The LA Kings made 11 selections at the 2026 NHL Draft at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, N.Y. After selecting forward **Elton Hermansson** in the first round (19th overall) on Day 1, the Kings made 10 picks on Day 2:
- Forward Liam Lefebvre (second round, 46th overall)
- Defenseman Adam Goljer (second round, 49th overall)
- Forward Blake Zielinski (third round, 80th overall)
- Goaltender Yegor Rybkin (third round, 89th overall)
- Forward Thomas Vandenberg (fourth round, 103rd overall)
- Defenseman Vertti Svensk (fifth round, 145th overall)
- Defenseman Giorgos Pantelas (fifth round, 153rd overall)
- Forward Alex Kostov (sixth round, 177th overall)
- Forward Tobias Krestan (seventh round, 209th overall)
- Defenseman Lucas Ambrosio (seventh round, 223rd overall)
Lefebvre, 19, split the 2025-26 season between the Rimouski Océanic and Chicoutimi Saguenéens of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). With Rimouski, Lefebvre skated in 34 games, recording 15 goals and 29 points (15-14=29) before picking up 17 goals and 30 points (17-13=30) in 25 games with Chicoutimi. The 6-3, 200-pound forward’s combined 32 goals were tied for the third-most among all QMJHL rookies while his 59 points (32-27=59) placed seventh. A native of Montreal, Quebec, Lefebvre posted 12 points (5-7=12) in 20 playoff contests to lead the Saguenéens to their third QMJHL Championship.
Goljer, 18, played in 43 games last season for HK Dukla Trenčín of Slovak Extraliga, Slovakia’s top professional hockey league. The 6-2, 195-pound blueliner posted 11 points (4-7=11) in 43 games, the most among all team defensemen, as part of his first full season with the club. He added two helpers in seven playoff games. Internationally, the Trenčín, Slovakia native represented his home country in three International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) tournaments, including the 2026 Men’s World Junior Championship and two Men’s Under-18 World Championships (2025, 2026). In this year’s Under-18 tournament, Goljer recorded five points (2-3=5) in seven tournament games, leading Slovakia to a silver medal and earning the tournament’s Best Defenseman and All-Star Team honors.
Zielinski, 18, finished his second season with the Des Moines Buccaneers of the United States Hockey League (USHL) with 55 points (25-30=55) and a +9 rating in 53 games played. His 25 goals and 55 points both ranked second among all Des Moines skaters. The 5-11, 190-pound forward added a pair of goals in three USHL playoff games. As a result of his efforts, Zielinski was the recipient of the USHL’s Gaudreau Award, an annual honor recognizing the USHL player who best embodies the legacy of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau. A native of Berlin, N.J., Zielinski made his USHL debut in 2024-25 where he recorded 32 points (13-19=32) in 41 games. He is committed to playing collegiate hockey at Providence College (H-East).
Rybkin, 18, appeared in 11 games last season for Chaika Nizhny Novgorod of the Junior Hockey League (MHL), Russia’s top junior ice hockey league. The 6-7, 210-pound netminder accumulated a 5-2-0 record with a 2.56 goals-against average (GAA) and .915 save percentage (SV%). The Yegoryevsk, Russia made his junior debut in the 2024-25 season, suiting up in eight games for Chaika Nizhny Novgorod, and played in three contests for Torpedo-Gorky NN of the All-Russian Hockey League (VHL).
Vandenberg, 17, spent this past season with the Ottawa 67’s of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) where he registered 25 goals and 50 points (25-25=50) in 59 games with a +22 rating, 11 power-play goals, two game-winning goals. His 11 power-play tallies were the second-most on the team while his 25 goals and 50 points ranked third and fifth, respectively, among all Ottawa skaters and OHL rookies. The 6-0, 180-pound forward added seven points (4-3=7) in nine OHL playoff games. Vandenberg spent the 2024-25 campaign with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (USHL), collecting 18 points (9-9=18) in 55 games. Internationally, the Nepean, Ontario, native represented his home country at the 2026 IIHF Men’s Under-18 World Championship.
Svensk, 18, played the 2025-26 season with SaiPa U20 of U20 SM-sarja, Finland’s premier junior hockey league, where he notched 28 assists and 31 points (3-28=31) in 33 games. Svensk also suited up for 18 games with SaiPa in Liiga, Finland’s top professional hockey league, picking up one helper. Svensk, a 6-1, 170-pound forward, played his first season in U20 SM-sarja in 2024-25 with seven points (2-5=7) in 23 games. Internationally, the Joensuu, Finland native represented his country at the 2025 IIHF Men’s Under-18 World Championship.
Pantelas, 18, recently completed his second full season with the Brandon Wheat Kings (OHL), finishing second in team defensemen scoring with 37 points (6-31=37) in 68 games and a plus-19 rating. He also skated in four WHL playoff games. In 130 career regular season WHL games, all with Brandon, the 6-2, 215-pound blueliner has totaled 47 points (10-37=47) with a cumulative +30 rating.
Kostov, 20, played in 47 games for the Flint Firebirds (OHL) as part of his fourth career OHL season, setting career-marks in goals (24), assists (31), points (55), power-play goals (8), and game-winning goals (3). His nine tallies on the man-advantage were the second-most among all Flint skaters while his 24 goals and 55 points placed fourth and fifth, respectively. The Mississauga, Ontario native has played in 233 career OHL games split between the Firebirds (2024-26) and Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (2022-24).
Krestan, 18, appeared in 21 games with HV71 U20 of U20 Nationell, Sweden’s top junior hockey league, recording eight goals and 18 points (8-10=18) along with four points (1-3=4) in six playoff contests. The 6-2, 195-pound forward also put up 11 points (8-3=11) in six games with HV71 U18 of U18 Nationell. The Hanau, Germany native represented Germany at the 2026 IIHF Men’s Under-18 World Championship with four points (3-1=4) in five tournament games.
Ambrosio, 18, registered 20 points (1-91=20) in 64 games for the Erie Otters (OHL) last season, the second-most points among Erie blueliners. The 6-4, 195-pound forward made his OHL debut with Erie in 2024-25 and has since collected 33 points (5-28=33) in 116 career games. A native of Oakville, Ontario, Ambrosio represented Canada at the 2026 IIHF Men’s Under-18 World Championship with two helpers in five games.
