The Los Angeles Kings used their fifth-round draft pick (145th overall) to select the polarizing Finnish defenseman and Saipa Jr. product Vertti Svensk.
Great offensive tools and playmaking highlights are the staples of Svensk's game. On social media, I can already see Kings fans reposting some of his highlight reel goals and plays in Finland with Saipa Jr. this past regular season.
The LA Kings select Saipa Jr. defenseman Vertti Svensk with the 145th overall pick in the fifth round of the 2026 NHL Draft.
— Rink Royalty (@RinkRoyalty) June 27, 2026
2025-26 (33 GP):
-3 goals
-28 assists
-31 points pic.twitter.com/yIV9iIRYp4
Svensk doesn't grab attention for his highlight-reel playmaking each time he touches the ice. But you have to watch him for the occasional insane plays he'll make from game-to-game.
The playmaking, skating ability, and puck movement that Svensk brings makes him a very intriguing defensive prospect at the next level. His exciting plays and production for Saipa Jr. in Finland this past season helped him work his way into the conversation in the 2026 draft class in the last few months.
In the 18 regular-season games he played in Liiga this past season, Svensk didn't get much playing time and he only registered one assist and one total point.
The real potency of Svensk's skill set comes with his speed and skating ability. He's a very agile and fluid skater with great edge control and the ability to manuver around opposing players in the defensive and neutral zones on the breakout with the puck on his stick.
Some scouting services and media organizations pegged Svensk going as high as the second or third round because of his raw talent, offensive tools, and skating ability. If the Kings can help develop and refine his defensive game in the next few years, this could ultimately be one of the bigger value picks of the 2026 draft class for Los Angeles.
Svensk will also be a favorite among the more devoted Kings' fans online. His highlight tape is littered with exciting plays and insane goals. His high-energy and up tempo style of play, combined with his puck movement, will give the Kings a unique presence in the prospect pipeline on the blue line on defense.
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