2026 NHL Mock Draft: Trade Storylines You Should Be Thinking About During Draft Week
The NHL draft lottery concluded last week, with the Toronto Maple Leafs receiving the No. 1 overall pick. The San Jose Sharks snagged the No. 2 spot as they emerge from their rebuild, and the league-worst Vancouver Canucks got the No. 3 pick.
When we think about draft week, we think about the opportunity for teams to change their franchises with lauded prospects like Gavin McKenna. We also think about all of the chaos that typically occurs as teams gear up for looming free agency.
As we look forward to the 2026 draft next month, let's start thinking about the storylines beyond the picks that will captivate us for draft week and beyond.
Updated 2026 NHL Mock Draft
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1. Toronto Maple Leafs: Gavin McKenna, LW, Penn State (NCAA)
2. San Jose Sharks: Chase Reid, D, Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds
3. Vancouver Canucks: Ivar Stenberg, LW/RW, Frolunda HC (SHL)
4. Chicago Blackhawks: Caleb Malhotra, C, Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)
5. New York Rangers: Carson Carels, D, Prince George Cougars (WHL)
6. Calgary Flames: Keaton Verhoeff, D, University of North Dakota (NCAA)
7. Seattle Kraken: Viggo Bjorck, C/RW, Djurgardens IF
8. Winnipeg Jets: Alberts Smits, D, Jukurit (Liiga)
9. Florida Panthers: Tynan Lawrence, C, Boston University (NCAA)
10. Nashville Predators: Daxon Rudolph, D, Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)
11. St. Louis Blues: Ethan Belchetz, LW, Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
12. New Jersey Devils: Oscar Hemming, F, Boston College (NCAA)
13. New York Islanders: Adam Novotny, LW/RW, Peterborough Petes (OHL)
14. Columbus Blue Jackets: Ryan Lin, D, Vancouver Giants (WHL)
15. St. Louis Blues (via DET): Oliver Suvanto, C, Tappara (Liiga)
16. Washington Capitals: Nikita Klepov, LW, Saginaw Spirit
17. Los Angeles Kings: Elton Hermansson, RW/LW, MoDo Hockey (Hockey Allsvenskan)
18. Washington Capitals (via ANA): Malte Gustafsson, D, HV71 (SHL)
19. Utah Mammoth: Ilia Morozov, F, Miami University (NCAA)
20. San Jose Sharks (via EDM): Egor Shilov, C, Victoriaville Tigres (QMJHL)
21. Philadelphia Flyers: Juho Piiparinen, D, Tappara (Liiga)
22. Pittsburgh Penguins: Xavier Villeneuve, D, Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (QMJHL)
23. Boston Bruins: JP Hurlbert, C, Kamloops Blazers (WHL)
24. Vancouver Canucks (via MIN): Marcus Nordmark, RW, Djurgardens IF U20 (U20 Nationell)
25. Montreal Canadiens: Wyatt Cullen, LW, USNTDP
26. Seattle Kraken (via TBL): Liam Ruck, RW, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
27. New York Rangers (via DAL): Mathis Preston, RW, Vancouver Giants (WHL)
28. Calgary Flames (via VGK): Maddox Dagenais, C, Quebec Remparts (QMJHL)
29. Buffalo Sabres: Jack Hextall, C, Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)
30. Carolina Hurricanes: Jaxon Cover, LW, London Knights (OHL)
31. St. Louis Blues (via COL): Adam Valentini, LW, University of Michigan (NCAA)
32. Ottawa Senators: Ryan Roobroeck, C, Niagara IceDogs (OHL)
Is There Any Way the Oilers Find Help for Connor McDavid?
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McDavid and Leon Draisaitl were loud and clear in their disappointment with the team after the Oilers' first-round exit.
"I am concerned because we're not trending in the right direction," Draisaitl said. "We've taken big steps backwards and have to get a grip on this and head back in the right direction."
Edmonton has two more years of McDavid under the short‑term extension he signed, which only heightened the pressure on management to improve the roster. Instead, the Oilers bowed out to the Ducks in the first round after a quiet lead‑up to the playoffs with no major additions.
Where do they go from here? Can they snag a top-of-the-line goalie? Can they add an elite defenseman or two to the fold to make the defense sturdier? They might have to do all of this and then some if they want to turn things around—and keep McDavid around.
They could -- and should -- make some noise on the trade front during draft week. A big, early statement that they aren't messing around feels needed.
Will the Sharks Trade The 2nd Pick Overall?
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The Sharks own the No. 2 pick for the second consecutive draft, and for the second consecutive draft, general manager Mike Grier expressed willingness to move the pick for the right price.
"I'm always open to listening to what's out there, and if people have ideas or thoughts, I'll listen. We'll kind of go from there," said Grier.
The Sharks answered calls last year but held on to the pick and drafted Michael Misa.
This time around, the Sharks took a big step forward in the regular season as Macklin Celebrini reached new heights. He and the Sharks were hovering around a playoff spot and were, at times, a real threat to punch a ticket to the playoffs.
The Sharks are in an ideal position with tons of leverage here: Either trade the pick and improve the roster as San Jose's rebuild comes to an end, or snag one more top prospect out of this rebuild for good measure. It'll be fascinating to see what the offers for the No. 2 pick are, and if Grier takes the bait or not.
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Will Chicago Get Help for Connor Bedard Ahead of Next Season?
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Like the Sharks, the Blackhawks are sitting at a turning point in their rebuild. Chicago had an exciting start last season, looking as good as ever in the Bedard era.
Bedard's shoulder injury in December eventually derailed their playoff hopes, but it was encouraging to see what the team could look like in a year or two as the young players take a step forward and management adds a few more pieces.
Could draft week be a solid opportunity for the Blackhawks to find some of those pieces?
It's unlikely that Chicago will trade its No. 4 pick, but they can have their cake and eat it, too, with the amount of cap space they have. GM Kyle Davidson saw the improvement in the young core this season, and he has stated his willingness to get aggressive to build the roster this summer.
Given their over $40 million worth of cap space, the Blackhawks might be better suited to pursue the free agency market when free agency opens July 1. But we can expect Davidson on the phone during draft week to get those wheels spinning, and perhaps a team desperate to unload cap space would entertain a salary-dump-type trade.
Does the Maple Leafs' Lottery Win Change Plans Around Auston Matthews?
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As ridiculous as it feels to question the future of Auston Matthews with the Leafs, the Leafs have been a ridiculous team for the past year and change.
They didn't do enough to replace Mitch Marner, and they suffered the consequences as they fell completely out of the playoff conversation. Matthews looked dejected all season as the former best offense in the NHL crumbled, attempts to turn the Leafs into a defensive powerhouse failed, and the team now lacks identity.
The captain looks lost.
The unexpected draft lottery win could completely change the complexion of a team that is in desperate need of a makeover. Where does that leave its No. 1 center and captain?
Matthews is under contract through 2027-28 with a full no-movement clause, so any trade is going to be tricky. Plus, the Maple Leafs just hired a new GM -- former Coyotes GM John Chayka. You'd think the two sides would have a long, hard conversation about where Chayka wants to take the Leafs and how involved Matthews will be in this future.
At the end of the day, Matthews has a lot of control over where he ends up, so it'll be telling if a trade does happen.
What Next for the Yzerplan?
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How many times are we going to sit here and ask if it's time to end the Yzerplan?
It is now year seven of the Yzerplan, and the Red Wings have failed to make the playoffs even once. While fans were told to have "patience," management often sat on its hands and then acted as if trading for post‑prime John Gibson, post‑prime Vladimir Tarasenko and post‑prime Justin Faulk—you name it—would be a solution.
The truth is, this team is deeply flawed beyond its young, exciting core, and it shouldn't be this complicated or take this long to fix. Acquiring a prime goaltender is difficult, though.
Beyond that, there have been plenty of defensemen and depth scorers in their prime that GM Steve Yzerman and Co. could've traded for or signed. They had the cap space to do it. Instead, fans have been vaguely told to "be patient" while the front office essentially does nothing and then panics at the last second.
It shouldn't be this hard, and we shouldn't be sitting here after they blew it in March again. But here we are because the Yzerplan has never been aggressive enough.
It's remarkable that we're entering year eight of this, and at this point the only real intrigue is seeing what they try next.
Which Team Will Trade for Vincent Trocheck?
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The Rangers' failure to trade Trocheck at this year's deadline was baffling, but it's only a matter of time until the chippy center moves to a competitive team.
The Rangers finished last in the Eastern Conference, missing the playoffs for the second consecutive year, and they are looking to get this impromptu retooling over with. They want to get younger and quicker, and they can do this by trading their top asset to a team desperate for the final piece to contend for a Cup.
Trocheck would be a solid fit with the gritty Wild, and they've proved they'll do whatever it takes on the trade market to be competitive in the Kirill Kaprizov era. The Oilers could use any help they could get, the Red Wings desperately need a competitive edge, and maybe the Hurricanes would want to circle back to a fan favorite?
Trocheck has three years remaining on his contract at a $5.63 million cap hit. Given the big jumps we've seen in the salary cap the past few seasons and the level he still plays at, the Rangers are going to have options.
Salary cap information provided by Puckpedia
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