Scouts Roundtable: Our favourite picks and biggest surprises at the 2026 NHL Draft

2026 NHL Draft

The NHL Draft might be over, but excitement is building as development camps open.

With a large scouting staff that watched every single player selected in the draft, we figured it’s time to give our readers a chance to hear directly from our scouts about the draft.

So, we asked them two questions: favourite pick and biggest surprise.

With that, we got a lot of answers highlighting the best fits in the draft, potential steals, players to watch as re-entries, and more.

Question 1: What was your favourite pick of the draft?

Lauren Kelly: This one is a no-brainer for me: Brody Pepoy to the Toronto Maple Leafs at 169. One of my favourite prospects to watch all season, Pepoy has tremendously exciting flashes that kept me coming back, hoping to see more. He could be a real breakout candidate next season in Saginaw, and I love that the Leafs bet hard on upside – albeit raw – with their final pick of the draft.

Honza Zoufal: I love Adam Novotný’s well-rounded game, and I was surprised to see him fall all the way to 24th overall, where Vancouver was able to select him. It could be a great fit, as the Canucks don't really have many forwards with a similar profile in their system. He has the potential to slot in anywhere in the lineup and excel in whatever role he's given. With his already pro-ready frame, he could reach the NHL sooner rather than later. I believe both the organization and its fans will come to love him just as Czech fans have started to embrace Vancouver recently.

Daniel Gee: Adam Novotný, at 24, was a value selection who will eventually make the Canucks a more skilled offensive team while also making them harder to play against. In my opinion, he should have been gone by pick No. 15 at the latest. There’s real upside in his goal-scoring and transition movement, but he could play numerous roles within a lineup with his motor, pace, and advanced contact skills. Bullish on his top-six upside, though.

Simon Desjardins: The Toronto Maple Leafs got tremendous value with Alexander Bilecki at No. 60, a player who could very well end up as one of the steals of the draft. The puck-moving defenceman is not only one of the smoothest skaters in this class, but also one of the best puck distributors, activators, and play creators from the blue line. Unlike many undersized offensive defencemen, he also has a foundation to develop a two-way game. I strongly believe Bilecki was one of the most underrated prospects this season and has legitimate NHL power-play quarterback upside. There’s a huge boom potential here

Cam Robinson: My favourite pick might very well be someone else’s biggest surprise. The Sabres stepping up to select Daxon Rudolph at No. 4 may not result in the best return on investment, but it reminds us once again that there is no internal consensus across the league. Buffalo saw an opportunity to land what it viewed as the highest-upside right-shot defenceman in the class, and it didn’t hesitate. Those types of swings excite me.

Jimmy Hamrin: Sharks picking Ivar Stenberg was my favourite. With various mock drafts having Stenberg going 4th or even 5th before the draft and with the history of Ivan Demidov slipping two years ago, it was very satisfying to see a team pick the best player available at that spot. The fact that San Jose even traded to make space for him makes the pick even more satisfying. I can't wait to see him pair up with Macklin Celebrini this upcoming season. Ivar will not fail to live up to the hype and will have a good chance of being a Calder Trophy nominee.

Lassi Alanen: The Seattle Kraken got to make one of the more heady value selections of the weekend when they picked Ola Palme in the sixth round. Having had to battle health issues in the first half, he improved consistently throughout the season and started to add new elements to his game towards the end. The physical tools and overall smoothness are both noteworthy, and I feel like he could be a sneaky candidate to play regular SHL minutes and also make the World Juniors team next season.

Dylan Griffing: I am a huge believer in Viktor Fyodorov, who was selected in the fourth round by Seattle. He may be a bit undersized, but his work ethic, intensity, and flashes of playmaking make him a candidate to play NHL games despite the frame. He didn't quite live up to the expectations this past season, but there's a lot to like with this player.

Mitchell Brown: It should be no surprise to anyone that I’m choosing Ethan MacKenzie, who went No. 69 to Toronto. A long-time favourite of mine, he’s the type of insane competitor that every team needs and just keeps improving. It’s the perfect fit for Toronto. We even gave him Jake McCabe as a stylistic comparison in the draft guide.

Madison Delaval: Given how high our team has been on Xavier Villeneuve, I was very invested in where he’d land. Chicago seems to be one of the best-case scenarios, somewhere that’s not in immediate need of his services and can give him the time and teammates to become the dynamo he’s meant to be. With the Blackhawks’ sheer number of prospects, this big swing is an affordable gamble with boom potential.

Hadi Kalakeche: It’d be easy for me to shout out Xavier Villeneuve, whose stock we’ve always been higher on than consensus, but Utah taking a shot on Florent Houle in the fifth round put the biggest smile on my face. An infectious battler and pest with a knack for big moments, and a prospect I thought deserved to get picked last year. If Utah can develop his puck skills further and help him lean on his on-puck poise, he could surprise a lot of folks. He could end up becoming the perfect complementary scorer in their bottom six.

Robert Chalmers: A player I really started to fall in love with towards the end of the draft was Simas Ignatavičius, and the fact that the Florida Panthers were able to nab him with the 40th pick was the icing on the cake. He fits them almost perfectly; he's tough to play against, already has a spark for creating offence at the pro level by driving to the middle, and brings that snarl all over the ice that the Panthers love to identify. I could see him fitting into their bottom-six quicker than many think.

Jacob Titus: I absolutely love the Gleb Peshkov pick by Anaheim at No. 178. Great mover with hilariously good athleticism. His positioning is shocking, and he's immensely raw, but he's got the kind of Andrei Vasilevskiy-like flexibility, creativity, and battle to keep himself and his team in games even when being eaten alive. Long-term project, but could be something special if reined in and given considerable attention and priority by the Ducks.

Max Lee: My favourite pick of the night has to be goaltender Vladimir Proskurin to St. Louis at pick 123. We have a whole film room breaking down why we love his game, but in short, he's arguably the best athlete in the class with attention to detail evident in his technique, an unshakable mental fortitude, and the ability to steal a win. After the pick, the Blues called him a "student of the game" too. As my personal third-ranked goalie, there wasn't a higher upside player of any position available at that pick.

Liam Crouse: My second-ranked goalie, Roberto Henriquez, could end up being the steal of the draft. The most dynamic goalie in the class with an elite combo of skating, athleticism, smarts, and efficiency. My biggest concern was that due to his size, he wouldn't get the opportunity he deserves. But getting picked by the franchise with arguably the best goalie coach and development in the game, whilst playing college in the Bruins' backyard at Boston College, I have full confidence that he will have the resources to hit his potential.

Sean Shapiro: The more famous brother story at the draft featured Rucks and Penguins, but I loved the moment with Victor Plante getting drafted by Detroit at No. 47 overall. It's the same team and exact same pick, No. 47, as his brother Max Plante was drafted in 2024. The kid could not stop smiling and was straight up beaming the entire time. For a draft that has lost lustre since it moved to the decentralized format, he made me happy about life on Day 2, and that's why it's my favourite.

Justine Kang: Jack Parsons and Zach Wooten were two picks I was pretty thrilled about. Parsons was a delight whenever I watched him, often stealing the game for Providence as one of the major forces in turning their season around, and the Jets got a safe bet for a depth goalie with a very late pick. As for Wooten, he’s absolutely going to blossom at Wisconsin. He’s got an energetic, entertaining game that I think is going to transition nicely to a depth role in the NHL one day.

Matthew Burns: This has to be Alexander Bilecki for me. We had him ranked 41st on our board, yet he was still available when the Maple Leafs selected him with the 60th pick. Throughout the season, it became increasingly clear that Toronto lacked an explosive, puck-moving defenceman capable of creating offence from the back-end, Bilecki’s exact profile. We graded every aspect of his game as NHL-calibre or better, giving him a strong foundation to build upon. For a team that desperately needed this type of player in its prospect pool, I think this was an outstanding value pick with significant upside.

Alexander Appleyard: I always love a swing for the fences, and of all the swings in this draft, Axel Elofsson to Colorado at No. 128 might be the most fun swing on a player I have always enjoyed. Skilled, creative, elusive and smart, if he were 6-foot-1, he might've been a late first-rounder. It makes sense Colorado took him with their penchant for smaller defencemen, which has worked well for them over the last decade! Most likely he ends up a good Euro-leaguer or AHLer… but if you squint you can see a top-four puck mover who runs a power play unit.

Eliza Morgan: Twice during the second day of the NHL draft I texted, “are you sure nobody’s taken Adam Valentini?” I had the 5-foot-10 forward going somewhere in the second round; it was a surprise that Utah managed to snap him up with the last pick in the third. Most of his value comes from the offensive zone, be it on the power play, the forecheck, or simple 5-on-5 offence, but his relentlessness and compete makes me think he’ll go far despite his smaller frame and need for improvement in his own zone. Utah came out of the third round with a top 50 player in this year’s draft.

J.D. Burke: I’ve been banging the table for Tomáš Galvas since his first year of eligibility back in 2024, fighting like hell to make sure we placed him in the second round at 50th overall. Seems like the Penguins should’ve just listened to us back then, but as their Dir. of Scouting Wes Clark said, better late than never. I’ve heard Galvas sometimes draw comparisons to the Hutson brothers, but I’m not sure I’m quite that high. I think he could have a career that’s similar to Troy Stecher, who at one time caddied Alexander Edler on the Canucks first pair and escaped with good two-way numbers playing toughs – who wouldn’t take that in the second?

Question 2: What was the biggest surprise?

Lauren Kelly: For me, this is unquestionably Parker Von Richter at 111th overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins. After featuring in our 2024 and 2025 draft guides, I’d lost a bit of hope that Von Richter would be picked in his final year of eligibility, especially after he committed to New Hampshire. An impressive second half that saw him anchor and provide significant stability to the Barrie Colts’ top-four finally pushed the fortunes in his favour. A great selection by the Penguins to solidify their organizational depth – and he could surprise as a pro once he’s done with college.

Honza Zoufal: With the season Tomáš Galvas had this year against pro, I felt this had to be the year he finally got drafted. As an undersized defenceman in his draft-plus-two season, though, I didn't expect him to come off the board this early. Being selected in the second round suggests he'll have the organization's trust, something he'll likely need early in his development given his style of play. He'll face a tough challenge working his way up Pittsburgh's defensive depth chart and onto the NHL roster, but his high-end skating could make it happen.

Daniel Gee: Daxon Rudolph at three is the biggest surprise of the draft for me. There’s a solid argument that his offensive tools and his lightning-quick processing will lead to significant offensive success – possibly the best among the available defenders. Nevertheless, it’s tough to pass on the well-roundedness and physicality of Carson Carels or the dynamism/mobility combination Chase Reid possesses. It comes down to different philosophies about how to value prospects, and the Sabres took a different route.

Simon Desjardins: Jonas Lagerberg Hoen was one of the biggest surprises in the first round, but the Ottawa Senators should be thrilled with this selection. He is a pure goal-scorer, with one of the best releases and most accurate shots in the entire draft class. Add NHL size and high-end skating ability, and you have a highly intriguing package with top-six upside. He flew under the public radar a bit simply because he only played a handful of games, which adds uncertainty to his projection, but the talent is undeniable. Some may view this pick as a reach, but I think it could age incredibly well for the Sens.

Cam Robinson: The biggest surprise in my eyes wasn’t that Ryan Lin fell to No. 21. It was that the rest of the league somehow allowed him to fall into San Jose’s lap. If there were a more perfect landing spot for Lin, I haven’t seen it. With Keaton Verhoeff and Sam Dickinson already in place, Lin can settle into the ideal complementary role: Second pair, second power play. He can chew up important minutes without being asked to carry the load.

Jimmy Hamrin: There was some noise about Jonas Lagerberg Hoen going high after the combine but I was still surprised to see him getting picked in the first round. A lot of my surprise comes from the small sample size due to injury last season and little to no international success before that. He is a pure goal-scorer with a borderline elite toe-drag shot. He also mostly skates with the puck to those spots himself. Even if he is yet to have shown a dynamic attack pattern, Ottawa are hoping that they have found the hidden next Filip Forsberg here.

Lassi Alanen: There were a few instances in the second round where teams used picks on undersized overagers that really caught me by surprise. Matias Vanhanen was a personal favourite of mine in his first year of eligibility, had a great year in the WHL, and even grew a little bit. Still, I think his developmental trajectory has followed a predictable path, which is why a jump from undrafted to a top-40 pick feels sharp. The exact same could be said about Tomáš Galvas, whose career arc since his draft year has been very logical, yet he was passed over twice before now getting picked inside the top 55. Very much happy for both prospects, though.

Dylan Griffing: Two defenders stood out as surprises to me. First, one that was picked, Alexander Grunin to the Ottawa Senators in the sixth. I love this pick and there's a lot of upside to it, but I definitely cannot say I expected Ottawa to be the team to take the swing on him. Second, Vsevolod Matveyev slipping through the entire draft was a major shock. A 6-foot-2, right-hand shot defenceman with awesome mobility playing for a high-profile system went undrafted – it just doesn't add up to me.

Mitchell Brown: The falls of Giorgos Pantelas, Charlie Morrison, and others in the toolsy, shutdown mould. Going back through the last couple of drafts, it really seems teams are placing major emphasis on stability and safety with the puck for their shutdown picks, even at the expense of tools and theoretical offensive upside. Role is everything.

Madison Delaval: Though a two-year Swiss pro contract looms large, I was still shocked to see Lars Steiner fall all the way to the sixth round. He matches the spark-plug archetype popularized by Stanley Cup cornerstones like Yanni Gourde and Logan Stankoven, which is why I considered him a top-100 lock. Returning to Switzerland means less NHL control over his development, sure, but this was still a steep slide for a market inefficiency-type prospect.

Hadi Kalakeche: Lars Steiner falling as much as he did, and it’s not particularly close. Sure, he’s 5-foot-10, but he’s the sturdiest forward in the entire QMJHL, a genuine play-killer and competitor, with the goal-scoring skill to rip in from the half wall. He could develop into a prospect St. Louis can trust on both special team units, and in key moments. In fact, I thought Steiner had an outside chance at getting picked ahead of Yegor Shilov. Instead, he went 128 spots later. I’m still shocked.

Robert Chalmers: The selections of players out of the New England Prep circuit (NEPSAC) were quite eye-catching in this cycle. I did not expect the first domino to fall would be Deerfield Academy goaltender Elliot Lennon, as despite his size and athleticism, we did not rank. Myles Brosnan fell all the way to the final round, with Detroit grabbing him late with a value pick. Despite the pure skating and shooting mechanics that William Manchuso possesses, he went undrafted, likely due to physical concerns.

Jacob Titus: The general disregard for technical proficiency. Seemed like guys like Harrison Boettiger, William Lacelle, and even Douglas Nilsson would have been extremely safe bets to get drafted, but all three were ignored for a lot of risky bets, with a lot less polish, but perhaps more perceived runway, or more middling re-entry candidates who made the move to North America or to better competition.

Max Lee: There were a lot of surprises in the goalie-sphere this weekend, but the biggest surprise wasn't who was taken, but rather who wasn't. William Lacelle, Harrison Boettiger, and Carter Casey are intriguing prospects, right in NHL teams’ backyards across the CHL, who weren’t picked. In hindsight, questions around a combination of consistency, size, and the mental side of things surrounded all three of these goalies. The interview process plays a big role in handling those concerns, and if teams didn't like what they heard, it could shed some light on why they didn't hear their names called.

Liam Crouse: The biggest surprise from a goalie perspective has to be the 67th overall pick in Danai Shaiikov. Unlike some of the other surprising high goalie picks, Shaiikov does not even seem like someone I would expect to get picked. His 6-foot-2 frame is a little underwhelming and he comes as a re-entry who is still far too raw technically and cognitively given his older age. The intention appears to be to draft someone with lots of raw potential. Yet I'm unconvinced this was the move as many others below him show much more promising talent with more refinement at a younger age.

Sean Shapiro: Brady Knowling going in the fourth round surprised me. Not because I don't think that's a fair range for him, but because I thought he was the type of goalie someone would reach for early in the third round, given his profile with USA Hockey, getting a start this year at World Junior as a double underager.

Justine Kang: I’m a big fan of Matias Vanhanen, but I definitely didn’t expect him to go as early as pick 37 even with the season he had. Cooper Cleaves and Justin Graf also surprised me with how soon they were taken (93rd and 118th, respectively), so I’m wondering if their teams are just betting that they’ll take after their older brothers. I think there’s potential for Cleaves to play in the NHL down the lineup, but I’m less sure about Graf – maybe a season of college will help the assessment. Regardless, I’m always happy to see ECAC and re-entry picks.

Matthew Burns: Ethan Belchetz’s fall was my biggest surprise, largely because of the general trend of teams favouring bigger players earlier in the draft. While some clubs may have been deterred by wanting to see him use his size and physicality more consistently, he still possesses all the tools you look for in a complementary top-six winger. The upside becomes even more intriguing if Belchetz continues to embrace his physical game as he develops. Taken 17th overall by Utah, he carries a middle-six floor, but there is legitimate top-line upside, making him one of the best value picks in the first round.

Alexander Appleyard: Tomáš Galvas to the Penguins at No. 54. I had him pegged as a top 100 pick two drafts ago, yet twice he passed through the draft. That never made any sense to me given his enviable skating and transition skills. His high selection was a nice surprise. On the other end of the spectrum. Jakub Frolo going undrafted surprised me. He has size, skill and has a mean streak, and was point-per-game in Finland’s U20 SM-sarja. It will be interesting to track his progress next season as a re-entry candidate.

Eliza Morgan: I was shocked at the selection of J.P. Hurlbert by the Detroit Red Wings – not because him going 23rd came from out of left field, but because it involved Steve Yzerman actually flipping a goalie prospect. Getting a first-round pick out of Sebastian Cossa, who’s already 23 years old and has spent the past 3 years in the AHL, was an impressive move. A Michigan commit, Hurlbert’s potential as a scoring threat could bring some much-needed juice to Detroit should Yzerman keep an active eye on his development and continue making smart trades like this one.

J.D. Burke: Basically all of the college players went exactly where they were pegged to go, so I’m going to have to step outside my region again — sorry! I’m going to try to redeem myself for not going with any of the layup answers and point to Adam Goljer falling to the middle of the second round. Now, granted, I wasn’t especially high on his game, but I thought there were a lot of NHL people in his corner who saw him as a first-round talent, but there he was at 49th overall. Granted, that might even be a bit rich for my blood, but still… it’s a small surprise in a draft that didn’t have very many once you got past the Chase Reid fall and the Daxon Rudolph climb.

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