The Journey: Jordan Weal
Randall Buschmann
2014-10-04
This week’s installment of “The Journey” takes an in-depth look at Los Angeles Kings prospect Jordan Weal.
Jordan Weal was drafted 79th overall at the 2007 WHL Bantam Draft and made an immediate impact in the league as a 16-year-old rookie, on route to being named a finalist for the 2009 WHL Rookie of the Year award. He was a member of the gold medal winning entry for Team Canada at the 2009 Under-18 Ivan Hlinka Tournament and chosen to play for his country again during the 2010 Under-18 World Junior Championship. The following season was Weal's draft year where he made quite the offensive splash. Weal would end up one of only three players available at the 2010 NHL Entry Draft (the other two being Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin, who of course ended up being drafted 1st and 2nd overall, respectively) coming off of 100+ point seasons.
The Los Angeles Kings decided to take a chance on Weal at the 2010 NHL Entry Draft and selected him in the 3rd round, 70th overall. NHL Central Scouting Service listed Jordan Weal at 5'10" and 162 lbs. for the draft. Many NHL teams are reluctant to select small framed players unless it’s in the later rounds of the draft. While the stigma won’t change anytime soon, there are numerous players over the years who proved to be an exception to the rule. Thanks to the right training, development and attitude, Weal looks to be on track to be one of those players that defies the odds.
"I think he really takes ownership of his game," said Morris. "He's a guy that's willing to go the extra mile to make sure he maximizes his abilities. He studies the game and wants to get better every day; he'll watch video, he'll do extra stick handling, he'll work on his moves. You don't have to tell him twice what to do. He really takes it to heart and he wants to be that good teammate and a guy that's coachable. I think that the progress he has made, especially over the last years, has been remarkable."
There would be no sophomore slump for Weal, as he finished second on the team in goals while leading the team in assists and points. Weal was the fifth leading point getter in the league, and the only sophomore player among the top 10 in points.
This past August, the King's Assistant GM Rob Blake had some Kings Assistant GM Rob Blake spoke very highly of Weal. It's really a fantastic article (I highly recommend reading) and even includes audio clips of the interview with Weal and Blake, but to cover a high point:
"This is his second year in the American league and I think he was ready to take advantage of it because of his off-ice habits and [because] he's a student of the game," added Blake. "He was able to step in and become a leader at a young age on that team. He was their best offensive player. If you look at his progression, he came out of the Western Hockey League as a top scorer and he continued that path in the American league. He was our best player there last year, throughout the whole season."
To the surprise of many, but not all, Weal is still at training camp with Los Angeles as this column goes to press. At this point, he’s performed well enough to earn a roster spot, but the fact remains due to Los Angeles' depth at the forward position, there’s not a spot available at the present moment. Since Weal is still exempt from waivers, he’ll spend most of the season in the AHL again (barring major injuries in LA). It's very likely one way or another, Weal will be rewarded this season for his continued improvements and hard work with his first NHL game. Next summer Jarret Stoll's contract expires and if the Kings decide not to re-sign the veteran center, a spot would then be open for Weal. With the added strength to go along with his high compete level, hockey IQ and offensive skills, he's finally arrived as a prospect to seriously consider in keeper leagues. Don't sleep on Weal.