Manor LA Kings Select Henry Brzustewicz No. 31– What You Need to Know

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With their first selection at the 2025 NHL Draft, the LA Kings have selected Henry Brzustewicz with pick No. 31 of the first round. We originally featured him in an article here.

Our Draft Prediction article published earlier this week noted that his defining characteristic is “ability to fill and join the rush.” We also shared these buzzwords from various scouts:

Big point shot, ability to slip coverage, intensity, mobility, needs to make quicker decisions with the puck, high upside, smooth skater, strong fundamentals, high-end hockey intelligence, composed, quick acceleration, initiates clean breakouts, strong puck retrievals under pressure, poised decision-making, maintains structure in his own zone, supportive style of game

Profile Information​

Date of Birth: February 9, 2007
Height: 6-foot-1.75
Weight: 203 lbs
Shoots: Right
Position: Defense
Team: London Knights (OHL)
Born: Washington, MI (USA)

2024-25 Season Review​

Brzustewicz spent his 2024-25 season playing for the OHL’s London Knights. In 67 games, he had 42 points (10 G, 32 A). This included a natural step up in production coming off his prior year, where he had six points in 52 games. The Michigan native also saw his plus-minus rating move from plus-seven to plus-24.

Playing for London, Brzustewicz won his second straight OHL Championship and back-to-back Memorial Cup Championship. In the postseason, he played 16 games last year and 17 games this season.

Avid Mayor’s Manor followers may recognize reference to the Knights, as Kings prospect Jared Woolley has been his teammate there the past two seasons — however, they haven’t spent much time playing on the same defensive pair.

Scouting Reports​

McKeen’s Hockey:

“In a lot of ways, the full scope of Henry Brzustewicz’s upside is not yet known. There is a future where he develops into a top defensive prospect out of the shadows of Sam Dickinson and Oliver Bonk. At the beginning of the year, Brzustewicz was doing a great job running the London powerplay without Dickinson in the fold. He has a big point shot. His puck skill and ability to slip coverage are underrated. He has the intensity, mobility, and length to be a defensive standout. It’s just about cleaning up those mental errors. Making quicker decisions with the puck. Chasing the play less. If you really trust the Hunter’s, you are likely to believe Brzustewicz has among the highest overall upside of any defender available this year. He’s going to have the keys to one of the top programs in junior hockey as early as next season.”

Shane Malloy of Hockey Prospects Radio

“His well-rounded skill set, bolstered by the esteemed London Knights’ development system, positions him as a versatile and reliable player. While not highly specialized, his lack of significant weaknesses and potential for increased assertiveness are seen as strengths. … Brzustewicz’s value lies in his adaptability.”

Future Considerations

“A smooth-skating, two-way, right-shot defenseman who combines strong fundamentals, high-end hockey intelligence, and a composed, mature approach to the game. His mobility is a stand-out attribute, featuring quick acceleration, agile edgework, and excellent lateral movement that allow him to close gaps, navigate pressure, and support plays on both ends of the rink. His skating helps him drive transitions, and he routinely initiates clean breakouts with accurate first passes and strong puck retrievals under pressure. He handles forechecking pressure with poise, consistently making the right reads to move the puck safely and efficiently. Brzustewicz excels at reading the ice and demonstrates poised decision-making, often opting for high-percentage, low-risk plays that retain possession and maintain offensive flow. He is relied upon in all situations, playing significant minutes on the power play, where his puck distribution and ability to walk the line generate offensive opportunities, and on the penalty kill, where he uses smart stick placement and positional discipline to shut down lanes. He displays consistent defensive habits, effectively maintaining structure in his own zone and showing an understanding of spacing, timing, and angling. Along the boards and in front of the net, Brzustewicz uses his frame and strength to battle effectively, often emerging with the puck or tying up attackers to deny second chances. Offensively, he demonstrates solid puck control and vision, especially in keeping plays alive at the blue line, though his approach is more pragmatic than flashy.”

Elite Prospects

“In most shifts, Brzustewicz plays a quiet and supportive style of game. Rotating ahead of plays, denying the middle, pushing opponents wide, and walling off the front of the net, he contains the opposition. When they put themselves in vulnerable spots, he engages, skating forward at them, and pushing them off the puck. He retrieves it and moves it to his partner, prioritizing safety over creativity.”

Video Highlights​

We’ll update this article throughout the evening with additional information.

Lead graphic by ALoImages

MORE LA KINGS NEWS:

Predictions: LA Kings Selections at the 2025 NHL Entry Draft

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