Kings select Adam Goljer No. 49 overall at the 2026 NHL Draft

The Los Angeles Kings have selected defenseman Adam Goljer with the No. 49 overall selection of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.

Hextall was projected to be selected around 44th or 45th overall on average across all of the main draft rankings, going as high as 28th and as low as 95th. He was also ranked 14th among European skaters by NHL Central Scouting. Daily Faceoff prospect analyst Steven Ellis projected him to go above consensus at 34th overall.

Ellis had this to say about Goljer in his most recent draft rankings:

“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 proficiency as a passer, 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.“

Goljer spent the entirety of his season with his hometown team, HK Dukla Trencin, in the Slovak Extraliga. In 43 regular season games with the team, he had four goals and seven assists for 11 points, and then had two assists in seven games during Dukla Trencin’s relegation series, with the team being saved from relegation. Goljer then joined Dukla Trencin’s U20 team for the playoffs, where he had five goals and four assists for nine points in six games.

Goljer also represented Slovakia twice on the international stage last season. In the winter, he was on the team for the World Junior Championship, where he was held pointless in five games as Slovakia lost to Canada in the quarterfinals. Then in the spring, he participated in the U18 World Championship, where he had two goals and three assists for five points in seven games, as he captained the team to the gold medal game before losing to Sweden.