The draft floor is buzzing like never before. Following an unpredictable draft lottery that handed the ultimate prize to a surprising suitor, the NHL Mock Draft 2026 landscape has shifted dramatically. Front offices are finalizing their draft boards after an intense Scouting Combine, and the consensus across the league points to a draft class loaded with elite, game-breaking talent at the top, followed by an incredibly deep pool of defensemen and power forwards.
If you are wondering whether your favorite team will secure a future franchise anchor or a high-IQ playmaker to stabilize their core, the answers are locked in. The Toronto Maple Leafs holding the number one overall pick changes the entire meta of the first round. Having tracked these prospects from minor hockey through their current junior and collegiate campaigns, I am delivering the definitive blueprint for how the first round of the NHL Draft 2026 will unfold. Let’s look inside the war rooms.
NHL Mock Draft 2026: Evaluating All 32 First-Round Selections
1. Toronto Maple Leafs – Gavin McKenna, LW (Penn State University, NCAA)
Toronto hits the jackpot. McKenna is a generational, dynamic offensive engine who dominates possession and commands the pace of play. His ability to slow the game down and dissect coverage makes him the undisputed crown jewel of the NHL Draft 2026.
2. San Jose Sharks – Chase Reid, D (Sault Ste. Marie, OHL)
The Sharks grab the premier blueliner in the class. Reid boasts phenomenal hockey sense, exceptional fluid skating, and premium puck-retention habits under heavy pressure. He projects as a true top-pairing anchor.
3. Vancouver Canucks – Caleb Malhotra, C (Brantford, OHL)
Malhotra provides Vancouver with elite down-the-middle strength. He brings an intelligent, high-impact two-way game and deep tactical awareness. The Canucks are retooling their core identity quickly on the heels of the massive blockbuster that sent franchise pillar Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild back in December 2025.
4. Chicago Blackhawks – Ivar Stenberg, LW (Frölunda, SHL)
Stenberg has virtually no holes in his game. He plays a fearless brand of hockey with a lethal shot and elite offensive vision, giving Chicago a perfect puzzle piece for their top-six forward group.
5. New York Rangers – Keaton Verhoeff, D (North Dakota, NCAA)
The Rangers add high-end mobility and a massive frame. Verhoeff is a highly reliable two-way defenseman who transitions the puck flawlessly and steps up physically when challenged.
6. Calgary Flames – Carson Carels, D (Prince George, WHL)
Carels is a serious two-way threat who handles heavy minutes with poise. His quick transition habits and defensive accountability make him a plug-and-play prospect for a rebuilding Flames backend.
7. Seattle Kraken – Viggo Björck, C (Djurgårdens, SHL)
Don’t let the size fool you—Björck is completely fearless. He wins puck battles against heavy professional competition and features a highly deceptive shot that elevates any power-play unit.
8. Winnipeg Jets – Alberts Šmits, D (EHC München, DEL)
Šmits is a 6-foot-3 blueliner who moves exceptionally well for his size. He plays with massive confidence against grown men in Europe and projects as a top-four shutdown option with offensive upside.
9. Florida Panthers – Daxon Rudolph, D (University of Denver, NCAA)
Rudolph features an incredible hockey IQ. He suppresses opposing rushes effortlessly, limits mistakes, and offers a booming point shot that unzips structural penalty kills.
10. Nashville Predators – Wyatt Cullen, LW (USA U-18, NTDP)
Cullen represents pure offensive value. He was a premier performer during Combine testing, matching high-end footwork with lateral mobility that allows him to blow past defenders out wide.
11. St. Louis Blues – Tynan Lawrence, C (Boston University, NCAA)
The Blues pick up a brilliant, physical multi-situation center. Lawrence reads open ice exceptionally well, consistently threads precise passes through heavy traffic, and brings massive utility.
12. New Jersey Devils – Ryan Lin, D (Vancouver, WHL)
Lin is a smooth-skating, modern defenseman who models his game directly after premium puck-movers. His edge work and vision from the blue line add dynamic flexibility to the Devils’ pipeline.
13. New York Islanders – Ethan Belchetz, LW (Windsor, OHL)
Standing 6-foot-5, Belchetz is the ultimate modern power forward. He creates chaos around the crease, protects the puck efficiently down low, and plays with the heavy physical identity the Islanders love.
14. Columbus Blue Jackets – Nikita Klepov, RW (Saginaw, OHL)
Klepov provides high-end offensive drive on the wing. Head coach Rick Bowness gets a highly competitive player who hunts down loose pucks and provides direct, reliable scoring touch to a young top-six.
15. St. Louis Blues (from Detroit Red Wings) – Ilya Morozov, C (Miami, NCHC)
Using their second pick of the first round, the Blues snag Morozov. He brings superb professional size, soft hands, and high-end defensive awareness that solidifies the center position.
16. Washington Capitals – Oscar Hemming, LW (Boston College, NCAA)
Hemming possesses a heavy, pro-caliber wrist shot and excellent offensive instincts. He hunts the dirty areas of the ice and thrives when manufacturing space on the cycle.
17. Los Angeles Kings – JP Hurlbert, LW (Kamloops, WHL)
With Adrian Kempe locked in on a lucrative 10.625 million extension starting next season, the Kings use this pick to secure cheap, high-skill entry-level depth. Hurlbert offers electric pace and high-end playmaking upside.
18. Washington Capitals (from Anaheim Ducks) – Adam Novotny, LW (Peterborough, OHL)
Novotny plays a heavy, north-south game with high goal-scoring utility. He possesses excellent body positioning along the boards and drives hard to the paint.
19. Utah Mammoth – Maddox Dagenais, C (Quebec, QMJHL)
The Mammoth add a highly skilled, towering presence down the middle. Dagenais blends soft playmaking touch with an expansive reach, making him an ideal building block for Utah.
20. San Jose Sharks (from Edmonton Oilers) – Tommy Bleyl, D (Moncton, QMJHL)
This pick, acquired via trade, allows San Jose to capitalize on the roster reshuffle initiated by Oilers GM Stan Bowman following the high-profile firing of head coach Kris Knoblauch back in May 2026. Bleyl is an efficient, steady defenseman who processes the game cleanly.
21. Philadelphia Flyers – Xavier Villeneuve, D (Blainville-Boisbriand, QMJHL)
Villeneuve provides high energy, outstanding closing speed, and a nasty competitive edge that aligns perfectly with the organizational philosophy in Philadelphia.
22. Pittsburgh Penguins – Yegor Shilov, C (Victoriaville, QMJHL)
Shilov is an elite playmaker with excellent vision who excels at setting up his wingers. He represents a high-value piece for a transitioning Penguins core.
23. Boston Bruins – Liam Ruck, RW (Medicine Hat, WHL)
Ruck is a highly competitive, opportunistic winger with a knack for arriving in high-danger scoring spaces at exactly the right micro-second.
24. Vancouver Canucks (from Minnesota Wild) – Brooks Rogowski, C (Oshawa, OHL)
Acquired from the Wild as a vital piece of the downstream draft capital from the blockbusting Quinn Hughes trade of December 2025, this pick allows Vancouver to take Rogowski. He is a massive 6-foot-7 center who offers unique physical leverage.
25. Seattle Kraken (from Tampa Bay Lightning) – Benjamin Macbeath, D (Calgary, WHL)
Macbeath is a reliable, mobile defenseman who specializes in making a clean first breakout pass and containing odd-man rushes effectively.
26. New York Rangers (from Dallas Stars via Carolina Hurricanes) – Markus Ruck, C (Medicine Hat, WHL)
Ruck plays a highly calculated, intelligent two-way style. He drives line chemistry, supports his defensemen down low, and thrives in high-pressure defensive scenarios.
27. Buffalo Sabres – Casey Mutryn, RW (USA U-18, NTDP)
Sabres General Manager Jarmo Kekalainen targets a high-tempo, competitive winger. Mutryn brings professional size, relentless work ethic on the forecheck, and a highly reliable scoring touch.
28. Montreal Canadiens – Ryder Cali, C (North Bay, OHL)
Cali brings unique size and soft hands to the Canadiens’ middle-six pipeline. He protects the puck masterfully in the offensive zone and screens goaltenders effectively.
29. Colorado Avalanche – Chase Harrington, LW (Spokane, WHL)
Harrington offers elite straight-line speed and high-end puck-handling skills. He fits into Colorado’s uptempo, transition-heavy offensive structure perfectly.
30. Vegas Golden Knights – Adam Nemec, LW (Sudbury, OHL)
Nemec provides heavy shot volume, smart defensive tracking, and the versatile physical edge that the Golden Knights prioritize for long playoff runs.
31. Carolina Hurricanes – Ryan Roobroeck, LW (Niagara, OHL)
Roobroeck possesses elite offensive upside and raw finishing ability. When he finds open ice, his heavy release makes him a constant threat to score from anywhere inside the blue line.
32. Ottawa Senators – Jaxon Cover, RW (London, OHL)
The Ottawa Senators are picking all the way down at number 32, but it has absolutely nothing to do with a Stanley Cup parade. This placement is the result of a modified NHL disciplinary sanction stemming from the invalidated 2021 Evgenii Dadonov trade, where former management failed to disclose Dadonov’s no-trade list to the Vegas Golden Knights. Originally stripped of a first-round pick entirely, the Senators and new owner Michael Andlauer successfully lobbied the league for a reprieve this past March. The NHL compromised: Ottawa was fined $1 million and handed the 32nd overall pick, regardless of their regular-season finish. Furthermore, they are strictly forbidden from trading this selection. Making the most of this unique, untradable asset, the Sens select Cover. He is a highly structured, system-oriented winger who values defensive accountability while chipping in consistent secondary offense.
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