Day 1 of the 2026 NHL Draft saw general manager Ken Holland and the Los Angeles Kings trade down a couple of spots to pick with the No. 19 selection.
In the first round of the draft, Holland and the Kings picked Sweden U-20 MoDo Hockey winger Elton Hermansson with the 19th overall pick. The trade with the Utah Mammoth to get the 19th overall pick in the first round of the draft on Friday evening (June 26) also netted the Kings the No. 83 overall pick in the third round.
Several first-round-caliber talents remain on the board for the Los Angeles Kings to find value in the middle rounds
Here are the remaining picks that the Kings have on Day 2 of the draft.
R2: No. 46, No. 49 (via Montreal)
R3: No. 80 (via Ottawa), No. 83 (via Utah)
R4: No. 113
R5: No. 145
R6: No. 177, No. 190 (via Ottawa)
R7: No. 209
With four selections in the first two rounds of Day 2, the Kings are in a strong position to continue adding talent and promising depth to the prospect pipeline.
Here are the three best prospects remaining for the Kings to potentially pick on Day 2 of the 2026 draft.
Mathis Preston, W (Vancouver, WHL)
This past year, many considered Preston to be one of the top 15 or 20 prospects in the 2026 draft class. He was also viewed as one of the top wingers in this draft class. He definitely brings a lot of talent to the table, and he still has the potential to be a middle or top-six winger if he can reach his ceiling at the next level.
It's pretty surprising that Preston is still available on the draft board going into Day 2. He's got a quick release, good quickness and agility, and he's great at finding the soft areas of the defense in the zone offensively.
If there is any chance that Preston would be available for the Kings in the middle of the second round, there's no doubt that Holland should pick him up without hesitation.
Xavier Villeneuve, D (Blainville-Boisbriand, QMJHL)
Defenseman Xavier Villeneuve turned heads for Team Canada in the U-18 World Championships this past year. He was a key part of the Canada team that won Gold in the World Championships. He's got plenty of proven experience in international tournaments and in the QMJHL in this past couple of years, showing off his puck-moving ability and playmaking from the point in the zone.
This past season, Villeneuve registered a half-dozen goals and 38 total points. His production didn't fall because of a down season. Villeneuve missed over a dozen games due to an injury. He still recorded over a point-per-game pace this past season.
A couple of years ago, Villeneuve registered over 60 total points and double-digit goals for the Armada in the QMJHL.
Size is a limitation for the 5-foot-11 Villeneuve. But that doesn't mean that he can't be a quality contributor in the league a few years down the line.
Egor Shilov, C (Victoriaville, QMJHL)
Potentially the best center left on the draft board after the first round of the 2026 draft is Victoriaville Tigres standout Egor Shilov. He registered 32 goals and over 80 total points this past season for the Tigres.
Shilov is extremely talented and a playmaking machine with the puck on his stick in the zone. Whether he drives the play to the net himself or opens up scoring opportunities for his linemates in the offensive zone, Shilov is a master with the puck going toward the net.
He still needs to improve his two-way game to become a more effective and versatile center in the next couple of years before he's ready to take his talents to the next level.
Given the Kings' need at the center position, Shilov could bring great value if he's still available on the draft board when Los Angeles is on the clock in the middle of the second round. His offensive upside an tremendous skill make him one of the most intriguing and potent prospects on the board.
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