Kings Sign Brandon Kozun to Three-Year Entry Level Contract

[VodkaFish]

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Kings have signed forward Brandon Kozun to a three-year entry level contract, Kings President/General Manager Dean Lombardi announced today.

Kozun, who was born in Los Angeles, led the Western Hockey League (WHL) in points (107) and assists (75) this season in 65 regular season games while helping lead the Calgary Hitmen as a team captain to the second-round of the WHL playoffs, which are still on-going. During this postseason, Kozun’s 14 points and 10 assists currently lead that League with Calgary set to play Medicine Hat tomorrow, Sunday, in Game 1.

Selected by the Kings in the sixth round (179th overall) of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, Kozun, 20, played with Calgary the past four seasons. In 217 regular season games, the right winger had 270 points (92-178=270), a plus-103 rating and 158 penalty minutes. In 42 career playoff games over three seasons, he had 51 points (15-36=51), a plus-15 rating and 18 penalty minutes.

This past December/January, Kozun (5-9, 180 pounds) represented Canada at the 2010 IIHF World Junior Championships. He was one of four Kings prospects – forward Brayden Schenn, defenseman Colten Teubert and goaltender Martin Jones were the others – on that team, and the Kings were the NHL club with the most prospects playing for Canada, which lost the Gold Medal game to the United States. Prior to the tournament, Kozun, Schenn, Teubert, Jones and defenseman Nicolas Deslauriers participated in Canada’s National Junior Team selection camp, and the five players were the most any NHL club had at the camp (only one other team, Edmonton, had more than two prospects who participated).

Kozun is also a part of the group of Kings draft selections which has been graded as the NHL club with the most successful drafts in the “Future Watch” category in the most recent edition of The Hockey News. This is the second straight season the Kings – the NHL club with the earliest average draft position of all 30 teams since 2006 (11th, 4th, 2nd and 5th) -- have been selected by The Hockey News as the top-ranked NHL club in this category.

[ScottRasner]

helluva a player, good for the Kings.

[kyleheth]

for a small player he plays extremly well against the boards and he seems to always come up with the puck...not to mention how fast he is. it will be interesting to see how he plays in the ahl if hell be able to bulk up a bit to compete with bigger players

[dukeofearle]

I would assume his size is the only reason he slipped to the sixth round. I mean how can so many teams pass up on a 100 plus point guy from the DUB. With the new NHL someone should of taken a chance on this guy much earlier, regardless of his size.

[HordiBrusk29]

Originally Posted by dukeofearle

I would assume his size is the only reason he slipped to the sixth round.

Pretty much. Brendan Gallagher another current dub player will experience the same thing for this upcoming draft. If he were about five inches taller and 20 lbs heavier he'd be selected as early as the 3rd round. Since he isn't, I can easily see him slipping to the 6th round like Kozun.

[DaleHunter32]

Originally Posted by VodkaFish

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Kings have signed forward Brandon Kozun to a three-year entry level contract, Kings President/General Manager Dean Lombardi announced today.

Kozun, who was born in Los Angeles, led the Western Hockey League (WHL) in points (107) and assists (75) this season in 65 regular season games while helping lead the Calgary Hitmen as a team captain to the second-round of the WHL playoffs, which are still on-going. During this postseason, Kozun’s 14 points and 10 assists currently lead that League with Calgary set to play Medicine Hat tomorrow, Sunday, in Game 1.

Selected by the Kings in the sixth round (179th overall) of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, Kozun, 20, played with Calgary the past four seasons. In 217 regular season games, the right winger had 270 points (92-178=270), a plus-103 rating and 158 penalty minutes. In 42 career playoff games over three seasons, he had 51 points (15-36=51), a plus-15 rating and 18 penalty minutes.

This past December/January, Kozun (5-9, 180 pounds) represented Canada at the 2010 IIHF World Junior Championships. He was one of four Kings prospects – forward Brayden Schenn, defenseman Colten Teubert and goaltender Martin Jones were the others – on that team, and the Kings were the NHL club with the most prospects playing for Canada, which lost the Gold Medal game to the United States. Prior to the tournament, Kozun, Schenn, Teubert, Jones and defenseman Nicolas Deslauriers participated in Canada’s National Junior Team selection camp, and the five players were the most any NHL club had at the camp (only one other team, Edmonton, had more than two prospects who participated).

Kozun is also a part of the group of Kings draft selections which has been graded as the NHL club with the most successful drafts in the “Future Watch” category in the most recent edition of The Hockey News. This is the second straight season the Kings – the NHL club with the earliest average draft position of all 30 teams since 2006 (11th, 4th, 2nd and 5th) -- have been selected by The Hockey News as the top-ranked NHL club in this category.

wtf?

[LAKINGSNUT]

Originally Posted by DaleHunter32

wtf?

i'm assuming either mom or dad, one or the other not both, was born in Canada allowing him to represent them at the juniors. i believe this happened with Brett Hull in the Olympics. Hull was born in Canada, but mom was born in the US. that allowed him to play for the US in international play.

[dukeofearle]

Originally Posted by HordiBrusk29

Pretty much. Brendan Gallagher another current dub player will experience the same thing for this upcoming draft. If he were about five inches taller and 20 lbs heavier he'd be selected as early as the 3rd round. Since he isn't, I can easily see him slipping to the 6th round like Kozun.

Yeah its crazy .. Kozun if he were 6'2 woulda been top ten. LA has alot of good kids in their organization.

[paint huffer]

Originally Posted by HordiBrusk29

Pretty much. Brendan Gallagher another current dub player will experience the same thing for this upcoming draft. If he were about five inches taller and 20 lbs heavier he'd be selected as early as the 3rd round. Since he isn't, I can easily see him slipping to the 6th round like Kozun.

Size seems to drop smaller guys down to the 6th round fairly often...Paul Byron in the Q put up 20+ goals and 30+ points for Gatineau in the playoffs alone a couple of years back...and still was left out until Buffalo nabbed him in the 6th round.

And though he only tips the scales at a whopping 160 pounds, he's a spirited little fellow!

YouTube- Rob Hisey vs Paul Byron 3/14/10