The Los Angeles Kings selected Swedish right winger Elton Hermansson with the 19th overall pick in the first round of the NHL draft Friday night in Buffalo, New York. The team secured Hermansson after trading down two spots from the No. 17 selection, sending that pick to the Utah Mammoth in exchange for the 19th and 83rd overall picks.
Hermansson, 18, spent most of last season with Modo, one of Sweden’s top professional hockey clubs, where he tallied 11 goals and 21 points in 38 games. He was honored as the best forward at the under-18 world championship, tying for the tournament lead with 12 points over seven games and helping Sweden capture the gold medal. Standing 6 feet tall and weighing 182 pounds, Hermansson has drawn comparisons to Toronto’s William Nylander for his offensive skill set and scoring ability.
Kings general manager Ken Holland expressed confidence in Hermansson’s potential, stating, “We think in a few years here, he’ll be scoring goals in L.A.” Over the weekend, Holland also added forward Liam Lefebvre, selected 46th overall from Chicoutimi of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, and Slovakian defenseman Adam Goljer at No. 49. Holland identified building strength down the middle as a key offseason focus following the retirement of longtime Kings center Anze Kopitar.
In other draft developments, the Anaheim Ducks traded center Mason McTavish to the St. Louis Blues for the No. 15 and No. 29 picks. With their new 15th selection, the Ducks chose American right wing Nikita Klepov, the Ontario Hockey League’s leading scorer last season with 37 goals and 97 points for Saginaw. Klepov, committed to Michigan State, is regarded as an elite playmaker with strong vision. Anaheim then traded the 29th pick and a fourth-round selection to Vegas to select Swedish left winger Marcus Nordmark at No. 28.
Several notable trades punctuated the draft. The Blues acquired defenseman Brandon Carlo from Toronto in exchange for the Nos. 73 and 76 picks. The New York Rangers obtained Pavel Dorofeyev from Vegas, sending Nos. 26 and 92 picks plus a conditional first-rounder in 2028. Additionally, Utah traded winger JJ Peterka to Boston for the No. 23 pick and a top-10 protected first-round pick in 2028 from Florida.
Among other selections, Pittsburgh picked Marcus Ruck at No. 39, joining his twin brother Liam, who was drafted 22nd overall by the Penguins the previous day. The Calgary Flames selected WHL Vancouver forward Joe Iginla, youngest son of Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla, early in the third round. Buffalo added Doman Szongoth with the 156th pick, marking the fourth Hungarian drafted in NHL history and the first since 2002.