Kings select forward Tobias Krestan (Round 7, Pick 209)

The LA Kings have selected forward Tobias Krestan with the 209th overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.

The Vitals
Name: Tobias Krestan
Position: Forward
Shoots: Right
DOB: January 4, 2008
Height: 6-2
Weight: 195
Hometown: Hanau, Germany
NHL Central Scouting Final Ranking: Unranked

Stats (HV71 U-20, U20 Nationell): 21 GP, 8 G, 10 A, 18 PTS, 2 PIM

Expert Opinions
Scott Wheeler / The Athletic
Krestan caught my eye when I watched Malte Gustafsson with HV71’s poor junior team a little this year, and then he was noticeable game-to-game with a disappointing German team that got relegated at U18 worlds. But he’s not ranked by NHL Central Scouting, and so I wanted to make him more of a focus on tape before I decided on whether to make note of him here. I’ve seen enough to think there might be something there, and he could be a sneaky seventh-round option, though. He has pro size, and he can skate, which is already a good start. He has some comfort on the puck and can protect it well. He goes to the net. He’s a bit of a volume shooter who is a little too trigger-happy, but he also attacks into good spots for those shots (you don’t finish among the tournament leaders in shots on goal with 23 in five games on a team as weak as this year’s German U18 team was without the ability to drive play a little). He can also play both center and the wing, and while I wouldn’t describe him as the ultra-competitive type, he engages himself and killed some penalties this year for both club and country. I think he has flown under the radar a little.

Elite Prospects
He continued to flash off-puck smarts, handling skill, and a quick release. Along with his 6-foot-2 frame, which he’s learned to use to his advantage to win battles and protect the puck, he has solid
upside at higher levels.

Krestan’s biggest hindrance has always been his skating. While it’s come a long way both in terms of quickness and speed, the mechanics still need a lot of work, with limited knee bend and ankle flexion, and a hunched-over posture – whether or not he can improve it sufficiently remains a question mark. As such, it still holds him back in his rush attacks and in his ability to apply quick pressure on the forecheck.

With his quick, high-velocity wrist shot, Krestan has a clear standout tool. He also has the frame to succeed at professional levels.

Quick Take – I liked Scott Wheeler’s evaluation here. There are some things that put Tobias Krestan onto the radar at the draft, starting with a combination of professional-level size and skating ability. Wheeler called Krestan a “sneaky seventh round pick” and there’s where the Kings picked him. He scored three goals in five games at the U-18 World Championships with Team Germany and can play across the forward line. You get to the seventh round and you try and find guys who you can see a path for in one way or another. Krestan accomplishes that here for the Kings.