In under 12 hours from now, the Los Angeles Kings will make their first selection in the first round of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.
The Kings' biggest long-term need is in the middle of the roster lineup at the center position after the retirement of Anze Kopitar, but adding offensive depth and scoring throughout the minor league and prospect pipeline should also be a priority.
Alexander Command, Oliver Suvanto, and Ilya Morozov all possess the skill set to help strengthen the Los Angeles Kings' future at center
Los Angeles has eight picks this upcoming weekend in the draft. Here are the draft picks that the Kings have in the 2026 draft this upcoming weekend.
R1: No. 17
R2: No. 46, No. 49 (via Montreal)
R3: No. 80 (via Ottawa)
R4: No. 113
R5: No. 145
R6: No. 177, No. 190 (via Ottawa)
R7: No. 209
It's also noteworthy that there's a possibility that the Kings trade to move up in the first round of the 2026 draft. Not only do the Kings have the 17th overall pick in the first round of the 2026 draft, but they also have multiple second-round draft picks thanks to the Montreal Canadiens trading for center Phillip Danault this past regular season.
Here are the three most likely prospects that the Kings could pick with the 17th overall selection in the first round of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.
Alexander Command, C (Orebro, Sweden-Jr.)
It's clear that the Kings have a major need in the middle of the roster lineup to add more depth at the center position this offseason. Orebro center Alexander Command has been one of the biggest risers up draft boards in this class for 2026 in this past few months.
Command's complete two-way game could fit well with the identity that the Kings have built over this past couple of seasons.
Command is the type of forward who can set the tone on both sides of the ice for the Kings, given his smart play with and away from the puck and his hockey IQ. He posted an impressive 2025-26 season with Orebro in Sweden, which highlighted his non-stop motor on both sides of the ice, above-average skating ability, and versatility at the center position.
Oliver Suvanto, C (Tappara, Finland)
We've discussed before the polished two-way skill set that Finnish center Oliver Suvanto brings to the table. At 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, Suvanto has great size and a good skating ability, which allows him to hold his own on both sides of the ice in a top-six center role, playing in a competitive league overseas in Finland this past season.
If the Kings and general manager Ken Holland pick Suvanto 17th overall in the first round of the draft later today, he could develop into an NHL contributor sooner than some of the other players in this draft class in the next year or two in Los Angeles.
Suvanto has a pretty well-developed skill set, and he is one of the more polished European centers in this draft class. He's got an underrated shot and playmaking ability in the offensive zone, which he's able to parlay with his vision on the ice and ability to protect the puck when it's on his stick.
Ilya Morozov, C (Miami University, NCAA)
If it's not been made crystal clear already, I really do think it would be best for the Kings and Holland to pick a center in the first round of the 2026 draft. Centers like Suvanto and Miami University two-way standout Ilya Morozov can both be driving forwards who can command the play in the neutral and the offensive zones for the Kings in a few years.
At just 17 years of age, Morozov competed as one of the youngest players in NCAA hockey this past season. He still won't be 18 years old by the start of the draft this upcoming weekend.
Morozov has the type of talent and upside that would make him potentially a long-term depth play at the center position for the Kings in the post-Kopitar era. His combination of size, defensive awareness, and playmaking with the puck on his stick gives him real middle or top-six upside. And his experience playing against top-flight and older competition in college hockey should only help to accelerate his development.
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