As the Los Angeles Kings prepare for the team’s final game of the regular season on Thursday night, they will have a young prospect returning to the lineup. The organization announced they have activated forward Alex Turcotte from long-term injured reserve, and have loaned forward Akil Thomas to their AHL affiliate, the Ontario Reign.
Turcotte, who was the fifth overall pick of the Kings back in the 2019 NHL Draft, will return to the active roster for the first time in about a month due to an upper-body injury. At the NHL level, Turcotte has suited up in 20 games for Los Angeles, scoring one goal and four points in total. In Ontario, he has been far more productive, scoring seven goals and 25 points in 33 games, leading to four separate call-ups this season.
Thomas, on the other hand, has spent far less time at the NHL level as compared to Turcotte. Recalled on an emergency basis on March 31st, Thomas has matched Turcotte’s production on the year, scoring one goal and four points in seven games. Similarly to Turcotte, the former 51st overall pick has been far more productive with the Reign, scoring 22 goals and 43 points over 61 games this season.
Other Kings notes:
- According to CapFriendly, since Kings’ forward Alex Laferriere played in his 80th game of the season last night against the Minnesota Wild, he has lost his waiver exemption status for next season. Whether it be after training camp or any time during next season, Los Angeles will have to place Laferriere on the waiver wire if they wish to send him down to the AHL. Nevertheless, it is rather unlikely the Kings would choose to send Laferriere anytime soon, as he has scored 11 goals and 23 points throughout this season, making for a productive rookie campaign.
- Moving to the ECHL, the Kings organization has signed their current ECHL affiliate, the Greenville Swamp Rabbits, to a two-year extension. Located in South Carolina, the Swamp Rabbits have been the ECHL affiliate of Los Angeles since the start of the 2022-23 NHL season and will continue in that role until the end of 2025-26.