Comparing Expert 2026 NHL Mock Drafts for Rangers, Blackhawks, Islanders and Top Teams
As the Stanley Cup Final continues to unfold between the Vegas Golden Knights and the Carolina Hurricanes, the 2026 NHL draft also draws nearer. The draft, which is slated to begin on June 26, features plenty of intriguing talent, though how the early first round will go remains a mystery.
The Toronto Maple Leafs hold the first overall selection, and most experts believe Toronto will snap up Penn State star Gavin McKenna with the pick.
Defenseman Chase Reid is widely expected to be one of the first two prospects off the board, likely landing with the San Jose Sharks. However, things will get truly interesting when teams like the New York Rangers, Chicago Blackhawks, and New York Islanders weigh their options among the second- and third-tier prospects.
How do the experts see things unfolding? Let's dive into some of the latest mock drafts to find out.
Mock Top 10 Comparisons
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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)
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)
Scott Wheeler, The Athleteic
1. Maple Leafs: Gavin McKenna, LW, Penn State (NCAA)
2. Sharks: Ivar Stenberg, LW/RW, Frolunda HC (SHL)
3. Canucks: Caleb Malhotra, C, Brantford (OHL)
4. Blackhawks: Carson Carels, D, Prince George (WHL)
5. Rangers: Chase Reid, D, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)
6. Flames: Alberts Šmits, LHD, Munchen (DEL)
7. Kraken: Keaton Verhoeff, D, North Dakota (NCAA)
8. Jets: Viggo Björck, C, Djugarden (SHL)
9. Panthers: Daxon Rudolph, D, Prince Albert (WHL)
10. Predators: Ethan Belchetz, LW, Windsor (OHL)
Top Five Not Close to Set
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It'll be a surprise if McKenna isn't the pick at No. 1, but this isn't going to be a draft where the first few picks will be predetermined. In fact, not everyone even agrees that Reid will be the pick for the Sharks at No. 2. The Athletic's Scott Wheeler, for example, paired San Jose with Swedish star Ivar Stenberg:
"The clearest need is obviously adding a top-pair defenseman, but Mike Grier has also made one thing clear: the best player available is his focus at the draft. And I wonder if Stenberg is Plan A and the defensemen are Plan B in the event that they move back. I'm not sure of that, but that's my hunch."
Brantford's Caleb Malhotra is a popular pick for the Canucks, but things get unpredictable again with the Blackhawks and Rangers.
If McKenna, Reid, and Malhotra are the top three, there's a very good chance that Stenberg and Carson Carels round out the top five. Malhotra appears to be the top center available in the '26 class, with Reid the top defenseman and Carels a close second.
"While he's not the top defenseman available, his runway to the NHL feels shorter than others because of the way several elements of his game easily translate to the pros," Bleacher Report's Hannah Stuart wrote of Carels. "That feels like something that the Rangers would appreciate."
Of course, McKenna, Reid, Malhotra, Stenberg, and Carels don't make for a consensus top five, either. NHL.com's Adam Kimelman and Mike G. Morreale got together to debate picks in a dueling mock draft. Morreale partnered the Rangers with Carels, but Kimelman mocked Latvian defenseman Alberts Šmits to New York instead.
"He's a strong skater, has a high-end offensive game and his maturity on and off the ice—he's lived on his own since leaving Latvia to play in Finland at age 13—might make him the most NHL-ready prospect in this draft class," Kimmelman wrote.
In other words, there's still plenty of drama to be had at the top of Round 1.
Good Talent Should Be Available in the Middle of Round 1
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Teams picking at the very top of Round 1 shouldn't be the only ones expecting to come away with future star potential. Teams picking toward the middle of the first round—like the Islanders, Columbus Blue Jackets, St. Louis Blues, and Washington Capitals can find high-end prospects they need if the draft falls in their favor.
The Athletic's Corey Pronman, for example, paired the Islanders with a prospect who might have been a lottery pick a few months ago, Boston University's Tynan Lawrence.
"Lawrence was very well thought of by evaluators six months ago, with many teams having him as a top-three prospect, but he's plummeted in the second half of the season after average performances in college and at the U18 worlds."
Kimelman also went with Lawrence for New York, while Morreale went with Finnish forward Oliver Suvanto.
"New York's biggest need is a forward, primarily because their current roster and system already have such a strong defensive foundation," Morreale wrote.
Stuart paired the Islanders with Czech forward Adam Novotný, while Wheeler went with Swedish center Alexander Command.
Stuart had Lawrence going at No. 9 to the Florida Panthers, while Morreale had him going 10 to the Nashville Predators, and Wheeler had him going to the St. Louis Blues at No. 11.
While teams can't expect Lawrence to fall to the middle of Round 1, prospects like winger Nikita Klepov—Stuart's pick for the Capitals—should be available.
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