Our annual Top 25 Under 25 countdown has begun! The rankings were determined by a combination of reader voting and our staff’s own voting. We then combined the reader rankings (50%) and the staff rankings (50%) to determine the top 25. To be eligible for the countdown, a player must be 24 or younger on October 5, 2017, when the 2017-18 NHL season begins.
We’re taking a look at the best and the brightest in the Los Angeles Kings organization in our fifth annual Top 25 Under 25 countdown. Up next, at #24: Mikey Eyssimont.
2016-17 Team: St. Cloud State (NCAA, NCHC)
2016-17 Statistics: 36 GP, 14 G, 16 A, 30 P
Current NHL Projection (via NHLe): 82 GP, 13 G, 15 A, 28 P
Jewels Reader Ranking: 28
Jewels Staff Ranking: 21
Fifth round draft pick Mikey Eyssimont continues to increase his profile at St. Cloud State University, following up his 14-goal, 33-point freshman campaign with another 14-goal year. Over time at St. Cloud, he’s developed into a remarkably consistent player. He led the Huskies in overall points (30), power play points (6G, 9A), and while he wasn’t a regular in the faceoff dot, he won 57% of faceoffs taken, so could easily be an asset at the dot if needed to step in.
One area where Eyssimont really stands out? Shooting the puck.
Eyssimont led the Huskies with 132 shots on goal this past season. In just 71 games with the Huskies, he’s already holding down third place in the team’s overall records for shots per game at 3.13. (The first name on that list? None other than the Kings’ own Jonny Brodzinski.) Eyssimont’s propensity for shooting the puck has made him an increasingly noticeable factor on his team and could set him up well to see even more pucks hit the back of the net in the future.
Mikey Eyssimont! He hits the post, then tries again to give @SCSUHUSKIES_MH a 3-2 lead. Tune in on #FOXSportsGO: https://t.co/bV4ztHuR3l pic.twitter.com/PwAsWHKOF1
— FOX Sports North (@fsnorth) October 23, 2016
Mikey Eyssimont goes top shelf to put @SCSUHUSKIES_MH back on top! pic.twitter.com/etoDFDmzNt
— FOX Sports North (@fsnorth) November 5, 2016
Brodzinski and Eyssimont are frequently compared, and Eyssimont has stepped up to replace some of the scoring — especially in high-pressure situations — that the Huskies lost whenever Brodzinski turned pro. He’s taken on increased responsibility on his team and has been rewarded for it, being chosen as an honorable mention for the All-NCHC team (also appearing as an honorable mention is Troy Terry, of WJC shoot-out fame).
Eyssimont is still a few years away from impacting the Kings or the Ontario Reign; he’s already decided to return to SCSU for his junior year. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Kings push to sign him after this season; if he continues to produce in college, the organization may not want to risk him choosing not to sign after his senior year.
This kid was a beast last year. You may not remember how to spell his last name but his performance was unforgettable. #boom pic.twitter.com/yznhretCVT
— Frozen Faceoff Live (@NCHCFFLive) February 23, 2017
He’s not necessarily projected to have the same high ceiling that Jonny Brodsinski does, but for a late-round draft pick, Eyssimont is a promising player. His game’s developed a little more slowly, and his time at Kings’ development camp has given him a list of skills to work on, but when he gets here, he’s a prospect to keep an eye on.