Kings select defenseman Henry Brzustewicz (Round 1, Pick 31)

The LA Kings have selected defenseman Henry Brzustewicz with the 31st overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, their first of seven scheduled selections on the weekend. The Kings originally traded down, moving Pick 24 to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Pick 31 and Pick 59, adding a second-round selection to their haul tomorrow on Day 2.

The Vitals
Name: Henry Brzustewicz
Position: Defenseman
Shoots: Right
DOB: February 9, 2007
Height: 6-2
Weight: 203
Hometown: Washington, Michigan
NHL Central Scouting Final Ranking: 19 (North American Skaters)
TSN / Bob McKenzie’s Final Ranking: 32
FloHockey / Chris Peters Final Ranking: 33
The Hockey News / Ryan Kennedy Final Ranking: 31
Stats (London, OHL): 67 GP, 10 G, 32 A, 42 PTS, 77 PIM, +24

Expert Opinions
Corey Pronman / The Athletic
Brzustewicz played a notable role on a strong London team this season, appearing at times on both special teams. He’s a tall right-shot who skates well and doesn’t shy from using his feet to jump up into the attack. He’s a skilled and creative player with the puck. Brzustewicz can make plays through opponents, hit seams in the offensive zone and can create offense on the move. Defensively he’s reliable, using his length and feet to close on pucks and getting back to retrieve efficiently while also having an edge in his game. He’s been a sharp riser this season, a story we’ve heard often with London players developing well. I could see more offense coming from him with more opportunity.

Sam Cosentino / Sportsnet
Brzustewicz was part of the Memorial Cup champion London Knights and played a significant role for the team. He quietly produced 10G-32A in the regular season and followed it up with some secondary scoring in the playoffs (1G-4A). He has the skill set to be used in a variety of roles and he’s trustworthy defensively. He engages his opponents and doesn’t cut corners searching for offence. I like his size, strength, detail and compete overall.

NHL Projection: Second pairing. Even strength and penalty kill. Secondary offence

Stephen Ellis / Daily Faceoff
Brzustewicz is an all-around defender who may not be the most refined right now, but he doesn’t have many notable flaws. He had a solid year in London, which finished with a Memorial Cup championship. He’s a two-way defender who can shoot the puck, skate well and is willing to join in on the rush any time he can. The more he played, the better he played, too. Brzustewicz feels like a safe pick to become a second-pairing defenseman, but I’d like to see him take further steps in his own-zone play.

Quick Take – As noted before the draft, the Kings came into Round 1 with the intention of trading down. The partner materialized in the Pittsburgh Penguins, who had previously traded down to Pick 31 and wanted to move back to Pick 24. The Kings gained a late second-round selection in the process, Pick 59, and wound up getting a player they liked in Brzustewicz, a right-shot defenseman from the OHL’s London Knights. Job well done. Minus last season’s first-round pick Liam Greentree, the Kings have some talented prospects deeper in the system but have some guys who project as lower in the lineup players. They get what they hope could be someone with Top-4 upside on the blueline and add a right-shot defenseman into a system that was formerly flush with them, a player who was ranked right around where the Kings got him. A good selection where they got him and the team seemed pretty happy with it.