2026-27 NHL Prospect Pool Breakdown: Los Angeles Kings’ Top 10

Jul 23, 2026, 10:30 EDT

2026-27 NHL Prospect Pool Breakdown: Los Angeles Kings’ Top 10

Credit: Steven Ellis

Welcome back.

It’s time for Daily Faceoff’s third annual NHL Prospect Pool Breakdown, looking at the best all 32 teams have to offer. We’re highlighting the top 10 prospects for every franchise, their biggest strengths and weaknesses, and so much more.

Here are the criteria for being labeled a prospect: players generally have to have played in 50 or fewer NHL games or spent more time outside of the NHL than in it last year. Players over 23 years old are not included. Goaltenders are a bit more subjective, but they must be 25 or under and have played fewer than 20 games in the past season or fewer than 30 games over their career.

Today, we’re breaking down the Los Angeles Kings.

It’s been a while since the Kings were legit contenders.

They’ve won nine total playoff games over the past decade, and haven’t advanced past the first round since winning the Stanley Cup in 2014. So you’d think their pipeline would be a bit better than it is. But after trading Liam Greentree – the team’s previous No. 1 – in the Artemi Panarin trade, the team still leaves a lot to desire in the farm system.

I liked Los Angeles’ 2026 draft. Elton Hermansson was my 20th-rated prospect, but he went 19th overall. I know Liam Lefebvre was drafted with the team’s first pick on Day 2, but I liked a few of the guys they snagged later more. Still, the fact they took guys like Adam Gajan and Gio Pantelas much lower than I would have suggests (in my opinion) they got some excellent value this year. We’ll see how many of them pan out, but you’ll see below that this draft class has really boosted the team’s pipeline in a big way.

GM Ken Holland still has a lot of work to do to make this group competitive again. I think the farm system is definitely stronger than it was a year ago, but the NHL team isn’t close to being truly dangerous again. We’ll see what type of magic Holland can cook up.

Biggest Strength

The Kings might have some of the best goaltending depth in the league. Often, when you see a goalie near the top of a pipeline, that means they lack true depth. And while that could still be the case for LA, I really believe in both Hampton Slukynsky and Carter George. I think the pair should create an immediate high-end duo for the Ontario Reign, and it won’t be long until they’re pushing for NHL starts. At the very least, one of them could end up becoming valuable trade fodder. I also like Petteri Rimpinen, who had his fair share of massive international performances with Finland over the past two years. I feel confident at least two of the three will become NHLers. We’ll see about Yegor Rybkin.

Biggest Weakness

There isn’t a single center on this list, and I’m not overly confident about any of them. Lefebvre was the closest to making this list, and I gave Thomas Vandeberg some consideration, too. Right now, I don’t feel entirely high about any of the centers in this system, and I especially don’t expect any of them to reach the NHL in any meaningful way any time soon.

Fast Facts:

NHL GM: Ken Holland
Dir. Amateur Scouting: Mark Yannetti
Dir. of Player Development: Glen Murray
AHL Affiliate: Ontario Reign
ECHL Affiliate: Greenville Swamp Rabbits

TOP 10 PROSPECTS

*Henry Brzustewicz (Ian Goodall/Goodall Media)*

1. Henry Brzustewicz, RHD, 19 (London Knights, OHL)

Acquired: Drafted 31st overall, first round in 2025

Brzustewicz had a strong two-year stretch with the London Knights, which was highlighted by the Memorial Cup in 2025. He just missed the 20-goal mark this past year, but he continued to look more proficient with the disk. Brzustewicz is a reliable two-way defender who can shoot the puck, skate well, and is willing to join in on the rush any time he can. The more he played, the better he played, too. I could see him becoming a second-pairing defenseman, but I’d like to see him take further steps in his own-zone play. Look for Brzustewicz to be one of the best defenders in the OHL this coming season, while also chasing a top-four role with USA’s World Junior team.

2. Hampton Slukynsky, G, 21 (Ontario Reign, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 118th overall, fourth round in 2023

Slukynsky became a national college champion in 2025 after going 19-5-1 with Western Michigan. He had another wonderful campaign in 2025-26, albeit without a national title. He then capped off the season with two impressive performances for the Reign, proving he’s ready for pro hockey. It already feels like he isn’t too far off NHL action. He’s mentally strong and physically impressive, giving opponents little to shoot at. He can be downright dominant at times, and he does a tremendous job of staying calm, cool, and collected whenever he needs to be. Slukynsky isn’t big at 6-foot-1, but he makes up for it with his speed and control in the crease. The Kings will want him to try and win the starter’s job (or at least outplay George) in Ontario before potentially giving him a promotion in 2027-28.

3. Carter George, G, 20 (Ontario Reign, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 57th overall, second round in 2024

*Carter George (Steven Ellis/The Nation Network)*

George was one of the OHL’s top goaltenders for a three-year span – something very few can say. He also backstopped Canada at the past two World Juniors, helping Canada win bronze this past January. At 6-foot-2, George isn’t huge by any means, but he isn’t small, either. He’s as good as they come from a positional standpoint, rarely needing to dive out to make huge saves. Instead, he keeps things simple, often redirecting the shots out of danger. His OHL stats might not look impressive. But anyone who has watched him up close knows how important he is to the Attack every chance he gets. George has always been applauded for his mental strength. For a guy who has been so busy, workload-wise, George always manages to stay strong and power through everything thrown his way. I’m excited to watch him in the AHL.

4. Elton Hermansson, RW, 18 (Modo, Allsvenskan)

Acquired: Drafted 19th overall, first round in 2026

Hermansson loves generating offense. He put up solid numbers in the second-tier Swedish league last year and scored at a goal-per-game pace with the U-18 national team. From an offensive standpoint, there’s a lot to love, especially on the power play. His game away from the puck has improved over the past few months. However, it still feels like he isn’t as impactful as he needs to be when he’s not piling shots on net. I want to see more urgency when attacking opponents to regain possession. The good news: he’s best at the hardest thing to do in hockey, which is scoring goals. I liked this as LA’s first pick and hope he really pans out.

5. Vojtech Čihař, LW, 19 (Kelowna Rockets, WHL)

Acquired: Drafted 59th overall, second round in 2025

Čihař took home World Junior MVP honors after finishing with 12 points in seven games – good enough to win silver with Czechia. Čihař then bolted over to North America, where he had a point-per-game through 31 contests with the Memorial Cup hosts, Kelowna. The team fell asleep when it mattered most, but Čihař was one of the few Rockets players who really came alive during the club’s short-lived WHL playoff run. He seems to often find teammates on high-danger chances. Čihař is quick, crafty and took very little time to adjust to playing against men in the top Czech league this year. I like how hard he works along the boards, though I wish he committed to that level of defense. Still, I could see him becoming a good third forward on a middle-six line.

6. Kenny Connors, LW, 23 (Ontario Reign, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 103rd overall, fourth round in 2022

*Kenny Connors (Kirby Lee-Imagn Images)*

Connors was a re-entry prospect when the club took him in 2022. Since then, we have seen him turn pro and post excellent numbers in Ontario, tallying 15 goals and 41 points in 65 games. That was enough to earn him a two-game run with the big club while also establishing himself as a decent depth scoring threat. Connors is a smart forward who tends to get in the right scoring lanes at the right time. He’s extremely competitive, and feels like the type of guy you’d throw into the lineup in a tight playoff game to bring some life to the bottom six. At 23, Connors is definitely one of the older guys in Los Angeles’ system, but it feels like he has done enough to warrant a look in the NHL on a full-time basis sooner rather than later.

7. Adam Goljer, RHD, 18 (HK Dukla Trencin, Slovakia)

Acquired: Drafted 49th overall, second round in 2026

Goljer is raw, but that’s fine because there’s some solid upside. At 6-foot-3, he has size. He also plays with a ton of confidence, allowing him to consistently attack and defend strongly against older competition in the top Slovak league. Playing close to 20 minutes a night against men is no small feat for a 17-year-old, no matter the league. I like his gap control, his passing proficiency, and the pure power he plays with. I think he can get a bit antsy and make mistakes with his defensive reads under pressure, and his foot speed needs work. Both were exposed at the U-18s, but he’d often make up for it by dominating at both ends of the ice when he was at full force. But there’s raw talent there.

8. Blake Zielinski, RW, 18 (Providence College, NCAA)

Acquired: Drafted 80th overall, third round in 2026

Zielinski put up 55 points in 53 games with Des Moines – fantastic numbers for a draft-eligible player in a league that can sometimes be difficult to produce in. I also loved him at both the Hlinka Gretzky Cup and World Junior A Challenge with USA, where he won gold at both. It feels like his two-way game took big steps forward, as well. Zielinski isn’t tall, but he’s physically strong and can be annoying to play against. I think he needs to focus on becoming a better skater, but there’s a lot to like about his game as a potential depth scorer. I think he could be a steal at No. 80 for the Kings.

9. Gio Pantelas, RHD, 18 (Penticton Vees, WHL)

Acquired: Drafted 153rd overall, fifth round in 2026

*Giorgos Pantelas (Steven Ellis/The Nation Network)*

Pantelas was one of the WHL’s most electric defenders earlier in the season but ultimately quieted down with just two assists in his final 15 games between the regular season and the playoffs. At one point, a 50-point pace looked possible, but he only finished with 37. Still, there’s enough to like as a second-round pick. I like how Pantelas never stops moving, has incredible confidence with the puck and sacrifices his body for a play. Pantelas is the type of player who won’t let you down defensively and will continue to improve offensively. It feels like he was one of the more improved defenders in the WHL last year, and he’ll get to play a leading role on a competitive Vees team this coming season. He’s a project, by all accounts, but one that could pay off for the Vees.

10. Jared Woolley, LHD, 20 (Ontario Reign, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 164th overall, sixth round in 2024

Woolley has done a lot of winning over the past two years. He won consecutive OHL titles with the London Knights before winning his first Memorial Cup in 2025. He was traded to Kitchener midway through the past season, and managed to play some of his best hockey to date. The 6-foot-5, 216-pound physical defenseman once again won the OHL Championship and the Memorial Cup to cap off his junior career in style. You typically don’t find defensemen taken as an overager with his type of size rocking up prospect boards as he has. But Wooley has been so impressive at breaking up plays and using his big frame to win battles. Scouts also like guys who’ve played a lot of meaningful hockey, so that doesn’t hurt.

Other Prospects: Jimmy Lombardi, C (19), Jared Wright, RW (23), Koehn Ziemmer, RW (21), Kaleb Lawrence, C (23), Francesco Pinelli, C (23), Aatu Jamsen, RW (23), Martin Chromiak, RW (23), Liam Lefebvre, C (19), Thomas Vandenberg, C (17), Alex Kostov, RW (20), Tobias Krestan, RW (18), Kristian Epperson, LW (20), Jan Chovan, C (19), Brendan McMorrow, C (20), James Reeder, RW (20), Ryan Conmy, RW (21), Jack Sparkes, RHD (22), Will Sharpe, LHD (19), Caeden Herrington, LHD (20), Lucas Ambrosio, LHD (18), Vertti Svensk, LHD (18), Kirill Kirsanov, LHD (23), Otto Salin, RHD (22), Jakub Dvorak, LHD (21), Angus Booth, LHD (22), Yegor Rybkin, G (19), Petteri Rimpinen, G (20)

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