2026 NHL Mock Draft: The Best Team Fits for 5 Prospects
Imagine Sam Dickinson on the Philadelphia Flyers, Matvei Michkov on the Vancouver Canucks, or Zayne Parekh on the Edmonton Oilers.
Now that you're properly horrified, let's talk about team fit.
When writing mock drafts, we take as many factors as possible into account to the best of our abilities, but we can't know everything said in scouting meetings—what teams prioritize each year, what criteria make a prospect "good" for each individual scout, and so forth. What we can do is look at past prospect pools, a team's individual playing style, and their development history.
And with those taken into account—particularly the last one—it's thrown into sharp focus that some team-and-player pairings would simply be a bad idea. Like any high-ceiling yet high-risk player over the last several years and the New York Rangers, for example.
Enough about bad fits. Who would make a good match out of this year's draft pool? Time will tell, but we can make some educated guesses that may or may not come to pass.
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 (OHL)
3. Vancouver Canucks: Caleb Malhotra, C, Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)
4. Chicago Blackhawks: Ivar Stenberg, LW/RW, Frolunda HC (SHL)
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 (SHL)
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 (OHL)
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: Alexander Command, C, Orebro HK (SHL)
22. Pittsburgh Penguins: Wyatt Cullen, LW, USNTDP
23. Boston Bruins: JP Hurlbert, C, Kamloops Blazers (WHL)
24. Vancouver Canucks (via MIN): Marcus Nordmark, RW, Djurgardens IF U20 (U20 Nationell)
25. Seattle Kraken (via TBL): Xavier Villeneuve, D, Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (QMJHL)
26. New York Rangers (via DAL): Mathis Preston, RW, Vancouver Giants (WHL)
27. Buffalo Sabres: Jack Hextall, C, Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)
28. Montreal Canadiens: Maddox Dagenais, C, Quebec Remparts (QMJHL)
29. St. Louis Blues (via COL): Casey Mutryn, RW, US National U18 Team (USNTDP)
30. Calgary Flames (via VGK): Liam Ruck, RW, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
31. Carolina Hurricanes: Nikita Shcherbakov, D, Tolpar Ufa (MHL)
32. Ottawa Senators: Ryan Roobroeck, C, Niagara IceDogs (OHL)
Xavier Villeneuve, D, Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (QMJHL) — Montreal Canadiens
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Assigning Xavier Villeneuve to the Montreal Canadiens as a good fit is based on one primary signifier: how the Habs have handled Lane Hutson and his NHL career, particularly his initial transition to the pros. While Villeneuve isn't Lane Hutson, he projects as a very similar type of player—and one who will need similarly careful handling in his development.
Dynamic offense-first defensemen are so easy for teams to ruin. Obviously, player development is a two-way street, and a guy can just as easily ruin his own development path. But he's got a much smaller chance of doing that when put in an ideal environment. An organization that has a track record of success with a player that fits the same profile is just about as ideal as you can get.
Villeneuve is already on the right track. He needs to add strength; he's headed to Boston University in the fall, and the college hockey schedule is a good place to do that. He needs to refine his playmaking ability to avoid situations where his size will be a detriment; moving from college hockey to the AHL in an organization familiar with his playing style and with how he needs to refine his use of vision to stop opponents is a great way to go about it.
Nikita Klepov, LW, Saginaw Spirit — Chicago Blackhawks
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Obviously, this won't be happening in real life, because pick four is far too high for Saginaw Spirit winger Nikita Klepov. But travel with us to an alternate reality where the Chicago Blackhawks are picking at a far more reasonable spot, because this makes so much sense in terms of team fit. Don't overthink it; it's as simple as the Blackhawks wanting to be contending-ready in the next two to four years (just a rough estimate, no pitchforks necessary if you disagree).
To do that, certain roles still need to be filled. Klepov brings to mind the role Andrew Shaw filled in the Blackhawks' 2013 and 2015 Cup runs, and later in his time with the Montreal Canadiens. While the perception of Shaw was, initially, that of someone who could play but was more of a brawler, an enforcer type, he proved that he was, in fact, a useful and effective winger who could play with more elite linemates.
Klepov, in our view, brings more skill than Shaw had at this point in his career—don't mistake this for a direct comparison. And his fit extends beyond that play style to his strong work ethic and endless energy for battling. But that role of a more secondary play-driver who can be effective with higher-level teammates if needed is a key one for any contending team.
Wyatt Cullen, LW, USNTDP — Pittsburgh Penguins
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Immediately, the obvious fit here is that Wyatt Cullen is very familiar with the Pittsburgh Penguins organization. Not only did his father, Matt Cullen, win two consecutive Stanley Cups for the Penguins (and return for a further season in 2018-19), but Matt is also a development coach for the team. There are worse reasons for team fit than pre-existing familiarity and affection between player and organization.
But there are better ones, and Cullen has those too. He's an incredibly highly-skilled player; his hockey sense, as well as his passing and puck-handling abilities, are elite. It's not a stretch to say that Cullen has one of the top toolkits in the class. As Kyle Dubas builds with an eye to a Crosby- and Malkin-less future—whenever it may come—prioritizing high-skill players to fill the void (as much as possible) is an obvious priority.
Choosing players who may need a little longer of a runway — Cullen needs to add muscle to compete physically at the NHL level — before they hit their stride is an interesting and intelligent tactic for securing that future. With any luck, Dubas will continue to add players who will be ready to jump in whenever that day comes. No guarantee Cullen is available when they pick (he likely won't be), but he would fit like a perfectly cut puzzle piece if he is.
Alexander Command, C, Orebro HK U20 — New York Rangers
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Alexander Command to the New York Rangers feels like a "hear me out" team fit, so hear me out.
While Command is not a development-proof player, his strengths lie in areas that the Rangers prioritize. He's a highly physical player in a productive way, and he pairs it with above-average hockey sense that drives some very nice playmaking abilities. He's safe in a way that isn't detrimental as a pick (which is easy to do), though this isn't a suggestion for the Rangers to take him at fifth.
Command's floor is that of a solid middle-six center who is strong and effective defensively, who can chip in offensively, and who has a motor that doesn't quit above all else. And that's his floor—there's more to be mined there! He may lack truly elite tools, but he has the potential to add another layer of playmaking to his game if he improves his skating.
Still, it's the security of that floor that makes him NHL-projectable in a way the Rangers would appreciate. He likely won't be available when they select at 26th, but if he is, it would be a difficult selection to argue with.
Ethan Belchetz, LW, Windsor Spitfires (OHL) — Anaheim Ducks
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Unfortunately, nearly every one of these "good team fit" picks is mismatched to anyone's actual draft spot, and none more than this pick. If Ethan Belchetz had played a full season, and if we'd seen him drive play more consistently, we might've seen him ranked as high as the top five. As it is, he's definitely a first-round pick, and should by all rights go in the top ten (we'll see).
Belchetz is a special player. He brings significant size and physicality and pairs them with excellent puck-handling and playmaking abilities. The way he takes over a game at his best is astounding; his vision drives crafty playmaking. That combination of power forward projection, battling, and pure skill is enticing to any team.
When looking at the Anaheim Ducks' roster and their draft priorities, a player who brings both high-end skill and significant physicality fits precisely with what they're looking for. And with Mason McTavish's name floating around in trade rumors, bringing in someone like Belchetz would make an almost absurd amount of sense in terms of style and skill. It's a shame they don't have a first-round pick.
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