.jpg?w=1280 "NHL Draft Big Board")
B/R's Final 2026 NHL Draft Big Board
A lot goes into making a draft board. You'll see moves made on this board that we were already contemplating when we released the last one, and you'll see moves that came more recently when we branched out and watched more tape of players we'd previously ranked in the early second round.
Two things that may stand out to seasoned draft heads: Keaton Verhoeff has fallen out of our top ten, and Ryan Roobroeck has fallen out of our first round rankings. There is still every chance that a team inside the top ten wants Verhoeff, or that a team chooses to use their first-round pick on Roobroeck.
But those two falling feel like especially good examples of how we approached this rankings process: betting on upside, but being realistic about potential shortcomings. The majority of this draft class are going to require a slightly longer runway to the NHL, and if there was ever a time to gamble, it's this year.
But it has to be an educated gamble, and one with an eye to where the drafting team is, where it plans to be, and what its development environment looks like.
1. Gavin McKenna, Left Wing, Penn State Nittany Lions (NCAA)
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Strengths: Intelligence and puckhandling
Weaknesses: Engagement off puck
Gavin McKenna spent two full seasons in the WHL, as well as 16 games the season before he was eligible to join the WHL full-time (and had 18 points in those 16 games), before crossing the border and the continent to join Penn State University's Nittany Lions men's hockey team. The move saw him play against older, more experienced players in a brand new environment with a completely new style of play.
At the end of the regular season, McKenna finished with 51 points in 35 games, including 15 goals and 36 assists. That was good for 2nd in the NCAA, up from 14th place at the time of our original scouting report in November. He played big minutes, averaging 22:32 per game at the end of the season; again, this was the highest on Penn State's team. McKenna also registered 14 points in 7 games for Canada at this year's World Junior Championships.
His biggest strength is, without question, his passing ability. He is uniquely dangerous with the puck amongst his draft peers, particularly along the wall, and the way that he can control the flow of the game from the moment that he steps onto the ice is pure magic. He's precise and deceptive, constantly keeping opponents guessing with his stick positioning and puckhandling, connecting NHL-level passes already. His ability to practically freeze time and project his opponents' next moves keeps him poised under pressure.
His elite skating comes in a close second to his passing; elite explosiveness and fluidity along with terrific edgework just underpins his offensive skill. He's always two steps ahead, getting his passes off before opponents realize he's not skating in the direction they think.
McKenna spent the season throwing everything he could on net, ending the year with 152 shots—the highest on Penn State's team—and an innumerably high amount of chances outside of that. Adding muscle and taking the time to both improve and put more power behind his shot will see him become a true dual-threat scorer down the line.
In our initial scouting report, valid critiques were leveled against McKenna's engagement level and his play without the puck. His first several weeks of college hockey were not what viewers expected based on his play in the WHL. The NCAA exposed issues inherent in McKenna's game that were masked by his gaudy offensive totals, and that was a good thing — it effectively required that he address those issues.
Time and space were much harder for McKenna to find on NCAA ice than they were in the WHL, so he had the puck less than he was used to. And instead of going after it to get it back, he was often caught coasting around, waiting for an opportunity to receive a pass and start back into the offensive zone rather than actively participating in the forecheck. For a player who was already at a disadvantage in board battles, for example, due to his lighter frame, McKenna showcasing little to no pace when playing defense turned some scouts off—and understandably. When a player has the vision and hockey sense that McKenna does, he should be constantly using that vision to find opportunities to outwork opponents.
Fortunately, the second half of the season saw McKenna change course on that issue—not entirely, but in promising enough stretches to show that the ability and willingness to address that weakness at least existed. There were moments where we saw that elite hockey sense utilized to steal pucks back or intercept opportunities by opponents, and moments like that can turn into habits with time.
2. Ivar Stenberg, Left Wing/Right Wing, Frolunda HC (SHL)
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Strengths: Intelligence, motor
Weaknesses: Sometimes forces plays
All season long Ivar Stenberg was considered the most likely candidate to oust Canadian center Gavin McKenna from that coveted first overall draft slot; he briefly did on our rankings. Watching Stenberg in the SHL, it's clear that he is a player who even at 18 can already hold his own against older men with years of professional hockey experience. He's someone to keep an eye on regarding the possibility that he joins his NHL team next season and is quickly a difference-maker.
Stenberg finished the SHL regular season with 33 points (11 goals, 22 assists) in 43 games, and added a further 4 assists in 6 playoff games. He also recorded 10 points in 7 games during Sweden's gold medal run at this year's World Junior Championships, where he was named one of the top three players on his team.
For a large chunk of the regular season, Stenberg was producing at a 0.93 points-per-game rate, which simply does not happen for draft-eligible players in the SHL. Though he finished the year with a 0.77 points-per-game pace, it's important to note that this is still above the level where most elite SHL draft-eligibles finish. Stenberg saw the elite benchmark of 0.70-0.75 points-per-game and laughed.
It is Stenberg's hockey IQ and intelligence that allowed him to narrow the gap with McKenna in terms of playmaking ability so significantly. His vision is elite, as is the rate at which he's able to process his options on the ice. His quick hands pair with his quick mind, and he's an excellent skater with a motor that simply does not quit. He also utilizes that intelligence to win plays in his own end and retrieve pucks, though he can sometimes wait for those moments to happen, rather than making them happen. At the end of the day, Stenberg is a player you can count on anywhere on the ice, in any situation, and many teams likely view him as more development-proof than other options.
Every player has things to work on; you basically never see a guy come into the NHL Draft with scouts saying "he's perfect, actually, no notes". For Stenberg this season, the notes were about consistency. His offensive output remaining so high across the season has done a lot to assuage any concerns in that area; he doesn't often have nights when he disappears.
His decision-making is, most of the time, a plus. But when he gets tired, or when he's under a lot of pressure, he can revert to old, bad habits—hanging on to the puck for too long, making lazy passes, missing opportunities. Trying to force plays when frustrated or under pressure will always be a problem for high-end players like this; Stenberg's moments lessened across the season.
3. Chase Reid, D, Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds
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Strengths: Intelligence, vision
Weaknesses: Risk mitigation is sometimes an issue but that's part and parcel for his player type
Chase Reid is easily this year's top play-driving defenseman. He's the kind of player who is able to control the flow of the game from the moment he steps onto the ice. Despite missing 17 games with injury during a key stretch of the season, prospect pundits and team scouts alike got a good glimpse at exactly what he brings to the table, and there's very little about him that isn't appealing. He's an incredible skater with elite hockey sense and the hands to support it.
Reid being limited to only 45 regular-season games this year due to injury was disappointing only in the sense that he left us wanting to see more in a good way. He came back in mid-March to help the Greyhounds for the end of the regular season and into the postseason, and finished the regular season with 48 points (18 goals, 30 assists) and added 6 points (3 goals, 3 assists) in 10 further playoff games.
When discussing his strengths, Reid's skating is the place to begin. Not only because it's one of his brightest assets—it is—but also because it is the clearest separating factor when deciding on this year's top defenseman. Saying he's mobile feels like a drastic understatement. His skating is fluid and dynamic, with quickness that allows him to utilize his elite processing in a scarily effective manner. Reid will be smothering opponents' chances in his own end one moment, and before the other team can blink he's passed the puck to an open teammate or carried it out—and then in—himself.
That processing is just one aspect of his elite hockey sense and vision. Reid brings intelligence and creativity, and even flashes of deception at times, to his playmaking. His ability to think multiple steps ahead of opponents underpins his entire game, allowing him to project what everyone else on the ice is going to do and make his own decisions accordingly. He's a high-volume shooter, but he's just as likely to find an open teammate with a pass before opponents have a clue what's happening.
One key thing to point out about Reid's reliability: when Cole Hutson went down at this year's World Junior Championships and it wasn't known whether he'd be available again in the tournament, the USA staff turned to Reid, a draft-eligible player, over any of their other defensemen. Was this likely because he and Hutson play a very similar style of game? Absolutely. But it speaks volumes that in a U20 tournament, their go-to guy to step up and fill in that top defenseman role was one of their underage players.
The easiest way to break down Reid's weaknesses is simply to say: if you had the puck as often as he does, you'd probably make some goofy mistakes sometimes too. It is what it is; that's a facet of the game that matures with time and experience, and the fact that having the puck for longer periods of time gives you more opportunities to make mistakes is basic math.
4. Caleb Malhotra, C, Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)
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Strengths: Hockey sense, details
Weaknesses: Could refine aspects of his skating (particularly agility against more dynamic opponents)
Caleb Malhotra did not start the season near the top of anyone's draft board. He made the jump to the OHL from the BCHL's Chilliwack Chiefs thanks to a rule change that allowed him to play major-junior and still move to college hockey (he's a Boston University commit), and was trusted to eat huge minutes for the Bulldogs. Those minutes allowed him to prove everyone's initial assumptions incorrect.
Malhotra ended the regular season with 84 pts in 67 games (29 goals, 55 assists). He also added 26 points in 15 playoff games (13 goals, 13 assists) before Brantford was eliminated by the Barrie Colts in the OHL's Eastern Conference Final. He will head to Boston University in the fall, unless he makes the NHL out of camp.
Malhotra brings a combination of maturity and intelligence to the ice that makes him the best center prospect available this year. Too often calling a player a "two-way center" just means he's used at both ends of the ice and nothing else. For Malhotra, it means he's effective no matter the zone you put him in; it means you can trust him on the ice in any situation and he will not only hold his own, he'll thrive and drive positive results.
In a nutshell, he pairs high-end hockey sense that feeds a superb attention to detail with a work ethic that would measure up for even the strictest of coaches. That pairing of elite intelligence with a motor that doesn't quit is like catnip for NHL teams; too often players are smart but slack off when they don't have the puck, or work hard but don't have an elite toolkit.
No one can accuse Malhotra of either of those. His instincts and vision drive an incredible understanding of positioning on the ice; his own and his opponents. The defensive zone is where this really shines, allowing him to pinpoint precisely how to neutralize a threat from an opponent or how to retrieve loose pucks, but he's no slouch on offense either.
Malhotra effectively pressures opponents off the puck, winning battles along the wall and moving the puck inside (refreshing to switch to his game tape after watching players who prefer to stick to the perimeter) and he's constantly aware of where his teammates are. He's a possession-creator and a play-driver, though his offensive creation tends to be in cycle situations more than anywhere else.
His B-game/his floor are also high-end. If something goes dramatically wrong and he doesn't reach that high ceiling potential the team that selects him will still have a strong NHLer on their hands.
Refining his skating is now something that's classified as a want, rather than a need—he's clearly put in the work. At this point what he needs to focus on are the specific areas that could potentially hold him back at the professional level: agility, particularly against more dynamic opponents, and explosiveness on that first step.
Similarly, creation is not a weakness in Malhotra's game so much as it is an area of opportunity. Manipulation and deception aren't his style, at least currently; he's much more straightforward, winning pucks along the wall and getting them to teammates in the interior, often through extremely precise cross-seam passes. Adding manipulation or creation in transition will only elevate his game.
5. Carson Carels, D, Prince George Cougars (WHL)
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Strengths: Skating, tenacity
Weaknesses: Consistency
Carson Carels was a grower across the season, and while he's not number one on our list for defenders he is mere inches behind. Carels projects very easily to the NHL—we'll get into why in a moment—and for that reason his runway to the pros feels shorter than some. He averaged almost 28 minutes per game for the Prince George Cougars of the WHL across the season and joined Hockey Canada at this year's World Junior Championships as an underager (not common, which makes it even more remarkable that both he and Verhoeff were there this year).
Carels' skating is a standout aspect of his game, with agility and edgework as well as a nice explosiveness. We described him once as "pairing meanness with efficiency", and that's a strong compliment. His physicality and menacing qualities are used effectively to turn defense into offense, rather than hitting someone just to hit, and his own offensive instincts make him an effective attacker and distributor. His controlled entry outcomes, in particular, were impressive, and we saw his puck retrievals improve across the season.
He's also relentless each shift; we saw too many skilled players who lack pace this season, but Carels has tenacity in spades. Consistency is another matter; there were nights where game management needs took over and he sacrificed some of the top elements of his play, rather than putting all the pieces together. That's really his biggest weakness, and something that can improve with time, particularly when a player has the kind of awareness that Carels does. When he does put it all together, the impact he has on the game is tremendous.
6. Wyatt Cullen, LW, USNTDP
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Strengths: Skating, hockey sense
Weaknesses: Can shy away from contact
Wyatt Cullen finished much higher on this draft board than he started, as we'd suspected he would. A slow start due to injury—he tore his hip flexor off the bone and didn't see game action until the end of October—had many people underestimating his talent. He quickly proved them wrong, showcasing talent in every area; he may shine as a playmaker, but he's just as capable of taking the shot himself.
On pure skill alone, he's one of the best available this season. Cullen's vision and hockey sense are high-end, and he's got a motor to match; he's basically never not involved in play. He's just as likely to showcase creative playmaking as he is to get involved in a puck battle. He brings a high-end layer of deception, he has the patience to elude opponents—it's just been so exciting to watch him develop across the season.
More explosiveness in his skating will be key moving forward, as it can help ensure success at the pro level, and he needs to add muscle after he went through a significant growth spurt over the last year and change. He will sometimes shy away from contact—though we did see a decrease in that tendency as the season wore on—and time in college hockey will give him plenty of opportunities to work on that.
7. Viggo Bjorck, C/RW, Djurgardens IF
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Strengths: Motor, puck skills
Weaknesses: Top end speeds, can defer to the safe choice too often
Swedish forward Viggo Bjorck finally seems to be ranked inside the top ten on most public lists; it's where he should be per his skill set, but this has been a more scrambled and opinion-based season than most. We have both center and right wing listed, because he played both this season, but it appears that center is the direction he's headed—and it's where he shines.
The first thing you'll notice about Viggo Bjorck is that he just doesn't stop. He drives his line, he drives the game—he's absolutely fearless, always engaged and extremely competitive. When you look closer, however, you'll see the extreme intelligence that underpins everything else he does. He's 5'9", so we'll definitely see some teams underrate his ability to transfer that intelligence to the NHL level, but those concerns are overblown.
NHL Central Scouting initially gave him a B rating, but any questions were answered quickly—especially in the second half of the season. His puck skills are as good as they come, and while we spent the season interrogating exactly where we wanted to rank his hockey sense, we've settled on it being elite as well. And it's all driven by an intensely competitive nature. He just makes the players around him better by being smart and working hard. There are still some concerns, namely about his top-end speeds and whether he can bolster his strength enough to win battles. But we believe in the potential here.
8. Ethan Belchetz, LW, Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
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Strengths: Puckhandling, vision
Weaknesses: Consistency
While it can be difficult to project where players are selected after missing significant time with injury, some players shine enough in your limited viewings that you feel comfortable ranking them highly. Ethan Belchetz is one of those players. His combination of size (he's 6'5") and top-notch skill are incredibly appealing, and his overall approach to the game feels easily translatable to the NHL. This is a ranking where we're definitely betting on his potential; the player that he could become if he goes down the right development path is an electric one.
Belchetz projects as a power forward, but one who also brings strong vision, offensive instincts, and playmaking abilities. He's skilled at creating in transition, and his ability to create netfront is even better; his vision really shines on crafty passes to teammates or identifying gaps. His physicality is phenomenal; he's deliberate with it, not just seeking out contact but seeking out the right kind of contact, dominating battles and winning intelligent positioning decisions. And when you have all of those in the recipe, it's difficult to not want the finished product on your roster.
Consistency is his biggest battle moving forward; we've seen deception, we've seen good awareness, we've seen him use that size to win puck battles, and now it's time for him to put all of that together night in and night out in a way that he hasn't before. Because when he's on, he's on — he's capable of taking over the flow of a game when he's at his best, and whoever oversees his development needs to prioritize that aspect of his game.
9. Daxon Rudolph, D, Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)
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Strengths: Intelligence, stick work
Weaknesses: Would love to see his physical game be more strategic/deliberate
Prince Albert Raiders defenseman Daxon Rudolph is just inside our top ten, but we all know how things go on draft day. He could fall to a lucky team in the middle of the round, or he could be long gone by now if someone falls in love with the idea of him on their roster. The primary draw of Rudolph? The way that he pairs intelligence and poise with size.
Rudolph may play a quieter style of hockey than many of the flashier, more dynamic defenders in this draft class, but don't mistake quiet for lack of skill on his part. He just makes what he does look easy. The majority of his tools grade toward the elite end of the scale, from skating and handling to his hockey sense. We saw those in action this season as he continued to develop his playmaking abilities. He pairs size (he's 6'2.5" and 206 pounds) and deliberate physicality with a highly active stick, using that long frame to achieve quite a serious reach.
The opposite side of that ability to make things look easier is that it can come across as the bad kind of poise—unbothered, maybe even a little disengaged. Adding intensity is something that he definitely needs to work on before jumping into the pace of a professional game. Even with that in mind, though, he's an attractive prospect, with great skating and mobility driving the rest of his game.
10. Alberts Smits, D, Jukurit (Liiga)
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Strengths: Processing, skating
Weaknesses: Decision-making can be chaotic
While we think we have him in the right spot, Alberts Smits is a player who could easily jump significantly from this ranking with the right general manager picking. So many of his qualities combine to make him easily projectable to the NHL—perhaps even as soon as next season, depending on the needs of the team that selects him. Smits pairs size—he's 6'3" and 205 pounds—with genuinely excellent skating, particularly for his size. Mobility, quickness, a steady foundation, he's got them all; this isn't one of those "good skater for his size" things.
Smits is constantly looking to get involved when he's on the ice; engagement is not an issue here. He brings a defense-first mindset, but can bring offensive contributions in certain situations (think in transition, namely, or using his heavy shot from range). Imposing his will on the play is the name of his game. The way he disrupts opponents looks as easy as brushing off a fly sometimes.
With all that in mind: we have lowered on his hockey sense in certain areas, hence the ranking. He's not incompetent by any means, but there is a desire for more intelligent reads and better decision-making, especially at those high speeds his skating can reach. It's something that we have highlighted as an issue in his game in the past, and that concern has grown as we've gotten down to crunch time. Even with that in mind, however, given his mobility and his motor it's difficult to envision him not getting consistent NHL time. There's just more opportunity to mine.
11. Malte Gustafsson, D, HV71 (SHL)
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Strengths: Awareness, puck handling
Weaknesses: Offensive consistency
Malte Gustafsson, Swedish defenseman, has been a riser on many lists across the season. (Ours included.) He's worth it.
Gustafsson splitting his time between HV71's SHL team and the U20 team (with a few U18 games at timely moments, for good measure) means we've gotten to see him against a variety of opponents and experience levels, something that wreaks havoc on consistency but is good exposure for the player nonetheless. While he is one of the more high-risk, high-reward defenders available in this first round, the reward is worth the risk.
Typically when intelligence is mentioned for defensemen, it's referring to those flashy dynamic point machines. Gustafsson is absolutely brilliant, but his intelligence shines on the other side of the game. His awareness is magnificent, allowing him to pinch aggressively and accurately, and he has the necessary high-end mobility in his skating to support the way he likes to remove space and opportunities from opponents. Saying that he plays significant minutes is an understatement.
While his primary skill set is on the defensive side of things, aggressive on the rush and always tracking threats anywhere on the ice (not just the person with the puck), Gustafsson has solid offensive abilities. Any flashes of interesting offensive creation tend to be seen at the lower levels he's played, while his offensive game has been simpler against SHL opponents, which goes back to that awareness and processing of the game. It shows he's able to think through and select what he feels is most likely to succeed against his opponents and adapt. That said, he needs to keep an eye on that tendency and make sure it doesn't lead to him deferring too much at higher levels as his game develops and improves.
He's also enormous, coming in at 6'4" and 201 pounds, and he knows how to use that size to take away space from and crush opponents. All of this adds up to an incredibly impressive floor; think excellent shutdown defense and smothering opponents in the neutral zone. And he's still raw, with plenty of opportunity to add to his profile by improving his skating even further and refining his handling abilities. He's a dark horse for a player to make an unexpected jump into the top five.
12. Keaton Verhoeff, D, University of North Dakota (NCAA)
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Strengths: Physicality, offensive skillset
Weaknesses: Decision-making, engagement
After scoring 21 goals in his 16-year-old season with the Victoria Royals of the WHL, Keaton Verhoeff chose to make the same leap as several other draft-eligible prospects and head for the NCAA. He chose the University of North Dakota alongside former Royals teammate (and Calgary Flames 2025 pick) Cole Reschny and did what not many draft-eligible defensemen choose to do: play college hockey in his draft year as an underage freshman. He only turned 18 just before the draft in mid-June.
Verhoeff started out high on boards, with many scouts and public pundits alike noting that he could challenge Gavin McKenna for first overall. He quickly fell down many of those same boards—including ours—as the season progressed and the different challenges brought by NCAA hockey (as opposed to the WHL) exposed legitimate concerns in his game.
Verhoeff holds the distinction of being the youngest player to ever suit up for a varsity game at the University of North Dakota, and finished the regular season with 20 points (6 goals, 14 assists) in 36 games. He also joined Canada at this year's World Junior Championships, suiting up for five games as a 17-year-old and recording four assists.
At his best, Verhoeff combines size and offensive skill, knowing how to use his size to his advantage, driving play without the puck and looking for opportunities to create with it. He's got a rocket of a shot with a lot of force behind it, and the intentional physicality of his game is easy to project to the NHL level.
That being said: as the season wore on and the warts became more apparent, our conviction that we would see that best-case version of Verhoeff at the NHL level decreased. Issues with his skating that felt like minor concerns that would correct in time began to look like true inhibitors; lacking any real agility, he has a difficult time pivoting, which is crucial in today's game. Skating concerns only compounded our other chief concern: his decision-making, particularly when in the moment. He struggles with reading the play before him and puts his choices into action in such a way that makes it easy for opponents to read him.
The silver lining of Verhoeff falling down draft boards is that the further he falls, the lower the chances he'll be rushed into the NHL and take the almost-certain bust path. As things stand he still has a very real NHL future ahead of him; given time to improve his decision-making and work with a skating coach, we could see that high-end upside flourish once more and see him take on a top-four role.
13. Xavier Villeneuve — Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (QMJHL)
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Strengths: Agility, puck skills
Weaknesses: Size
Don't take Villeneuve falling back out of our top ten as commentary on anything other than the likelihood of teams passing him up due to his size; his upside is immense and if we didn't have to consider all the relevant context and could rank him on upside alone, he'd still be in those top spots. Because we have to operate from a holistic view, we're hedging our bets a little here.
With that in mind: if Chase Reid is the best defenseman in this draft class, Xavier Villeneuve is the most exciting.
If you want to be a good defenseman in the NHL and you're small, you have to be off-the-rails good at everything else. Villeneuve is the whole package; extremely intelligent, dynamic on offense, effective defensively, and wildly creative when it comes to playmaking. He's the type we've discussed in the past who defends by just always keeping possession of the puck.
He doesn't need to take the puck away from an opponent if he already has it.
In the 2025 first round, no defensemen under six feet tall were selected. Villeneuve is genuinely worth not making a repeat of that. While his skill set is raw, his inherent potential is such that we would pit it against even the top players in this draft. He's agile, dynamic, and extremely intelligent, with quick hands and feet that allow him to put that intelligence into action each game. His timing, in particular, when trying to outwit and outmatch opponents is especially impressive.
The main concern here is his size; whether he will fill out effectively, not just adding muscle but rounding out the physical size of his game. He also needs to refine his playmaking ability to avoid situations where that size will be a detriment. College hockey awaits him in the fall at Boston University, and should serve him well in that respect.
14. Tynan Lawrence, C, Boston University (NCAA)
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Strengths: Intelligence
Weaknesses: Consistency
Boston University center Tynan Lawrence is incredibly intelligent, and he can use that intelligence at the game's top speeds. While we're still waiting for him to use those smarts in a game-breaking way, it's a fair roll of the dice to assume that it will come next season when he's not changing environments midstream.
He's an excellent skater, with strong explosiveness and speed. This ability benefits him greatly when he doesn't have the puck and is menacing opponents to get it back, closing distances with ease. While we saw him struggle to put up numbers offensively after his midseason jump to Boston University, he didn't falter on the defensive side of the game. Projecting him as an NHLer isn't difficult; knowing what kind of NHLer he will be is.
In order to truly become the top-six center that many project him as, he'll need to add another gear when it comes to playmaking. Ideally the team that drafts him will be able to give him the time in college that he needs to truly maximize his abilities. The defensive play is clearly there, and no one could accuse him of lacking tenacity; now he just needs to figure out how to add creativity and play-driving qualities on a consistent basis.
15. Adam Novotny, LW/RW, Peterborough Petes (OHL)
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Strengths: Skating
Weaknesses: Would love to see him create more offensively
If you are a defender who has to go up against Adam Novotny one on one, make peace with your god now. You aren't the one who is coming out of that scenario with the puck.
Novotny is engaged in every aspect of the game, he can create in multiple situations, and he's an absolute beast on the forecheck. If you were to ask which prospect was most likely to make opponents cry out of sheer frustration, Novotny would be the answer. There isn't a single shift where he doesn't make his presence known and make an impact on the game.
He's incredibly efficient, impacting all areas of the game and menacing opponents both when he has the puck and when he doesn't. He can create on the cycle and off the rush, and it has felt like his offensive game has been developing further even over the latter half of this season. He's intense on the forecheck, and he's got speed that will burn most opponents.
Combining all of that with his offensive skill and the fact that we see his strengths on a consistent basis, he really projects as a power forward type. Before his game rounded out it was thought perhaps he'd end up more of a sniper; it was nice to see that develop further this season. Novotny will not need as much of a runway as many of his peers.
16. Ryan Lin, D, Vancouver Giants (WHL)
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Strengths: Intelligence, edgework
Weaknesses: Can defer to teammates too often
Ryan Lin could very well be gone by this pick if there's an earlier team that really likes him, but this is roughly the zone that makes the most sense for him to be selected. He was one of the best defensemen at the recent U18 World Championships, bringing high-end intelligence and a mature detail game. Though he lost time during the season due to injury, he was able to return for the end of the regular season, ending with 53 games total. Lin is such a cutting player, consistently engaged and able to suffocate his opponents defensively.
His skating is terrific—especially his edges and his agility, hello evasiveness—and though he's got wrinkles in his game that need ironing out, there's serious potential for him to turn into a top four defender. He brings offensive skill to the table as well, and high-end details, particularly in his stick work. He's a little on the smaller side comparatively (he's 5'11"), but that's not a limiting factor in his play.
Missed opportunities or bad habits creeping into later shifts is an issue at times, but engagement and intelligence are never in question. Whether he can add necessary muscle and refine that decision-making is a question he'll need to answer down the road. If he can add another layer of creating offensively himself, rather than deferring and feeding to teammates, he'll be even more unstoppable—and even easier to project at the NHL level. Another member of the CHL-to-NCAA pipeline, which appears to be the new development path for top players, Lin is headed to the University of Denver to play for David Carle in the fall.
17. Maddox Dagenais, C, Quebec Remparts (QMJHL)
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Strengths: Shooting, physicality
Weaknesses: Consistency
Quebec Remparts center Maddox Dagenais took a giant leap this season—especially in the second half. After a lackluster draft-minus-one season, he came out swinging. There were questions about his hockey sense at the beginning of the year, but he proved to be the real deal as the season wore on. Switching into high-intensity mode, he showed off a power forward nature with flashes of truly high-end processing ability.
Dagenais is a project pick for sure, but most in this draft are in one way or another, and many teams have time and desire to invest in making these kinds of picks pay off. As things currently stand, Dagenais brings to the ice reliable and effective playmaking with added flashes of dynamic ability, and passing and handling abilities that live up to his intelligence. He's tenacious as they come, throwing effective and heavy reverse hits and plowing through opponents with a nice speed and intensity.
The main questions for Dagenais are whether he can bring the player we now know he's capable of being to the ice every night, and can he access that higher level of playmaking dynamism on a regular basis? The upside here is massive if he puts it all together.
18. Oscar Hemming, F, Boston College (NCAA)
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Strengths: Awareness, physicality
Weaknesses: Consistency in creation
Finnish forward Oscar Hemming took the leap to NCAA hockey and joined Boston College midseason. It was a move that was borne out of a rather frustrating beginning to the year; when he initially tried to join the Kitchener Rangers of the OHL, his Liiga team where he was already under contract blocked the transfer. The NCAA is not bound by IIHF rules, so off to college hockey he went.
Hemming, who was the youngest player in college hockey, immediately showcased standout qualities including excellent awareness and doggedness on the forecheck that he pairs with wonderfully intentional physicality. His floor seems to be "useful and efficient third liner who is strong defensively". His ceiling is higher. There are concerns about his overall pace, and that's something to keep an eye on this year — can he sustain that level of play that we initially saw across a full season? College hockey is, at least, a good place to build the kind of stamina that requires.
He's a mobile skater, but needs to add a separating factor in terms of acceleration from his edges. He already has an NHL frame. He makes opponents' lives tougher on every shift when he's at his best, and he's very good at finding teammates; he would be a solid choice for any team selecting in the middle or early second half of this first round.
19. Nikita Klepov, LW, Saginaw Spirit
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Strengths: High-end processing, motor
Weaknesses: Skating mechanics make separation difficult
For our final board Saginaw Spirit winger Nikita Klepov lands roughly around the middle of the round — anywhere between about 17 and 22 feels right. He didn't win the OHL scoring title by chance; his 97 points didn't come as a result of feasting off of creation by his teammates by any means.
Klepov brings to mind the role that Andrew Shaw filled in the Blackhawks' 2013 and 2015 Cup runs and later during his time with the Montreal Canadiens. While the perception of Shaw was, initially, 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 brings more skill than Shaw had at this point in his career, but his strong work ethic and endless energy for battling echo that of Shaw.
He processes the game at such high levels and he is absolutely relentless each time he steps onto the ice. His playmaking still comes more in flashes than consistently, but it happens in a way that suggests he will become consistent there with time. He's also constantly engaged off the puck. Get this kid a skating coach to fix those wonky mechanics stat, so that he can get a separating factor in his speed. We're betting on upside this year, remember?
20. Alexander Command, C, Orebro HK (SHL)
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Strengths: Vision, maturity
Weaknesses: Skating speed, production consistency
Swedish center Alexander Command is 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 (something that happens far too often), and though he isn't development-proof, he may give teams a feeling of safety in that area. His maturity of play as a draft-eligible at the SHL level is so enjoyable, and you can consistently see that maturity and command (if you'll forgive the wordplay) in one-on-one moments.
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 any truly elite tools, but he has the potential to add a further layer of playmaking to his game if he improves his skating. He needs more of a separating factor in terms of speed; the NHL is rapidly becoming more unforgiving in that space.
Still, he's strong at both ends of the ice and his intelligence really shines through. On top of that, the security of his floor makes him projectable to the NHL level even if he doesn't reach his ceiling.
21. Ilia Morozov, F, Miami University (NCAA)
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Strengths: Problem-solving, vision
Weaknesses: Overconfidence, overcomplicating plays
It's difficult to go wrong with a younger, intelligent, highly engaged center. Miami University forward Ilia Morozov's game is easy to project to the professional level, and was a significant part of Miami's team going from a three-win record the previous season to 18 wins. He finished the regular season with 20 points in 36 games, including 8 goals. If Miami's power play improves next season, expect to see that total jump even more than it might otherwise.
Morozov spent the season as the youngest player in college hockey (he doesn't turn 18 until August 3rd of this year) and yet we still tuned in and saw him frustrate older, more experienced opponents and make an impact game after game. His defensive anticipation is already high-end — high praise for any draft-eligible player, much less the youngest in his league — and his engagement levels are high.
Quick reaction times, intelligent problem-solving under pressure, and disrupting opponents' passing lanes are all standout elements of his game. His top-end speed isn't the highest, so it would be good to see him work on that next season; adding a separating factor is never a bad idea. Moving forward it would also be good to see him lean more into using his hockey sense to add a layer of creativity and selection to his playmaking.
22. Liam Ruck, RW, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
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Strengths: Intelligence, anticipation
Weaknesses: Physicality could use work
Liam Ruck finished the WHL regular season with 104 points, including 45 goals, trailing only his twin brother Markus who finished with 108. While the twins play well together, only Liam's projectable skill level rises into first-round conversation for us. (Markus is more of a second-rounder guy.)
His hockey sense and vision is high-end enough that it may leave you questioning whether he's mildly clairvoyant sometimes. He spots seams for sly, high-end passes quickly and easily, and identifies opportunities to jump on defensive miscues in a way that many of his peers would kill to be able to do. He's a bit of a sniper, landing his shot effectively in a variety of ways.
Our main concern for Ruck is that his skating currently lacks a true separating factor. Adding another layer of explosiveness and agility will be the deciding factor between whether he's a top-line winger or more of a middle-six type in the NHL. We've seen that he can dominate the WHL; what's left to prove is that he can translate that to a higher level of play. We expect to see him at the NHL level regardless. Both Ruck twins are headed to the University of North Dakota after one more season with the Medicine Hat Tigers, which should help smooth out his rough edges.
23. Jaxon Cover, LW, London Knights (OHL)
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Strengths: Puck handling
Weaknesses: Refinement, off-puck awareness
Jaxon Cover is a player who exemplifies a trend we've seen this season—someone who has tons of raw, high-end skill, and just needs a little more time to smooth out the rough edges before he's ready for professional hockey. Unsurprising when you consider that he only switched to ice hockey five years ago; before that he was playing roller hockey in the Cayman Islands. It's a cool story, but he's so much more than just a story. A little patience and a longer runway to regular NHL ice time will pay off in spades.
Cover's puck handling is sublime, as is the vision that allows him to utilize it so effectively. The way he is able to feast on opponents' mistakes, utilizing precision and deception to stymie opposing defenders is one thing. The fact that he doesn't overly rely on that impressive stickhandling to succeed is another. He's also got an excellent work ethic, constantly engaged in going after the puck and utilizing that same vision that drives his offensive game to select good defensive positioning. He's got work to do on consistency and refining his already excellent skillset, but he has a bright future ahead of him. Cover is committed to Penn State, another player taking advantage of the CHL-to-NCAA pipeline, and it's a path that will be great for his personal development needs.
24. Egor Shilov, C, Victoriaville Tigres (QMJHL)
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Strengths: Hockey IQ, stickwork
Weaknesses: Can lack engagement and pace
Victoriaville Tigres center Egor Shilov is taking one of the more intriguing paths to the NHL — the NCAA via a stop in the QMJHL (he's headed to Boston University in the fall). It's a concept that we're fans of in theory, but especially love in practice for Shilov. It feels tailor made to develop him effectively.
Watching Shilov, it's evident that his hockey sense and ability to read and select plays is excellent. It is equally as evident that his pace and urgency is lacking. It isn't enough to have fantastic stickwork (Shilov does) or high-end puck carrying abilities if you lack the engagement levels to truly make those skills a threat night in and night out. It certainly won't fly at the NHL level. It's frustrating to watch someone with so much potential glide along in moments where more than just gliding is necessary.
Fortunately, the tough competition and high pace of NCAA hockey will force Shilov to smooth out those divots in his game and remain engaged in play if he wants to continue to progress. Teams well-positioned to develop those aspects of his play stand to reap significant benefits. In addition to his creation game and other aspects of his upside, Shilov is an effective shutdown player, so he has a solid floor.
25. Elton Hermansson, RW/LW, MoDo Hockey (Hockey Allsvenskan)
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Strengths: Stick work, edgework
Weaknesses: Skating posture, decision-making
Elton Hermansson, much like almost every player in this draft, is a guy where teams are betting on upside; trying to hedge whether he'll live up to his potential. If he does, whoever is lucky enough to draft him is getting one heck of a player.
Hermansson's top speeds and edgework are high-end; he's got a nice elusive quality to him. Paired with his stick work, he has the potential to be a crafty playmaker. His overall skill level is incredibly appealing, and even if he doesn't entirely live up to his ceiling, his floor is high enough that he'll be effective in the NHL anyway.
That being said, there are moments where his decision-making can be questionable; he'll make errors that aren't a result of some crafty play by an opponent. And he has nights where we don't see that crafty creation at all. That lack of consistency raises questions of whether he can wholly translate that skill to the North American professional ranks. His odds of being an offensive winger in the NHL are better than they aren't, though; betting on him is worth the chance at the end of the first.
26. Nikita Shcherbakov, D, Tolpar Ufa (MHL)
26 of 32Strengths: Agility and edgework
Weaknesses: Decision-making
It can be challenging to get a good gauge of players when they're in multiple leagues across a season, so the best thing to do is focus on the tools themselves and how consistently they're used. This is what we had to do for Tolpar Ufa defenseman Nikita Shcherbakov to project where he belongs in this draft and how he could project to the NHL.
Spoiler alert: we think Shcherbakov could project quite nicely to the NHL.
He split time between the KHL, the VHL and the MHL this season, with the majority of his games (35) coming with the VHL's Toros Neftekamsk. While he isn't a flashy high-scoring dynamo of a defender, he could be just as valuable to the right team (one that could prioritize development over rushing him to the pros). His talent is still raw, but as noted, we're betting on upside. We really like Shcherbakov's.
That raw talent is displayed in his skating, through tools such as edgework and agility; he's efficiently mobile in all directions, particularly for someone who is 6'3". This is especially evident in transition. Shcherbakov appears fearless on the breakout at times, and though he prefers not to be the puck carrier he's capable. His defensive awareness and the resulting decision-making need sharpening; there are moments when he's looked questionable, which isn't something you want from his player type. But betting on the potential could bring great benefits here.
27. Oliver Suvanto, C, Tappara (Liiga)
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Strengths: High-end hockey sense
Weaknesses: Not a huge amount of offensive output which can camouflage his value
Oliver Suvanto's NHL future is, at its bright and shining best, as a true two-way center—a stabilizing force for linemates who take a more dynamic approach to offense. He's the archetype of player that most teams hope for when they draft a "200-foot player". So often that label can be used to camouflage a lack of true offensive ability; not with Suvanto.
He's not consistently that guy right now, but the signs are very positive and there are moments when you can see it so clearly. Did we mention that he doesn't turn 18 until September?
So Suvanto isn't a huge numbers guy when it comes to offensive output. Don't let that trick you into thinking that he doesn't have a big impact on the game and the way that play unfolds. He's incredibly intelligent—a high-end hockey mind—and plays a mature game despite being one of the younger players in this draft class. It will not surprise you to learn that he spent the vast majority of his draft season playing full-time minutes in Finland's top professional hockey league.
With that in mind, Suvanto, like other players, has aspects of his game to improve. We would like to see him create more. He has the intelligence and there are moments where it's clear he is capable of more playmaking than he does, and perhaps even adding some manipulation down the line. He has a very high floor and should transition effectively to the NHL, but he has the potential to kick it into another gear and rise up the lineup. We'd like to see it.
28. JP Hurlbert, RW, Kamloops Blazers (WHL)
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Strengths: Hockey sense, vision
Weaknesses: Details need improvement, can lack quickness sometimes
JP Hurlbert is an intelligent, intuitive creator who started at the USNTDP, moved to the Kamloops Blazers of the WHL for his draft season, and will head to play college hockey at the University of Michigan in the fall. It's a good development path for his player archetype specifically: someone who has significant skill but one or two rough edges that needs rounding out, who could benefit from a change in environment and new challenges.
Hurlbert ended the WHL regular season with 97 points in 68 games, including 42 goals. His offensive instincts are terrific, always projecting the flow of the game a few steps ahead, but he sometimes relies on teammates rather than creating himself. We've seen glimpses of creation and good puckhandling, and he has a killer shot arsenal.
He just needs to improve his skating—strength and quickness immediately come to mind—and add another layer of physicality to his game. We definitely saw his detail game improve across the season; now we'll find out if he can utilize the college hockey environment to make the necessary changes to translate his offense to the NHL.
29. Brooks Rogowski, C, Oshawa Generals (OHL)
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Strengths: Vision and intelligence, great shot
Weaknesses: Could stand to add an extra gear to really utilize his skillset
Oshawa Generals center Brooks Rogowski is one of those players you watch and can almost immediately envision how he projects to the NHL. Some might call him boring, since he isn't the flashiest player on the block, but we just call him "effective". He's 6'7" (please no 6-7 jokes, the NHL draft is serious business) with good skating posture for his size and a nice top speed. While there were aspects of his game that we liked even as the season started out—boosting his team's overall offense, for one—he truly broke out in the second half of the season.
The primary attraction to Rogowski's game is his attention to detail; he's a huge guy, but he isn't over-reliant on his size to be effective, instead choosing to lean on his intelligence. His vision is high-end, supporting his ability to make good decisions in the moment and allowing him to support more creative linemates in an efficient way. He hasn't quite put it all together yet; ideally he will be allowed to develop with patience in a way that draws that intelligence to the forefront. He'll be an NHL player regardless, but we'll see him higher in the lineup if that playmaking ability.
30. Casey Mutryn, RW, US National U18 Team (USNTDP)
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Strengths: Winning battles, passing
Weaknesses: Skating
USNTDP right winger Casey Mutryn is a powerful presence each time he steps on the ice. He clearly enjoys throwing his weight around and battling to get the puck back from opponents—his physical game is one of his standout traits and he's 6'3" and 203 pounds—but he has a nice offensive element to his game as well. Mutryn brings effective vision and creativity, always looking for a smart option to find his teammates, and there are times when he is truly dangerous.
Mutryn, a Boston College commit, finished this NTDP season with 46 points in 62 games, including 18 goals. While it feels unlikely that he becomes a prolific scorer at the NHL level, he'll certainly make his impact known. He's tenacious as they come. He doesn't give up on chasing down opponents to retrieve pucks, and he doesn't give up and choose the simplest play possible, choosing instead to look to the middle for opportunities that may work out better. He's got a really solid floor.
Skating being a weakness is something that comes up again and again in this class. Mutryn's is a limiting factor to an extent; he needs better depth and more extension in his stride. He does bring a lot of power and his straight line speed is good; this should mitigate how much his skating limits his game at the NHL level.
31. Tommy Bleyl, D, Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL)
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Strengths: Skating, intelligence
Weaknesses: Physicality
Tommy Bleyl has had a lot of people talking this season
Making his first draft board appearance is Moncton Wildcats defenseman Tommy Bleyl. While we would still overall group him in the very late first/early second round liminal space, there are circumstances in which he makes a lot of sense as a first round pick. Case in point: teams that can afford to give him time to develop, and teams that are used to his player archetype and do well by them in recent history. (See: our last mock draft where we sent him to the Montreal Canadiens.) More importantly, his play impressed us enough that we felt comfortable bumping him into the first on our board because of his potential.
Bleyl finished the QMJHL regular season with 81 points in 63 games, including 13 goals, did so after making the leap from prep school (he previously attended Cushing Academy) to major-junior hockey for his draft year. Looking at his various rankings, it seems like that gamble is going to pay off. At his best, he's a thrilling game changer on the rush; on the other side of the coin, the question remains whether he can do that at higher levels.
The key thing to know about Bleyl is that he is a phenomenal skater, explosive and slippery and extremely difficult for opponents to catch. He manages the flow of play well and sometimes even seems like he's controlling it, utilizing his handling skills and skating to manipulate opponents. Right now he leans on the skating a little too much, and his physical game is below-average. If he can improve that physical game as well as utilizing his intelligence—not just depending on his skating, but improving his reads as well—he'll turn out to be an excellent pick.
32. Mathis Preston, RW, Vancouver Giants (WHL)
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Strengths: Stick work, skating
Weaknesses: Offensive consistency
Vancouver Giants forward Mathis Preston snuck back into the end of our first round at the last minute, but he's in that tier of players who could go anywhere between about pick 24 to about pick 40. It's a strange liminal space where just about anything goes.
After being limited to just 10 games with his new team after the WHL trade deadline due to injury, Preston came out swinging at this year's U18 World Championships. He was a bright light on a less-than-impressive Canadian team, netting six points in 5 games, and his presence was also felt in ways that didn't show up on the scoresheet. It was nice to see the player we'd been missing for a good chunk of the season. For this reason, "offensive consistency" being listed as one of his weaknesses comes with the asterisk that across a full season next year, it may not be as much of a problem.
Preston is a smart player—not elite intelligence but good—and has excellent stick work, dangling opponents in a way that is quick and creative. He's an effective problem-solver who doesn't cave under pressure, with lightning-hot speed and quick crossovers. He's got a killer shot, too, able to use those quick hands to camouflage his release. The main issue with his offensive play is that he can try to do it all himself, and doesn't necessarily engage in creative playmaking. There are nights when his motor is off as well.
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