A German young talent player was selected at the 2026 NHL Draft in Buffalo this weekend: forward Tobias Krestan from HV71.
Tobias Krestan was selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the seventh round, 209th overall. The forward, born in Hanau, played for the HV71 U20 team in Sweden last season, recording 18 points (eight goals, ten assists) in 21 games. His father, Radek Krestan, also had a long career in German ice hockey.
The draft took place on June 26 and 27 at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo – for the second time in a decentralized format, where NHL clubs made their selections from their own locations. The first round was held on Friday night (CEST), with rounds two through seven following on Saturday.