One Kings Prospect Has More Riding On This Week Than Anyone

Get insights into the emerging talents at the LA Kings development camp and discover which prospects are on the brink of making a significant impact.

The Los Angeles Kings are set to bring 40 players to development camp this week at the Toyota Sports Performance Center in El Segundo, CA, and the group includes all 11 picks from the 2026 NHL Draft class.

Camp begins Monday, June 29, with separate practice sessions for the forwards and defensemen before an afternoon scrimmage that brings everyone together. The Kings will keep that rhythm rolling through the week, with group drills and scrimmages spread across Monday through Thursday.

Monday’s schedule features forward group practice at 9:30 am, defense group practice at 11:00 am, and a scrimmage at 3:30 pm. On Tuesday, the defense group goes first at 9:30 am, followed by the forwards at 11:00 am and a scrimmage at 3:15 pm.

Wednesday includes forward group practice at 9:30 am and defense group practice at 11:00 am. Thursday wraps things up with defense group practice at 9:30 am, forward group practice at 11:00 am, and a 3:30 pm scrimmage.

Among the players worth keeping a close eye on, goalie prospect Carter George stands out as a familiar face. George and fellow Kings goalie Hampton Slukynsky both took part in development camp during the 2025 offseason, and George arrives this year as one of the organization’s top goalie prospects. With several young goalies in the mix for attention from the coaching staff and for future opportunities in the LA system, this camp gives him another chance to make his case for an NHL role down the line.

Another name that should draw plenty of attention is winger Elton Hermansson, the Kings’ 2026 first-round pick. Los Angeles selected Hermansson 19th overall last weekend, and this week will be the first look coaches and fans get at him since the draft.

His puck creativity in the offensive zone and his playmaking ability should make him one of the more entertaining players in camp and in the scrimmages. Hermansson also brings strong stickhandling and offensive skill into a forward group that includes roughly a half-dozen draft picks from this class.

The third prospect to watch is Dartmouth forward Hayden Stavroff, one of the more notable additions to the roster this summer. Stavroff was at Washington Capitals development camp last offseason, and he arrives in El Segundo after a huge year at Dartmouth, where he led the NCAA in goal scoring with 29 goals and finished in the top 10 in D1 college hockey in total points. Unlike many of the other players in camp, Stavroff is still unsigned, which makes this week a valuable opportunity to get the Kings’ attention.

Stavroff is also joined by his Dartmouth linemate Hank Cleaves, giving the Kings another college name to evaluate. If Stavroff stands out in camp and the scrimmages, he could become a player to watch among the Kings’ potential college free agent signings this summer.

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