2026 NHL Mock Draft and Top Prospects on the Rise Amid 1st-Round Predictions

The 2026 NHL Draft kicks off on Friday from Buffalo, with the Toronto Maple Leafs making the first overall pick in this year's event.

Ahead of the annual spectacular, who are the top prospects moving up lists around the league, and what might the first round look like?

Find out in this preview, including a first-round mock draft.

Viewing Information

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Dates: Friday, June 26 (round one); Saturday, June 27 (rounds 2-7)

Time: 7:00 p.m. (Friday); 11:00 a.m. (Saturday)

Location: KeyBank Center in Buffalo

TV: ESPN and Sportsnet

Streaming: ESPN app

First Round Mock Draft

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1. Toronto Maple Leafs: Gavin McKenna, LW, Penn State

2. San Jose Sharks: Ivar Stenberg, RW, Frölunda

3. Vancouver Canucks: Caleb Malhotra, C, Brantford

4. Chicago Blackhawks: Carson Carels, LHD, Prince George

5. New York Rangers: Alberts Šmits, LHD, Munich

6. Calgary Flames: Chase Reid, RHD, Sault Ste. Marie

7. Seattle Kraken: Daxon Rudolph, RHD, Prince Albert

8. Winnipeg Jets: Viggo Björck, C, Djurgården

9. San Jose Sharks (from Florida, via Ottawa): Keaton Verhoeff, RHD, North Dakota

10. Nashville Predators: Tynan Lawrence, C, Boston University

11. St. Louis Blues: Wyatt Cullen, LW, U.S. NTDP

12. New Jersey Devils: Ethan Belchetz, LW, Windsor

13. New York Islanders: Malte Gustafsson, LHD, HV71

14. Columbus Blue Jackets: Oscar Hemming, LW, Boston College

15. St. Louis Blues (via Detroit): Ryan Lin, RHD, Vancouver

16. St. Louis Blues (via Washington): Maddox Dagenais, C, Quebec

17. Los Angeles Kings: Alexander Command, C, Örebro

18. Washington Capitals (via Anaheim): Adam Novotný, LW, Peterborough

19. Utah Mammoth: Oliver Suvanto, C, Tappara

20. Buffalo (from Edmonton, via San Jose Sharks): Jack Hextall, C, Youngstown

21. Philadelphia Flyers: Maksim Sokolovskii, LHD, London

22. Pittsburgh Penguins: Mathis Preston, RW, Vancouver

23. Boston Bruins: Ilia Morozov, C, Miami

24. Vancouver Canucks (via Minnesota Wild): JP Hurlbert, LW, Kamloops

25. Ottawa Senators (from Tampa Bay, via Seattle, via Florida): William Håkansson, LHD, Lulea

26. New York Rangers (from Dallas, via Carolina): William Håkansson, LHD, Lulea

27. San Jose Sharks (from Buffalo): Xavier Villeneuve, LHD, Blainville-Boisbriand

28. Montreal Canadiens: Nikita Klepov, RW, Saginaw

29. St. Louis Blues (from Colorado, via New York Islanders): Brooks Rogowski, C, Oshawa

30. Calgary Flames (from Vegas): Gleb Pugachyov, RW, Nizhny Novgorod Jr.

31. Carolina Hurricanes: Jakub Vanecek, LHD, Tri-City

32. Ottawa Senators: Casey Mutryn, RW, U.S. NTDP

Rising Prospects

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Chase Reid, D, Sault Ste. Marie (Ontario Hockey League)

Reid is a fluid, elite skater with great improvisational skills and a tremendous upside as a scorer. An elusive player who can dodge opponents and execute lightning-quick transitions, he is rapidly moving up the ranks in this year's draft, with The Athletic's Scott Wheeler predicting him to go as high as No. 4 to the Buffalo Sabres in his latest mock draft.

Even with some questions about his defensive consistency and whether or not he will be the physical presence that a team picking high in the draft may need, he has the raw tools and potential game-changing skill set to be a superstar in the league for whichever team picks him.

Ethan Belchetz, LW, Windsor (Ontario Hockey League)

Mitchell Brown of Elite Prospects said of Belchetz:

"Unquestionably, the most polished, most consistent part of Belchetz's skill set is his net-front game. At 6-foot-5, 227 pounds, it's no surprise that a Belchetz is a challenging one to see through. He can play the heavy net-front pressure piece, digging in, battling, and adjusting constantly to create traffic. But what really makes him good is his range."

A hulking winger who has remarkably soft hands and an elite shot, he is an excellent puck protector and potential star offensive threat for whichever team selects him.

He is not the most physical player, despite his size, and he tends to hang on the perimeter rather than utilizing that big frame to drive toward the net, but what he brings to the table offensively makes him one of the most intriguing picks in this year's first round. While he is projected outside of the top 10, do not be surprised if a team jumps at the chance to take him before anyone else can.

Viggo Björck, C, Djurgården (Swedish Hockey League)

A high-IQ player who can impact the game on offense and defense, Björck has the potential to be one of the steals of the draft.

One of the most spatially aware players in this year's class, he has proven he can make things happen with the puck even in the most confined areas. That he can protect it or snag it defensively makes him that much more valuable.

His quick release and accurate shot are cherries on top of the proverbial sundae.

Björck is not the fastest player in this year's class, and he has a habit of holding onto the puck for too long at times, but those weaknesses are not nearly enough to negate his tremendous upside and ability.