We are now just days away from the 2025 NHL Draft, and the Los Angeles Kings currently hold the the 24th overall selection. But that doesn't mean that's where they'll ultimately be selecting.
The Kings, who were eliminated for the fourth season in a row in the Western Conference first round by the Edmonton Oilers, are reportedly looking to move down in the Draft.
Mark Yannetti, who serves as the Kings Director of Amateur Scouting, explained that he and the club would prefer to move down in the Draft and also suggested teams like the San Jose Sharks and Philadelphia Flyers as potential trade partners.
“I would like to move down,” Yannetti said via LA Kings Insider. “If you look at movement scenarios, like moving from 24 to 25, you’re very limited in your movement scenarios at 24 it just there’s multiple things that don’t make sense. Ones that make sense might be San Jose and Philadelphia especially would make sense. You can have too many draft picks, people are starting to realize that I think.”
“It happened to us and we didn’t even have – you’re seeing teams with four first-round picks, three first-round picks, multiple years in a row.”
This season, they don't have a selection in the Draft's second round. Their next pick after the opening round won't come until late in the third round at 88th overall.
The Kings are now run by Ken Holland, who replaced former general manager Rob Blake after the organization decided not to bring him back.
Article Continues BelowKings traded down in last season's NHL Draft

At last season's NHL Draft, the Kings ultimately swung a trade that moved them from the 21st overall pick to the 26th pick, which they used to select forward Liam Greentree while also receiving a second round pick in return from the Montreal Canadiens.
“It makes sense for a team like Philly or San Jose to move and this is just me reading a situation, it doesn’t mean that they believe the same thing, but it makes sense for me,” said Yannetti. “I think there’s a tier [of drop off] there, some other teams might think there’s two tiers there, like it could be even worse and you could be even losing two tiers, but I think the majority of teams would say in eight picks, you know, 24 to 31 or 24 to 32 you’re losing a tier.”
In last season's NHL Draft, the Kings didn't have a third round pick, and also didn't have opening round selections in either 2022 or 2023.