Paul LaDue

May 2017 – LaDue has paid his “LaDues” in the AHL this season and has finally been reward to play minutes for the big club. Dressing in 22 games between February and April this year, LaDue put up eight assists and 27 shots while averaging 15:24 of ice per game. This coming training camp will be the biggest camp of LaDue’s career. With the lack of depth on the Kings’ blueline, LaDue will most definitely be in the running for a spot on the Kings’ bottom pair. Stephen Butland

January 2017 – LaDue has followed up a strong Kings training camp and preseason with a first half of the season for the Kings top affiliate, the Ontario Reign. After starting the season with a lower-body injury, LaDue scored 18 points in 36 games (0.5 points per game). His 18 points tie Kings top prospect, Adrian Kempe, although LaDue played two fewer games. As a first-year pro player, LaDue is adjusting his game, although there will be ups and downs as he continues to refine his timing. He is a mobile defenseman who can play solid enough defensively that it seems extremely likely he will make it to the NHL. He projects to have a similar game to that of current King’s defenseman Alec Martinez.  Don’t be surprised if LaDue makes the Kings as soon as next season, as they are short on right-handed defensemen, with only Drew Doughty, Matt Greene and Tom Gilbert on the roster this season. Philip Kamhi

October 2016 – LaDue had a very strong training camp and preseason for the Kings, leading to a last-minute cut sending him to Ontario. LaDue played in five Kings preseason games and scored one goal and two assists. He played big minutes for the Kings in these games, as they really put him to the test. He did not disappoint at all in his audition, and he probably has jumped over some of the Kings defensive prospects. LaDue is one of the best defensive prospects that the Kings own, and this offseason he showed that he is not far from being ready. Although the Kings already have a lot of competition for a defensive spot (they might even carry eight defensemen), LaDue should be in the NHL in the near future. Philip Kamhi

June 2016 – Paul Ladue spent his last three seasons at University of North Dakota, which concluded as one would hope, with a NCAA Championship title. LaDue continued to produce at a similar rate to his prior two years with 19 points in 41 games, yet he increased his responsibility and became an Assistant Captain. LaDue was tied for the NCAA lead for defensemen in plus-minus with a plus-31. In late April he signed his first pro contract with the Kings, and he got into three playoff games with the Reign in their Western Conference finals loss to Lake Erie. The King’s have been looking for a puck moving right-shot defenseman to replace Slava Voynov, and LaDue could end up being just that. Philip Kamhi

December 2015 – This past summer the Los Angeles Kings sent Rob Blake to visit with Paul LaDue with the hopes of having him sign an NHL deal. Although he declined and has continued with his senior season at the University of North Dakota (UND), the Kings offer shows that they believe that he is ready for pro hockey. LaDue could be considered one of the best two-way defensemen playing in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC), and he is the UND Assistant Captain. Last season he finished sixth in NCHC defensemen scoring with 22 points in 41 games played. Early this season his scoring has been lower (seven points in 19 games) but his plus-minus has improved, as UND has taken first place and have become a more defensive team.  Philip Kamhi