.

From untold to household, it’s been a remarkable rookie campaign for the Kings’ second-round selection in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

As if Kings’ GM Dean Lombardi needs any more impressive results from his recent string of moves with the organization, another prospect is fruitfully shaping into becoming a core piece of the Kings’ future.

Keep it rolling now.

Tyler Toffoli peppered the Portland Pirates with three goals Saturday night, notching his second hat-trick of the season for the Kings’ parent affiliate Manchester Monarchs. This weekend’s performance is just another taste of the promising skill Toffoli has brought to the American Hockey League in his first season of professional hockey.

The 20 year-old Toronto, Ontario native was an acquisition the Kings’ targeted for solidifying youth, skill, and size into the future of their top-six forward scheme – a problem that haunted the club’s offense for a decade.

Toffoli has shown early signs of developing into that role quite well; A role that Dustin Penner failed to satisfy, and one that two of Toffoli’s current teammates – Jordan Nolan and Dwight King, are also playing for.

However, it’s no competition for Toffoli, King, and Nolan – especially right now. Call it ‘too soon’, but you may be looking at a trio that plays together for quite a long time. And, in Los Angeles.

It’s a Show

Red-Light District: There’s been no shortage in power in Tyler Toffoli‘s game since his jump from the OHL with the Ottawa 67′s to the AHL with the Manchester Monarchs. In fact, he’s been the biggest surge on a club that’s icing a handful of NHL players among a group of AHL veterans – many of whom the Kings drafted years before Toffoli.

With 22 points in 28 games, Tyler Toffoli leads the entire Monarchs roster in scoring. This, in the form of 13 goals and nine assists. The kid’s been a menace on Manchester’s powerplay as well, tallying five goals in man-advantage situations. Toffoli’s dabbled with shorthanded success as well, potting one goal on the penalty-kill.

Cannon: Creating opportunity you say? Toffoli’s been lethal to statisticians, totaling an astounding 83 shots-on-goal in his 28 games. This is the second-highest mark on the Monarchs’ roster, only behind Vyacheslav Voynov and his 87 shots – one of the four Kings’ roster players skating with Manchester during the NHL lockout.

Now showing in NH

Say Hey

Familiar faces: As the NHL lockout wears on, four Kings players continue to skate with the AHL‘s Manchester Monarchs. Andrei Loktionov, Vyacheslav Voynov, Dwight King, and Jordan Nolan are keeping the legs at-par in New Hampshire, but things haven’t gone as smooth as they did in the spring when all four were with the Kings.

The Monarchs sit at 4th-place in the AHL‘s Atlantic Division, but are only four points behind the 1st-place Portland Pirates – who they defeated Saturday night with Tyler Toffoli‘s three-goal outburst. Manchester currently holds playoff positioning, however.

How goes it?

Andrei Loktionov: GP: 20 — G: 5 — A: 12 — PTS: 17

Vyacheslav Voynov: GP: 29 — G: 6 — A: 9 — PTS: 15

Dwight King: GP: 22 — G: 5 — A: 10 — PTS: 15

Jordan Nolan: GP: 15 — G: 2 — A: 3 — PTS: 5

But numbers ain’t everything: We’ll get back to a full-swing on updates from the Manchester Monarchs and the four aforementioned Kings players very soon. Likewise, updates from Sweden with Anze Kopitar, Finland with Alec Martinez, Germany with Jonathan Bernier, and of course, Dustin Brown from Switzerland.

Bringing home dinner

Pass the butter, Thomas Hickey.

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