Manor LA Kings Select Kristian Epperson No. 88 – What You Need to Know

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With their third selection at the 2025 NHL Draft, the LA Kings have taken Kristian Epperson with pick No. 88 of the third round.

Profile Information​

Date of Birth: May 16, 2006
Height: 6-foot-0
Weight: 185 lbs
Shoots: Left
Position: Forward
Team: Saginaw Spirit (OHL)
Born: Mequon, WI

2024-25 Season Review​

Epperson spent his 2024-25 season playing for the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit. In 58 games, he had 80 points (27 G, 53 A).

At No. 88, LA Kings select LW Kristian Epperson

He's headed to Denver University next. Originally, was going to Michigan, but went to OHL instead last season — where he put up 80 points in 58 games.

— The Mayor | Team MM (@mayorNHL) June 28, 2025

Scouting Reports​

McKeen’s Hockey:

“Epperson is best described as a spark plug. He’s been the perfect complement to Misa because he brings both energy and skill. He can push pace with quick feet and quick hands and he’s tenacious and determined to play through the middle. He is aggressive and physical in his pursuit of the puck, making him an excellent forechecker and someone who can work to both gain and extend possession in the offensive zone. Epperson is also an excellent playmaker who protects the puck well despite not owning terrific size. Think of the way a guy like Michael Bunting has been able to find success as a complementary middle six piece in the NHL.”

Future Considerations

“Epperson is a high-energy, playmaking winger who blends tenacity, vision, and responsibility into a well-rounded, multifaceted game that consistently impacts both ends of the ice. He plays with unrelenting effort, utilizing a strong motor to forecheck with purpose, backcheck with urgency, and apply constant pressure on opponents in all three zones. His timing and angles are highly effective, allowing him to be a disruptive force on the puck and frequently create turnovers that shift momentum in his team’s favor. Offensively, Epperson thrives as a distributor, showing above-average vision and a keen sense for reading developing plays. He consistently creates high-danger scoring chances through timely, well-placed passes and has demonstrated the ability to feed teammates through narrow seams and crowded areas. Though his preference is to facilitate plays, he can at times be overly deferential, bypassing open looks or forcing passes into traffic, which occasionally leads to turnovers or missed opportunities. Around the net, Epperson demonstrates strong awareness by establishing body position to provide screens, tips, and second-chance opportunities, although his lack of core strength and balance makes it difficult for him to hold that space against more physical defenders. His skating features decent top-end speed and quick acceleration that complements his energy-driven approach, but his edge control and balance require further development to maximize his effectiveness in small-area battles and evasive movements.”

Elite Prospects

“A forechecking machine, Epperson hunts the puck at every turn, displaying relentless energy and landing some resounding
hits. He lifts sticks, steals possession, protects it, and funnels pucks to the slot, setting up shots all around it.

“He got open at the far side of the net for a one-timer of his own, but didn’t get the puck cleanly, so he recovered it, cycled high, and then hit Misa alone in the crease for a redirection in tight,” wrote OHL regional scout Lauren Kelly in a March report. “He was a fiend on the backcheck, impeding rushes, forcing puck carriers into mistakes,”

More than his physical ability and motor, it’s Epperson’s creativity that pushed him up our board.

He drew complex rush patterns with Misa, moving under and over each other in the neutral zone, manipulating and breaking defensive gaps. Epperson also prepared passes with deception, connected some difficult plays, and picked the right routes to support the plays, getting open ahead of breakout passes and for plays all around the net.”

Hockey Prospect

Epperson went undrafted last season but made the most of his situation with Saginaw after getting a limited opportunity with the NTDP last season. Although physically limited, while featuring an average tool-kit, Epperson improved his pace of play and ramped up his physicality this year. His playmaking is his bread and butter and the single defining trait which gives him a chance to play in the NHL one day. He makes his teammates better through his ability to set them up, and his 200-foot game showed a key area of development over the course of the season. Stylistically, he’s a long shot on paper but he showcased extremely well and has a legitimate chance to develop into a very unique top-9 contributor who makes his teammates better.

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

Highlights


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