Elite Prospects 2026 NHL Draft Grades

The 2026 NHL Draft has come to a close. 

This was an exciting one, with major trades in the lead-up, some first-round surprises, and a very exciting day two. 

Now, it's time to grade draft-day performances, a fun post-draft exercise that is always great to look back on in a year or two. We focused on overall value added at the draft, with some adjustment for the amount of draft capital they had to work with.

If you’re looking for more on these players, check out our 2026 NHL Draft Guide.

Now, let’s go team-by-team to talk about each team’s newest additions. 

Anaheim Ducks: B+

Anaheim’s strategy in this draft was clear: all upside. When a team already has plenty of young talent, that’s the right call. They don’t have any particular strong need and can treat the draft even more like a lottery for top-end assets. 

Nikita Klepov fits the Ducks' values and system very well, capable of playing a highly creative playmaking game, while also having the motor to make an impact on the forecheck. He could complement some of the team’s top forwards very well with his passing and ability to take pucks off the wall. 

The Marcus Nordmark selection carries a lot more risk in the first round, but considering the depth of their pool, Anaheim could afford to take on such a project. Possessing above-average skills across the board, Nordmark now needs to understand how to play a more projectable game. Less floating and forced plays; more physical and all-around engagement. Mathis Preston plays an opposite game to Nordmark, beating opponents mostly with skating and handling pace and lacking diversity, but it’s a similarly untranslatable playstyle. That said, at 50th overall, he’s exactly the kind of gamble teams should make because of the boom potential with adjustments. 

Jayden Kurtz and Eric Frossard fit the Anaheim philosophy for defencemen: target tools and develop the rest. If they can develop his defensive reads and add some pace in his game, they could fit into their rotation in a few years. They also added a speedy, hard-hitting checker in Rian Chudzinski who has a clear NHL role. Gleb Peshkov, an extremely flexible goalie, was a fine late-round tools bet, too. Noah Kosick is a pure playmaker, but the growth spurt and high-end element are worth betting on, especially at No. 192.

As usual, consider the Ducks a winner on draft day.

Boston Bruins: C-

Yuri Ivanov may have carried Spartak Moskva to the MHL finals, but our team didn’t believe much in his upside due to play-reading and postural issues, giving him late-round value. Boston is banking on athleticism with that selection. 

For our staff, their most exciting pick was Roberto Leonardo Henriquez, who we ranked at No. 71 and went 170th. The dynamic-skating goaltender became a high-end puck stopper in the USHL, and has the tools to be an undersized NHL tandem-level goalie.

There are also added a trio of interesting forwards: Nils Bartholdsson, Matvei Kotkov, and Oscar Olsson. Bartholdsson comes with the highest scoring upside, but will need to add speed and dynamism. Olsson, our No. 134 prospect, is a skill-first big man who will have to develop his power side to earn an NHL role. The towering Jacob Vandeven played some forward for London, but he’s usually a goal-scoring defender who is years away – with some intriguing upside.

Regardless of our thoughts on their picks, they did add a second-line scorer for No. 16 and a 2028 first-round pick. A tidy bit of work. 

Buffalo Sabres: B+

A surprise selection, but a fun one, Daxon Rudolph has the highest theoretical upside out of all the top defencemen, mainly due to his anticipation, vision, playmaking, and shooting skills. Lacking physicality, defensive engagement, and playing at a slower pace, his profile reminds us of Evan Bouchard and Brandt Clarke. To succeed, he will need prime offensive deployment. 

The selection of Ilia Morozov, a player who is almost assured of at least a bottom-six role, solidified the Sabres’ first round. Morozov already rotates and engages opponents like an NHLer and just needs to develop slightly more skating and playmaking skills to ascend. Olivers Mūrnieks is cut from the same cloth, but injures limited his season. Still, he has fourth-line centre upside. 

With a nice mix of certainty and upside, we’re fans of Buffalo’s work these last two days.

Calgary Flames: A-

Carson Carels looks like a lot of top defencemen in the NHL, doing everything well with high-end tools across the boards. Physical, an aggressive rush defender and constant activator, he’s always breaking plays and turning north, a kind of Charlie McAvoy-like foundational piece. Calgary needs such a player to insulate their offensive defencemen, Zayne Parekh and Šimon Nemec. 

One can draw some parallels between Jack Hextall and Cole Reschny, Calgary’s first 2025 first-rounders. Both players need to develop their skating, but they have the habits to play in the NHL. Hextall’s board play and playmaking impressed our staff. The selections of Chase Harrington and Alan Shaikhlislamov, wingers, and Tobias Trejbal, our first-ranked goalie, also follow the same line of drafting, favouring prospects with pro-like skillsets and higher floors, standing out for their habits, more than their creativity or high-end play-reading. Trejbal, in particular, could become a major needle-mover for the organization, a potential starter-level goalie playing a tandem role with Dustin Wolf.

Joe Iginla, an undersized, lower-scoring player with skating as a weakness, is a bet on bloodlines and a return to the top prospect status he had a few years ago. Picked 35 spots later, Egor Barabanov was a more exciting swing, as he’s an electric open-ice creator, especially from the top of the offensive zone, and is on a significant upward trajectory.

While Calgary could’ve liked added some more upside at various points, Carels and Trejbal alone could net them two major pieces. 

Carolina Hurricanes: C+

The Carolina Hurricanes love to control the draft, making it as long as they want to, trading back as they accumulate picks. It’s part of a winning strategy, and they showed it this year. Their first selection at 51st overall, William Håkansson, could become a bottom-pairing insulator for them at some point. It’s the right range to target such prospects, but then the team went back to their usual playbook, targeting pure upside in Wiggo Sörensson, a diminutive forward who flashed playmaking abilities, but mostly abused a skating advantage to beat defenders this season. A very low-chance NHLer, we pushed him far down our own board, but he has upside. 

Zach Lansard and Mikey Berchild are a pair of energetic, pacey forwards with scoring upside. Though Lansard isn’t quite as dynamic as the Canes' other smaller forwards, he does have the same competitive fire. Ryder Fetterolf, the CHL Goaltender of the Year, was a smart swing, too.

The defending Stanley Cup champs had a solid two days adding to their prospect pool.

Chicago Blackhawks: A- 

Chicago may have traded away the fourth overall pick, but they almost got a player of equivalent value in Xavier Villeneuve at 34th overall. Yes, there’s obvious risk there – size and physical potential – but Villeneuve’s skating potential, vision, playmaking flair, and one-on-one ability could make him Chicago’s main quarterback for years and one of the top offensive defencemen in the NHL. 

Another swing for upside, Ryan Roobroeck was a projected top-10 selection coming into the season, not unlike Villeneuve. He has top-six-calibre tools. His shot, especially, could make him an NHL scorer, but it’s his on-ice attitude that needs fixing. More urgency and aggressiveness could transform his play, turning him into a much better play-driver. Samu Alalauri was a solid bet on all-around defensive skills, too.

Grading them strictly on the draft and not the moves prior, this remains a good haul for a team that still needs to add potential higher-end talents to their pool. 

Colorado Avalanche: B+ 

When you don’t have a lot of top picks, aim for the fences. That’s exactly what Colorado did with the 43rd overall pick, targeting Yegor Shilov, a high-upside, low-floor prospect. Playing chess on the ice and taking his time between turns, Shilov barely moved his feet this season, but when he did, he carved defenders, found non-evident passing options, and orchestrated his team’s rush game. If he learns the right habits, he could become a top-six forward, turning him into a draft steal. 

The rest of their picks were solid, too. Beckett Hamilton could fill a checking role, while the ultra-mean Cole Tuminaro could play a depth blueline role with further skill development. Axel Elofsson is an upside swing, and Tobiáš Tvrzník has backup potential thanks to his all-around skills. 

The Avs needed talent in their system desperately, and they added it with generally good-value picks. 

Columbus Blue Jackets: B-

For a time, we believed Oscar Hemming could become a candidate for a top-five selection with how well he was playing in his first few NCAA weekends, as a 17-year-old, after having missed half a season of hockey. Hockey sense, size, power game, vision – all the elements were there, but his performance dropped significantly afterward. Conditioning? Too big a jump? Upside mirage? We don’t know, but if the Jackets can rekindle some of the early magic, they will get a highly valuable power-playmaker, a perfect fit for their style of game.

Third-rounder Alessandro Di Iorio had a tough year, but the two-way potential remains. For our money, Jonas Woo was the purely exciting pick, after setting franchise records and controlling the game for the Medicine Hat Tigers, but he remains an undersized defender. Evan Jardine, Anttoni Uronen, and Filip Novák are fine swings, but not ones we would’ve made.

Ultimately, Hemming will likely make-or-break this draft class, but if he hits, he could bring some special value. 

Dallas Stars: D+

With their only pick in the top 150, the Stars swung on Jakub Vaněček. It’s a high-upside swing, betting on a highly mobile, active defender who loves to participate in the rush. Though Tri-City struggled in the second half, his defensive game continued to improve, eventually becoming a top rush defender. He projects as a potential No. 4 or 5, if he can clean up his reads and develop more of a special element. 

After that, they had a trio of late-rounders. Ryan Brown was our top prospect among that group, though we didn’t rank him. A buzzsaw winger with a knack for getting open in the slot, he has the skills the Stars have often drafted. Continued skill growth could make him a checking line forward. 

Detroit Red Wings: C

In recent years, the Red Wings have emphasized checking skills and certainty over scoring upside. J.P. Hurlbert represents a bit of a shift, and a welcome one at that. The reigning WHL Rookie of the Year is a point-producing machine thanks to dual-threat scoring ability and a knack for finding open ice. There’s a lot of rounding out to do, but he shows flashes of a more projectable game. It’s a big swing, but a needed one. 

Then, the Red Wings continued to tend to their prospects garden, adding another Plante – Victor is a forward who could blossom into a similar two-way playmaker as his brother, Max. Though we didn’t love every pick, Adam Levac brings some gritty playmaking, Beckham Edwards is a bounce-back candidate, and Myles Brosnan is the classic late-round upside swing. 

Overall, their first two picks could be needle movers for an organization that really needs some.

Edmonton Oilers: B 

At first, we saw Rūdolfs Bērzkalns mostly as a high-floor prospect, a future fourth-line centre, but the sequences where he mixed physical and playmaking skills made us believe in a higher role for the centre. A couple of years in the NCAA to continue honing his skills and he could become a prized third-line NHL centre, a worthy selection at 58th overall. 

Malcom Gästrin, at 84, was also solid value as a playmaking off-the-wall, crafty open-ice finisher, and physical runway. Two of their late-round picks, Windsor Spitfires Caden Harvey and Andrew Robinson, are also exciting. The former is a well-rounded skill player with high-end flashes and a fallback game, while Robinson is a slick playmaker off the point. 

Of course, there’s a chance the Oilers don’t get anything out of this class, but we’re optimistic about Bērzkalns and the process, picking mostly upside and development swings, is a sound one. 

Florida Panthers: B

The perfect selections for a contending team, Simas Ignatavičius and Ryder Cali should fit the Panthers’ system to a tee, with their physical skills, and passing talent. With some continued skating development for Ignatavičius and more consistent play-driving for Cali, they could integrate a bottom-six role for them, becoming solid utility forwards. 

The emphasis on checking forwards extended deeper into the class, also adding Vilho Vanhatalo and Cole Zurawski. Jonas Kemps is a massive swing, banking on a light frame for his 6-foot-6 frame and flashes of puck-moving being complemented with a more physical, robust defensive game.

Not a flashy class, but expect at least one NHLer from this group.

Los Angeles Kings: C+ 

The Los Angeles Kings need an influx of creativity in their prospect pool. Elton Hermansson brings that. Possessing top-six-calibre skills and capable of dangling defenders, he could become a power play element for them, provided he develops his physical game and refines his decision-making. 

In the second round, the Kings added Liam Lefebvre, a forward who plays more of a professional-style game, combining physicality and off-the-pass scoring ability. A likely depth forward who could become a role player, but the lack of mechanical refinement had us rank him significantly lower, however, at 106th overall. It was similar story for Adam Goljer, a puck-mover who didn’t show enough physical, defensive, or playmaking from the line this season. We ranked him 95th overall. 

But, they did add some real value in our eyes, getting Blake Zielinski at No. 80, Giorgos Pantelas at No. 153, and Alex Kostov at No. 177. Zielinski is a hard-working, net-front scorer with flashes of high-end playmaking, while Pantelas checks off every box for a modern shutdown defenceman except for puck management. Both are far from certainties, but both are plus value where they were picked. Plus, they took one of the draft’s biggest – literally – goalie swings on Yegor Rybkin.

While we may have some qualms with pick value, they achieved their goal of loading up their prospect pool. 

Minnesota Wild: C+

The Wild made the most of their three picks. Adam Andersson is essentially the prototypical No. 4 centre – you just wish he scored a bit more. Still, it’s easy to see him beating the odds and finding a role as a Kevin Stenlund-type. Fourth-rounder Kayden Lemire is a power-playmaker who could who play a complementary role to Andersson, and has an element of meanness teammates are always chasing. The 6-foot-7 Filip Růžička rounds out the draft class, but improving his quickness and rebound control will be required. 

Even with highly limited draft capital, it’s not hard to see the Wild getting NHL games out of this group, and that’s a positive grade from us.

Montreal Canadiens: B 

While getting an established top-six player may have been the best outcome for the Canadiens on Day One of the draft, Gleb Pugachyov could also transform the team in his own way, providing a rare mix of speed and physicality. A hammer, Pugachyov sees opponents as loose nails in need of a good hit. We questioned his hockey sense this season, but his more measured and calculated KHL play gave us hope that he could, to an extent, learn to drive play at the NHL level. He could potentially be a special fourth-liner with upward mobility in a lineup, with continued work on his reads and passing game. 

If this was Timofei Runtso’s first year of eligibility, he may have slotted in our top-32, considering his athletic base, puck-carrying skills, and passing talent. Behind the curve of most other top prospects, but having more development runway, he still has to learn the details of the game, but could become a No. 4. 

The Habs also added Brayden Klimpke, a minute-winning defender who punches above his weight. The rest of the draft was focused on size and checking skills, but Jean-Samuel Daigenault is one of the meanest players in the draft and he can fly, though he played a very limited USHL role. Parker Trottier, Wesley Royston, and draft-plus-two defender Cooper Cleaves all flashed some skills, but will have to improve the impact of their physicality to earn depth role. 

The Canadiens prospect pool has a very clear identity. For the most part, they made smart picks to meet that physicality-first mindset.

Nashville Predators: A 

Nashville needs high-upside young players and Wyatt Cullen, a star-level project, definitely fits the bill. Some elements of his profile remind us of top NTDP playmakers of the past, players like Jack Hughes, Trevor Zegras, and Logan Cooley. Capable of rushing the puck, dangling multiple defenders, and deceiving defences on the power play, he could fill the highlight reel. His recent growth, large frame, and constant improvements in his draft year suggest a lot of development runway. 

One of the best skaters in the draft, Tommy Bleyl is also an upside bet. His puck-carrying skills and developing playmaking game could make him the team’s transition motor in time. In net, they grabbed Dmitri Borichev, our No. 2 goaltender at 70th overall, a great value selection. 

If that wasn’t enough, they made some solid mid-and-late-round picks, too. Jakub Floriš is a robust shutdown defender who has a clear NHL role, while Charlie Puglisi was one of the most dynamic Prep players this season – and fits the pace and skill identity of the team.

When we do our summer prospect pool rankings in August, expect to see the Predators rise. 

New Jersey Devils: B

Putting a premium value on centres, New Jersey targeted Alexander Command, who has a game tailor-made for the NHL in J20 this season, powering through opponents, making plays off the wall, defending with constant energy and showing flashes of skill.  While he may remain more of a third-line to middle-six centre, he’s one of the safest bets to play in the draft. 

A bet on a re-entry who developed his physical skills, Matias Vanhanen fits a completely different profile, as a transition passer with a keen ability to anticipate the play. More of a long-shot to play in a secondary scoring role, we gave him a mid-round value. 

The biggest upside bet, New Jersey made it in the middle of the second round in Nikita Shcherbakov, a 6-foot-5, agile defenceman just as comfortable on both sides of the puck. We could see him surpass Anton Silayev in the team’s future depth chart, providing a lot more puck skills. 

The playmaker Lavr Gashilov and pacey worker Luke Wilfley are two long-shots, but intriguing bets because of their clear-cut roles. Overall, a solid two days for the Devils, nabbing a pair of first-round prospects in our eyes.

New York Islanders: B+

Above all else, the New York Islanders win with their structure and Malte Gustafsson will fit very well inside it, having the range and the skating ability to kill plays and move pucks quickly. We believe he has more upside than some of the defensive prospects selected ahead, like Keaton Verhoeff and Alberts Šmits, making him a high-value pick at 13th overall. 

Then, the Islanders didn’t pick again until the 4th round. They added Lincoln Kuehne, a rangy rush defender who projects as a depth piece, and Vladimír Dravecký, an undersized playmaking defenceman. 

Above all else, they got a top-10-calibre prospect at No. 13, and one who fits the team identity already. That’s what matters most.

New York Rangers: B- 

The New York Rangers seem to fall in love with defencemen who look like NHLers at first glance. 

Having one of the highest floors in the draft, Alberts Šmits could help the Rangers this season, capable of handling the game's physicality, skating at a top level, and carrying the puck. Struggling with reads under pressure, he may require some sheltering at first and may not have as much development runway as other top defencemen, but should become a top-four for them, replacing some of K’Andre Miller’s impact. 

Another agile, 6-foot-2 defenceman, Ben MacBeath can almost compete with Šmits in the tools department, but needs even more hockey sense development, mostly shining when activating with the puck. He’s an enticing project, who will require a lot of teaching in the video room. 

As usual, they took an upside swing in Tomáš Chrenko, and they added some intriguing shutdown pieces. Charlie Morrison has the physicality, but needs the reads. Late-rounder André Mondoux was one of favourite picks, and could surprise with his combination of physicality and activation.

The Rangers have not been the best development team in the past, but they will need to become one to get the most out of their top selections. 

Ottawa Senators: B

There was first-round buzz around Jonas Lagerberg Hoen, and the Senators may not have been the only team targeting him, so we understand why they would jump to select him at 25th overall. However, there are a lot of red flags in Lagerberg Hoen’s profile: His older age, mature build, an ACL injury that saw him miss almost the entire season, and scoring splits. We questioned his hockey sense, thinking of him as a player who dominates almost exclusively through tools in a weaker league. His limited assist production and the way he scores, by overpowering opponents with shot and skating power, reinforce the concerns. Strong all-around tools can become the foundation for further development, but Lagerberg Hoen will have to play catch-up. 

A player who only began playing ice hockey a few years ago and possesses higher-end skill, on top of showing advanced reads, Jaxon Cover is a much more traditional upside bet. There’s nothing missing in his asset base. He just has to continue pushing those up levels, becoming an ever more clever playmaker and reinforcing his forechecking game. 

We liked their work the rest of the way, too. Alexander Grunin and Harris Pangretitsch are a pair of tall, toolsy defenders who bring more than the stats sheets suggest. Their trio of third-rounders, Adam Nemec, Oscar Holmertz, and Louis-Felix Bourque, may result in an NHLer, too, as they drafted a combination of checking skills and scoring potential. 

Overall, this was a solid draft for the Senators, taking two high-upside swings while getting some pieces who could play depth roles.

Philadelphia Flyers: C+

Not everyone will get behind a pick like Maksim Sokolovskii. What stands out in his profiles are not the counting stats – he played inconsistently this season before his role expanded in the playoffs – but his measurements, at almost 6-foot-8 and 240 pounds. A Nikita Zadorov clone, Sokolovskii has everything it takes to become a top-four shutdown defenceman, even the puck skills, even if he didn’t show them this season. In flashes, he was toe-dragging on defenders and spinning away from them, completing deceptive passing plays. Don’t expect those in the NHL, but there’s a large enough skill foundation to complement his profile. With more regular minutes in the OHL, he should get to develop it. 

The inverse of Sokolovskii, Brek Liske has all the habits and finer tricks to control the game, but needs to push his tools to reach the NHL. A clever defender and puck-mover, he could help Philadelphia’s transition game at maturity. Meanwhile, fifth-round KJ Sauer has a special physical game that could earn him a depth role.

Martin Psohlavec is another project based mainly on size, but not one we can get behind as much. Our goalie scouting team liked his positioning this season, but questioned his reads of the play and technical ability, giving him late-round value. 

We would’ve liked to see a bit more upside at times, but they certainly got tougher and added a pair of goalie prospects to their system. 

Pittsburgh Penguins: B

In what turned out to be the best story of the draft, the Penguins did what everyone wanted: Reunite the Ruck twins in the NHL. 

Liam and Markus Ruck fit right in with the many picks Kyle Dubas made in his Maple Leafs era. Liam has developed playmaking vision, physical skills, and a motor. Combined with those elements, his off-the-pass shooting skills give him top-nine upside. Markus is more a connective playmaker, the one who links plays all over the ice and has similar upside. They were smart, upside bets in their range, despite the risk associated with smaller players with skating issues. 

After being passed over in two consecutive drafts, Tomáš Galvas finally went to Penguins in the second round. Some elements of his profile remind us of Nick Blankenburg, another diminutive defenceman who is making a career for himself as a depth defenceman. 

Add in low-probability, high-upside piece in Pierce Mbuyi, and it’s not hard to like the Pens draft. In all likelihood, the Ruck twins will make-or-break this class.

San Jose Sharks: A+ 

Ivar Stenberg could become the perfect linemate for Macklin Celebrini, with playmaking skills equalling Will Smith’s, a much stronger physical game, and a year of professional experience under his belt already. He could be the player who finally enables one of the league’s top centres to not just score a ton, but control games in the process, allowing the Sharks to rack up a bunch of wins as they push for regular contention. 

The Keaton Verhoeff selection made perfect sense at ninth overall, a high-upside bet, despite his somewhat difficult season in the NCAA. While he has the tools of a top-four defenceman, it may become difficult for the Sharks to develop both Sam Dickinson and Verhoeff at the same time, both defencemen with hockey sense concerns who may need continued sheltering and strong structure to excel. Closer to an NHL role than these two at the time of the draft, Ryan Lin is the opposite. Angles, stick habits, puck-retrieving skills – he has all the details needed to play in the league, but just needs offensive consistency. 

The later-rounds picks from the Sharks were fine. Jake Gustafson is a potential 4C with his defensive skills and flashes of ability. The once-top-prospect Brady Knowling has tools but needs a lot of work before he’s ready for a clear NHL project. Of course, they took the 7-foot-1 Alexander Karmanov, who looked better in the OHL than expected. 

There’s a real chance the Sharks get three NHLers out of this draft, making it an easy A+. 

Seattle Kraken: A+ 

Our clear top defenceman, Chase Reid leans toward offence, but projects to do everything at a high level, from orchestrating a power play to breaking out the puck and also defending the rush. His tools all project as high-end, and he has special offensive vision at times. Seattle needed such a star on the back-end who could fuel their transition play. 

Providing upside and certainty, Casey Mutryn was another smart pick for the Kraken. He’s your typical power playmaker, working the boards, digging at pucks, and feeding them to teammates in space. If he can further develop his skating, he could play anywhere in a lineup as a puck-retriever. Providing upside and certainty, he was one of the best players available early in the second round. 

Viktor Fyodorov could be a rare undersized checking forward, while the all-around Ola Palme represented terrific value in the sixth round. We also liked the Rylan Singh pick in the seventh, as a highly active defender who has the competitive edge to earn a role.

With a much-needed game-breaker now in the organization, this draft class could set the Kraken on the right path. 

St. Louis Blues: A- 

We’re sure that Tynan Lawrence will play in the NHL, but the role that he will fill remains to be seen. He could build on his solid tool base, adding more creative playmaking, and rise to a top-six role, but a middle-six, supportive role feels more realistic. That’s good value at 11th. There were a few higher-upside wingers left on our board, but the Blues grabbed one of them in Maddox Dagenais at 16th overall, a forechecking missile with an NHL-scoring-grade shot. 

They also had three day two picks that we loved: Luke Schairer, Vladimir Proskurin, and Lars Steiner. Schairer is a high-end rush defender with NHL tools, while Steiner is the type of crazy competitor that could make the NHL as an undersized winger. Proskurin, picked in the fourth round, had a second-round grade from us, thanks to his skating and athleticism combination. 

The Blues rarely pick flashy prospects, but they are very likely to get a pair of NHLers from this group.

Tampa Bay Lightning: D

Mainly a neutral zone dangler at the QMJHL level, Oleg Kulebyakin has enough skill to push himself to a professional role, but his skating, physicality, and reads will have to significantly improve to get there. He was not a prospect we envisioned going in the second round – we assigned him late-round value – but the Lightning are known to make these kinds of long-shot swings much earlier than most.

Their second-highest pick in the draft became Tomáš Královič, a draft-plus-three right-shot defender who enjoyed a breakout season in Slovakia. While it’s not a pick we would’ve made, we also acknowledge that they have an extensive track record with defenders in this mould. 

While we don’t envision any NHLers out of this group, perhaps the Lightning will keep proving us – and everyone – wrong.

Toronto Maple Leafs: A+ 

The most talented prospect with the highest upside, Gavin McKenna was the obvious choice at first overall for the Leafs. He’s resetting this era for the Leafs and will hopefully provide many of the elements that Mitch Marner gave the team in short order. Expect an adjustment period, a few months to a couple of seasons, for McKenna to learn and round out his professional habits, but his impact should be felt immediately on the team’s power play. 

One of the draft's biggest wildcards, Alexander Bilecki was one of the savviest choices of the second round. Playing limited minutes this season, Bilecki still needs to solidify his defence, but leveraging his high-end tools, he put together a collection of jaw-dropping offensive plays this season.  That’s a high upside bet. 

From there, the Leafs kept cooking. This season’s surprise WHL breakout star, Ethan MacKenzie, was a great pick at No. 69, as he brings pace, meanness, and some offensive upside. Måns Gudmundsson is a tall, right-shot defender with a similar style to MacKenzie, as is seventh-round Yaroslav Fedoseyev. 

The Leafs also added a pair of goalies, the most exciting of which is Juuso Ainasto. A flashy, confident goaltender with a high-end battle level, he could become a backup or even a starter in the NHL. 

They also added a pair of linemates, Zac Olsen and Cooper Williams. Williams was a faller throughout the season, but his lengthy physical runway makes us believe there’s still a chance this two-way forward puts it together. Meanwhile, Olsen is already built and one of the WHL’s most explosive skaters. He’s a straight checking-line projection with just a touch more meanness. Brody Pepoy, though a long shot because of his mistake-prone game, has real upside thanks to his relentless style with flashes of high-end skill. 

Given all that, it’s easy to consider the Leafs the biggest winner of the last two days. 

Utah Mammoth: A

Utah has chosen an appropriate name for its club, considering its drafting tendencies. In Ethan Belchetz, the Mammoth added another rangy, powerful prospect with skill who could join Daniil But in the team’s top-six in time. His playmaking skills are a unique twist on the power formula, and returning his draft-minus-one-level of meanness could make him a steal as soon as next season. 

On day two, they added physicality and feistiness. Adam Valentini was once a top prospect, combining aggression with net-front skills and playmaking. Finding the latter again will be key. Theodor Knights is highly mobile and extremely mean, while Florent Houle, a moderate-producing re-entry, could punch above his weight. 

Without a ton of draft capital, the Mammoth may very well have added at least two NHLers, and one with unique upside. 

Vancouver Canucks: A+ 

Ignoring the coach-dad dynamic, the Caleb Malhotra pick should turn out well for the Canucks. Malhotra will need to continue developing his skating and overall skill in the NCAA to get there, but his defensive foundations, habits, and physical game should make him an easy player to play with, a floor raiser. Adam Novotný also has those qualities, on top of being one of the best shooters and forecheckers in the draft. These two could very well ascend to the Canucks top-six, becoming strong play-drivers, and even complementing each other. 

The Canucks continued their OHL run in the second round with Brooks Rogowski, a towering centre with almost a text-book skating form. There are two paths forward for Rogowski, becoming a trapping checker by adding physicality or growing his playmaking game further and pushing his upside. He’s the type of project that could give a significant boost to a rebuilding team if it works out. 

Then came some swings for upside, starting with Niklas Aaram-Olsen, a developed shooter who needs to round out his skill-set. Yaroslav Bryzgalov is just as interesting. He’s limited by his skating, but has developed the short-range, pacey playmaking game to overcome it, not to mention flashes of a heavy forechecking game. We also liked the Dmitri Ivchenko addition as a calm, technical goalie who could break out in a starting job next season. 

With as many as four potential NHLers, this is one of the top classes this year. Great work from an organization that desperately needed an injection of talent.

Vegas Golden Knights: B-

A high-floor, do-everything prospect, Juho Piiparinen is your prototypical NHL defenceman, capable of filling a role and holding himself in his minutes. Some flashes of puck-moving abilities suggest upside, but it’s more reasonable to project him to a third-pairing role. There were better gambles left on the board at 29th. 

Forfeiting their second-round pick proved not too much of a hindrance, as they added a second-round-calibre prospect in the fourth: Jonah Sivertson. He played a middle-six role for Prince Albert, produced a ton given the context, and improved a lot throughout the season. He could play a similar heavy, pass-first game in the NHL. 

Sean Burick is a towering rush defender with flashes of skill, while Noel Pakarinen and Ben Wilmott both have a chance to carve out a depth role. Will McLaughlin is a long, long-term pick, but there were flashes that made us believe in him enough to give him a C-grade as a mid-round pick. 

Perhaps the Golden Knights could have added more pure upside with their picks, but they generally made sound picks in the safe mould. 

Washington Capitals: C+ 

If there’s one team that knows how to develop large prospects, it’s the Washington Capitals. Oliver Suvanto has already built his defensive and physical foundation, but now needs to develop his physicality and translate his playmaking to the professional game. An AHL stint and he should ascend to the team’s lineup, following the paths of the Protas brothers. 

On day two, we liked the Tyus Sparks add the most. There’s not much precision in his game, but he’s pacey forward with an NHL motor and flashes of skill. Brian McFadden is an intriguing shutdown piece, albeit he’s likely a full four-year NCAA piece and depth player. The consistent Logan Stuart doesn’t bring much skill, but his WHL stopover may unlock more offensive upside. 

Really, this will be remembered as the Suvanto draft for the Capitals – if he hits. 

Winnipeg Jets: A  

The Jets don’t have the best development history, but Viggo Björck is almost a can’t-miss prospect. That feels weird to say about a 5-foot-9 player, but he already has the habits, decision-making, pace, rotational game, and even physical skills of an NHL player. Those helped him carve out a first-line centre role at the SHL level and could make him a good option for the Jets as soon as next season. The question with him is upside. Can he continue showing more and more skill on his path to a top-six centre role? 

The rest of the draft was really solid, too. The highly competitive Samuel Hrenák launched himself up draft boards following his move to the USHL. Their two other USHL picks, Zach Wooten and Landon Hafele, both have checking upside, too. Wooten’s sudden breakout and explosive speed give him a real chance to play NHL games. 

They closed out the draft with a physical and mobile shutdown defender in Noa Ta’amu and the refined and reliable John Parsons, who finally heard his name called on his third time through the draft.