Pencils down.<\/p>\n
After a season of travel, video and phone calls and texts speaking with agents, scouts, coaches, family members and those around these players, here is my final mock draft for the 2026 NHL Draft.<\/p>\n
Packed with intel, this two-round mock combines my sourcing over the last couple of weeks with my sense for team need, each amateur scouting department\u2019s preferences and the consensus around the top prospects\u2019 projected draft ranges. Throughout, I\u2019ve also mapped out different scenarios, potential contingencies and likely considerations for certain teams.<\/p>\n
1. Toronto Maple Leafs: Gavin McKenna, LW, Penn State (NCAA)<\/p>\n
You can put this one in permanent marker, and nothing I\u2019ve heard in recent weeks has led me down any other path. As I\u2019ve reported previously, I know the Maple Leafs\u2019 group liked Chase Reid. But there have been murmurs that McKenna was told earlier this month that he was going to be the selection, and other teams have been operating as if it\u2019s a done deal.<\/p>\n
2. San Jose Sharks: Ivar Stenberg, RW, Fr\u00f6lunda (SHL)<\/p>\n
It felt like everyone in the public sphere just assumed it was going to be Reid because the Sharks have a clearer need on defense. But I mocked Stenberg to the Sharks after the combine, and I\u2019m sticking with that hunch at the buzzer after further info gathering. I think they like Carson Carels and Reid (so don\u2019t assume it\u2019s Reid if they take a D), but Mike Grier has made it clear he\u2019ll take the best player available with these high picks and figure the rest out later, and I never got the sense that any one of the D was ever actually ahead of the top forwards in this class in the consensus. If they stay put at No. 2, I\u2019d bet they\u2019re going to lean Stenberg.<\/p>\n
3. Vancouver Canucks: Caleb Malhotra, C, Brantford (OHL)<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve reported pretty extensively on this connection for months, and if the Canucks take Malhotra \u2014 and I have been led to believe he\u2019s atop their list at No. 3 \u2014 I\u2019ll say this: Their interest in him has been a season-long one and precedes them zeroing in on his dad, Manny, as their head coach. I believe they also like Reid, and know they did their due diligence on Keaton Verhoeff and company, but I\u2019ll be surprised if it\u2019s not Malhotra.<\/p>\n
4. Chicago Blackhawks: Chase Reid, RHD, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)<\/p>\n
If the forwards go 1-2-3, and everything I\u2019ve gathered has led me to believe that\u2019s the most likely outcome, I\u2019d bet that Verhoeff, Alberts \u0160mits and Daxon Rudolph are less the Blackhawks\u2019 type and that they\u2019ll favor either Carels or Reid. The sense I get is they\u2019re high on both. Carels would fit as a lefty opposite righties Artyom Levshunov and Sam Rinzel, but Reid is narrowly favoured as the consensus No. 1 D, and if you\u2019re not sold on Levshunov as your PP1 QB of the future, then he\u2019s probably the guy.<\/p>\n
5. New York Rangers: Alberts \u0160mits, LHD, Munich (DEL)<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve heard three names, to varying degrees, connected to the Rangers here: \u0160mits, Carels and Verhoeff. While their pool could use both a top center and D, I haven\u2019t gotten any indication that they\u2019re going to be the team to take Viggo Bj\u00f6rck. I could see \u0160mits\u2019 proximity to the NHL mattering to the Rangers\u2019 brass, and I could see them being drawn to his swagger. I also wonder if Carels\u2019 recent comments about big cities could at least be back-of-mind for a market like New York.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve also heard talk of the Rangers moving back, for what it\u2019s worth.<\/p>\n
6. Calgary Flames: Carson Carels, LHD, Prince George (WHL)<\/p>\n
The sense I have with the Flames\u2019 pick is that they\u2019ve zeroed in on Carels and Verhoeff, in that order. I know others have mocked Bj\u00f6rck, and he makes sense as the kind of player they need and have targeted recently, but my hunch is that they\u2019re higher on the D. If the Rangers don\u2019t pick Carels, he\u2019d be a hand-to-glove fit for the Flames and potentially a future partner for Zayne Parekh. They\u2019ve also done their due diligence with Verhoeff, who billeted with Jarome Iginla once upon a time as well. But I think Carels is the likely lean for them if he\u2019s there.<\/p>\n
7. Seattle Kraken: Keaton Verhoeff, RHD, North Dakota (NCAA)<\/p>\n
The belief around the league is that this is finally going to be the year that the Kraken use a top pick on a defenseman, and I know they\u2019ve done their due diligence on both Verhoeff and Rudolph. If the Rangers don\u2019t take Verhoeff, I think he gets to the Kraken here. And if he does, he\u2019s the slight consensus choice over Rudolph. Either would give the Kraken something they haven\u2019t had since the inception of their organization: a top-end D prospect.<\/p>\n
8. Winnipeg Jets: Viggo Bj\u00f6rck, C, Djurg\u00e5rden (SHL)<\/p>\n
I think there\u2019s a real chance Bj\u00f6rck goes before this (particularly to Calgary), but if he doesn\u2019t, I\u2019d bet the Jets pounce and take the top center prospect their pool desperately needs. Bj\u00f6rck\u2019s stock is at its peak right now, too.<\/p>\n
If Bj\u00f6rck is gone, they probably pivot to one of the D (Rudolph and \u0160mits being the most likely).<\/p>\n
9. Ottawa Senators: Ethan Belchetz, LW, Windsor (OHL)<\/p>\n
Because of how late the Senators entered the picture, they\u2019re the team in the top 10 I have the least amount of info on. Before Sunday\u2019s Brady Tkachuk<\/a> trade, I had Rudolph to the Panthers. I don\u2019t think Ottawa takes another offensive right-shot D in the top 10 just two years after taking Carter Yakemchuk, though. Malte Gustafsson would fit with how they\u2019ve drafted in the past, but my hunch is the Senators take a forward, and Belchetz fits their type more than Tynan Lawrence or Wyatt Cullen. And though I could see them liking Lawrence, the sense I get is he\u2019s falling.<\/p>\n 10. Nashville Predators: Daxon Rudolph, RHD, Prince Albert (WHL)<\/p>\n All of Belchetz, Gustafsson and even Lawrence fit as Predators types. Cullen would represent more of the skill they chased with Ryker Lee last year as well, and is a lefty to Lee\u2019s right-handedness. But I think there\u2019s a higher chance Rudolph gets here with the Sens picking at No. 9 now, and I just can\u2019t see him lingering much longer. This is also a bit of a new chapter with a new general manager in Chris MacFarland<\/a>, which makes them trickier to handicap than in the past (for a long time, they\u2019ve had a clear type). Lawrence would give them another competitive center down the middle and make sense in particular if they think Brady Martin may be a winger (which is how many outside of the organization view him), but Rudolph, Gustafsson and Belchetz are ahead of him in the consensus these days. Gustafsson would give their smallish crop of D prospects (Cameron Reid, Tanner Molendyk) some needed size, but he\u2019s also another lefty. Belchetz, who is going to MSU with Lee next season, was my pick for them in my previous mock because their pool has nothing like him, but he\u2019s gone now.<\/p>\n Rudolph as the power-play quarterback of the future and a righty should be hard for the Preds to pass up on, though.<\/p>\n 11. St. Louis Blues: Tynan Lawrence, C, Boston University (NCAA)<\/p>\n I think the Blues would strongly consider Belchetz, Gustafsson and Cullen, but their pool could use a center, and I\u2019ve heard they like Lawrence. His stock has certainly softened within the league, and he\u2019s a candidate to fall, but he would fill an area of need, and he\u2019s the Blues\u2019 type. The Blues have good depth on the wing and the back end within their pool, and I\u2019ve come back to Lawrence repeatedly with their pick. They can also take a winger or a D with their next pick at No. 15. One calculation they may now consider: the odds that Lawrence gets to No. 15 are higher than you might think, which could potentially push them to Gustafsson, Belchetz or Cullen.<\/p>\n 12. New Jersey Devils: Wyatt Cullen, LW, U.S. NTDP (USHL)<\/p>\n I expect the Devils to take a forward and could see them considering both Lawrence (who has some Nico Hischier to him) and Belchetz (for his uniqueness\/rarity) here. But I\u2019ve kept coming back to the very talented Cullen for new Devils general manager Sunny Mehta<\/a>\u2019s first selection. Their pool could use a high-skill forward, too. Multiple teams I\u2019ve spoken with have had Cullen in their top 10, so he could be gone by this pick. But if he\u2019s here, I\u2019d wager the Devils take him.<\/p>\n 13. New York Islanders: Malte Gustafsson, LHD, HV71 (SHL)<\/p>\n If Belchetz doesn\u2019t go 9, 10 or 11, I can\u2019t see him getting past the Islanders or Blue Jackets (the Islanders have good wing prospects in Victor Eklund and Cole Eiserman, but none like Belchetz). The Isles\u2019 pool could still use a center more than a winger, too, so I\u2019d circle Lawrence for them if the Blues don\u2019t take him as well. Both of them are gone here, though, and if Gustafsson is the one player from this group who now lingers in this new draft order (I think in multiple scenarios he goes in front of this and could even go top 10), I think they\u2019d take him. I know both Matthew Schaefer and Kashawn Aitcheson are lefties, but I don\u2019t think that precludes them from taking a nearly 6-foot-5 stopper who could slot in between those two on their second pair long-term.<\/p>\n 14. Columbus Blue Jackets: Ryan Lin, RHD, Vancouver (WHL)<\/p>\n The Blues could use another big body up front, and I\u2019m sure they\u2019d jump on Belchetz if he were to get here. This is also Hemming\u2019s range, and I can understand why he has been the default mock to them. But I wonder about the Blue Jackets and Lin as well. League sources have indicated to me that more teams in the teens are high on Lin than people realize, and I could see the Blue Jackets liking him for the same reason they liked Denton Mateychuk when they took him 12th. They obviously have two good young D prospects in Mateychuk and Jackson Smith, but both are lefties, and they could use a good right-shot D in their system (which is arguably harder to find than a winger like Hemming).<\/p>\n 15. St. Louis Blues: Oscar Hemming, LW, Boston College (NCAA)<\/p>\n If the Blues take Lawrence with their first pick, I think it frees them up to potentially select a left-shot winger (both Justin Carbonneau and Jimmy Snuggerud are righties) like Hemming or Adam Novotn\u00fd here or a right-shot D like Lin (Philip Broberg and Theo Lindstein are both lefties, and they don\u2019t have a D with Lin\u2019s look). I\u2019ve heard they like Novotn\u00fd, but Hemming is the higher guy in the consensus.<\/p>\n If the Blues take lefty forwards Belchetz or Cullen at No. 11, I\u2019d bet they pivot to make sure they get a center here and take the one-the-rise Alexander Command (or, if Lawrence gets here, take him here instead). That\u2019s the game they\u2019re likely going to have to play.<\/p>\n 16. Washington Capitals: Alexander Command, C, \u00d6rebro (U20 Nationell)<\/p>\n The Capitals are another team I could see as a landing spot with one of their two picks here for Lin. I\u2019d bet they take a center with at least one of these two selections in the late teens, though, as well. The late teens is Maddox Dagenais\u2019 range for some, but some also view him as a winger, and if Command gets to 16 (which I\u2019m not convinced he will), he\u2019d be a great target as a surefire center.<\/p>\n 17. Los Angeles Kings: Oliver Suvanto, C, Tappara (Liiga)<\/p>\n The Kings are another team I could see targeting Lin, but I get the sense they go center here, and that puts Suvanto, Dagenais and maybe even Hextall in play. I leaned Suvanto only because he\u2019s definitely a center, and that\u2019s not a sure thing for Dagenais. The Kings don\u2019t have anything down the middle in their pool.<\/p>\n 18. Washington Capitals: Adam Novotn\u00fd, LW, Peterborough (OHL)<\/p>\n I get the sense that the strong-skating, strong-bodied Novotn\u00fd goes in the teens, and I\u2019ve heard him connected to the Capitals. They have an abundance of wing prospects, but none that profile quite like him. I could see their group liking him as a projectable, pro-style secondary middle-six scorer with speed, which they could use more of.<\/p>\n 19. Utah Mammoth: Maddox Dagenais, C, Quebec (QMJHL)<\/p>\n I believe the Mammoth would be all over Lin if he were to get here. They feel like his floor to me. If Lin isn\u2019t here, though, I\u2019m not sure Tommy Bleyl (whom I\u2019d bet they like) is quite in this range, though. The sense I get is that Bleyl goes in the 20s. So if it\u2019s not Lin, forwards like Dagenais and Ilia Morozov fit with how they tend to draft. But this is Dagenais range as well, and he\u2019d fit with how they\u2019ve drafted in the past and what their pool, which is strong across the board, could use a little more of.<\/p>\n 20. Buffalo Sabres: Ilia Morozov, C, Miami (NCAA)<\/p>\n I\u2019ve heard the Sabres are high on Morozov, and I also know a couple of other teams in front of them in the early 20s were too. I\u2019d guess their effort to move up was made in part as a way to leapfrog those teams and make sure they get their guy. Morozov profiles as a strongly built, well-rounded future 3C. If he\u2019s gone, others in that mold include Gleb Pugachyov, Casey Mutryn, Simas Ignatavicius and Ryder Cali. But this would also be a little early for a couple of them, and I wonder if they pivot back to a skill guy like Klepov, Hermansson or Hurlbert if the projectable and safe bet in Morozov isn\u2019t here.<\/p>\n 21. Philadelphia Flyers: Maksim Sokolovskii, LHD, London (OHL)<\/p>\n Sokolovskii\u2019s name has been one of the most hotly discussed among NHL scouts over the past few months, and I expect he\u2019ll be selected in the 20s now. He\u2019s the biggest player in this class, he might be its most naturally aggressive and he can move. Those three things made him a source of intrigue for the scouts this year. But his steep development curve in the second half of this season sold the league on his prospects as the next Nikita Zadorov type, and the trust in the London Knights to get him there (coincidentally, they also developed Zadorov) is another confidence booster. I believe the Flyers are the start of his range. I think Bleyl is an option here, too, for very different reasons.<\/p>\n 22. Pittsburgh Penguins: JP Hurlbert, LW, Kamloops (WHL)<\/p>\n I\u2019ve said it before: If the Mammoth are the floor for Lin, I get the sense the Penguins are the basement (and could see them potentially try to move up to grab him). I believe they\u2019re one of the teams that were high on Morozov as well, and could be part of the reason the Sabres leapfrogged. If Lin and Morozov are both gone, I\u2019ve wondered about Hurlbert and Nikita Klepov, who fit their type and would add a playmaker to their mix. Hextall is their type, too, but this might be just a little early for the Youngstown center.<\/p>\n 23. Boston Bruins: Jack Hextall, C, Youngstown (USHL)<\/p>\n I\u2019ve heard the Bruins like Hextall and have spent some extra time with him over the course of this season, but they also feel overdue to take a D in the first round, and I get the sense they\u2019re kind of the real start of Bleyl\u2019s range. This is also the start of William H\u00e5kansson\u2019s range if they feel their pool needs the D more than the center.<\/p>\n 24. Vancouver Canucks: Mathis Preston, RW, Vancouver (WHL)<\/p>\n The Canucks are a second team I believe would be keen on Morozov if he\u2019s here. But I\u2019ve also heard Preston\u2019s name connected to them, and while this is a little early for some (he\u2019s widely viewed as a bubble first-rounder), their pool could use an infusion of speed and skill, and he checks both of those boxes with more emphasis than maybe anyone else in this range. They haven\u2019t really taken Giants in the past, but this could be the year that changes.<\/p>\n I do wonder about Liam Ruck, too. I don\u2019t think the connections and vibes are nothing there.<\/p>\n 25. Ottawa Senators: William H\u00e5kansson, LHD, Lulea (SHL)<\/p>\n There has been some speculative chatter about how the Sens are now another team that, if they\u2019d like to, could now make the Ruck twins\u2019 dream a reality<\/a> at No. 25 and No. 32. The Rucks would be a bit of a departure from how the Sens have drafted in the past, though, and I expect questions about Markus\u2019 back keep him out of the first round. I\u2019m not saying they won\u2019t do it. I\u2019m sure they\u2019ll discuss it. But a defender like H\u00e5kansson would fit their DNA more and will go somewhere in the late first\/early second. He\u2019d give them something different than Yakemchuk and Logan Hensler. I\u2019d bet the Sens like Sokolovskii, too.<\/p>\n 26. New York Rangers: Elton Hermansson, RW, MoDo (Allsvenskan)<\/p>\n The Rangers will likely have two considerations with this pick: Take a projectable center like Brooks Rogowksi or Hextall (who I\u2019ve heard they like and nearly mocked here) and fill a hole within their pool down the middle, or prioritize skill (which their pool also needs) with a winger like Klepov, Preston or Hermansson, or a D like Bleyl. I get the sense Rogowski goes late first as well, and the Rangers have targeted size up front consistently (Nathan Aspinall, Dylan Roobroeck, Matt Rempe, Jaroslav Chmelar). They should chase some skill, though, and while there\u2019s a case that a D makes more sense than another wing, Hermansson might be the most purely talented player available and is a righty to their lefty-heavy lineup.<\/p>\n 27. San Jose Sharks: Tommy Bleyl, RHD, Moncton (QMJHL)<\/p>\n If the Sharks take Stenberg with their first pick, I expect they\u2019ll zero in on a defenseman here. And if Bleyl hasn\u2019t been picked, Bleyl would both address a need as a righty and a potential power play quarterback of the future (especially if they aren\u2019t convinced left Sam Dickinson will be that). They would have seen their fair share of Bleyl while keeping tabs on Sharks prospect Teddy Mutryn with Moncton last season as well.<\/p>\n 28. Montreal Canadiens: Gleb Pugachyov, RW, Nizhny Novgorod Jr. (MHL)<\/p>\n The Canadiens\u2019 amateur staff probably quite likes players like Klepov and the Rucks, and I could absolutely still see them taking one of them here, but I wonder if they talk themselves into the greater need and prioritize size with this pick. If they do, Pugachyov, Rogowski, Cali, Mutryn and Ignatavicius are the names to know (more or less in that order in the consensus).<\/p>\n 29. St. Louis Blues: Brooks Rogowski, C, Oshawa (OHL)<\/p>\n The Blues are probably Hextall\u2019s floor, and I\u2019d bet they take him if he\u2019s here. If he\u2019s not, Rogowski is another potential third-line center who would fill a need in their pool and give it something new and different to work with.<\/p>\n 30. Calgary Flames: Nikita Klepov, RW, Saginaw (OHL)<\/p>\n The Flames are one of the teams best-positioned to take both Ruck twins with their five picks in the 30-55 range. They\u2019re a player type the Flames\u2019 staff has never shied away from, too. That makes Liam an option here. I\u2019ve also heard the Flames are another team that likes Hextall, but I don\u2019t think he gets here. I\u2019m not convinced Klepov does either, but if he does, he\u2019s a player I\u2019ve heard they\u2019ve spent some extra time on, and they have a history with his agency.<\/p>\n 31. Carolina Hurricanes: Xavier Villeneuve, LHD, Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)<\/p>\n The Hurricanes probably move back, but if they don\u2019t, there are players who scream their name here: the skilled and speedy Preston, the ultra-talented Villeneuve and the athletic, natural scoring Niklas Aaram-Olsen. They may be able to get each a little lower, too.<\/p>\n 32. Ottawa Senators: Casey Mutryn, RW, U.S. NTDP (USHL)<\/p>\n There are a few players who fit as Senators types late in the first round. I\u2019ve mocked Cali, the North Bay center and Providence commit, to them in the past. He\u2019s a big, strong, committed, pro-style forward. Mutryn checks those same boxes and is going to go somewhere in this range as well. I\u2019m partial to Cali, but some favor Mutryn. The Sens are another team that could consider Rogowksi and H\u00e5kansson as well. I think they could use an infusion of skill and should consider more of a high-risk swing on a Ruck or an even higher-risk swing on a Nordmark, but their group has typically avoided those guys in the past. I will say this, though: Steve Staios is the same GM who, in the OHL and NHL, has taken a chance on Arthur Kaliyev (who has some Nordmark in him), so maybe they will surprise me this year.<\/p>\n 33. Vancouver Canucks: Liam Ruck, RW, Medicine Hat (WHL)<\/p>\n I think there\u2019s a very good chance that Liam goes in the first round, but if he doesn\u2019t, he\u2019d make for a positive note to start Day 2 for both the draft and the Canucks. They played it safe with Braeden Cootes and Tom Willander, and new GM Ryan Johnson is going to need to find an impact guy outside of their top picks. Ruck\u2019s size and skating come with some risk in him becoming that, but no more than the risk in every other profile in this range. Why not take the local(ish) player with a good story who was one of the CHL\u2019s leading scorers last season at this point in the draft?<\/p>\n 34. Chicago Blackhawks: Jakub Vanecek, LHD, Tri-City (WHL)<\/p>\n I get the sense that the 30s will be Vanecek\u2019s landing spot. Some talked about him as a late-first guy in the fall and again in the spring coming out of U18 worlds, but the in between seemed to make him more likely an early Day 2 pick. He\u2019s a good-sized, athletic D who fits the Blackhawks\u2019 type and would add to the depth of their back end. I wonder if they\u2019d take a swing on Villeneuve if he were to get here. They don\u2019t have anything like Villeneuve in their pool and can afford to roll the dice with these second-rounders.<\/p>\n 35. Calgary Flames: Tobias Trejbal, G, Youngstown (USHL)<\/p>\n League sources expect Trejbal to be the first goalie picked. I think it happens in the 30s here somewhere, and the Flames are one team I\u2019ve heard connected. They can also afford to take a goalie with one of their four (!) second-rounders, so why not chase your favorite in the class?<\/p>\n 36. Calgary Flames: Ryder Cali, C, North Bay (OHL)<\/p>\n The Flames have plenty of 5-foot-10\/11 forward prospects, and they\u2019re going to need to fill in around them with some lunch pail go-getters with size and strength. That\u2019s Cali, who belongs in this range, would add to their depth down the middle (though some think he\u2019ll be better suited for the wing) and would be a great fit for the Flames here.<\/p>\n 37. Chicago Blackhawks: Ryan Roobroeck, LW, Niagara (OHL)<\/p>\n I have no idea where the talented but frustrating big man goes, but it\u2019s going to be to a team that\u2019s willing to bet on his size-skill-shot combination and work with him on his habits and inconsistencies and the Blackhawks, with the strength of their pool, are a team that can afford to take a swing like this. Their pool could also use a little more size, too, even if he doesn\u2019t use his as much as people would like. Roobroeck was traded last week to the 2027 Memorial Cup host Guelph Storm, which should be good for him as well.<\/p>\n 38. Seattle Kraken: Marcus Nordmark, LW, Djurg\u00e5rden (U20 Nationell)<\/p>\n The Kraken are among the teams in the late first or early second that I could see taking a swing on the often-frustrating and always-mercurial Nordmark, who\u2019s a first-round talent and would inject some skill into their pool.<\/p>\n 39. Pittsburgh Penguins: Simas Ignatavicius, RW, Gen\u00e8ve-Servette (NL)<\/p>\n The Penguins\u2019 staff haven\u2019t shied away from taking unique case studies and prospects over the years (dating back to their Maple Leafs days), and I could see them being drawn to the allure of Ignatavicius, a strong Lithuanian forward with some pro attributes for their development team to work with. I could see them being all over Trejbal if he\u2019s here as well.<\/p>\n 40. Florida Panthers: Tim Runtso, RHD, Victoria (WHL)\u00a0<\/p>\n I\u2019ve heard the Panthers tied to Klepov, but he won\u2019t get here. Keep an eye on Runtso. There\u2019s a lot of belief in him as a future depth defenseman out there, and I get the sense he has leapfrogged names like Ethan MacKenzie and Egor Barabanov as the potential first overager<\/a> off the board. I could see the Panthers being attracted to his makeup and age\/timeline.<\/p>\n 41. Vancouver Canucks: Markus Ruck, C, Medicine Hat (WHL)<\/p>\n Wouldn\u2019t it be something to see the Canucks reunite the Ruck twins and Preston, their best friend and childhood linemate? A lot would have to fall just right, but I don\u2019t think it\u2019s an outcome that\u2019s completely out of the question.<\/p>\n 42. Nashville Predators: Chase Harrington, LW, Spokane (WHL)<\/p>\n The Predators have traditionally loved the thorny, annoying forwards (see: Zachary L\u2019Heureux, Brady Martin), and there may not be a bigger one in this class than Harrington, who fits their DNA to a T. We\u2019ll see if their DNA has changed, but he and Saskatoon\u2019s Zach Olsen scream Predators picks of old in this range.<\/p>\n 43. Columbus Blue Jackets: Niklas Aaram-Olsen, LW, \u00d6rebro (U20 Nationell)<\/p>\n Aaram-Olsen has been one of the top scorers in Sweden\u2019s junior level over the last couple of years, but has come with varied opinions as a bit of a top-six\/PP-or-bust winger. I get the sense his U18s and combine helped solidify him as an early Day 2 pick, though, and could see the Blue Jackets as among the teams that could like him.<\/p>\n 44. New Jersey Devils: Jonas Lagerberg Hoen, LW, Leksand (U20 Nationell)<\/p>\n Lagerberg Hoen, like Cullen, is another highly talented forward I could see grabbing Mehta\u2019s attention. He lost almost his entire draft year to ACL surgery, but is progressing nicely and will be back for next season. He can put the puck in the net with the best of them in this class, and projects as a 30s\/40s pick despite the long layoff.<\/p>\n 45. Chicago Blackhawks: Adam Goljer, RHD, Trinec (Extraliga)<\/p>\n Goljer is another athletic, good-skating D in this range and would add to the Blackhawks\u2019 depth on the right side after Vanecek added to it on the left.<\/p>\n 46. Los Angeles Kings: Jaxon Cover, RW, London (OHL)<\/p>\n There has been some late-first chatter about Cover at times this year, but I\u2019ve had a harder time finding a team that will actually take him there on draft day. I think the middle of the second round is much more likely, and the Kings would be a good fit for both sides.<\/p>\n 47. Detroit Red Wings: Zach Olsen, RW, Saskatoon (WHL)<\/p>\n Olsen is one of the most competitive players in this class, and the Red Wings have normally ended up with those guys. It\u2019s a clear priority for them, and while I\u2019ve wondered annually if they would take some more swings on higher-risk skill types, they tend to double down on the guys with engines who are going to play. That\u2019s Olsen in this range.<\/p>\n 48. Florida Panthers: Nikita Shcherbakov, LHD, Ufa (KHL)<\/p>\n Some think (myself included) that Shcherbakov could go in the 30s or maybe even late 20s. But I get the sense that D like Vanecek and Goljer go in front of the rangy Russian, and I could see him lingering. The Panthers have a recent history of drafting Russians, too.<\/p>\n 49. Los Angeles Kings: Juho Piiparinen, RHD, Tappara (Liiga)<\/p>\n I think there\u2019s a decent chance Piiparinen goes earlier than this, but if he doesn\u2019t, he\u2019d check a lot of boxes for the Kings, adding a projectable left-shot NHL D to their pool.<\/p>\n 50. Anaheim Ducks: Charlie Morrison, LHD, Quebec (QMJHL)<\/p>\n The Ducks have gone to the Q often, and Morrison checks their athletic, hardworking profile with emphasis. He\u2019s a little rough around the edges in some areas, but he\u2019s going to be a second-round pick and has a clear path to becoming a depth NHL D.<\/p>\n 51. Calgary Flames: Egor Shilov, C, Victoriaville (QMJHL)<\/p>\n The Flames need skill and center, and while Shilov\u2019s slower-paced game isn\u2019t for everyone, he\u2019ll be one of the most talented players available when he gets picked, and he\u2019s a natural center.<\/p>\n 52. Edmonton Oilers: Alessandro Di Iorio, C, Sarnia (OHL)<\/p>\n Di Iorio\u2019s draft year didn\u2019t go the way he or others expected, between injuries and struggles on a Sarnia team that had plenty of them, but he\u2019s still well-liked as a well-rounded center prospect, and I\u2019ve heard the Oilers connected to him.<\/p>\n 53. Philadelphia Flyers: Samu Alalauri, RHD, Pelicans (Liiga U20)<\/p>\n Alalauri\u2019s fitness and inconsistency have both been a bit of a talking point over the course of this draft cycle, but he has size, skill, and some tools, and the Flyers could use an offensively inclined right-shot D in their pool.<\/p>\n 54. Pittsburgh Penguins: Thomas Vandenberg, C, Ottawa (OHL)<\/p>\n The Penguins\u2019 group has always been attracted to smart, hardworking, versatile forwards, and that\u2019s Vandenberg, a heady and diligent center.<\/p>\n 55. Calgary Flames: Adam Nemec, LW, Sudbury (OHL)<\/p>\n Nemec is an average-sized, average-grades, well-rounded winger who was successful in Slovakia\u2019s top pro league, the OHL and at the World Juniors. He doesn\u2019t pull you out of your seat with pace or skill, but he\u2019s a good, smart player who\u2019s likely going to play in the NHL.<\/p>\n 56. Boston Bruins: Ben Macbeath, LHD, Calgary (WHL)<\/p>\n Macbeath is among a large group of D who will go in the second round, and while I could see him getting picked earlier than this, his second-half rise was slowed by a just-OK U18 worlds; I wonder if that gives standouts there like Goljer and Vanecek the leg up on him to teams looking for a D earlier in the second round. His pro skating mechanics and rapid development would make him a great fit for a Bruins pool that needs to add D.<\/p>\n 57. Nashville Predators: Tomas Chrenko, C, Nitra (Extraliga)<\/p>\n One of the most successful players in this age group in Europe\u2019s pro ranks this season, Chrenko excelled for long stretches of the year in Slovakia\u2019s top flight and has an impressive international track record. He\u2019s on the smaller side for an NHL center, but he\u2019s a willing worker and the Preds\u2019 type, plus he would add some skill to their system.<\/p>\n 58. Tampa Bay Lightning: Beckett Hamilton, C, Red Deer (WHL)<\/p>\n There has been a lot of talk about Hamilton as a second-round pick and sleeper lately. He\u2019s a skilled and committed player who screams Lightning to me. I could see him going earlier than this now, though, too.<\/p>\n 59. Dallas Stars: Mans Gudmundsson, RHD, F\u00e4rjestad (U20 Nationell)<\/p>\n The Stars didn\u2019t use a single one of their six picks last year on a defenseman, and they take one here in Gudmundsson, a good-sized, physical, effective defenseman who projects as a depth D in the NHL. He has some positive momentum coming into the draft and could go higher than this, too.<\/p>\n 60. Toronto Maple Leafs: Alexander Bilecki, LHD, Kitchener (OHL)<\/p>\n Bilecki is a good-skating, talented D who just won an OHL title and Memorial Cup with the Rangers. He\u2019s viewed as having plenty of runway, too, with a still-lean frame to fill out and an expanded role coming in the OHL after playing on a deep blue line this year.<\/p>\n 61. Montreal Canadiens: Liam Lefebvre, C, Chicoutimi (QMJHL)<\/p>\n The second overager picked, Lefebvre is a big forward (he\u2019s viewed more as a winger than a center) with an NHL shot and a mean streak. Those guys don\u2019t last long, and he specifically would fill a need for the Canadiens.<\/p>\n 62. San Jose Sharks: Rian Chudzinski, RW, Moncton (QMJHL)<\/p>\n The Sharks would have also seen their fair share of Chudzinski while keeping an eye on Mutryn with the Wildcats. He\u2019s a hardworking player with a pro shot who had some ups and downs this year, but finished strong on a deep QMJHL playoff run.<\/p>\n 63. Vegas Golden Knights: Forfeited64. New York Rangers: Rudolfs Berzkalns, C, Muskegon (USHL)<\/p>\n The Rangers add a toolsy center in Berzkalns, who needs to show he can produce more, but has the look and game of an NHL player.<\/p>\n Some other potential second-rounders: Egor Barabanov, Adam Andersson, Matias Vanhanen, Patriks Plumins, Ethan MacKenzie.<\/p>\n The Athletic and FloHockey have partnered to bring fans a live 2026 NHL Draft show. Hosted by Max Bultman and featuring experts Corey Pronman, Scott Wheeler and Chris Peters, The Athletic x FloHockey NHL Draft Live will livestream during the entire first round. Tune in June 26 at 7 p.m. ET on The Athletic Hockey Show<\/a>\u2019s YouTube channel, across FloHockey<\/a>\u2019s platforms, and on Amazon Prime (U.S.) and Fubo (Canada).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Pencils down. After a season of travel, video and phone calls and texts speaking with agents, scouts, coaches,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":755773,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[433],"tags":[766,740,741,49,762,48,748,756,758,755,757,742,453,747,763,761,743,760,749,750,751,448,744,752,753,764,768,82,759,745,746,765,452,767,754,449],"class_list":["post-755772","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nhl","tag-anaheim-ducks","tag-boston-bruins","tag-buffalo-sabres","tag-ca","tag-calgary-flames","tag-canada","tag-carolina-hurricanes","tag-chicago-blackhawks","tag-colorado-avalanche","tag-columbus-blue-jackets","tag-dallas-stars","tag-detroit-red-wings","tag-edmonton-oilers","tag-florida-panthers","tag-los-angeles-kings","tag-minnesota-wild","tag-montreal-canadiens","tag-nashville-predators","tag-new-jersey-devils","tag-new-york-islanders","tag-new-york-rangers","tag-nhl","tag-ottawa-senators","tag-philadelphia-flyers","tag-pittsburgh-penguins","tag-san-jose-sharks","tag-seattle-kraken","tag-sports","tag-st-louis-blues","tag-tampa-bay-lightning","tag-toronto-maple-leafs","tag-utah-mammoth","tag-vancouver-canucks","tag-vegas-golden-knights","tag-washington-capitals","tag-winnipeg-jets"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/755772","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=755772"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/755772\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/755773"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=755772"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=755772"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=755772"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}