![\"Alberts](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/GettyImages-2261596849-scaled-e1771425390438-1024x683.jpg\")
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Alberts \u0160mits has the NHL Draft class’ best shot, according to Corey Pronman. Gregory Shamus \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n
June 20, 2026 Updated 2:14 pm EDT<\/p>\n
Today, I release my annual look at the best skaters, puck handlers, competitors and smartest players in the 2026 NHL Draft class. In these lists, you will see a lot of familiar names and some unfamiliar ones as well. For the full evaluations of my top 112 prospects in the draft, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Best skaters Lawrence and Villeneuve\u2019s skating both stood out consistently when I watched them this season. Lawrence\u2019s game is full of speed and energy. The quick twitch in his feet reminds me of the way someone like Alex Newhook skated.<\/p>\n Villeneuve is a dynamic player with the way he maneuvers off the blue line with his edge work, while also being very fast.<\/p>\n Best puck handlers There are some obvious names at the top of this list, with dynamos in McKenna and Stenberg who are projected to be major point producers at the next level. Cullen is right behind those two, though. He\u2019s electric with the puck, is among the most creative players in this class and is now measuring in at 6-foot-1.<\/p>\n McKenna vs. Stenberg: Who\u2019s No. 1?<\/p>\n Corey Pronman, Scott Wheeler and more<\/p>\n Best hockey IQ You will see a lot of the same names from the most skilled department appear here, showing why names like McKenna, Stenberg and Bjorck are high up on draft lists.<\/p>\n Best shot Carels is a strong offensive player, but it\u2019s his physicality, edge and extreme competitiveness that made him highly attractive to NHL teams. Pugachyov and Hemming are among the hardest guts to play against in this class, too, often landing loud hits and winning a lot of puck battles.<\/p>\n For Scott Wheeler\u2019s draft class superlatives, click here<\/a>.<\/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 Jun 21, 2026<\/p>\n Connections: Sports Edition<\/p>\n Spot the pattern. Connect the terms<\/p>\n Find the hidden link between sports terms<\/p>\n Play today’s puzzle<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Alberts \u0160mits has the NHL Draft class’ best shot, according to Corey Pronman. Gregory Shamus \/ Getty Images…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":716973,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[66],"tags":[385,99],"class_list":["post-716972","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nhl","tag-nhl","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/716972","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=716972"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/716972\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/716973"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=716972"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=716972"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=716972"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nTynan Lawrence, C, Boston University
\nXavier Villeneuve, D, Blainville-Boisbriand
\nEthan MacKenzie, D, Edmonton
\nThomas Vandenberg, C, Ottawa
\nMathis Preston, RW, Vancouver
\nDakoda Rheaume-Mullen, D, Michigan
\nKalder Varga, RW, Red Deer<\/p>\n
\nGavin McKenna, LW, Penn State
\nIvar Stenberg, LW, Fr\u00f6lunda
\nWyatt Cullen, LW, U.S. NTDP
\nJP Hurlbert, LW, Kamloops
\nElton Hermansson, RW, MoDo
\nViggo Bj\u00f6rck, C, Djurg\u00e5rden
\nXavier Villeneuve, D, Blainville-Boisbriand
\nMathis Preston, RW, Vancouver
\nMarcus Nordmark, LW, Djurg\u00e5rden Jr.
\nNikita Klepov, RW, Saginaw
\nMikey Berchild, LW, U.S. NTDP
\nTomas Chrenko, C, Nitra
\nLiam Ruck, RW, Medicine Hat
\nMarkus Ruck, C, Medicine Hat<\/p>\n
\nGavin McKenna, LW, Penn State
\nIvar Stenberg, LW, Fr\u00f6lunda
\nViggo Bj\u00f6rck, C, Djurg\u00e5Frden
\nJP Hurlbert, LW, Kamloops
\nXavier Villeneuve, D, Blainville-Boisbriand
\nChase Reid, D, Sault Ste. Marie
\nCaleb Malhotra, C, Brantford
\nTomas Galvas, D, Liberec
\nAxel Elofsson, D, \u00d6rebro Jr.
\nDaxon Rudolph, D, Prince Albert
\nRyan Lin, D, Vancouver
\nTommy Bleyl, D, Moncton
\nLiam Danielsson, RW, \u00d6rebro<\/p>\n
\nAlberts \u0160mits, D, Jukurit
\nNiklas Aaram-Olsen, LW, \u00d6rebro Jr.
\nRyan Roobroeck, LW, Niagara
\nKeaton Verhoeff, D, North Dakota
\nAdam Novotn\u00fd, LW, Peterborough
\nJonas Lagerberg Hoen, RW, Leksand Jr.
\nMaddox Dagenais, C, Quebec
\nIvar Stenberg, LW, Fr\u00f6lunda
\nJakub Vanecek, D, Tri-City
\nBest compete
\nCarson Carels, D, Prince George
\nGleb Pugachyov, RW, Nizhny Novgorod Jr.
\nOscar Hemming, LW, Boston College
\nMaksim Sokolovskii, D, London
\nAlessandro Di Iorio, C, Sarnia
\nCasey Mutryn, RW, U.S. NTDP
\nRian Chudzinski, RW, Moncton
\nViggo Bjorck, C, Djurgarden
\nLudvig Andersson, RW, \u00d6rebro Jr.
\nJean-Cristoph Lemieux, LW, Sudbury
\nCasper Juustovaara, C, Lule\u00e5<\/p>\n<\/p>\n