The Los Angeles Kings officially announced on Wednesday (July 15) that the team had signed new first-round draft pick and winger Elton Hermansson this offseason.
Hermansson signed a three-year entry-level contract deal with the Kings, which keeps him locked up through the 2028-29 season.
This news comes just a few weeks after the Kings and general manager Ken Holland picked the Swedish winger Hermansson 19th overall in the first round of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. Hermansson is likely to stay in Sweden, playing for U-20 MoDo Hockey for the upcoming 2026-27 season.
Elton Hermansson strengthens the Los Angeles Kings' long-term outlook on the wing
It is also expected that Hermansson will not attend training camp and the preseason roster for the Kings this fall. Hermansson played most of the 2025-26 season with MoDo Hockey in HockeyAllsvenskan in Sweden. He registered 11 goals, 10 assists, and 21 total points in 38 games played this past season. Hermansson also posted three goals and nine total points in 13 games played for MoDo Hockey U-20 in U20 Nationell in Sweden this past year.
He also helped Sweden capture the Gold Medal at the U-18 IIHF World Championships in 2026. Hermansson led the event with a dozen total points and four goals in a performance that helped his draft stock skyrocket earlier this year at the world championships.
Patience will be key for the Kings in Hermansson's development. He is expected to continue developing his game in Sweden on both ends of the ice at least over the next couple of years before he comes over to North America. That timeline should give him the patience and time to continue improving his defensive game and adding size to his frame before making the transition to North Amer
Hermansson gives the Kings an athletic and skilled winger who has excellent stickhandling, top-end speed, and a quick shot release with the puck on his stick in the offensive zone. Holland and the Kings are getting a real high-end talent and potent winger who has the chance to develop into a top-six scorer a few years down the road for the organization.
While he develops in Sweden, signing Hermansson gives the Kings a major boost to a prospect pool that needed more high-end offensive talents to bolster the organization's future.
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