Predictions: LA Kings Selections at the 2026 NHL Entry Draft

With just a few days to go, it’s time for our annual NHL Entry Draft Predictions article!

Over the past few weeks, our team has cranked out an almost endless supply of Draft-related content, from player profiles to a full slate of KOTP episodes — featuring everybody from Craig Button to a trio of LA’s top scouts.

Similar to the past, we’ve worked diligently for several months behind the scenes to gather as much intel as possible. This involves speaking to people both within the organization, as well as outside resources; all designed to help cull our list into a helpful resource guide.

2026 NHL Draft: Kings Selections

Everything begins with the Kings list of available selections. As of this writing, the team holds nine picks:

Round 1 – No. 17
Round 2 – No. 46
Round 2 – No. 49 (Danault, MTL)
Round 3 – No. 80 (Foegele, OTT)
Round 4 – No. 113
Round 5 – No. 145
Round 6 – No. 177
Round 6 – No. 190 (Spence, OTT)
Round 7 – No. 209

Moving Up or Moving Down

Before we get into the meat of this article, how about a little trivia first…

Did you know: Among non-expansion teams (so, excluding Vegas and Seattle), only Tampa Bay has made fewer first round selections than Los Angeles since 2011.

Want more?

The Blues have more first round picks in 2026 (four) than the Kings have had in the past five years combined (three).

What will happen this time around?

Well, we’re not expecting the Kings to move up in Round 1. Like last year, they simply don’t have the assets to do so right now. Meaning, we just don’t see them trying to package a current prospect or pick(s) to move from No. 17 up to say No. 10 or 12.

Therefore, LA is realistically looking at three possibilities with that pick: (A) trade the No. 17 selection for a player to add to their current NHL roster, (B) make the pick at 17 or (C) slide back a few spots and collect the extra tax for doing so.

Let’s start with scenario A, there’s always the possibility of GM Ken Holland trading this year’s first-round pick to improve the Kings current roster. After all, the organization’s focus is on building a playoff-caliber roster heading into next season, with less emphasis placed on building for 3-5 years down the road. Moving LA’s 2026 first-round pick is believed to be in play for the right player, especially if it’s a top-six center. Of course, a move of this ilk would also obviously have an impact on any plans Mark Yannetti (LA’s Director of Amateur Scouting) and his staff are dreaming up this week.

Scenario B is pretty simple, make the pick. For which player? We’ll get into that shortly.

If Scenario C comes to light, keep an eye on three teams for LA to most likely swing a deal with: Philadelphia (No. 21), Pittsburgh (22), and Boston (23) could all be potential trading partners.

For example, the Penguins can take No. 22 and couple it with their pick at 39 or 54 in attempt to entice LA to swing a deal again this year, following the two clubs doing something similar at last year’s Draft.

Taking things a step further, if there are several outliers selected by teams among the first 15 picks, LA could potentially even look to move further down in the opening round, perhaps to as late as No. 28. However, that’s Montreal’s pick and the Canadiens would need to pony up more than just their second-round selection (No. 61) as a tax for moving into LA’s slot at 17.

Ottawa may come into play at No. 25; yet doing a deal with teams like Utah or Buffalo likely isn’t possible without dreaming up something pretty creative.

Other Scenarios and Notes

While moving up in the first round is expected to be very difficult, history suggests there is a strong possibility the Kings will attempt to package some of LA’s extra picks to slide up in the middle rounds. What will be interesting to track is if LA moves down in the first, will they then look to package two (or even three) selections to move up to say, maybe somewhere around picks 35-40.

It’s also worth mentioning, as is typically the case, there’s most likely a drop off in talent with each subsequent round, so we wouldn’t be surprised to see LA trying to maximize the number of selections they make in the Round 3-5 area (which should be their best shot at finding some value picks).

Finally, moving a player off the current roster in a straight swap for picks would be a bit surprising — unless those newly acquired assets were then flipped for immediate help at the NHL level.

In any scenario possible, we have you covered. Through extensive homework and discussions with key sources, we’ve pulled together a solid candidate pool from which the Kings may be drawing upon when making selections in Buffalo this weekend.

Overall, our LA Kings 2026 Draft Guide tends to focus a little more on players the team will likely be looking at with their first few selections. After around pick No. 50, it becomes more and more difficult to predict what a team will do in each passing round. With that in mind — and really for the sake of brevity — we won’t go into too much detail with players we’re tracking a little later down our list.

In total, below are the names we feel the Kings are most likely going to be focusing in on when it’s their turn to select in Round 1 and beyond.

(NOTE: Each group has players listed in alphabetical order)

ROUND 1: Likely Out of Reach

We’ll kick things off with a little fun. Every year, somebody unexpectedly falls in the Draft. While none of these guys are expected to still be available by the time LA is on the clock at No. 17, we still like to provide a few stretch candidates. If either of this pair happens to be sitting there, they’re likely going to be scooped up by LA:

Ethan Belchetz | Left Wing

Windsor (OHL)
6-foot-5, 228 lbs., shoots left

Buzzwords from scouts: Big and physical player, goal-scoring instincts, power forward, nose for the net, can mix it up, elite athlete, play-driver

Our full write-up on Belchetz can be found here:

Wyatt Cullen | Left Wing

USNTDP
6-foot-1, 180 lbs., shoots left

Buzzwords from scouts: dynamic on-puck creator, high-end skater, playmaker, stick skill, lateral mobility, puck protection, hand-eye coordination

Bonus commentary from Button on KOTP — “[At 16 years old] Wyatt was 5-foot-9, maybe 150 pounds. And you watched him and he was in the battle. He was in the fight. Well, now he’s 6-1, he’s bigger, he’s stronger, and he’s still in the fight — well, he’s winning them, and he’s successful…What you see with Wyatt is really good skill. He’s really smart and he’s really competitive.”

ROUND 1: Predictions at No. 17

Assuming all three of the players mentioned above have already been selected by other teams, we’re thinking LA could be turning their attention to a primary group we’re referring to as the Special Six:

Alexander Command | Center

Örebro HK (SHL/SWE-J20)
6-foot-1, 186 lbs., shoots left

Buzzwords from scouts: Bulldog, fearless, reliable all-situations center, high IQ, physically engaged, high floor, ultra-physical, good motor, quick-release shot. 

Bonus commentary from Yannetti on KOTP — “He kind of bridges the gap because he’s very good on both sides. He’s a high competitor, smart with and without the puck, good skater, solidly built, very versatile player.”

Our full write-up on Command can be found here.

Malte Gustafsson | Defense

HV71 (SHL)
6-foot-4, 201 lbs., shoots left

Buzzwords from scouts: Shutdown potential, overwhelming physical edge, large frame, play-killer, fluid skater, toolsy

More from Yannetti on KOTP — “Higher-level skater, borders on elite, at 6-foot-4. He’s a smooth-stride guy; surprisingly athletic in his movements. Usually guys at his age, even if they’re good skaters, are a little more straight up. But he has a very good athletic base, which means that while he’s already a higher-level skater, it’s going to improve even more. Very long reach.”

Our full write-up on Gustafsson can be found here:

Oscar Hemming | Left Wing

Boston College (NCAA)
6-foot-4, 193 lbs., shoots left

Buzzwords from scouts: Heavy shot, excellent speed, versatility, pro-ready size, forechecker, natural instincts around the net, deceptive release, go-to option.

Bonus commentary from Teddy Belisle on KOTP — “He came in [to BC] late December, after Christmas, and only had the 18 games. And that’s a pretty hard level to do that at and come in with an impact offensively when there’s some really good players around you…general logic will tell you the points will come with Hemming.”

Our full write-up on Hemming can be found here.

Elton Hermansson | Right Wing

MoDo (HockeyAllsvenskan)
6-foot-1, 181 lbs., shoots right

Buzzwords from scouts: Ankle breaker, transition forward, sniper, evasive, highly skilled, creative and flashy, deceptive handles.

Bonus from Yannetti on KOTP — “Hermansson’s very good, but Hermansson does it a little bit more individually. A little bit more one-on-one engagement, a little bit more down in the paint sometimes… He’s probably a little bit more competitive shift to shift.”

Our full write-up on Hermansson can be found here.

Nikita Klepov | Right Wing

Saginaw (OHL)
6-foot, 180 lbs., shoots left

Buzzwords from scouts: Advanced processing, finisher, high motor, hockey sense, physical skills, defensive ability, elite hands, backchecks hard

More from Button on KOTP — “When I think about Nikita, I ask myself — have I rated him high enough? I mean, he was the leading scorer in the Ontario Hockey League as a 17-year-old…Slick, smooth, smart.”

Our full write-up on Klepov can be found here.

Marcus Nordmark | Left Wing

Djurgardens IF (SWE-JR)
6-foot-2, 180 lbs., shoots left.

Buzzwords from scouts: Gifted finisher, big winger, skilled, creative passes, solid vision, deceptive, really interesting playmaker

More from Yannetti on KOTP — “There are some similarities to [Hermansson]. They’re both high-skilled, and they’re both very, very creative, sense-based players. Nordmark would be an even higher level of sense and creativity. Nordmark is one of the higher thinkers in the Draft.”

Our full write-up on Nordmark can be found here.

RD 1: Trade Down to 21(ish)

If the Kings trade down (back) from No. 17, they’ll be taking a calculated risk that a few of the players they’re interested in could potentially still be there at their new selection spot. Along with the names above, perhaps one (or more) of these players starts to enter the conversation, as well:

J.P. Hurlbert | Left Wing/Center

Kamloops (WHL)
6-foot, 183 lbs., shoots right

Buzzwords from scouts: It-factor, sniper, lethal, high-volume shooter, vision, smart puck-mover, high IQ, smart off-puck

More from Button on KOTP — “He’s a good hockey player. He knows how to score. He knows how to get open. He knows how to get in and around the net. And he’s a competitor too. And scoring is so hard to do at any level. And it’s even harder at the NHL level. But JP is one of those players.”

Our full write-up on Hurlbert can be found here.

Ryan Lin | Defense

Vancouver (WHL)
5-foot-11, 178 lbs., shoots right

Buzzwords from scouts: A unique blend of ferocity and advanced understanding of the game, the Draft’s most detailed defender, one of the draft’s smartest players available, a modern transitional defenseman, well-rounded, naturally skilled, possesses high-end decision making

Ilia Morozov | Center

Miami University (NCAA/Russia)
6-foot-3, 200 lbs., shoots left

Buzzwords from scouts: Defensive stalwart, chaos creator, a third defenseman, transition puck carrier, relentless on the forecheck, strong on the backcheck, reliable

More from Belisle on KOTP — “He’s a big, heavy guy that plays a real good two-way game. There’s some questions on offense, but there’s also really good upside on a two-way game. And when you meet the kid, he makes an impression on you. He’s a good kid.”

Our full write-up on Morozov can be found here.

Adam Novotny | Left Wing

Peterborough Petes (OHL/Czech)
6-foot-1, 205 lbs., shoots left

Buzzwords from scouts: Sniper, aggressive, physically imposing, high intelligence, terrific forechecker, net-front oriented, complementary power forward

Bonus commentary from Chris Byrne on KOTP — “Intriguing talent. Really good skater, powerful. Shoots it well — like a pro-level shot. He’s 6-foot-1, wide body. Doesn’t get pushed off the puck. Smart enough to make plays off the rush and move pucks with his teammates.”

Our full write-up on Novotny can be found here.

Oliver Suvanto | Center

Tappara (Liiga/Finland)
6-foot-3, 207 lbs., shoots left

Buzzwords from scouts: Two-way player, tactician, versatile, coach’s favorite, tenacious power-center, manipulative skill

Our full write-up on Suvanto can be found here.

RD 1: Trade Down to 28(ish)

Moving down this far will almost surely prove to be a challenge this year (read: is very unlikely), simply because there doesn’t appear to be as many potential trade partners available. If the Kings somehow end up with a pick near the bottom or Round 1, we’re going to assume the Draft fell in an unconventional way and they’ll be turning their attention to one of the following players:

Niklas Aaram-Olsen | Forward
Norway
6-foot-1, 189 lbs., shoots left
Our full write-up on him can be found here

Jack Hextall | Center
USHL
6-foot, 188 lbs., shoots right

Liam Ruck | Right Wing
OHL
6-foot, 177 lbs., shoots right
Our full write-up on him can be found here

Maksim Sokolovskii | Defense
OHL
6-foot-7, 240 lbs., shoots left

Xavier Villeneuve | Defense
QMJHL
5-foot-11, 164 lbs., shoots left
Our full write-up on him can be found here

ROUND 2: Names to Watch

What the Kings ultimately opt to do in Round 2 is largely going to depend on what they first do on Friday night. As noted above, picking up an additional asset could see them package two second rounders and move up, etc. For simplicity, we’re going to arrange our second-round list into two groups, ranked as the potential primary targets, followed by the next batch of players perhaps under consideration.

Group A

Jaxon Cover — LW, London (OHL)
Maddox Dagenais — LW/C, Québec (QMJHL)
Simas Ignatavicius — RW, Genève-Servette (Switzerland)
Liam Lefebvre – C, Cape Breton (QMJHL)
Ben MacBeath — LHD, Calgary (WHL)
Casey Mutryn — RW, USA U18 (NTDP)
Mathis Preston — RW, Vancouver (WHL)
Brooks Rogowski — C, Oshawa (OHL)
Egor Shilov — C, Victoriaville (QMJHL)

Our full write-ups on these players can be found here

Group B

Samu Alalauri — RHD, Pelicans Jr. (Liiga/Finland)
Adam Goljer — RHD, HK Dukla Trenčín (Slovakia)
William Hakansson — LHD, Luleå (Sweden)
Chase Harrington — LW, Spokane (WHL)
Jonas Lagerberg Hoen — RW, Leksand (SWE-J20)
Gleb Pugachyov — RW, Nizhny Novgorod (MHL/Russia)
Juho Piiparinen — RHD, Tappara (Liiga/Finland)
Nikita Shcherbakov — LHD, Toros Neftekamsk (VHL/Russia)
Jakub Vanecek — LHD, Tri-City (WHL)

Again, we have full write-ups on many of these players here

ROUNDS 3-7: Yes, No, Maybe So

Again, it’s nearly impossible to peg who the team might be interested in during the middle and later rounds — as well as who might still be on the board when it’s LA’s turn to pick in rounds three through seven. Even so, we’ll give it a shot. Below, we’ve pulled together a list of 10 players at each position to keep an eye on as Saturday moves along.

Forwards

Egor Barabanov — C, Saginaw (OHL)
Mikey Berchild — RW/LW, USNTDP
Alessandro Di Iorio — C, Sarnia (OHL)
Landon Hafele — C, Green Bay (USHL)
Oscar Holmertz — C, Linköping (SWE-J20)
Kayden Lemire — RW, Prince George (WHL)
Pierce Mbuyi — LW, Owen Sound (OHL)
Zac Olsen — RW, Saskatoon (WHL)
Thomas Vandenberg — C, Ottawa (OHL)
Blake Zielinski – Fwd, Des Moines (USHL)

Defensemen

Lucas Ambrosio — LHD, Erie (OHL)
Alexander Bilecki — LHD, Kitchener (OHL)
Cooper Cleaves – RHD, Dartmouth (NCAA)
Vladimir Dravecky — RHD, Brantford (OHL)
Tomas Galvas – LHD, Liberec (CZE)
Ethan MacKenzie — LHD, Edmonton (WHL)
Charlie Morrison — LHD, Québec (QMJHL)
Landon Nycz — LHD, UMass (NCAA)
Giorgos Pantelas — RHD, Brandon (WHL)
Luke Schairer — RHD, USNTDP

What About the Goalies?

We get this question every year during Draft season, without fail. Despite a fairly deep collection of young netminders — including a pair of future NHL starters in Hampton Slukynsky and Carter George — it wouldn’t be that surprising to see the Kings draft another one as early as Round 2. Perhaps one of these four guys:

Dmitri Borichev
Lokomotiv Vologda (RUS-JR)

Yuri Ivanov
Spartak (RUS-JR)

Yegor Rybkin
Nizhny Novgorod (RUS-JR)

Tobias Trejbal
Youngstown (USHL)

That’s a wrap for now. The entire Mayor’s Manor team will bring you coverage throughout Draft weekend, including comments from players and members of Kings management.

MORE LA KINGS NEWS:

Predictions: LA Kings Selections at the 2025 NHL Entry Draft

Predictions: LA Kings Selections at the 2024 NHL Entry Draft

Predictions: LA Kings Selections at the 2023 NHL Entry Draft

Kings Of The Podcast, Ep. 265 with Craig Button, NHL Draft Preview

Kings Of The Podcast, Ep. 231 – SCF, Reign Coach, and LA Draft Preview with Shane Malloy

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