Kings Select Seven More At The 2004 NHL Entry Draft
June 27, 2004 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Manchester Monarchs News Release
MANCHESTER, NH â Left wing Ned Lukacevic was the first player selected by the Los Angeles Kings, the parent club of the Manchester Monarchs, during today's second and final day of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft in Raleigh, North Carolina. The club also acquired defenseman Stephane Quintal from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for future consideration. Lukacevic, 18, was selected by the Kings in the fourth-round with the 110th overall pick. The 6-foot, 185-pounder from Podgorica, Serbia, played in 72 games this past season with Spokane of the Western Hockey League, registering 33 points (19-14=33) and 65 penalty minutes. Lukacevic also was a member of Team British Columbia at the 2003 Canada Winter Games.
Quintal, 36, played in 73 games for the Canadiens this past season. He recorded eight points (3-5=8) and 82 penalty minutes, and he had a plus/minus rating of plus-10 (second best among Montreal defensemen), he logged an average of 20:38 minutes (four most among Canadiens blueliners) and on January 6 he played in his 1,000th career regular season NHL game.
Quintal began his NHL career with Boston during the 1988-89 season after the Bruins selected him in the first-round (14th overall) in the 1987 NHL Entry Draft. He has played twice for Montreal, and in 1,037 games over 16 NHL seasons, Quintal has registered 243 points (63-180=243) and 1,320 penalty minutes with the Canadiens, Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers, Winnipeg Jets, St. Louis Blues and Bruins.
The 6-foot-3, 233-pound Quintal is originally from Boucherville, Quebec. Has also played in 52 career NHL playoff games, recording 12 points (2-10=12) and 51 penalty minutes. He played in four playoff games for Montreal in 2004 before getting injured.
The Kings rounded out their draft by taking 6-foot-1, 201-pound right wing Eric Neilson (fifth round, 143rd overall) from Rimouski (QMJHL); 6-foot-1, 185-pound forward Scott Parse (sixth round, 174th overall) from the University of Nebraska-Omaha (CCHA); 6-foot-3, 190-pound right wing John Curry (seventh round, 205th overall) from Sioux City (USHL); 5-foot-11, 179-pound goalie Daniel Taylor (seventh round, 221st overall) from Guelph (OHL); 6-foot-1, 160-pound goalie Yutaka Fukufuji (eighth round, 238th overall) from the Japan National Team; and 5-foot-11, 183-pound center Valtteri Tenkanen (ninth round, 264th overall) from Jyvaskyla (Finland).
The club's Director of Amateur Scouting Al Murray said, "Ned Lukacevic has good size, speed and top offensive ability. Overall, when you get the right guy in the first round, it makes everything else go easier. We feel that we did that by selecting Lauri Tukonen. From that point, all of the players we took will take a couple of years to develop in their respective situations, but we feel that we selected good prospects with good upside."
"We are pleased with the weekend and with the nine players we selected overall," said Kings Senior Vice President/General Manager Dave Taylor from the club's draft table at the RBC Center in Raleigh. "We have high hopes for this group, starting with our first choice yesterday, Lauri Tukonen."
The Kings traded their second selection in the ninth round (271st overall) to the Columbus Blue Jackets for an eighth-round selection in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.
The Kings selected Finnish right wing Tukonen (first round, 11th overall) and defenseman Paul Baier in the first three rounds of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, hosted by the Carolina Hurricanes. The club also acquired goaltender Mathieu Garon as part of a three-team trade between the Kings, Canadiens and Ottawa Senators. The Kings traded their third-round choice (77th overall) to the Senators in exchange for center Radek Bonk. They then traded Bonk and goaltender Cristobal Huet to the Canadiens in exchange for Garon and a third round selection (95th overall) in this weekend's NHL Entry Draft (Kings selected Baier).
American Hockey League Stories from June 27, 2004
- Kings Select Seven More At The 2004 NHL Entry Draft - Manchester Monarchs
- Sharks Sign Four Prospects - Cleveland Barons
- Barons To Host Online Jersey Auction - Cleveland Barons
- Barons Announce Five Home Dates - Cleveland Barons
- Cincinnati player among those selected by Mighty Ducks of Anaheim on second day of NHL Entry Draft - Cincinnati RailRaiders
- Lightning make six selections, one trade on day two of 2004 NHL Entry Draft - Springfield Falcons
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