If there’s one thing that continues to serve as a true wild card in the NHL Entry Draft, it has to be the uncertainty that comes with selecting Russian prospects. For many, there are few opportunities to communicate with them or even watch them play live. However, an agent for dozens of Russian players has implemented change to bridge that gap.

With renewed confidence in the possibility of getting Russian players to come to North America and play in North America, we took a look at an intriguing forward in a previous article. Now, it’s time to venture out to the blueline.

Nikita Shcherbakov

Vitals

Date of Birth: October 23, 2007
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 187 lbs
Shoots: Left
Position: Defense

2025-26 Season

Shcherbakov spent most of the 2025-26 season playing for the Toros Neftekamsk in Russia’s minor league equivalent, the VHL. Over the course of 35 games, he had 10 points (4 G, 6 A).

Not So Young Sheldon

While the two-way defender spent most of his time playing minor professional hockey, he did moonlight in the KHL for a few games with Salavat Yulaev Ufa. The team’s leading scorer was former Kings and Reign player, Sheldon Rempal. While Rempal was 22 years old when he made his professional debut in LA, he’s now a grizzled vet at the age of 30, and he can share his experience in So Cal with the young defenseman.

Everything’s Coming Up Milstein

As alluded to in our introduction, Dan Milstein is an influential agent for Russian hockey players. His Florida pseudo-combine will provide Shcherbakov and others an opportunity to showcase their talents for NHL scouts. The event has changed the fortune of several prospects in similar positions over the past few years.

Hats Off

Playing professional hockey is a challenge for any young player. However, despite being a defenseman, Shcherbakov managed the uncommon feat of recording a hat trick at the VHL level.

Rankings by Independent Scouting Services

No. 27 by Elite Prospects. “First and foremost, Shcherbakov is a tools-based projection, having the ideal defensive range thanks to his skating ability and frame.

Through his above-average four-way mobility and projectable quickness out of his pivots, Shcherbakov can comfortably match attackers against the rush, deny them access to the middle, and suffocate them along the boards. He covers ground in an instant and has the kind of nimbleness to recover from an initial disadvantage.

For the past two years, we’ve also been drawn in by Shcherbakov’s ability to manage the puck. Unlike some of the other hulking defencemen who have plus-level mobility, he shows projectable handling touch under pressure and can execute breakout plays with a moderately high success rate. While he prefers to defer when possible, he can leverage his feet to carry pucks in transition, too, and make the occasional clever stretch feed for an odd-man rush.

While Shcherbakov doesn’t project as a clear power play type to the NHL level, he had occasional dynamic flashes across our viewings this season, usually through moving downhill before finding a lane to the inside. Projection-wise, he can be trusted to get pucks through traffic and has a solid eye for finding deflection opportunities.”

No. 80 by McKeen’s, “Let’s start with the given for a lot of these massive defensemen, Shcherbakov isn’t some shrinking violet. He’s big, is a bit of an asshole in the best kind of way, is physically strong and will just hold guys along the boards and just halt the flow of play while his teammates dig in to get the puck out.

On breakouts, Shcherbakov is mostly very vanilla. There are some nice quick passes up ice, but a lot of it is just him trying to shove it up the near side boards to his winger who’s facing tons of backside pressure. He ends up handcuffing them far too frequently and the play gets stuck in the zone. There are some times (very rarely) where Shcherbakov tries to get a bit cute with it and use some turns to buy space behind the goal line to look for a better pass but it’s definitely a work in progress and not a tool he feels comfortable with too many forecheckers in the vicinity.

The mobility is good though, he’s handled VHL minutes very well, and he’s got some decent turns in tight. While he only really showcased it in the one game I watched and the other two were very uninspiring, that 3/14/2026 game was really FUN. There was some real confidence that game from Shcherbakov to handle the puck in the offensive zone. twisting and turning to create space. He’s still learning to convert those delays and on-puck moments into real goal
scoring chances for his team, one play he forced a d-to-d pass when he ran out of ice and it got deflected, but he also had a nice one where he drew two guys to him, got it down low and his team almost scored.”

No. 14 by Hockey Prospect, “Shcherbakov is a multi-faceted defenseman who can impact the game at both ends of the ice. Right now, he defends with intelligence and his stick. His active stick is a real weapon — he knocks pucks down, breaks up passing plays, and seals off lanes consistently. He could play with more physicality, and there are glimpses of it: reverse hits, some jam, moments where he plays with an edge. But those are still just flashes. He’s not soft, just physically immature — tall and lanky, not yet grown into his frame. We expect that to come. He won’t ever be a punishing physical presence in the mold of Lian Bichsel, but the trajectory feels similar to Dmitri Simashev in his draft year.

Speaking of Simashev, the comparison is easy to make: two toolsy defensemen playing in the MHL in their draft years. Simashev is the superior athlete and skater, but Shcherbakov is still well above average in both areas. Where Shcherbakov pulls ahead is in playmaking ability — his passing is significantly better, and he’s more capable of creating in the offensive zone. He can make quick, decisive transition plays with the puck, something Simashev couldn’t really do; Simashev’s transition game was built almost entirely around his elite skating. Shcherbakov also has a stronger shot from the point, which should generate more consistent scoring chances at the next level.”

See For Yourself

Video of Shcherbakov in the MHL vs. Avto:

Final Comments

The Russian blueliner has plenty of favorable traits that could make him an appealing pick. He has size, mobility, offensive ability and defensive acumen. In short, one could say he’s the complete package. This doesn’t mean he’s guaranteed to be a star, though.

Moreso, his toolkit is wide enough that if at least part of it pans out, a team should be able to play him in some capacity.

Where we think the Kings might have interest is due to his availability in the Draft. Most pundits project there to be a group of defensemen expected to go in the top-15. Shcherbakov has typically been in the subsequent tier of blueliners, players who could go anywhere from the late first to early third round.

Prospect growth isn’t linear, yet many scouting services are confident he’s going to contribute enough offensively to supplement his defensive responsibility. Depending how the future plays out, Shcherbakov’s current offensive tools could possibly taper off; morphing the defender into more of a stay-at-home role. That wouldn’t be a bad thing either, especially if he ends up being selected outside the first round.

To see more profiles from this year’s Draft Preview series, be sure to check out the links down below.

Chat with David: You can find him on Twitter @Davidenkness to talk more hockey.

Follow @mayorsmanor

MORE LA KINGS NEWS:

2026 NHL Draft Preview: Forward J.P. Hurlbert, USA

2026 NHL Draft Preview: Forward Brooks Rogowski, USA

2026 NHL Draft Preview: Defenseman Xavier Villeneuve, Canada

Note to webmasters/reporters: When recapping news or interviews from this site please remember to include a link to www.MayorsManor.com

There may not be another prospect in this year’s NHL Draft who divides scouts quite like J.P. Hurlbert. The Texas-born winger left the U.S. development program for the Western Hockey League right before the 2025-26 season began. It was a gamble that could have gone sideways, but it paid off, as he finished fourth in the WHL in scoring as a rookie. The numbers say top-five pick. The skating, some scouts will tell you, says second round. That’s the debate, and it’s a fascinating one.

J.P. Hurlbert

Vitals

Date of Birth: April 11, 2008
Height: 6-foot
Weight: 183 lbs
Shoots: Right
Position: Left Wing

2025-26 Season

Hurlbert spent the year with the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers after leaving the USNTDP, and the move paid off immediately — he scored a hat trick in his debut and never really slowed down. He finished with 97 points (42 G, 55 A) in 68 games, good for fourth in the WHL scoring race. He also led all rookies in both goals and points, and was named WHL Rookie of the Year.

Walker, Kamloops Blazer

Hurlbert is a long way from where he started. He grew up in Allen, Texas, and came up through the Dallas Stars Elite AAA program before the development path took him north. The decision to leave the U.S. program for the WHL was the kind of bet that defines a draft year — and it worked, vaulting him from a known offensive talent into one of the most prolific rookies the league has seen. Interestingly enough, he also had the exact same point total as the potential first-overall pick Gavin McKenna did in his first full WHL season. Moving to hockey-mad British Columbia from Texas was a long way to go to prove himself, but it worked.

The Polarizing Express

Here’s where the divide in opinion occurs. Hurlbert’s offensive brain is elite. He reads and manipulates the game faster than the players trying to stop him, and finishes with a shot he can disguise and get off quickly even in traffic. What he doesn’t have is a true extra gear. His skating is functional but not explosive, and he tends to play the game at a deliberate pace — slowing things down to make the game move at his speed. To some scouts that’s a manageable flaw on a player this skilled; to others it’s the reason to wait. The truth is probably that both camps are right, and whoever drafts him will be betting on the reward outweighing the risk.

Rankings by Independent Scouting Services

No. 21 by Daily Faceoff: “No CHL rookie was as lethal as Hurlbert, who recorded 42 goals and 97 points with Kamloops. He’s an exceptionally skilled forward who, at one point, was so far ahead in the WHL scoring race that nobody was in the same area code. The University of Michigan commit has a great one-touch shot that he routinely unleashes on the power play. He’s also an exceptionally smart puck-mover who has very little difficulty getting it where it needs to be against players his own age. My two pre-season concerns – his play away from the puck and his lack of high-end speed – remain issues. But overall, he’s a safe bet for the first round.”

No. 24 by McKeen’s: “As weird as it may sound, there is a certain “it factor” that many of hockey’s best snipers share but is difficult to describe or quantify, and Hurlbert sure seems like he’s part of that club. He has almost like a sixth sense for finding the puck on his stick in dangerous shooting areas and knowing where and how to place his shots against enemy goalies. What makes him even more lethal, though, is his fixation for doing so. Every single hockey player on Earth loves the feeling of scoring a goal, but with Hurlbert you can tell that his desire is that much higher and that he’s almost chasing the sensation. He is, unsurprisingly, a high-volume shooter, while also being bold when it comes to challenging defenders one-on-one and hustling hard to get the separation space that he needs to get his shots off clean.”

No. 58 by Ryan Ma: “Hurlbert feels like a player with a niche skillset and not a ton of margin for error to make the pros. His game is built around off-puck offensive instincts, some shooting ability and a bit of physical edge. The skating limitations, the pace and off-puck habit concerns scare me, and I don’t think there’s a ton of upside as a true driver of offense. Still, the combination of smart off-puck movement, flashes of skill manipulation on entries and some projectable scoring habits will be enough for me to keep him in my Top 64.”

See For Yourself

Final Comments

The most useful comp for Kings fans to understand Hurlbert comes from NHL Network Radio’s Shane Malloy, who likens him to Tyler Toffoli and believes they both “skate the game” the same way. The bull case is that his game is knowing where to be and putting the puck in the back of the net when he gets there, and that the speed, or lack thereof, won’t matter. The bear case is just as simple: if the skating never catches up, the offense may not translate cleanly to a league that increasingly tends toward speed.

A shoot-first scorer with this kind of hockey sense is a high-upside swing. The question every team looking at him is likely asking is, how much do you trust the brain to outrun the feet? And it’s one that can only be answered when he makes his NHL debut.

To see more profiles from this year’s Draft Preview series, be sure to check out the links down below.

Follow @mayorsmanor

Lead photo by Brian Johnson via Kamloops Blazers

MORE LA KINGS NEWS:

2026 NHL Draft Preview: Forward Brooks Rogowski, USA

2026 NHL Draft Preview: Forward Jaxon Cover, USA

2026 NHL Draft Preview: Forward Alexander Command, Sweden

Note to webmasters/reporters: When recapping news or interviews from this site please remember to include a link to www.MayorsManor.com

Brooks Rogowski

Vitals

Date of Birth: June 24, 2008
Height: 6-foot-7
Weight: 236 lbs
Shoots: Right
Position: Forward

2025-26 Season

Rogowski spent most of the 2025-26 season with the OHL’s Oshawa Generals. In 46 games, he had 42 points (15 G, 27 A).

An Unusual Alternative

For exceptionally tall athletes, common sports they like to pursue are those which give significant advantages, such as basketball and volleyball.

Not with the native of Brighton, Michigan.

The surname Rogowski may be familiar with baseball draftniks. Brooks’ father, Casey, was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in 1999. In 2003, the Washington Nationals picked uncle Scott Rogowski.

Consequently, the younger Brooks was about to pursue a baseball scholarship. It wasn’t until some major junior teams and scouts, like ones from the Oshawa Generals, saw him play high school hockey in Michigan.

He’s Still Going

The massive forward may have abandoned his baseball scholarship, but he’s still going to college close to home to play ice hockey. For the 2027-28 season, Rogowski is committed to Michigan State — with plans first calling for him to stick around in the OHL next season.

But… Athletic Origins

While being gifted at 6-foot-7 and having family bloodlines of athletes, surely he kills it in physical testing, right?

Well, no.

While most lists include just the top-10 performers at the NHL Scouting Combine, Rogowski’s OHL membership exposes a slightly wider range of top-25 results for each test:
Pro Agility Left: 4.4 sec (t-18th)
Pro Agility Right: 4.5 sec (t-15th)
Wingspan: 79 in (5th)
Right Hand Grip: 162 lbs (t-17th)

Of 15 different tests, only showing up in the top 10 once (for arm span) could draw a lot of attention.

Rankings by Independent Scouting Services

No. 52 by Ryan Ma. “Rogowski is a projectable, size-and-mobility-based centre whose value comes from decent skating, responsible defensive positioning, and above-average passing instincts for a bigger forward, giving him appeal as a complementary, two-way support player. However, his limited puck skill, inconsistent physical engagement, underwhelming puck protection, and slightly slow execution of his ideas limit his offensive upside, leaving him best projected as a complementary center rather than a true driver of offense.

Rogowski is a player I found myself going back and forth on quite a bit this year because there are elements of his game that I think are genuinely projectable at higher levels, particularly the skating, passing instincts and defensive habits for a bigger center, but there are also some pretty clear limitations offensively that leave me questioning how much upside there really is here. All in all though, I still came away liking enough of the translatable traits to keep him around the 50s range on my board.”

No. 39 by McKeen’s, “The monster center from Michigan is a heady player. He’s already a very solid defensive player who always seems to be in the right place in the defensive end and neutral zone, consistently breaking up plays and forcing turnovers with his huge reach. He’s also patient and poised with the puck, understanding that his size advantage affords him more time as he can put defenders on his back, inviting pressure to help create space for his linemates. As [he] further improves his conditioning, he has a chance to be a near immovable object from the net front and from behind the net. These facts give him a relatively safe floor as a bottom six option and penalty killer. The next Brian Boyle?

But there are question marks. Rogowski’s skating, while not as poor as you’d expect it to be, does need work. He needs to get quicker. For such a large player, you wish he were more consistent and dominant physically. He’s not soft, far from it, however, he could be even more effective at both ends if he became a little more ferocious. Additionally, Rogowski’s puck skill leaves some to be desired. Plays can die on his stick and he can get boxed in. Do these concerns point to a player with limited upside?

The flip side of this argument is that Rogowski is still very much an unpolished product. He’s a former high-end baseball player who only recently started focusing on hockey full time. Big guys take longer to develop too; there’s always a coordination lag. After a few years in the OHL and a few more in the NCAA, Rogowski could end up being a really interesting and unique prospect.”

No. 26 by Hockey Prospect, “He handles the puck well for a huge player, and that gives him a lot of range when it comes to controlling play through the neutral zone, which we feel will go up significantly in the coming years. Due to his athletic base, he’s able to stay in front of opposing players, using his centerline manipulation to get in-front of passing lanes quickly and even block shots. He can also balance himself while maintaining a low center of gravity, which when factoring in his range, gives him a lot of defensive value much in the same way we thought it would for Samuel Helenius in his draft season. Unlike Helenius though, Rogowski comes equipped with more offensive weapons at his disposal. Namely his playmaking ability. He can make advanced set-ups due to his sense of timing and vision. He can detect optimal options while peeling and spinning off of pressure, he can generate advanced give and go sequences, and he can draw in opposing players to give his linemates space, helping enhance his passing overall. He’s a net-front option with impressive hand eye coordination, but towards the end of the season he started displaying improved shooting mechanics and he can even drop through his wheelhouse similarly to Michael Cammalleri, which isn’t common for a player his size. His compete level improved over the season, and we think if given time, he can learn to use his frame and physical base more effectively than he currently does.”

See For Yourself

Video of Rogowski vs. the OHL’s Ottawa 67’s:

Final Comments

Poring over scouting reports for the massive forward often had a familiar ring. McKeen’s Hockey remarked on his size and defensive prowess and suggested he has the floor of Boyle (a first round selection by LA in 2003 that preceded 900+ games in the NHL). Ryan Ma, despite ranking Rogowski No. 52 in his Draft Guide, cited a deployment comparable to Liam Greentree’s 2023-24 season. Hockey Prospect also made reference to former LA selections, drawing connections to Helenius and Cammalleri. Thus, it all read like a Kings fan voyage into the past and present.

Nostalgia alone isn’t a foundation for decision-making though.

Rogowski’s profile features a lot of traits and commonalities that seem appealing to LA. Size? Check. Defensive responsibility? Check. While his potential is debated, it was interesting to see he produced at nearly a point-per-game pace while not being as physically developed as one would expect from such a massive athlete. His speed being a consensus trait, along with his size and playmaking preference, may have some wanting to compare him to Quinton Byfield.

With a commitment to college hockey still another full season away, this suggests his selection by an NHL team could be more of a long-term pick. Considering Los Angeles is trying to win now, stars may align where Rogowski’s readiness will match if the Kings try to form a new core down the road.

Piecing all these factors together just might be enough for LA to have some potential interest, perhaps in the second round — where they currently hold picks No. 46 and 49.

To see more profiles from this year’s Draft Preview series, be sure to check out the links down below.

Chat with David: You can find him on Twitter @Davidenkness to talk more hockey.

Follow @mayorsmanor

MORE LA KINGS NEWS:

2026 NHL Draft Preview: Defenseman Xavier Villeneuve, Canada

2026 NHL Draft Preview: Forward Oliver Suvanto, Finland

2026 NHL Draft Preview: Forward Niklas Aaram-Olsen, Norway

Note to webmasters/reporters: When recapping news or interviews from this site please remember to include a link to www.MayorsManor.com

Near the end of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft’s second round, at pick No. 62, a smaller defenseman named Lane Hutson was drafted by Montreal. Three years later, the Canadiens’ highly touted blueliner went on to win 2025 Rookie of the Year honors. Since his emergence, people look for indications of the next Hutson; while there’s only one of him, that probably won’t stop anyone from looking for the next superstar undersized rearguard.

Xavier Villeneuve

Vitals

Date of Birth: September 29, 2007
Height: 5-foot-11
Weight: 163 lbs
Shoots: Left
Position: Defense

2025-26 Season

Villeneuve spent the 2025-26 season with the QMJHL’s Blainville-Boisbriand Armada. In 37 games, he had 38 points (6 G, 32 A).

If Not Hutson, then…

While people want to find the next superstar, there’s another smaller defenseman in the ‘Q’ that Kings fans may be familiar with. In 2019, Los Angeles picked Jordan Spence in the fourth round. In an interesting coincidence, Spence won defensive rookie of the year honors in his first major junior season, and followed up by earning defenseman of the year right after that. In similar fashion, Villeneuve won the same sequence of awards in the same league.

It’s the N(CAA) Thing

Ever since NCAA hockey has allowed major junior players to participate in their league, there have been several high-profile prospects who made the big jump to college (such as projected top picks this year Gavin McKenna and Keaton Verhoeff). The native of Laval, Quebec, is no exception, as he’s committed to Boston University next year.

Walking on Aer

At the 2026 NHL Scouting Combine, Villeneuve showed strong aerobic numbers and lower-leg strength. Among the top 10 performers in each test, he showed up three times.
VO2 Max: 64.4 ml/kg/min (2nd)
Horizontal Standing Long Jump: 115.0 in (4th)
Force Plate Vertical Jump: 21.9 in (10th)

Rankings by Independent Scouting Services

No. 13 by Elite Prospects. “Few puck-dominant NHL defencemen operate by holding possession and using their skating to push the offence, and Villeneuve has a chance to join that group. While he lacks muscle mass, which affects his pure explosiveness, his high-end agility and elusiveness will only improve as he adds strength. He’s already capable of side-stepping approaching defenders with a timely feint and a change of direction, and also of escaping forecheckers to carry the puck the length of the ice.

His playmaking game only became more refined as he gained experience in the QMJHL. Making quicker passes, linking give and-gos, and finding teammates around the net, at his best, Villeneuve was one of the CHL’s best creators with Blainville Boisbriand. Villeneuve’s reputation as a single-minded, offensive driver is false, too. There’s a level of defensive skills and physicality in his game, despite the disadvantages of his stature. He engages opponents hard, working them on the walls, pushing back against them around the net, and most of all, defending the neutral zone with the full extent of his skating ability.”

No. 25 by McKeen’s, “One of the prerequisites of any smaller defender is elite skating ability and Villeneuve has that. The Armada defender is an effortless mover. His edgework and agility are among the best in this draft class. He can also build speed quickly, helping him push pace as a transitional leader.

One of the other necessities is high-end skill and creativity. Villeneuve possesses that too. His hands move perfectly in sync with his feet. He’s nearly impossible to pin down inside the offensive zone because of how unpredictable he can be working off the point, working off his edges, utilizing c-cuts, exploding linearly and laterally, all while maintaining possession. This makes him a terrific power play quarterback who consistently creates defensive breakdowns with his ability to make defenders miss, helping to shrink the box. Villeneuve also has the skill to make moves at full speed, helping him to escape pressure in the neutral zone, consistently gaining the offensive zone or creating odd man opportunities. He’s a high impact offensive player.”

No. 42 by Hockey Prospect, “The skating is simply elite. Top speed, acceleration, fluidity, explosiveness, the ability to change direction to escape pressure and make defenders miss. You always want your smaller defenseman to be a high end skater and Villeneuve is one. His feet are always moving and he plays with tremendous energy. The problem is that energy sometimes gets the better of him. He needs to take a page out of Tommy Blyth’s book and let the game come to him rather than chasing it down like a tornado. When his motor runs too hot, turnovers follow — and NHL organizations have little patience for that from a smaller defenseman, even one with his skill level, because those mistakes can cost games.

His power play projection is legit. He’s creative with the puck, has a surprisingly quick release on his wrist shot, and he wants the puck on his stick at all times. He can stickhandle the puck in a phone booth, beat defenders with his skating — spin-o-rama included — with his hands, or his vision, and even his critics won’t deny that his power play game projects legitimately to the NHL level.”

See For Yourself

Video of Villeneuve vs. the QMJHL’s Sherbrooke Phoenix:

Final Comments

While we started this piece with discussions of finding the next Hutson, we’re still reminded that LA appears to be in a transitional phase as an organization. General Manager Ken Holland continues to put his fingerprints on a roster that will head into new era under head coach Peter Laviolette next season. As the Kings enter this next phase, it may signal an opportunity to change their general structure.

On the blueline, LA has largely favored offensive defensemen on the right side, paired with defensive stalwarts on the left. Villeneuve could bring a high-octane offense in a way the organization hasn’t previously designed.

Of course, a major concern that doesn’t really require much scouting is his size. He’s not just below-average height at 5-foot-11; weighing 163 lbs. doesn’t allow a lot of weight to be thrown against opponents. At the professional level, he would likely be limited in his ability to shut down attackers physically. This creates a chain reaction of concerns; if the offense doesn’t translate to NHL-caliber, and if his size becomes an obstacle to being effective defensively, where will he fit?

It’s partially because of these factors that many smaller defensive prospects are surrounded by question marks. Those concerns ultimately cause talented smaller blueliners to fall in the Draft, and that somewhat explains why players like Hutson become steals.

From LA’s perspective, this high-octane, left-shooting defender has a high probability of falling to 17th overall. Whether they want to take him there or hope to ‘steal’ him later in the Draft is a much bigger question.

To see more profiles from this year’s Draft Preview series, be sure to check out the links down below.

Chat with David: You can find him on Twitter @Davidenkness to talk more hockey.

Lead photo via Laurent Corbeil/Blainville-Boisbriand Armada

Follow @mayorsmanor

MORE LA KINGS NEWS:

2026 NHL Draft Preview: Forward Gleb Pugachyov, Russia

2026 NHL Draft Preview: Forward Mathis Preston, Canada

2026 NHL Draft Preview: Forward Niklas Aaram-Olsen, Norway

Note to webmasters/reporters: When recapping news or interviews from this site please remember to include a link to www.MayorsManor.com

The geo-political climate surrounding Russia has kept some of hockey’s biggest stars out of international tournaments like the Four Nations Face-Off, the World Junior Championships, and the Winter Olympics. Names like Ovechkin, Kaprizov, Panarin, Kucherov, Vasilevskiy — the list goes on. But what’s getting far less attention is how the same dynamics are impacting NHL Draft prospects.

From a handful of scouts we’ve spoken with, getting good views on Russian prospects has been getting more and more difficult over the past five years. First, there was the global pandemic that severely impacted travel. Then, more recently, it’s been the ongoing war with Ukraine. Many scouts felt they could probably get into Russia to watch live games. It was the idea of getting out that had them concerned.

Enter the Sunshine State of Florida and the creative mind of Dan Milstein, the most powerful agent in Russian hockey you’ve probably never heard of.

From a highly successful mortgage business, a role as a film producer, and work as an agent for many Russian hockey players. Milstein runs Gold Star brands, and their Sports Management division is far more than a typical agency.

If you’ve seen the award-winning film titled The Russian Five, he spent four years of his life helping bring that to life.

It’s not all about history; he and his entire team breathe hockey. So much so that over the past four years, Milstein’s group has had more players selected at the Draft than just about any other agency.

And part of their success is tied to an event taking place in Florida this weekend – one where all 32 teams will be well represented, but something virtually nobody is talking about. What makes it so unique and nearly the perfect secret is how it’s part showcase, part combine, and part matchmaker.

If there was ever a perfectly appropriate use of the ‘If You Know, You Know’ label, this just might be it. Nearly all of hockey’s power brokers will be there and/or be well represented.

“After 2022, Russians were either not invited or they couldn’t go to the Draft Combine for a little bit,” explained Milstein, when we asked about the origins of his event. “Going back to 2020 or 2021, I had gone to Russia with well over 10 different General Managers. One-on-one, we would go, we would eat, we would drink, we would talk to players and stuff like that. Scouts from North America, and GMs, they’d go to the top international tournaments — Five Nations, the U-18s and stuff like that. And then it just completely stopped. That’s when we had the idea to do our own combine here. The first year, I think we had over 20 teams. Now scouts from every team are coming, along with more than a dozen General Managers; even a few team Presidents too.”

For this weekend’s edition, more than 20 players eligible for the 2026 Draft are scheduled to participate – including several we’re projecting the Kings to possibly be interested in.

Over the course of four days, there will be on-ice sessions, off-ice workouts, and individual interviews set up with any team interested in specific players.

“NHL Central Scouting is coming, as well,” shared Milstein. “So Dan Marr [Director of NHL Scouting] is coming, and he’s going to measure the guys. There’ll be some medical testing done; we’re basically mimicking an actual, legitimate combine. But we add something very important — because at the combine, there’s no ice. At our event, we’re on the ice every day; with scouts and everyone there able to watch our guys.”

By comparison, Milstein’s group only sent four of their players to the traditional NHL Combine in Buffalo a few weeks ago. Those same four will be in Florida this weekend, along with a few dozen more. And to help them get a peek into what’s to come down the road, around 10 players who will be eligible for the 2027 and 2028 NHL Drafts will also participate in the showcase.

If that’s not enough, a small handful of Russian born players were previously selected by Montreal, Nashville, Florida and Carolina – including 2024 first rounder Yegor Surin – will be there to help show this year’s crop the ropes and help guide them into North American hockey.

“Surin was not projected to be a first-round pick, and when people saw him on ice, his stock went up quite a bit,” Milstein remarked, speaking to the success of this event in years past. “Same could be said about [Artyom] Levshunov, who went second overall the year prior. Same could be said about a number of other guys.”

During our discussion, Milstein was very open when explaining how the showcase often shapes what’s about to happen just a few weeks later.

“The fate of Ivan Demidov and Levshunov was largely decided in Florida back in 2024,” he stated. “The owner of Chicago, as well as their GM Kyle Davidson and many other members of the Blackhawks, came to our event. And this is where they interviewed both Levshunov and Demidov, and they had lunches and dinners with those guys. Then they decided, obviously, how the Draft was going to go.”

In a moment of brutal honesty, Milstein also revealed the weekend hasn’t always netted positive results.

“Igor Chernyshov was projected to be a mid-first-round pick a few years ago,” Milstein recalled. “A day before the showcase, I always take the guys out on a yacht. He was burnt to ashes [with a sunburn]. For the next five days, he did not leave his hotel room because he was hurting. It definitely didn’t help his stock.”

[ed. note: Chernyshov ended up being selected by San Jose early in the second round]

“Now we have the Igor Chernyshov Award — it will be handed out to whoever comes out the darkest this year after their day on the boat, or burnt or whatever,” Milstein said with a bit of a chuckle. “In fact, I was just talking to Mike Grier [Sharks GM], and he basically thanked me and he gave me another name for this year. I’m not gonna tell you which one, but he said, ‘Make sure this guy burns too.’ “

All jokes aside, this is an important weekend for all players involved.

“Some of my guys, like Gleb Pugachev and [Nikita] Shcherbakov, they have over 20 teams that have set up interviews with them,” Milstein shared. “[Dmitri] Borichev, he is my next Andrei Vasilevskiy of this Draft. He already has 24 teams that want to interview him. And the list goes on and on. Scouts and team executives love this atmosphere because it’s more relaxed. At the Combine, everybody’s packed — they can’t really get to know the players as well.”

So knowing how critical this weekend is when it comes to potentially shaping the future and possible fortunes of these young men, what bit of advice does Milstein give them before heading into the weekend?

“Don’t get burnt in the sun like Chernyshov.”

Follow @mayorsmanor

MORE LA KINGS NEWS:

LA Kings 2026 Prospect Rankings – Honorable Mentions

Note to webmasters/reporters: When recapping news or interviews from this site please remember to include a link to www.MayorsManor.com

As hinted at several times over the past few months, we’re happy to announce the return of our annual LA Kings Prospect Rankings. Since we’re re-launching this a little later in the hockey calendar than usual, the plan for this year’s series of articles is to break things up into four easy-to-read segments. We’ll start out with the below Honorable Mentions. Next up will be the five players ranked Nos. 11-15, followed by the Top 10 — which will be split over two articles.

For those new to our player ranking series, since its inception roughly 15 years ago, this has become some of the most popular content published on Mayor’s Manor each season. The reports provided have come to serve as a vital source of player information, as nobody outside the Kings organization talks to more coaches, scouts, and general managers about LA’s top prospects on a regular basis than the team at MM. Endless hours go into evaluating players in the pipeline and preparing our write-ups. Additionally, the final slotting of players is influenced by hundreds of hours of game action and debating the team’s prospects with a myriad of well-respected hockey people, including our key sources inside the Kings organization.

In an attempt to answer a few of the questions that come up when preparing this information, let’s clarify who doesn’t qualify this year. Looking back at the 2025 Rankings, only Liam Greentree has really been removed (via a trade with the Rangers). This makes the current rankings even tougher, as the 2025 NHL Draft class has now joined the pipeline, without a lot of offsetting players graduating to the NHL or even simply aging out.

The second biggest question surrounds future upside. One of the common mistakes when looking at a list of prospects is assuming all players are created equally when it comes to stats. A player ranked near the upper end of a top-10 list doesn’t always mean they’ll play first-unit power play or that they’re projected to score 40 goals in the NHL. The Kings roster is typically comprised of 12 forwards and six defensemen. While a third-line player may not help your fantasy hockey team much, they’re still very valuable in the real world. Ditto with a second-pair defenseman.

Therefore, our rankings typically start with a simple question, ‘How likely is this player to reach the NHL and play at least 50 games?’ (aka the industry standard for evaluating draft pick performance / efficiency). From there, we delve into impact in the NHL and then timing, i.e. how quickly is said player expected to become a full-time pro with the Kings and so on.

With all of that ground now covered, let’s really get into things.

Prospect Rankings: 2026 Honorable Mentions

NOTE: Each section is in alphabetical order, not ranked

Forwards

Martin Chromiak – Ontario Reign
5th round pick in 2020
2025-26 Stats: 28 goals, 28 assists, plus-1, 14 PIM in 71 games played

With Chromiak recently signed to a one-year contract extension, both sides are quickly approaching the proverbial fish-or-cut-bait moment. At 23 years old, there may not be much more growth in his game, having already completed four years of AHL action. However, this past season did see a significant jump in his offensive output, equating to a nearly 50% increase in goals and assists. He earned an NHL callup, it just never came. Will he be given a real opportunity to earn a spot in training camp?

Ryan Conmy – Boston College
6th round pick in 2023
2025-26 Stats: 9 goals, 18 assists, minus-1, 10 PIM in 35 games played

This coming season will be Conmy’s senior season of college, meaning it’s a critical campaign. If he’s not signed next summer, the Florida-born winger will become an unrestricted free agent. Conmy has been one of the true head-turners each of the past few summers at Development Camp (and he’s expected to be on this year’s roster, as well). After battling a few injuries this past season, we’re expecting Conmy to put together a big year in 2026-27. He wants that entry-level contract badly and knows what he needs to do to earn it.

Kristian Epperson – Denver University
3rd round pick in 2025
2025-26 Stats: 11 goals, 8 assists, plus-8, 14 PIM in 38 games played

After quietly putting together a nice freshman year during Denver’s regular season, LA’s 2025 draftee may have just been saving his best work for the playoffs. Epperson notched the game-winner in the 2026 NCHC Frozen Faceoff Championship and assisted on the game-winning goal in this year’s NCAA championship game — in overtime, no less. Expect plenty of eyes to be on the Wisconsin native at Dev Camp later this month.

Kaleb Lawrence – Rochester Americans
7th round pick in 2022
2025-26 Stats: 0 goals, 3 assists, plus-2, 11 PIM in 16 games played

Lawrence was loaned, not traded, to the Rochester Americans at the end of the season in a swap for defenseman Nikita Novikov. He is still a Kings prospect, and an intriguing one at that. Standing tall at 6-foot-5, he played at a .69 points-per-game pace in his last three years in the OHL and, before injury, showed flashes of being an effective pro player in the AHL. If he can stay healthy next season, he is worth watching.

James Reeder – Denver University
7th round pick in 2024
2025-26 Stats: 10 goals, 23 assists, plus-18, 4 PIM in 41 games played

On a stacked national championship-winning roster, Reeder was one of the most trusted players on the team. He averaged the most ice time of any forward during the regular season, had the highest shooting percentage, and improved on his freshman campaign with 12 more points. He far outplayed his seventh-round draft status, and when discussing the promising young players in the Kings system, he should not be overlooked. Seeing him at LA’s upcoming Development Camp should also provide a gauge on how he stacks up to his peers in the Kings pipeline.

Defensemen

Caeden Herrington – Univ. of Vermont
4th round pick in 2025
2025-26 Stats: 1 goal, 7 assists, minus-14, 16 PIM in 34 games played

After scoring in his college debut, Herrington had a steady freshman year at Vermont — finishing with eight points in 34 games, averaging 18:25 of ice time, and ranking second on the team in shots among defensemen. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound offensive defenseman held his own against older, stronger competition all season, and he’ll look to take the next step in his development after transferring to Penn State for his sophomore campaign. Moving to a top-tier program should aid his ongoing development.

Otto Salin – Ontario Reign
5th round pick in 2022
2025-26 Stats: 3 goals, 2 assists, minus-3, 22 PIM in 41 games played

Salin had limited opportunities to show off his skillset this year while often playing on the third pair in Ontario. That said, he has the resume to warrant a good look in pro hockey. In his final season overseas in Liiga, he was a half-point-per-game player scoring 28 points in 56 games. With a full training camp and a shot at regular minutes, the upside is easy to see.

Goaltender

Petteri Rimpinen – Kiekko-Espoo/Liiga
5th round pick in 2025
2025-26 Stats: 2.31 GAA, .908 SV%, 5 SO, 2 assists, 15 wins in 40 games played

Rimpinen had a season that went well beyond his Liiga numbers. He started every game for Finland at the World Junior Championship, was voted Best Goaltender at the tournament, and now owns two of the top five spots in WJC history for most ice time by a netminder in a single tournament — including the all-time record, which he set the previous year. Despite being slightly undersized at six feet, he is quietly making the case for being one of the steals of the 2025 draft. If any ‘smaller’ goalie is going to make it through to the NHL, it’s Rimpinen.

We’ll be back soon with article two in the series, featuring five players who slot in at Nos. 11-15 on this year’s Prospect Rankings.

Follow @mayorsmanor

Epperson photo by Chris Swann

MORE LA KINGS NEWS:

Rankings Recap: Kings Top 10 Prospects for 2023, 2024, and 2025

Note to webmasters/reporters: When recapping news or interviews from this site please remember to include a link to www.MayorsManor.com

Exploring draft pick possibilities can be tricky. Throughout our preview series this year, we’ve mentioned multiple times how Los Angeles could go in any number of directions at the 2026 event: possibly veer from their typical target, stick with what works, fill a need, signal an organizational change, or several other rationales.

One component we likely don’t touch upon enough is culture.

With future Hall of Famer Anze Kopitar’s recent retirement, the Kings are a Drew Doughty away from losing every single Cup-winner from the Dean Lombardi-era. Part of that success centered around the intangible quality of culture. While not superstars on their own, highly heralded pieces of that group included guys like Kyle Clifford, Trevor Lewis, and Matt Greene — players who helped set the team’s overall attitude.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at someone who may very well fit that mold more than most among this year’s crop of hopeful draftees.

Gleb Pugachyov

Vitals

Date of Birth: March 25, 2008
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 198 lbs
Shoots: Left
Position: Forward

2025-26 Season

Pugachyov spent his 2025-26 season with the Nizhny Novgorod organization, bouncing between various Russian leagues. He mainly played in the MHL (i.e. best description is Russia’s major junior), where across 33 games, he had 24 points (10 G, 14 A).

Torpedo’d

The highly physical forward was set to start this past season with the Torpedo at the KHL level. Unfortunately, surgery to address appendicitis during training camp sidelined him, and he was moved to the MHL during recovery.

Missed Them By That Much

We love to look at relationships, especially teammates. Pugachyov missed wearing the same jersey as a couple names familiar to fans in Los Angeles. Current Kings prospect Kirill Kirsanov and former Cup-winning blueliner Slava Voynov both played for Torpedo prior to this season. As a result, he never overlapped with either.

The Silver Lining

While Los Angeles traded for star winger Artemi Panarin a few months back, their efforts to reel in Russian talent haven’t always yielded solid results. Sometimes, a prospect playing in major junior hockey provides reassurance, but Pugachyov hasn’t been picked in any other league yet to incentivize his journey to North America. He also signed a contract extension set to expire in 2028; some may see the likelihood of him crossing the pond before then to be questionable at best.

However, one strong indicator of his interest to play NHL hockey is his commitment to participate in a pre-draft showcase held in Florida predominantly for Russian prospects.

Rankings by Independent Scouting Services

No. 42 by Elite Prospects. “When Pugachyov’s textbook mechanics and the ability to achieve ideal depth are combined with his hulking build, he becomes an immovable object for most defencemen in the net-front and a nightmare to deal with along the boards. He has the makings of a monster puck protector off the cycle, already proving he could bounce grown men off him with ease.

Given we’re talking about truly high-end attributes even on the NHL scale, those alone should give Pugachyov a high floor – there’s just not many worlds where he doesn’t become at least a highly desirable fourth-line power winger whose value should only increase come playoff time.

Whether Pugachyov becomes more than that will depend on how well the offensive side of his game develops and translates. Through his power qualities, he’ll at least be able to drive pucks to the net, but there are also flashes of a capable playmaking game. During our best viewings, he showed he could connect plays quickly and create chances for his teammates off some of his forechecking steals through first-touch passing, even showing a rare hint of deception.”

No. 30 by McKeen’s, “‘I like hockey in the playoffs. It’s a completely different, five times harder, dice-to-bone game. This is my hockey.’ Gleb Pugachyov lives for playoff hockey, and with the growing emphasis on “playoff-style” hockey surrounding the NHL draft, Pugachyov’s profile becomes intriguing very quickly. Pugachyov is one of the most violent players in this class, throwing bone-crushing hits on a nightly basis with his 6-foot-3, 200 pound frame, never afraid to mix it up after the whistle, stand up for teammates, or throw an extra shove after scrums along the boards or in front of the net. He’s a menace, always looking to set the tone and get under the opposition’s skin. But he isn’t just some classic old school goon. Pugachyov pairs this physical style of play with a high motor, powerful skating, a hard shot, and the brain to contribute in all areas of the ice. The combination of physicality and two-way game gives him a very safe floor to play in a bottom six role, terrorizing defenders when he’s in on the forecheck, and playing pivotal minutes on the penalty kill.

Pugachyov was set to start the season in the KHL with Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod, but suffered from appendicitis on his first day of training camp, which required surgery. He missed all of camp recovering and was sent to the MHL to get back up to speed. When he finally got his call-up in January, Pugachyov fit in nicely, playing a strong bottom six role and contributing in the ways he knows how, with hard forechecks, big hits, and solid defensive play. His ability to keep up with the pace and physicality of professional hockey at just 17 years old is a testament to Pugachyov’s chances of making it to the NHL.”

No. 11 by Hockey Prospect, “Pugachyov is the most imposing player in this class, who blends explosive athletic traits with devastating physical instincts. Some players take time to physically mature. In this class, players at the top like Gavin McKenna, and further down the list like Igor Barabanov (despite being older) need significant projection in terms of their physical maturation. Then, there’s players like Pugachyov, who at 17, can detonate grown men at the KHL level.

We haven’t seen a player this intimidating since Tom Wilson, and that’s really saying something considering the type of impact Tom Wilson currently has. Like Wilson, Pugachyov isn’t the most calculating player at times, relying more heavily on his over-powering nature, but what makes us not only comfortable but excited is that he blends his power with a lot of natural skill. Pugachyov has a set of soft hands, he can one touch process the play, and he has an underrated shot.”

See For Yourself

Video of Pugachyov in the MHL vs. Yaroslavl Loko:

Final Comments

The Kazakh-born winger blends an interesting range of projections and concerns. In 13 KHL games, the highest level of Russian hockey, he put up 3 points while averaging less than 10 minutes per appearance. Scouting reports suggest a high floor due to his capacity to engage physically and knock down men already at the tender age of 17. On the other hand, general consensus also questions his upside as far as offensive talent.

This raises the question of what matters more: a promise of highly productive talent… or someone who loves playoff hockey and has the tools to impose their will when it matters most? If this question was presented to Los Angeles, in their current state, the answer could be both.

If that is indeed the answer, then Kings scouts may have a tough task in front of them: how do you get both? Do they target him as a potential first round selection or do they gamble? As arguably the Draft’s toughest player, will another team swoop him up before the Kings select again in the second round?

Bringing in someone like Pugachyov via free agency or a trade isn’t easy, because most NHL GMs don’t like letting go of people capable of impacting games the way he can. McKeen’s has him ranked as the best hitter. Elite Prospects took the idea a step further. They like to give badges to prospects to identify traits (such as ankle-breaker, fleet of foot, etc). They made one especially for Pugachyov, labeled ‘Freight Train.’

It’s a position as unenviable as it is exciting, because if the Kings’ staff sees what others highlight about this player, missing out on acquiring him may hurt as much as one of the young winger’s body checks.

To see more profiles from this year’s Draft Preview series, be sure to check out the links down below.

Chat with David: You can find him on Twitter @Davidenkness to talk more hockey.

Follow @mayorsmanor

MORE LA KINGS NEWS:

2026 NHL Draft Preview: Forward Mathis Preston, Canada

2026 NHL Draft Preview: Forward Oliver Suvanto, Finland

2026 NHL Draft Preview: Forward Niklas Aaram-Olsen, Norway

Note to webmasters/reporters: When recapping news or interviews from this site please remember to include a link to www.MayorsManor.com

During last week’s introductory press conference, where Kings GM Ken Holland introduced new head coach Peter Laviolette, there was some mention of the team’s assistant coaches. And we now have a brief update to pass along.

When asked about the status of assistant coaches Newell Brown and Matt Greene at the time, Holland indicated it would be sort of a mixed bag. While he wanted his new bench boss to be able to largely select his staff, there seemed to be an indication that Laviolette would most likely only be adding one person to the group — and even said they’ve already talked about who that person might end up being, while stopping short of sharing a name.

“I believe the head coach needs to have his own people,” explained Holland. “We have some good people here, so we’ve talked about the people that have been here. He’s in town now for the rest of this week — he wants to meet the staff. But I think it’s important that the head coach has people that he has relationships with. He does have somebody in mind to come in here to be part of the staff. Other than that, he’s open-minded.”

As we reported that day, Brown has one year remaining on his current contract as assistant coach. That’s not to say he absolutely will be back, though.

Newell Brown is under contract for one more season. Laviolette will be meeting with him before any decisions are made regarding his two assistants. #GoKingsGo https://t.co/7WzfySGaLy

— The Mayor | John Hoven (@mayorNHL) June 10, 2026

Laviolette indeed got right to work and hasn’t wasted any time on this important process. Mayor’s Manor has learned through various sources that the veteran coach already met with both Brown and Greene, in addition to conducting “a lot of interviews.”

Greene is perhaps the most interesting person involved. On one hand, many players voiced their approval of the former NHL defenseman stepping into the role late last season. They valued his intensity, accountability, and communication in the temporary role — an opening that was created when Jim Hiller left the organization and DJ Smith took over as interim head coach.

His specific situation was discussed in detail during the most recent Kings Of The Podcast episode.

In brief, Greene has always appeared content with his position in LA’s player development group. He loves being on the ice and teaching young players, while the daily grind and travel of an NHL coach just didn’t seem to appeal to him. Did he maybe catch the bug over the last few months? It’s possible, yet probably not very likely.

Recently, the Kings have had three assistant coaches, along with goaltending coach Mike Buckley. We’re assuming the latter is staying. Along with Greene and Brown, the other assistant coach is Derik Johnson. After first joining the Kings in 2018, he previously served as an assistant video coach before seeing his role morph into more of a skills coach. A defenseman by trade, including a college career at the University of Minnesota-Duluth before a brief pro career, Johnson is likely staying, as well.

Circling back to Brown, he’s a veteran NHL coach, having served in an assistant role for five other clubs over the past 30 years. However, the numbers simply weren’t good enough with LA last season.

For the 2025‑26 regular season, the Kings ranked near the bottom of the league with a power‑play percentage of 17%. Further, their 220 total goals ranked 29th out of 32 teams. This came after putting up 249 goals the year before, good enough for 14th in the league.

For some quick context, Hiller was responsible for the power play when he was an assistant coach under Todd McLellan from 2022-24. When Hiller was then promoted to head coach, Brown was brought in as the ‘offensive coach’ to round out his staff in the summer of 2024 (ed note: most NHL teams have two primary assistants, one focusing on offense and the other on defense; Smith was Hiller’s ‘defensive’ assistant). Given LA’s woeful offensive output last season, Hiller took over the power play at one point. Were the issues tied to players, coaching, the structure and approach? Some combination? Regardless, it’s an area Holland has been talking about improving during his last few press conferences.

In an attempt to connect the dots a bit, let’s quickly review Laviolette’s history. Former center Michael Peca was his offensive guy in New York. He’s currently with Chicago, so getting him to come over in a mostly lateral move may be a challenge. He’s also had guys like Scott Arniel and Dan Muse under him before, they’ve advanced to become NHL head coaches in Winnipeg and Pittsburgh. Therefore, unless Laviolette has a different candidate in mind, Brown could potentially return for another year.

Over on the defensive side, former NHL defenseman Kevin McCarthy was by Laviolette’s side in Philadelphia, Nashville, Washington, and they won a Cup together in Carolina. However, he’s retired from full-time activity, opting to spend time as a development coach with the Hurricanes for a few years now.

Thus, if Greene bows out of the conversation, things will likely quickly turn to Hockey Hall of Fame defenseman Phil Housley. In addition to being one of the top offensive-minded defensemen in NHL history, Housley is also somebody Laviolette holds in high regard.

“I think he’s an excellent coach,” said LA’s new bench boss. “I’ve worked with Phil in the past for, I think, three years. Two of those years, we made it to the Conference Finals and the Stanley Cup Finals.”

Even so, Laviolette wasn’t ready to cast aside the current staff without first meeting with them and getting to know them a little better.

“I wanted to have the opportunity to talk to the staff that was here,” he explained. “I think it’s important to be respectful of the coaches that were in place before me. They’re terrific people. … I think it’s important to take the time to talk to them. From there, we’ll work to formulate the best staff for the LA Kings. It’s just a little bit of a process. [After being hired], now we’re in a position where I can start to talk to Ken about some of the people that could help this team. So it’s in progress right now. But yeah, Phil Housley’s a great coach, for sure.”

Follow @mayorsmanor

MORE LA KINGS NEWS:

Doughty Situation Looms Large for Kings; Holland Shares Update on Contract Situation

5 Key Things to Watch with the LA Kings Starting Right Now

Note to webmasters/reporters: When recapping news or interviews from this site please remember to include a link to www.MayorsManor.com

Hope springs eternal in the NHL’s summer offseason. While the annual Entry Draft in June typically serves as an opportunity for teams to restock their pipeline, sometimes it goes beyond simply improving positional depth. For example, it can include size, style of play, or even culture. Other options could be less esoteric, like handedness.

Up front, the Kings currently have four prospects who shoot right: Koehn Ziemmer, Martin Chromiak, Ryan Conmy, and James Reeder. While handedness isn’t usually labeled as a definitive need, having different traits can give an organization more options for roster construction now and in the future. With that in mind, let’s take a look at a player who is a righty — and brings much more to the table along with him.

Mathis Preston

Vitals

Date of Birth: July 21, 2008
Height: 5-foot-11
Weight: 176 lbs
Shoots: Right
Position: Forward

2025-26 Season

Preston spent the 2025-26 season with the WHL’s Spokane Chiefs and Vancouver Giants. In 46 combined games, he had 44 points (18 G, 26 A).

Gap in Resume

The native of Penticton, British Columbia suffered a lower body injury in just his fifth game after getting traded to Vancouver, sidelining him for two months.

Good Company For 15-Year-Olds

The speedy forward was recognized at the U15 level receiving CSSHL Most Valuable Player honors. Some other notable recipients include Cole Reschny (first rounder of 2025), Zach Benson (Buffalo’s young star), and Connor Bedard (Chicago’s superstar).

Get a Grip, Take a Breath

At the 2026 NHL Scouting Combine, Preston put up solid fitness numbers despite his size. He ranked among the top 10 in seven different tests.
Bench Press 50% of Body Weight: 6.8 watts/kg (4th)
Pro Agility Left: 4.4 seconds (t-8th)
Pro Agility Right: 4.3 seconds (t-3rd)
Pull Ups Consecutive: 14 (t-6th)
Wingate Peak Power Output: 17.2 watts/kg (t-2nd)
Isokinetic Squat: 3.57 lb/lb BW (2nd)
10m Sprint: 2.04 seconds (t-3rd)

Rankings by Independent Scouting Services

No. 33 by Elite Prospects. “Preston is one of the fastest skaters in the draft class, combining fully-extended strides with rapid-fire crossovers to blaze around defenders. With hands that match, he dangles opponents, often in creative ways, and masks his release with quick handling.

Speaking of his shot, it too is lethal. Preston fires with power and precision at full speed, without even breaking stride. He requires no wind-up, fires off the catch, and doesn’t need much to find a corner. One of his go-to moves is curling off the wall across the circle and firing on the move, showing far only to rip the puck short side.

Most nights, Preston gets the puck, flies down the wing full tilt, and fires from the far clutches of the offensive zone. He doesn’t give his teammates much opportunity to join his rushes, and doesn’t show much awareness to get inside or create better shooting lanes for himself. When compounded by very inconsistent motor and physical engagement, he has nights when he achieves little.”

No. 12 by Ryan Ma, “Mathis Preston is a dynamic, pace-driven offensive forward whose explosive skating, transition ability, and high-end playmaking vision give him legitimate top-six upside. While the flashes of creativity and offensive talent are outstanding, his projection will ultimately depend on whether he can attack the middle of the ice more consistently, refind that standout motor, and round out the details of his game to turn those flashes into a coherent package that constantly makes an impact.

Mathis Preston remains one of the more intriguing offensive players in this class because the skating, vision, and playmaking creativity are all legitimate weapons, but I’m still waiting for the complete package to show up consistently from shift to shift. The flashes can be outstanding. There are moments where he looks capable of driving transition, creating offense through pace, and finding passing lanes that most players simply don’t see. The issue is that those moments often feel disconnected rather than part of a consistently dominant performance.”

No. 65 by Hockey Prospect, “Preston is a dynamic rush winger, who merges exceptional zone-entry rates, with a threatening release. His stand-out quality is his superb skating, which features explosive punch-turns and sudden shifting stop-ups that have him rely on his weight transfers. This makes him very evasive in open-ice where he bypasses layered pressure when hitting the offensive blueline regularly. He also features multi-touch handling ability and exceptional shooting mechanics. When you first watch him, you think he has star potential on any given sequence given his natural offensive talent. But, we found that when we peeled back the layers that we were left with a largely unpolished and extremely raw player that has difficulty understanding how to be efficient with his skill-set.

For instance, we broke down 120 deke attempts that he made this past season, and only 5 of those attempts left him going from the outside back to the inside of an opposing player in one-on-one situations. Meaning, he almost exclusively shoots back to the outside at the end phase of his handling at this stage. We also did a large shot sample, and found that 38 percent of his shot attempts were from outside the dots. That’s not to say he can’t attack in the high danger areas, because he can, but he’s also a player who settles for lower-percentage shots at more severe angles too often. There’s a balancing act with gifted shooters who want to shoot short side often (Daniel Sprong 101) and that’s going to be part of Preston’s learning process. Despite his shooting mismanagement, he can also thread some impressive passes, and make difficult passes under pressure, but he doesn’t always operate efficiently with his playmaking rates either.”

See For Yourself

Video of Preston vs. the WHL’s Tri-City Americans:

Final Comments

When reviewing most scouting reports, Preston’s profile is fairly straightforward: small-to-average-sized, speedy, skilled, right-shot forward. His 5-foot-11 height would be the shortest LA has drafted out of the first round since Alex Turcotte in 2019. Before that? Craig Redmond in 1984. Needless to say, the Kings just don’t have a history of drafting players of below-average height with high picks.

With that said, we still feature Preston, because there are still qualities the organization could potentially benefit from. Recently, new bench boss Peter Laviolette has talked about tempo, and a speedy forward may be just the ticket to elevate that long-term. While his scoring rate didn’t seem to impress many scouts this season, the same evaluators still lauded his shooting and playmaking ability to go along with high-level skating.

When it comes to rankings, Smaht Scouting placed him highest at ninth overall back in their midseason list. Yet, in Hockey Prospect’s recent June publication, he was ranked just outside the second round at 65. Lists vary, and while we don’t favor one over another, he’s averaging closer to outside the first round.

Between the lack of historical picks for undersized players in the first as well as rankings that favor closer to the second round, we see him as more of a late second to early third round option for LA, if they wanted to go in this direction. Other teams perhaps like him better; meaning Preston could very well end up being gone already before LA even gets a real chance to consider him for selection.

To see more profiles from this year’s Draft Preview series, be sure to check out the links down below.

Chat with David: You can find him on Twitter @Davidenkness to talk more hockey.

Follow @mayorsmanor

MORE LA KINGS NEWS:

2026 NHL Draft Preview: Forward Oliver Suvanto, Finland

2026 NHL Draft Preview: Forward Niklas Aaram-Olsen, Norway

2026 NHL Draft Preview: Forward Alexander Command, Sweden

Note to webmasters/reporters: When recapping news or interviews from this site please remember to include a link to www.MayorsManor.com

Thus far this year, we’ve produced a large volume of NHL Draft Preview articles featuring forwards. Don’t worry, we still plan on profiling a few potential rearguards before this series wraps up next week. However, given there are several options in the mid-first round among potential wingers and centers — and considering most of the blueline candidates LA may be willing to select at pick No. 17 may already have been taken by other teams — we’re going to stick with a few more players up front for now.

Oliver Suvanto

Vitals

Date of Birth: September 3, 2008
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 209 lbs
Shoots: Left
Position: Forward

2025-26 Season

Suvanto spent most of the 2025-26 season with Tappara in Finland’s top league, Liiga. Over the course of 48 games, he had 11 points (2 G, 9 A).

Simon(taival) Says

We at Mayor’s Manor love to look at relationships. Even when they don’t directly lead to decisions made, amusing stories ensue. In Suvanto’s case, he’s played with former Kings property Kasper Simontaival and Daniel Brickley.

Tops

Tappara was a very good experience for one of the draft’s youngest players, as they won the Liiga championship. Moreover, the native of Turku, Finland was recognized as a top-3 player with both his U-18 and U-20 squad this season.

Get a Grip, Take a Breath

At the 2026 NHL Scouting Combine, Suvanto was a top performer in several fitness tests. Among those tests were:
Left Hand Grip: 181 lbs (3rd)
VO2 Max: 59.0 ml/kg/min (6th)
Wingspan: 79.3 in (4th)
Pro Agility Left: 4.4 sec (t-8th)

Rankings by Independent Scouting Services

No. 28 by Elite Prospects. “At his best, Suvanto flashes intriguing and projectable offensive elements, mainly as a playmaker. Off the cycle, he can create space for himself with a reverse hit, then dish the puck to the slot or attempt to drive the net himself. He puts heavy emphasis on short-range passing plays and give-and-gos, preferring to pass to one of his wingers for an entry before sprinting towards the net as the F2. There are occasional flashes of manipulative skill, too, baiting defenders to commit their weight one way before exploding to the other, or opening up his desired passing lane by deceiving with his body orientation.

For a prospect who could go in the top 15 on draft day, Suvanto’s offensive upside is likely quite limited, though. He can extend cycles unnecessarily by missing options to get the puck to the inside, doesn’t bring much dynamism, and lacks a killer instinct as a finisher. His heavy stride and limited agility are also limiting factors, both showing in his overall skating grade.”

No. 19 by McKeen’s, “Suvanto is a coach’s dream due to his immaculate attention to detail, high-end defensive instincts, and a non-stop motor that translates into all three zones. When deployed down the middle, his positioning is remarkably sophisticated for a teenage forward; he routinely plays on the correct side of the puck, acts as a dedicated third defenseman below his own goal line, and tracks back with extreme urgency, frequently cementing himself as the first forward back into the defensive zone. His spatial awareness allows him to effortlessly execute game-saving defensive plays, such as identifying uncovered back-door threats and physically lifting their sticks before a pass can connect. On the forecheck, Suvanto is a relentless, suffocating force. He drives a heavy North-South game, hunting down opposing defenders, finishing massive checks, and using his wide frame to establish elite puck-protection cycles along the boards to extend zone time. He handles physical pressure with poise, willingly taking heavy contact to make simple, precise breakout passes under duress.”

No. 13 by Hockey Prospect, “Suvanto is a tenacious power-center who thinks the game at an exceptional level despite being one of the youngest players available in this class. Although he’s young, he combines his sense with a rare level of structure that had him playing up in Liiga for the majority of his season. Like his fellow countryman Hemming, he can physically dominate off the forecheck, win board battles at will, and simply overpower players including grown men. Also like Hemming, he relies on his playmaking ability as his primary skill and in the case of both of them, it is their most translatable skill. Unlike Hemming though, Suvanto operates a bit differently when it comes to using his hands and how he attacks the net. Suvanto looks to his extended trap dekes which he then turns into rapid multi-touch handling plays around opposing sticks and triangles, and he has an adept sense of timing the end phase of his handling into his lateral set-ups. He also looks to use power-cutting moves from below the goal-line so that he can directly attack net-front using his range to his advantage. This combined with his soft ice timing in high-danger areas is fundamental to his translation, since he has a lot of difficulty with his shot.”

See For Yourself

Video of Suvanto vs. KalPa in Liiga:

Final Comments

Like nearly every NHL franchise, Los Angeles seems to have a particular profile of players they seemingly prefer to have in their organization: two-way centers with size. We featured a similar prospect earlier in Ilia Morozov. With Anze Kopitar’s recent retirement, Suvanto brings a similar style of play where he would be a welcome addition.

They’re not the same player, though, so let’s not confuse the situation.

What made this young center’s season so remarkable were several factors. Most notably, he played regular third and fourth-line minutes on a championship team. Beyond that was his seemingly quick transition from playing in the U-18 circuit to against men. Even though he didn’t medal, being recognized as a top-three player on his team for both WJC squads is a major honor.

The Kings have several holes throughout their pipeline. While Kenny Connors, Jimmy Lombardi, and Francesco Pinelli lead down the middle, there’s a lack of center depth overall. Plus, they’re missing high-level pedigree, which is why a higher pick may be worth exploring another pivot to add to their mix of prospects.

On the surface, acquiring a young player who has shown the capacity to produce against men while also playing strong, defensive hockey seems like a solid approach. Further, Suvanto’s work rate and attention to detail is lauded, and that should lend toward a very coachable player moving forward.

To see more profiles from this year’s Draft Preview series, be sure to check out the links down below.

Chat with David: You can find him on Twitter @Davidenkness to talk more hockey.

Follow @mayorsmanor

MORE LA KINGS NEWS:

2026 NHL Draft Preview: Forward Niklas Aaram-Olsen, Norway

2026 NHL Draft Preview: Forward Alexander Command, Sweden

2026 NHL Draft Preview: Forward Egor Shilov, Russia

Note to webmasters/reporters: When recapping news or interviews from this site please remember to include a link to www.MayorsManor.com