Updated B/R 2026 NHL Draft Big Board for November 2025

In our first Top 10, I said about Gavin McKenna, "While I don't think he'll have that much trouble adjusting, some prospect pundits out there are prone to overreacting."

I was both right and wrong.

Gavin McKenna is having trouble adjusting to the NCAA, at least in certain facets of the game, but there are definitely also some people overreacting about it. Right now I still see McKenna as the clear frontrunner. If he doesn't take the opportunity in front of him, which I outlined in our recent scouting report, he could let that spot slip away, but it's going to take clear movement on his part and the part of the players lurking behind him.

But who might those players be, you may ask? What is the rest of our Top 10 looking like?

We'll be back with a full 32 later, but for now let's focus on the top flight of prospects.

1. Gavin McKenna, LW, Penn State (NCAA)

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Height: 6'0"

Weight: 165 lbs

I've got two main things that I think about Gavin McKenna right now: his offensive instincts and abilities are far and above the highest quality we have in the draft in terms of innate talent; and he's really got to get more engaged without the puck. I'll defend him as the most skilled player with the best vision in this class until the cows come home, but if you lollygag around when your team doesn't have the puck—if you don't push yourself to get better in your weak areas—innate talent isn't really worth as much as it is on a guy who works his tail off no matter what situation of the game he's in.

That being said: McKenna did choose to challenge himself by completely changing playing environments in his draft year. He's clearly got the drive to get better. I just want to see it start playing out on the ice. The NCAA is a tougher league to succeed in as a 17-year-old than the WHL is—opponents are bigger, stronger, and have been playing in the league for longer, for the most part. He's got the opportunity to build strength and improve his weaknesses and I really hope he takes it.

2. Ivar Stenberg, LW/RW, Frolunda (Swedish Hockey League)

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Height: 6'0" 

Weight: 181 lbs

I knew I was going to end up moving Ivar Stenberg up a spot, and here we are. I should've just gone with my gut in the summer. With 20 games under his belt for Frolunda HC so far this season, Stenberg sits at 16 points including 4 goals. He's also played 7 games with Sweden's U20 team, with 6 points in those, and I'm really interested in seeing how he does at the World Juniors this winter (I fully expect to see him on the team).

Also, yes, he is St. Louis Blues prospect Otto Stenberg's younger brother, so if you've enjoyed watching Otto at any point, it's time to buckle in and watch Ivar.

He's had his slumps this season, and it's made me realize that something I really want to see more of from him is consistency, but the hallmarks of his game are still there: speed and offensive skill. His vision is elite, able to spot opportunities before other players can, and he's got quick hands to pair with it. I'm excited to see how his season unfolds.

3. Keaton Verhoeff, D, University of North Dakota (NCAA)

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Height: 6'4"

Weight: 212 lbs 

While I don't see Keaton Verhoeff stealing the top slot from Gavin McKenna (unless the general manager who gets the first overall pick is just really thirsty for a defenseman, that is), I do see him staying inside the top five. He dropped to three for me because I like what Stenberg brings to the table more, and moreover, I feel more sure of what Stenberg will look like in the NHL than I do Verhoeff.

Verhoeff has size, and he's adjusting to the NCAA fairly well. He's currently got 8 points in 12 games, including 4 goals. On defense, he looks fantastic—he's tightly controlled, intense, with a great motor. That side of his game I have no problem projecting to the NHL. But he's not a particularly agile skater, and his vision isn't elite (don't come after me with pitchforks, I still think he's high-end—but those things are different). He's producing offense now, but will that side of his game translate? That's one thing I'm looking for the rest of this season.

4. Ryan Lin, D, Vancouver Giants (WHL)

Height: 5'11"

Weight: 176 lbs

Finally, we get to one of the major-junior leagues. Ryan Lin, defenseman for the Vancouver Giants, is already shouldering big minutes. He's off to a great start offensively, with 25 points in 22 games which puts him on pace to beat last season's total of 53. That total was good for ninth all-time for U17 defensemen in WHL history, and I have a feeling he's going to make last season look like light work.

Lin shines in all three zones, and while his offensive game isn't dynamic or highlight-reel style, it's always there. His defensive game is built on impeccable details, and he's a fantastic skater. He anticipates both teammates and opponents quite well, able to intercept plays and sometimes even turn them into chances for his own team. Defense is definitely going to be the stronger side of his game; he's aggressive in disrupting opponents and kill their chances. I would like to see more from him offensively, specifically in the sense that he always chooses the safe play—it's rare that I say I want a player to take more risks, but while I love his potential, if he keeps playing it too safe he may fall back down the board.

5. Ethan Belchetz, LW, Windsor Spitfires (OHL)

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Height: 6'5"

Weight: 227 lbs

I'm leaving Ethan Belchetz at 5th overall for now, but like, no promises that he stays there. He's one who could move up for sure—for me, at least. I'm having a blast watching this kid play. I mentioned back in the summer that I anticipated the flashes of his offensive ability we've seen in the past would probably show up in a more sustained way this season; that assumption seems to be holding so far, as he's currently sitting at 27 points in 21 games, including 16 goals.
One thing that I really like about Belchetz's game is that it's not one thing or another—he's involved physically and he's been making high-end, intelligent plays. He's pushing the pace of the game, making deceptive passes to teammates, and using his size to lay big hits when they're called for. (And if you recall my frustration with last year's sixth overall pick Porter Martone, you know I love it when a guy who throws big hits does so productively.) I would like to see him improve on his decision-making, whether it's when to use those hits, what play selection is best, etc., but a lot of that comes with maturity and playing time.

6. Tynan Lawrence, C, Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)

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Height: 6'0"

Weight: 185 lbs

You're probably thinking to yourself, Hannah, how did Tynan Lawrence move up when he's only played two games? It's a fair question with an easy answer: I've been less impressed with other players, who subsequently moved down in my esteem, and I went back and watched more of past Lawrence with a better eye and liked what I saw. Lawrence has been rehabbing and injury and while he played a couple games recently, he had a setback and in his NHL Draft Diary notes that the team is being cautious. That's a good thing.

For me a standout aspect of Lawrence's game is still his hockey sense, and the way he's able to pair it with playing a high-pace game. It's like the other players on the ice are playing the game at normal speed, and he's just in fast-forward a little bit. That's not something I'm worried about changing when he's back from injury. In his brief play this season he also appeared strong off the puck, which is promising. Hoping to see him back full-time soon.

7. Mathis Preston, RW, Spokane Chiefs (WHL)

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Height: 5'11"

Weight: 176 lbs

Much like Ethan Belchetz, Mathis Preston didn't move in our rankings. That might change going forward, but for now I feel comfortable keeping him here. That being said, I want to make the note now that I am ranking him based on potential—how I hope to see his game develop, and the possibilities that lie in that. He's got such great skill — creativity, excellent stick work, a great release on his shot, and the ability to do all these things at top speeds. He can problem solve in the moment, even at the game's top pace, and he's got the skating to back it up.

But i'm still refraining from making a call on whether I think he'll be able to play this way at the NHL level. Right now his scoring rate is still at under a point-per-game and projects to remain that way this season (he's got 17 points in 20 games, currently), much like it did last year. I'd been expecting a jump there. He's able to make creative plays, but I'm not seeing any deception in his game. I want to see more proof that he's going to be able to translate all of the skill we're enjoying watching for Spokane to NHL ice.

8. Daxon Rudolph, D, Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)

Height: 6'2"

Weight: 203 lbs

Daxon Rudolph is the first of two players who almost made it into our summer top 10 and didn't, but have definitely made it into this go-round. Also, is anyone else noticing a trend that perhaps the market is overcorrecting itself, because after many years of smaller dynamic players dominating, a lot of these top guys have size to spare. Rudolph in particular supports my theory that bigger guys realized they have to be mobile too, and they're starting to catch up in that area of the game.

Rudolph is excellent as a one-on-one defender, using his stick work and gap control to get in opponents' space and shut down any play they might be trying to make. He's a former first overall WHL Draft pick, and while I don't see him rising that high in this year's draft, I think he's going to stay somewhere in this range. He's steadily engaged in all areas of the ice, though he may not play with the highest motor, and while I'd like to see a layer of deception added to his game, I think his skill set is pretty easily projectable to the current NHL.

9. Ryan Roobroeck, C, Niagara IceDogs (OHL)

Height: 6'4"

Weight: 216 lbs

You might be thinking, wow, Roobroeck dropped quite a bit! And sure, you could look at it that way. But frankly the movement that happened between the too-early summer board and this board happened in large part because I got to know these guys better as players. And while I still like a chunk of what I'm seeing from Ryan Roobroeck, I like what I've seen from the players listed ahead of him a lot more.

While Roobroeck is a very skilled player, capable of finding teammates and making high-end plays, able to position himself precisely where he needs to be, I'm not fond of his engagement level. And if I ding the guy at the top for that, I have to ding the players after him too. He's got an excellent shot, but he's not taking over games by any means, and there are times when I question whether he can drive play effectively enough for it to translate to the next level. I look forward to more viewings across the season to see if his motor improves. If it does, and he can put the pieces together, he may rise on this list again. If it doesn't, you might see him drop further.

10. Xavier Villeneuve, D, Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (QMJHL)

Height: 5'11"

Weight: 157 lbs

Xavier Villeneueve very nearly made it onto our summer list, and I honestly fought with myself about including him for a good bit before deciding on my final order for that piece. He's here now, though. So far this season he's at 25 points in 21 games as a draft-eligible defender, which is promising in terms of his offensive instincts and ability to control what's happening on the ice every time he steps out there.

Villeneuve is kind of the opposite of Ryan Lin for me in that I am not concerned about his offense in the slightest, but I would like to see improvement on the defensive side of his game. He's another smaller guy, which is going to make teams worry he can get pushed around, but frankly the deception he brings to the table and the way he's able to manipulate opponents is enough for me to take a chance on that. He doesn't just have the ability to conceive creative plays; he can also execute them. I just want to see him get his footwork under control and be more consistent; I think he's proactive enough that I don't worry about his size as much, if he's given time to grow both in size and physical confidence.