The Kings signed center Francesco Pinelli to a one-year, two-way contract extension worth up to $850,000, the team announced Wednesday.
Pinelli, 23, set personal bests in assists (21), points (35) and plus-minus rating (+16) in his third campaign with the Ontario Reign, the Kings’ top minor-league affiliate, last season.
Pinelli is a U18 World Juniors gold medalist and former captain of the Kitchener Rangers, this year’s Memorial Cup champions. He was selected 42nd overall in 2021 after the Kings traded up, snagging the Ottawa Senators’ selection to add Pinelli.
He was part of a small draft class for the Kings, just four players. Two skaters from that quartet have already logged 100 or more NHL games, Brandt Clarke and Samuel Helenius, with Pinelli and Kirill Kirsanov still awaiting their top-level debuts.
A heady player with ability to shed checks and get off the wall that belies his 6-foot, 185-pound frame, Pinelli was once projected as a middle-six pivot for the Kings. While he still has a solid chance to make the big show, he will more likely figure in as a bottom-six centerman.
While the Kings still have a shot at going 4 for 4 in that 2021 draft, they’ve gotten a combined 26 NHL games out of the 25 prospects they’ve drafted since. Twenty three of those were logged by winger Jared Wright down the stretch last season.
Center is a gaping hole in the Kings’ depth, both on the main roster and organizationally, in no small part due to their inability to develop draft picks in the middle. Pinelli’s tempered dip in expectation pales in comparison to those of 2022 second-rounder Jack Hughes and 2019 fifth overall pick Alex Turcotte.
Kenny Connors, who had a cup of coffee with the Kings last season, and University of Denver product Brendan McMorrow have each raised expectations, but the Kings need immediate help after the retirement of Anže Kopitar and Phillip Danault’s return to Montreal in a December trade.
The Kings own nine selections in this weekend’s draft, including No. 17 overall and a pair of second-round picks.
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