Elite Prospects January top-75 2026 NHL Draft Ranking

A World Juniors stacked with draft-eligible talent has come and gone, league play has picked up, and plenty of notable players are already finding their footing with new teams. 

Our scouting staff has convened for the third time and assembled a top-75, and there’s a new No. 1: Ivar Stenberg. 

Swapping long-term favourite for No. 1, Gavin McKenna, with Stenberg wasn’t a decision a scouting team took easily. There were plenty of debates, but the central theme kept back to two things: Stenberg closing the gap as a playmaker, while bringing more physically and away from the puck. Additionally, he looks ready to make an NHL impact as soon as next fall. 

While most votes were in favour of Stenberg over McKenna, there wasn’t much disagreement that the latter still carries the highest pure scoring up