Notable NHL Mock Draft 2026 Expert Predictions for Gavin McKenna, Prospects' Landing Spots

The 2026 NHL draft, which will begin on June 26, is drawing nearer.

While the Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes are locked into the Stanley Cup Final—congrats to the Golden Knights for their Game 1 win—the rest of the league is looking ahead to the draft.

We know that the Toronto Maple Leafs won the draft lottery and will pick first. As to who they'll select and which other prospects will be drafted early on opening night, that remains a mystery.

Draft experts have their opinions, though. Let's dive into some of the latest.

Here, we'll examine mocks from ESPN's Rachel Kryshak, The Athletic's Corey Pronman, and Bleacher Report's Hannah Stuart—who just released her latest mock draft on Wednesday.

Mock Top 10s

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Hannah Stuart, Bleacher Report

1. Maple Leafs: Gavin McKenna, LW, Penn State (NCAA)

2. Sharks: Chase Reid, D, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)

3. Canucks: Caleb Malhotra, C, Brantford (OHL)

4. Blackhawks: Ivar Stenberg, LW/RW, Frolunda HC (SHL)

5. Rangers: Carson Carels, D, Prince George (WHL)

6. Flames: Keaton Verhoeff, D, North Dakota (NCAA)

7. Kraken: Viggo Björck, C, Djugarden (SHL)

8. Jets: Alberts Šmits, LHD, Munchen (DEL)

9. Panthers: Tynan Lawrence, C, Boston University (NCAA)

10. Predators: Daxon Rudolph, D, Prince Albert (WHL)

Rachel Kryshak, ESPN

1. Maple Leafs: Gavin McKenna, LW, Penn State (NCAA)

2. Sharks: Chase Reid, D, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)

3. Canucks: Ivar Stenberg, LW/RW, Frolunda HC (SHL)

4. Blackhawks: Carson Carels, D, Prince George (WHL)

5. Rangers: Caleb Malhotra, C, Brantford (OHL)

6. Flames: Daxon Rudolph, D, Prince Albert (WHL)

7. Kraken: Keaton Verhoeff, D, North Dakota (NCAA)

8. Jets: Nikita Klepov, F, Saginaw (OHL)

9. Panthers: Alberts Šmits, LHD, Munchen (DEL)

10. Predators: Ethan Belchetz, LW, Windsor (OHL)

Corey Pronman, The Athletic

1. Maple Leafs: Gavin McKenna, LW, Penn State (NCAA)

2. Sharks: Chase Reid, D, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)

3. Canucks: Caleb Malhotra, C, Brantford (OHL)

4. Blackhawks: Ivar Stenberg, LW/RW, Frolunda HC (SHL)

5. Rangers: Carson Carels, D, Prince George (WHL)

6. Flames: Keaton Verhoeff, D, North Dakota (NCAA)

7. Kraken: Daxon Rudolph, D, Prince Albert (WHL)

8. Jets: Alberts Šmits, LHD, Munchen (DEL)

9. Panthers: Wyatt Cullen, LW, NTDP (USHL)

10. Predators: Viggo Björck, C, Djugarden (SHL)

Gavin McKenna Still Trending as Top Pick

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Penn State's Gavin McKenna has long felt like the likely choice at No. 1, though multiple teams are hoping to have a shot at landing him. According to Mike G. Morreale of NHL.com, McKenna is set to meet with at least eight teams at the scouting combine.

McKenna was the top choice in all three mocks we examined, and he remains the logical choice for Toronto—and any other team that might happen to have the chance to draft him.

The Athletic's Scott Wheeler released his updated draft board on Wednesday, and, unsurprisingly, McKenna took the top spot.

"Despite some of the flaws in his game, McKenna projects as a first-line star winger and dynamic power-play tactician," Wheeler wrote. "Improvement in his five-on-five play and the consistency of his competitiveness will determine his ultimate impact beyond the counting stats he should rack up."

McKenna appeared in 35 games for Penn State this past season, and he tallied 15 goals and 51 points. At this point, it'll be a mild shock if he isn't the Leafs' choice at No. 1.

Chase Reid Trending as a Top-Two Lock

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If there's a prospect who can challenge McKenna to be the top pick, it's Sault Ste. Marie's Chase Reid. The Chesterfield, Michigan product remained at the top of Wheeler's board throughout the predraft process.

"Wingers Gavin McKenna and Ivar Stenberg went pole-to-pole as the top two prospects on all of my lists," Wheeler wrote.

Reid was also the No. 2 pick on all of the mock drafts we examined, and he appears to be a strong fit for the San Jose Sharks—especially if the Sharks decide to focus on defense.

"Reid's name comes up often in those conversations as arguably the draft's most talented defender who can quarterback the power play with those forwards for a decade. Most of the league thinks that's who San Jose will go with," Pronman wrote.

The 18-year-old is likely to give the Maple Leafs something to think about at the top of Round 1. If McKenna goes to Toronto as most expect, however, Reid probably won't slip past San Jose.

Caleb Malhotra on the Rise

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Brantford forward Caleb Malhotra is becoming a popular pick for the Vancouver Canucks at No. 3, and not just because his father, Manny Malhotra, is the head coach—though the younger Malhotra certainly isn't opposed to playing for his father.

"I mean, it'd be pretty cool to play for him," he said, per Mike G. Morreale of NHL.com.

The reality is that Malhotra is a rising prospect who has seemingly come out of nowhere.

"Just about any draft board posted prior to September didn't have Malhotra on it," Steven Ellis of Daily Faceoff wrote.

Malhotra was a top-five selection in the three mocks we examined, and he moved up a spot in Stuart's mock since her previous one.

"While selecting Malhotra would come with significant opportunity cost (see: our scouting report on Ivar Stenberg), it's also difficult to call it a bad pick," Stuart wrote. "Malhotra's work ethic, vision, and cerebral approach to the game alone cement him as the top center in this draft."

Malhotra, for the record, is the fourth-ranked prospect on Wheeler's board.