Day 1 of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft is just a few hours away for general manager Ken Holland and the Los Angeles Kings late this week.
While this year's draft isn't considered to be very deep overall, it features an impressive group of forward prospects at the top of the board. Finding which prospects could be real sleepers and hidden gems in this draft class is something every scout wants to know for every draft class.
Los Angeles Kings have plenty of picks beyond the first round, making these three sleepers worth keeping an eye on
With how many draft picks the Kings have in the middle and later rounds of this draft, it's worth taking a deeper look at which prospects could offer real value outside of the first round this upcoming weekend. Not only do the Kings have multiple second-round draft picks, but the front office also has multiple picks in the sixth round.
Here are three underrated draft prospects that the Kings should consider selecting in the middle rounds this upcoming weekend.
Dmitri Borichev, G (Lokomotiv, MHL)
The 6-foot-3 Russian goalie Dmitri Borichev has the physical profile and the solid fundamentals foundation to be one of the stronger prospects at his position group in this draft class. With how quick his glove and reflexes and reactions are, Borichev could be one of the hidden gems in this draft class at the goaltender position.
You could probably find at least a handful of scouts out there who would consider Borichev one of the top three goalies in this draft class. At a minimum, he should be one of the top five or 10 goalies picked in this draft class this weekend.
The fact that Borichev could still be available on draft boards in Rounds 3 or 4 is a testament to the value that the Kings could find and add to an already strong goalie prospect pipeline in the organization this offseason.
Matias Vanhanen, W (Everett, WHL)
Skilled winger Matias Vanhanen was one of the best and most consistent scoring forwards for Everett this past season. He was a big-time playmaker and point producer playing on a line with forwards Carter Bear and Julius Miettinen for most of this past season in the WHL.
If you looked at some mock drafts as recently as earlier this year, you'd probably see Vanhanen being selected in the later rounds, if not going undrafted. He's played really well in the WHL this past season and, more specifically, in the last few months for the Everett Silvertips.
Some of the drawbacks to Vanhanen's game are his lack of physcality and straight-line speed in transition and in the zone offensively. But what he lacks in size and physicality, he more than makes up for with his hockey sense, vision, and playmaking ability with the puck on his stick.
Adam Valentini, F (Michigan, NCAA)
Depending on where Michigan Wolverines forward Adam Valentini falls in the middle rounds of the draft this upcoming weekend, he could be a steal for a team as early as later in the second round. Valentini grew a lot and filled out his frame more physically during his freshman campaign at Michigan this past season.
Valentini really turned heads with his coaching staff and pro scouts this past season at Michigan. He contributes in a multitude of ways on both sides of the ice, including at both center and wing in the forward lineup and on special teams on the power play.
Valentini is a really skilled forward who can play up-tempo in transition and pushing the pace in the zone offensively. His motor is non-stop on both ends of the ice and his versatility is a major asset.
That versatility could make him a solid value pick for the Kings if he's still available by the third round.
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