NHL Draft 2026 Updated Order, Top Prospects and 1st-Round Mock

While many NHL teams are preparing for the playoffs and the chance to hoist the Stanley Cup in victory, those eliminated from contention have turned their attention to the draft and the potential to select a player (or players) who can lead the charge back to the postseason and, hopefully, the most coveted prize in professional hockey.

Who are the young players who make up this year's top prospect class and which two figure to be the first off the board on June 26?

Find out in this preview, including the current order and mock draft.

NHL Draft Order and Mock Draft

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The current order for the 2026 NHL Draft is as follows:

Vancouver Canucks - Gavin McKenna, LW, Penn State

Chicago Blackhawks - Ivar Stenberg, LW, Frolunda

Calgary Flames - Chase Reid, RD, Soo

New York Rangers - Keaton Verhoeff, RD, North Dakota

Seattle Kraken - Carson Carels, LD, Prince George

Florida Panthers - Caleb Malhotra, C, Brantford

Boston Bruins (via Toronto Maple Leafs) - Ethan Belchetz, LW, Windsor

Winnipeg Jets - Alberts Smits, LD, Jukurit

St. Louis Blues - Viggo Bjorck, C/RW, Djurgardens IF

San Jose Sharks - Tynan Lawrence, C, Boston University

Los Angeles Kings - Daxon Rudolph, RD, Prince Albert

New Jersey Devils - Oscar Hemming, F, Boston College

Washington Capitals - Malte Gustafsson, HV71

New York Islanders - Adam Novotny, LW/RW, Peterborough

Columbus Blue Jackets - Oliver Suvanto, C, Tappara

St. Louis Blues (via Detroit Red Wings) - Ryan Lin, RD, Vancouver

Nashville Predators - Xavier Villaneuve, LD, Blainville-Boisbriand

Calgary Flames (via Vegas Golden Knights) - Nikita Klepov, F, Saginaw

Washington Capitals (via Anaheim Ducks) - Marcus Nordmark, RW, Djugardens IF

Utah Mammoth - Elton Hermansson, RW/LW, MoDo Hockey

Philadelphia Flyers - Ilya Morozov, F, Miami (OH)

Boston Bruins - William Hakansson, LD, Lulea HF

Pittsburgh Penguins - JP Hurlbert, F, Kamloops

Vancouver Canucks (via Minnesota Wild) - Mathis Preston, F, Vancouver

Montreal Canadiens - Juho Piiparinen, RD, Tappara

Buffalo Sabres - Wyatt Cullen, F, USDP

New York Rangers (via Dallas Stars) - Yegor Shillov, C, Victoriaville

San Jose Sharks (via Edmonto Oilers) - Maddox Dagenais, C, Quebec

Seattle Kraken (via Tampa Bay Lightning) - Ryan Roobroeck, C, Niagara

Carolina Hurricanes - Alexander Command, C, Orebro HK

St. Louis Blues (via Colorado Avalanche) - Niklas Aaram-Olsen, RW/LW, Orebro HK

Ottawa Senators - Liam Ruck, FW, Medicine Hat

Top US Prospect: Gavin McKenna

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McKenna is a dynamic, explosive puck handler. His understanding of when to shoot it, when to pull it in, and when to dish it to a teammate is top-notch. He is smart, creative, and most importantly, patient, with the puck in his possession, traits of a skilled offensive star in the NHL.

What he lacks in his game is defense.

"The 2026 World Junior Championship further showed off the flaws in McKenna's game. Despite finishing with the second-most points in the tournament, he was invisible at times, hanging out on the edges of the play, hesitating to engage, and, once again, most of his points came on the power-play," Dayton Reimer of The Hockey Writers remarked in McKenna's draft profile.

McKenna does not waste the shots he does take, but his inability to be present and a factor in every play will raise some eyebrows and create some hesitation on the part of NHL front offices.

Still, there is something to be said about his superb offensive play when he has control of the puck. A potential generational scorer who has been held scoreless just three times in 17 games and tallied 32 points, he has the potential to be the spark that Vancouver badly needs. The question is whether the organization can teach the toughness and defense needed to be a true star in the NHL.

Top International Prospect: Ivar Stenberg

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A winger with great vision and timing, Stenberg has dominated play internationally, leading the Swedish team to the gold medal in the World Junior Classics, the first time the country has captured that prize in 14 years.

Stenberg is a cerebral puck handler, approaching each possession with a plan and efficiency in mind. He does not waste possessions and is an excellent protector of the puck, Felix Robbins of McKeen's Hockey described the 18-year-old.

What he is not is an impressive skater. He is not the explosive, jump-off-the-screen offensive threat that will dazzle fans and create genuine excitement about his arrival to whichever organization drafts him. Still, there is something to be said about on-ice intelligence and the impact it can have on turning a high-drafting team around in short order.

At the No. 2 pick, Stenberg could arrive in Chicago and pair with Connor Bedard to create a smart, young, offensive front that carries the Blackhawks for the foreseeable future. Bedard is already the flashy game-changing offensive star. Sternberg as the smart, calculating scorer who can dish the puck and protect it at others is exactly the type of player the organization could benefit from as it attempts to return to glory as a Stanley Cup contender.