Prospect Guide: Where the LA Kings Prospects will be playing this season

The LA Kings will have their prospects scattered across several leagues this season. By my count, the Kings have 40 prospects in their system. With so many prospects to track, we will make a list of where each prospect will play in the system.

Undecided (3)

The Kings must decide on three of their prospects. Forward Vojtěch Čihař and defenseman Henry Brzustewicz could be loaned back to their junior teams, but are also eligible to play in the AHL. Čihař, 19, is a European import in the WHL, so the CHL-NHL transfer agreement rules don’t apply. If the Kings feel he is physically mature enough, then we could see him on the Ontario Reign. Brzustewicz is 19, but the new CHL-NHL agreement rules allow one NHL team to place one 19-year-old CHL prospect on its AHL affiliates, so he’s eligible to play for the Reign. We’ll see what the plan is for both.

The other prospect is goaltender Erik Portillo. Portillo is 26 and finds himself in a tough spot. The Kings have Carter George and Hampton Slukynsky waiting in the wings, but the starting and backup spots are currently filled. In a press conference, Ken Holland said he wants George and Slukynsky to play in the AHL and hinted the Kings could carry three goalies to start the season, with Portillo as the organization’s number three goalie.

Europe (4)

Elton Hermansson (F): The Kings’ 2026 first-round draft pick will play in Sweden for MoDo. He is signed to his entry-level contract.

Tobias Krestan (F): Krestan will be playing for Eisbären Berlin in Germany. The Kings ownership group owns the club.

Vertti Svensk (D): The 2026 fifth-round pick will be playing in Liiga for SaiPa. The season has started.

Petteri Rimpinen: The 2025 fifth-round athletic goaltender will be playing for Kiekko Espoo in Liiga. His season has already started

QMJHL (2)

Liam Lefebvre (F): The 19-year-old centerman will be playing for the Cape Breton Eagles. He is committed to Boston University (NCAA) for next season.

Yegor Rybkin (G): The 6’6 goalie missed most of last season with an injury, but is ready to go. Selected in the CHL import draft, Rybkin will be playing for the Moncton Wildcats.

WHL (1)

Girogos Pantelas (D): The right-handed defenseman returns to the WHL, but with a new team. The Brandon Wheat Kings traded him to the Penticton Vees. That is who he will play for this season.

OHL (4)

Jimmy Lombardi (F): Lombardi was supposed to play in the NCAA for Michigan, but after signing his entry-level contract last December, he will return to the Flint Firebirds.

Jan Chovan (F): The Slovakian native will return to the Sudbury Wolves, looking to build on his strong 2025-26 campaign.

Adam Goljer (D): The right-handed defenseman from this past draft is coming over from Slovakia as a European import. He’ll suit up for the Kingston Frontenacs.

Lucas Ambrosio (D): The 6’4 left-handed defenseman will return to the OHL’s Erie Otters. He was selected in the seventh round of this past draft.

NCAA (10)

Blake Zielinski (F): The third-round pick from the 2026 draft will be playing at Providence College.

Thomas Vandenburg (F): The fourth-round pick from the 2026 draft will also be playing at Providence College.

Kristian Epperson (F): The second-year collegiate forward will return to Denver University.

James Reeder (F): The third-year collegiate forward will also be returning to Denver University.

Brendan McMorrow (F): The second-year collegiate forward will also be returning to Denver University.

Ryan Conmy (F): The former 2023 sixth-round pick will return to Boston College for his senior year. The Kings have until next summer to sign him.

Alex Kostov(F): The overager from the 2026 draft will be on the move to Quinnipiac University after spending the last four seasons – two and a half with the Flint Firebirds – in the OHL.

Caeden Herrington (D): After spending his freshman season at the University of Vermont, Herrington transferred to Penn State University.

Will Sharpe (D): The seventh-round pick from the 2025 NHL Draft is moving on from junior hockey and will suit up for St. Cloud University.

Jack Sparkes (D): The 6’8 defenseman is returning to Clarkson University for his junior year.

AHL (16)

Aatu Jamsen (F): The 2020 seventh-round pick re-signed with the Kings on a one-year deal. He is expected to join the Ontario Reign again and is waiver-exempt.

Grant Slukynsky (F): The 24-year-old undrafted rookie will make his pro debut after signing a one-year entry-level contract back in April.

Andre Lee (F): The 26-year-old forward is on the bubble, fighting for a 13th forward spot on the Kings. For now, he is expected to join the Reign. He will have to pass through waivers to do so.

Martin Chromiak (F): The 24-year-old forward had a strong season with the Reign last year. He will look to build upon that this year and put his name on the list of potential candidates for a call-up. He will need to clear waivers to join the Reign.

Francesco Pinelli (F): The 23-year-old will need a strong season after less-than-stellar three seasons of offensive production. He will have to pass through waivers to join the Reign.

Kenny Connors (F): The 23-year-old second-year pro will look to build upon his strong rookie campaign in Ontario. The third-line center earned the Reign coaching staff’s trust in every facet of the game last year and should again this season. He is waiver-exempt.

Jared Wright (F): Like Connors, Wright also had a strong rookie season in Ontario. He will join the club again this year and probably reunite with Connors as his linemate. He is also waiver-exempt.

Kaleb Lawrence (F): The 2022 7th-round pick returns to the Reign after finishing last season with the Rochester Americans on a loan swap. He is a long shot to make the NHL.

Koehn Ziemmer (F): The 21-year-old didn’t have the rookie season with the Reign he would have wanted, playing limited minutes, a limited role, and in and out of the lineup, but he was credited with his work ethic and staying after practice to work on his game. He’ll look to carry that into games and make an impact for the Reign. He is waiver-exempt.

Angus Booth (D): The 22-year-old defenseman has had two strong seasons in the AHL and will look to continue that and earn a future spot on the Kings.

Jared Woolley (D): The former 2024 6th-round pick will be turning pro after winning three straight OHL titles and back-to-back Memorial Cup championships with the London Knights and Kitchener Rangers.

Jakub Dvořák (D): Dvořák hasn’t had two good seasons with the Reign. I don’t see a high ceiling for him, but I guess I’ll still be patient with his development.

Kirill Kirsanov (D): After four years of waiting, we finally saw Kirill Kirsanov come over to North America. Kirsanov had a solid rookie campaign, forming a strong defensive pairing with Angus Booth for the Reign. I’m excited to see his development trend upward.

Otto Salin (D): The 22-year-old right-handed defenseman struggled to adjust to the pro game in North America. Let’s see what year two holds for him.

Carter George (G): The 20-year-old netminder will be one of two prized goalie prospects from the Kings system to play on the Reign this season.

Hampton Slukynsky (G): The 21-year-old netminder is the other prized goalie prospect from the Kings system to play on the Reign this season. He and George should form an exciting tandem with plenty of promise, though both may have growing pains.

NOTE:

*Jack Hughes does not count as a prospect because he is signed to an AHL contract. Alexander Dergachyov and Bulat Shafigullin are technically considered Kings prospects, but they will never join the Kings.

Featured image credit: Steven Ellis/The Nation Network

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