The final top-64 2026 NHL mock draft
BUFFALO, New York – We’ve started to become accustomed to having a slam-dunk pick at the top of drafts. For the last three years, it’s been easy to say that the draft begins with Pick No. 2. And we can say that again this year, but with the small caveat that many clubs view the top of the 2026 class as a tier of five or six, rather than a stand-alone prospect.
Beyond that, it’s a guessing game cloaked in rumblings, misdirection, and ever-shifting preferences. The second decentralized draft in Buffalo isn't helping matters either, as the world remains distantly stretched apart and gives off an unsettled energy that mirrors a class that’s felt unpredictable from day one.
A lack of centres, a wealth of defenders, smaller yet dynamic, and large but with lower ceilings. Stumbles down the stretch, late surges, inconsistent views throughout the season, and organizational mismatches.
It’s all led to one of the most fluid and volatile classes in recent memory.
The entire top 10 feels like it's headed for a blender. After the season Ivar Stenberg just had, he would go first overall in many seasons. We’re not even sure he’ll go in the top two.
His fellow countryman, Viggo Björck, could make a great case for being the top option… if only he were half a ruler taller. Then there’s the order of the top six defencemen. It’s all up for grabs!
With all that in mind, here's a look at how the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft could play out based on current intel and team needs.
Round 1
1. Toronto Maple Leafs - Gavin McKenna, LW, Penn State (NCAA)
The Leafs didn’t just win the draft lottery; they won the right to select first and avoided handing the Bruins the sixth overall pick. With that free play, they select Gavin McKenna and bring the top offensive creator into the fold.
With the true reset in the cards, adding a potential triple-digit producer is just what the doctor ordered.
2. San Jose Sharks - Ivar Stenberg, LW, Frölunda (SHL)
The Draft truly begins at No. 2 with the Sharks. Again. Last year, they were the kings of the smokescreen, keeping everyone guessing which direction they’d go. They landed on Michael Misa and now boast one of the most formidable young forward cores in the game.
And with this selection, they only add to their collection of riches with Stenberg.
The Swedish winger produced at a near-historic rate in the SHL this season and looks like an instant top-nine option for the club with first-line, star-level upside.
3. Vancouver Canucks - Chase Reid, RD, Soo (OHL)
Much of the discourse around the Canucks and this third-overall pick has centred on Caleb Malhotra. With his father, Manny, now running the bench in Vancouver, it's been a story with legs in a city where stories like to run.
However, as we’ve inched closer to draft day, more and more sources have wondered aloud whether the Malhotra family would prefer Caleb not to be saddled with the father-son discourse. Allow the kid to chart his own path.
And so, in this universe, the club selects Chase Reid and welcomes the top right-shot defender in the class. A 6-foot-3, fleet-footed, offensive back with top pair upside.
While the team may have suffered the disgrace of slipping two slots in the lottery, they still walk away with a highly projectable and valuable piece.
4. Buffalo Sabres - Caleb Malhotra, C, Brantford (OHL)
The hosts were originally supposed to be picking at No. 27. Then it was No. 20. Now it’s 20 and fourth overall! They’ll now have an opportunity to really excite the fanbase.
With this pick, the Sabres target who most consider to be the top centre option in a class light on centres. Malhotra’s rise has been meteoric this season. The package boasts size, skill, skating, defensive habits, and leadership skills. All the boxes ticked.
Off to Boston University in the fall, Buffalo can afford to be patient with him.
5. New York Rangers - Alberts Smits, LD, Jukurit (Liiga)
Feels like Alberts Šmits was a forgotten man in the final weeks before the draft. At least publicly. But the hard-skating, hard-hitting Latvian finds his way into the top five.
The most NHL-ready defender in the group boasts a powerful frame and a no-nonsense approach. He’s played at nearly all the high levels this year. He can jump into the fray and move the needle on his ELC. New York will love his snarl and his deadpan post-game delivery.
6. Calgary Flames - Carson Carels, LD, Prince George (WHL)
He might not be from Alberta, but Carson Carels is going to fit in well in Calgary. Many teams consider the powerful left-shot defender to be the best in the class. He finished just a whisker ahead of Reid in the Consensus Scout Poll from earlier this month
Carels has a stiffness to his game that meshes beautifully with his high-end skating and elite-level flashes. Between him, Šimon Nemec, and Zayne Parekh, the Flames' blueline will be well-positioned for a long time.
7. Seattle Kraken - Keaton Verhoeff, RD, North Dakota (NCAA)
The Kraken have been searching and searching for an identity since joining the league five years ago. They’ve had high picks. They’ve made some deals. But they’re still searching.
Adding a potential No. 1 defender in Keaton Verhoeff would be a good step forward.
The 6-4 right-shot defender had some of his flaws exposed in the back half of the college season, but he was also the youngest defender in the NCAA and produced at a rate we haven’t seen from a U18 back since Zach Werenski over a decade ago.
If he can improve his quickness and execution under pressure, the upside is first pair, first power play.
8. Winnipeg Jets - Viggo Björck, C, Djurgården (SHL)
If the measuring stick weren’t such a cruel mistress, we would have been talking about Björck far earlier than this. However, that just means the Jets land themselves the smartest player in the class at No. 8
Björck will have to continue to prove it at every juncture, but he has maximized just about every tool at his disposal to beat the odds and become a foundational piece for Winnipeg.
There’s something special about him.
9. San Jose Sharks - Daxon Rudolph, RD, Prince Albert (WHL)
Perhaps we’re just manifesting this because it would be the perfect-fitting puzzle piece for Mike Grier and the Sharks. After moving William Eklund to Ottawa for the ninth overall pick and taking Stenberg at No. 2, San Jose fills that pesky right-side defence hole with Daxon Rudolph.
Rudolph led all WHL draft-eligible defenders in scoring this season. He brings a potentially dazzling offensive toolkit wrapped in a 6-foot-2 frame on the right side.
Between him and Sam Dickinson, the makings of a young, exciting blueline core are there.
10. Nashville Predators - Ethan Belchetz, LW, Windsor (OHL)
There isn’t a player in this class who can match the uniqueness of Ethan Belchetz’s potential. The towering winger is the rare junior monster who will bring his size advantage with him to the NHL.
Belchetz’s offensive package features above-average shooting, passing, handling, and smart play creation. Mix in a willingness to flash nasty, and all he needs now is some better quickness to project seamlessly to the Preds’ top six in a few years.
11. St. Louis Blues - Wyatt Cullen, LW, NTDP (USHL)
The draft’s biggest riser doesn’t quite sneak into the top-10 in this world, but Wyatt Cullen gave it the old college try.
After sprouting from 5-foot-5 to 6-foot-1 in the span of 18 months, all while keeping his electrifying skill and dynamic skating, you can understand the interest from clubs.
Hailing from one of the great American hockey families, Cullen is off to the University of Minnesota in the fall, where he’ll instantly become one of the Gophers’ top options.
Oh, and he’s still growing, apparently.
12. New Jersey Devils - Tynan Lawrence, C, Boston University (NCAA)
It was a disjointed season for Tynan Lawrence. At one point, there was some momentum to push into the top three. But a difficult mid-season transition to college hockey and a palatable but unremarkable U18 Worlds killed that dream.
Still, this is a well-sized centre with great feet and a history of elite production. Those don’t last long on draft day.
13. New York Islanders - Ryan Lin, LD, Vancouver (WHL)
It’s hard to imagine a better fit than this. Ryan Lin is the consummate table-setter. He’s mildly undersized but plays much bigger than his measurements and brings the kind of two-way ability that teams cling to.
His offensive game doesn’t pop enough to want him as your primary creator on the blueline, so it's a good thing they’ve already got Matthew Schaefer. The two could play together at even-strength or have Lin one day anchor the second pair. He can take PP2 duties, swallow up PK minutes.
He’ll fit the culture they’re building there to a T as well.
14. Columbus Blue Jackets - Oscar Hemming, LW, Boston College (NCAA)
Big, fast, and young for the class, Oscar Hemming may have had a difficult time finding a team to play for this year (through little fault of his own), but the package and potential have teams very excited.
For Columbus, they’ve made a habit of prioritizing size and skill in recent drafts, and they don’t change course here.
15. St. Louis Blues (via Detroit) - Malte Gustafsson, LD, HV71 (SHL)
It’s not too often we see a 6-foot-4 well-skating defenceman with potentially elite defensive details fall to the middle of the first round. But St Louis is happy to oblige at No. 15.
With the dynamic skill up front already taken care of with Cullen, the Blues nab Malte Gustafsson and his towering, translatable game to add to their blueline. He’s not likely to record gaudy point totals, but will provide everything else.
16. St. Louis Blues - Alexander Command, C, Örebro (U20 Nationell)
In a class that’s light on centres, the Blues walk away with a good one at No. 16. Alexander Command impresses with his strength all over the ice. He’s strong in the dot, heavy in the defensive zone, a handful along the way and at the net front. There’s enough skill here to hope for a second-line level, but about as safe a third-line projection as you’ll find.
A top defender, a dynamic winger, and a powerful two-way centre. STL still has one more in the top 32, too.
17. Los Angeles Kings - Nikita Klepov, LW, Saginaw (OHL)
It’s not too often that a draft-eligible leads the OHL scoring. Even rarer as a rookie (over 50 years in fact). Falling to the middle of the first round seems crazy, but that’s what’s predicted for Nikita Klepov.
The Russian winger tore it up in Saginaw to the tune of 97 points in 67 games. He’s a tenacious, dual-threat winger who should fit comfortably among a top six one day.
18. Washington Capitals (via Anaheim) - Maddox Dagenais, C, Québec (QMJHL)
All of a sudden, the Capitals are flush on wingers and light on centres. They start to solve that issue with the addition of Maddox Dagenais. The former first-overall pick in the QMJHL draft, Dagenais, brings a hard-nosed approach but has enough skill to make a middle-six future achievable.
He really found an audience with NHL clubs in the back half of his season.
19. Utah Mammoth - Adam Novotny, LW, Peterborough (OHL)
Adam Novotný is a horse, a heavy, mature, two-way wing who has long been the top player in his age group out of Czechia.
The Mammoth have been accruing talent in all shapes and sizes in recent years, and Novotny projects as the type of player who can mesh in multiple roles – making him a unique and versatile option to sprinkle in.
20. Buffalo Sabres (via Edmonton from San Jose Sharks) - Tommy Bleyl, RD, Moncton (QMJHL)
The left side in Buffalo had become overcrowded, leading to Bowen Byram's departure. The right side has a little more breathing room, and the Sabres take on arguably the best skater in the group in Tommy Bleyl.
His quick evolution as a rookie in Moncton this year – while leading all CHL draft-eligible defenders in points – has more than a few teams circling him in this range.
21. Philadelphia Flyers - Oliver Suvanto, C, Tappara (Liiga)
It’s no secret the Flyers need to add centres, and at 21, they get one.
Earlier this season, Oliver Suvanto was viewed as a potential sneaky addition to the top 10. A lack of production through multiple levels of competition led teams to question his ultimate upside.
However, he’s also one of the youngest players in the class and played his draft-eligible season against men in the Liiga. The floor is very high here to get a quality NHLer with room for offensive growth.
22. Pittsburgh Penguins - Elton Hermansson, RW, MoDo (HockeyAllsvenskan)
In Elton Hermansson, the Penguins land one of the most skilled forwards in the group. The Swede posted a somewhat slept-on terrific season in the Allsvenskan. His 21 points in 38 games are the fourth-most ever from a draft-year kid at that level. Right in line with David Pastrňák.
There’s a lot of boom with his pick.
23. Boston Bruins - Xavier Villeneuve, LD, Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)
The Bruins need to add defence. Preferably a puck-mover with play creation ability. Oh, look. The most offensive defender in the class is sitting here.
While Xavier Villeneuve has some warts, the upside is tremendous. He can shake and bake at the line and turn nothing into something at a high level. He needs refinement and will get a chance to do that at BU, where he’ll receive the Hutson treatment.
Big boom. Real bust potential.
24. Vancouver Canucks (via Minnesota) - Mathis Preston, LW, Vancouver (WHL)
Mathis Preston jumped quickly into his draft-eligible season with a standout performance at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Unfortunately, it was up and down from then on out.
While the offence was inconsistent, there’s no denying the skill. The tools are the kind that either get surrounded by enough strength and will, or result in a top-six wing. Or they don’t, and it turns into a top-six wing… in Europe.
For a team like the Canucks, with their second pick of the day, it's a gamble worth taking.
25. Ottawa Senators (via Tampa Bay) - Gleb Pugachyov, RW, Chaika Nizhny (MHL)
Hi kids, do you like violence?
Because if you do, Gleb Pugachyov will be a favourite of yours. The Russian is a human missile who didn’t hesitate to run around in the Russian pro leagues. The physical profile, along with his well-above-average skating, makes this a great bet to see games, but the offensive tool kit will leave you wanting a little more.
26. New York Rangers (via Dallas) - J.P. Hurlbert, LW/C, Kamloops (WHL)
After taking the rugged defender with their first pick, the Rangers take one of the most skilled players remaining on the board.
J.P. Hurlbert stepped into the WHL as a rookie this season and was one of the most productive and dangerous forwards in the league. Now off to Michigan in the NCAA, he’ll have a chance to adapt and round out his game to better handle the pro game.
27. San Jose Sharks (via Buffalo) - Maksim Sokolovskii, LD, London (OHL)
Eight points in 44 games doesn’t exactly scream first-round pick. But you’re looking at the wrong set of numbers. It’s the 6-foot-7, 240-pound frame that’s more important. Especially when you see how well Maksim Sokolovskii skates, how mean he plays, and the vastness of his defensive range.
There may even be a touch more puck-moving in there, too. The Sharks can find a home for this type of guy.
28. Montreal Canadiens - Ilia Morozov, C, Miami Univ (Ohio) (NCAA)
As the youngest player in college hockey this season, Ilia Morozov more than held his own. He’s a big-body centre with advanced defensive instincts and execution. The skill and speed likely wash out as average, but he’s one of those super high-floor players who could find a path higher up the lineup.
29. St. Louis Blues (via Colorado) - Marcus Nordmark, LW, Djurgården (U20 Nationell)
Imagine St. Louis actually holds onto all of these picks? Four picks? What a time. Anyway, if you’ve got that many swings, you may as well take a head-swinging, homerun cut and see if it connects.
That’s the play with Marcus Nordmark. All the skill you could want, with a satchel of frustration casually dragging behind him. If you can light the pilot and keep it lit, there’s top six upside. If not, c'est la vie.
30. Calgary Flames (via Vegas) - Liam Ruck, RW, Medicine Hat (WHL)
Oooh, this could be a fun one. Liam Ruck landed second in WHL scoring this season with a whopping 104 points. He’s slight, he’s skilled, and will return to Medicine Hat in the fall before moving on to the University of North Dakota for 2027-28.
Oh, and he has a twin brother.
31. Carolina Hurricanes - Jaxon Cover, LW, London (OHL)
I asked several teams if anyone really moved the needle during combine interviews. No player was mentioned more than Jaxon Cover. It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. His story is very cool, having gotten his start in hockey by playing roller hockey in the Cayman Islands. He has massive untapped physical potential.
There’s plenty of promise here, and we know what the Canes like to target. Say it with me… “Upside!”
Good job.
32. Ottawa Senators - Yegor Shilov, C, Victoriaville (QMJHL)
One of the most gifted puckhandlers and offensive creators in the class rounds out the first round. Yegor Shilov was hypnotizing in the Q this past season, lulling defenders and goaltenders to sleep with his tempo-dictating pace and mesmerizing hand skills.
He’ll need to up the attacking speed as he moves up, but there is a boatload of talent here.
Round 2
33. Vancouver Canucks - Casey Mutryn, RW, NTDP (USHL)
34. Chicago Blackhawks - Brooks Rogowski, C, Oshawa (OHL)
35. New Jersey Devils (via NYR) - Jonas Lagerberg Hoen, RW, Leksands (U20 Nationell)
36. Calgary Flames - Markus Ruck, C/LW, Medicine Hat (WHL)
37. Chicago Blackhawks (via Toronto) - Niklas Aaram-Olsen, LW/RW, Örebro (U20 Nationell)
38. Seattle Kraken - Dmitri Borichev, G, Yaroslavl (MHL)
39. Pittsburgh Penguins (via Winnipeg) - William Håkansson, LD Luleå (SHL)
40. Florida Panthers - Timofei Runtso, RD, Victoria (WHL)
41. Vancouver Canucks (via San Jose) - Jack Hextall, C, Youngstown (USHL)
42. Nashville Predators - Ryder Cali, C/LW, North Bay (OHL)
43. Columbus Blue Jackets (via St. Louis) - Tomáš Chrenko, C Nitra (Slovakia)
44. New Jersey Devils - Juho Piiparinen, LD, Tappara (Liiga)
45. Buffalo Sabres (via NYI) - Simas Ignatavicius, RW/C, Genève-Servette (NL)
46. Los Angeles (via Columbus) - Samu Alalauri, RD, Pelicans (U20 SM-sarja)
47. Detroit Red Wings - Rūdolfs Bērzkalns, C, Muskegon (USHL)
48. Florida Panthers (via Washington) - Ryan Roobroeck, LW, Niagara (OHL)
49. Los Angeles Kings - Jakub Vaněček, LD, Tri-City (WHL)
50. Anaheim Ducks - Nikita Shcherbakov, LD, Toros Neftekamsk (VHL)
51. Calgary Flames (via Utah) - Adam Valentini, C, Michigan (NCAA)
52. Edmonton Oilers - Alessandro Di Iorio, C, Sarnia (OHL)
53. Philadelphia Flyers - Måns Gudmundsson, RD, Färjestad (U20 Nationell)
54. Pittsburgh Penguins - Jonah Sivertson, RW, Prince Albert (WHL)
55. Calgary Flames (via Ottawa) - Thomas Vandenberg, C, Ottawa (OHL)
56. Boston Bruins - Alexander Bilecki, LD, Kitchener (OHL)
57. Nashville Predators (via Minnesota) - Brek Liske, RD, Everett (WHL)
58. Tampa Bay Lightning - Tobias Trejbal, G, Youngstown (USHL)
59. Dallas Stars - Adam Andersson, C, Leksands (U20 Nationell)
60. Toronto Maple Leafs (via Buffalo) - Zac Olsen, RW, Saskatoon (WHL)
61. Montreal Canadiens - Ben Macbeath, LD, Calgary (WHL)
62. San Jose Sharks (via Colorado) - Liam Lefebvre, C, Chicoutimi (QMJHL)
63. Vegas Golden Knights - Forfeited
64. New York Rangers (via Carolina) - Adam Goljer, RD, HK Dukla Trencin (Slovakia)