day. Turcotte has been a reliable player and uses his two-way game to his advantage. With some changes at the forward position, Turcotte may benefit from his offensive production. However, this season has been the opposite. After a breakout 2024-25 season that saw him post nine goals and 16 assists for 26 points in 68 games, he now has just three assists in 22 games. Last season, he contributed from the third line but now sees himself on the fourth line sandwiched between Corey Perry and Samuel Helenius. He is scoreless in his last five games and does not look comfortable playing on the fourth line.
Coming into his NHL career there was some thought he could be a star in the making and with the right linemates and use of ice time. Now he is playing on the fourth line with teammates who are not considered to raise his stock. With only 32 points in 122 NHL games, are the Kings wasting his potential? We still do not know what he is capable of because of his limited ice time, linemates, and role. Will playing him that low in the lineup really be out of his full offensive potential?
Yes, he has had a series of concussions. He also suffered an upper body injury in March 2024 that placed him on long-term injured reserve (LTIR). However, he bounced back last season to post his best season of his young careers. How is he rewarded? Fourth line duty with Perry and Helenius.
If the Kings do not see him growing and developing their way into a star why doesn’t GM Ken Holland trade him so he can have a chance to show his full potential? he has not shown much offensively since his NHL debut but I have a hard time believing it is all on him. He briefly played on the top line with Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe a while back and did not look out of place. Now? He is barely playing. Either the Kings need to elevate his role to show his full potential or move him because they are wasting his talents.
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