2026 NHL Draft Recap: McKenna Goes First Overall to Toronto
The Toronto Maple Leafs secured the first overall selection after winning the draft lottery with an 8.5 percent chance.
The 2026 NHL Draft took place on June 26 and 27 in Buffalo, N.Y. The San Jose Sharks moved from the ninth to the second overall pick by winning the second draw. Multiple mock drafts and analyses have been published projecting selections for the first round and evaluating team draft classes.
First Round Mock Draft Selections
The following is a consolidation of projected first-round picks from multiple mock drafts. Where sources provided different projections for the same pick, both are noted.
Pick Team Player (Position, Current Team) Notes 1 Toronto Maple Leafs Gavin McKenna, LW, Penn State (NCAA) Described as the consensus top prospect and a franchise-altering talent. 2 San Jose Sharks Ivar Stenberg, LW, Frölunda (SHL) (Source 1, 3) / Chase Reid, RHD, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL) (Source 2) Sources disagree. Source 2 cites the Sharks' need for a top-pairing defenseman. Source 1 projects the best player available. 3 Vancouver Canucks Caleb Malhotra, C, Brantford (OHL) Projected as the draft's clear No. 1 center. 4 Chicago Blackhawks Carson Carels, LHD, Prince George (WHL) (Source 1, 3) / Ivar Stenberg, LW, Frölunda (SHL) (Source 2) Sources disagree. Source 2 projects Stenberg as a potential linemate for Connor Bedard. 5 New York Rangers Chase Reid, RHD, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL) (Source 1) / Keaton Verhoeff, RHD, North Dakota (NCAA) (Source 2) / Alberts Šmits, LHD, Munich (DEL) (Source 3) Sources disagree. Source 3 describes Šmits as NHL-ready. 6 Calgary Flames Keaton Verhoeff, RHD, North Dakota (NCAA) (Source 1) / Carson Carels, LHD, Prince George (WHL) (Source 2, 3) Sources disagree. Source 2 projects a minute-eating defenseman. 7 Seattle Kraken Daxon Rudolph, RHD, Prince Albert (WHL) (Source 1) / Chase Reid, RHD, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL) (Source 3) Sources disagree. Source 3 notes Reid addresses a need for a top defensive prospect. 8 Winnipeg Jets Alberts Smits, LHD, Munich (DEL) (Source 1) / Tynan Lawrence, C, Boston University (NCAA) (Source 2) / Viggo Björck, C, Djurgården (SHL) (Source 3) Sources disagree. 9 Florida Panthers Ethan Belchetz, LW, Windsor (OHL) (Source 1) / Alberts Smits, LHD, Munich (DEL) (Source 2) Sources disagree. 10 Nashville Predators Tynan Lawrence, C, Boston University (NCAA) (Source 1) / Viggo Björck, C, Djurgården (SHL) (Source 2) / Wyatt Cullen, LW, U.S. NTDP (USHL) (Source 3) Sources disagree. 11 St. Louis Blues Viggo Björck, C, Djurgården (SHL) (Source 1) / Ethan Belchetz, LW, Windsor (OHL) (Source 2) / Tynan Lawrence, C, Boston University (NCAA) (Source 3) Sources disagree. 12 New Jersey Devils Wyatt Cullen, LW, U.S. NTDP (USHL) (Source 1, 2, 3) Son of former NHLer Matt Cullen. 13 New York Islanders Ryan Lin, RHD, Vancouver (WHL) (Source 1) / Oscar Hemming, LW, Boston College (NCAA) (Source 2) / Malte Gustafsson, LHD, HV71 (SHL) (Source 3) Sources disagree. 14 Columbus Blue Jackets Oscar Hemming, LW, Boston College (NCAA) (Source 1, 3) / Malte Gustafsson, LHD, HV71 (SHL) (Source 2) Sources disagree. 15 St. Louis Blues Malte Gustafsson, LHD, HV71 (SHL) (Source 1) / Oliver Suvanto, C, Tappara (Liiga) (Source 2) Sources disagree. 16 Washington Capitals Oliver Suvanto, C, Tappara (Liiga) (Source 1) / Ryan Lin, RHD, Vancouver (WHL) (Source 2) Sources disagree.Player Profiles (Based on Source 1)
Gavin McKenna (LW, Penn State): Left-handed shot. Described as a franchise-altering talent.
Ivar Stenberg (LW, Frölunda/SHL): Left-handed shot.
Caleb Malhotra (C, Brantford/OHL): Left-handed shot. Described as a two-way player.
Carson Carels (LHD, Prince George/WHL): Left-handed shot. Described as big and physical.
Chase Reid (RHD, Sault Ste. Marie/OHL): Right-handed shot. Described as the best defenseman available.
Keaton Verhoeff (RHD, North Dakota/NCAA): Right-handed shot. Described as large.
Daxon Rudolph (RHD, Prince Albert/WHL): Right-handed shot. 6'2", known for puck skills, shooting, and skating.
Alberts Smits (LHD, Munich/DEL): Left-handed shot. Known for mobility, intelligence, and a hard shot.
Ethan Belchetz (LW, Windsor/OHL): Left-handed shot. Described as big and powerful.
Tynan Lawrence (C, Boston University/NCAA): Described as a competitive, two-way center.
Viggo Björck (C, Djurgården/SHL): 5'9", 177 lbs. Described as fast and competitive.
Wyatt Cullen (LW, U.S. NTDP/USHL): Left-handed shot. Committed to University of Minnesota. Son of former NHLer Matt Cullen.
Ryan Lin (RHD, Vancouver/WHL): Right-handed shot. 57 points in 53 WHL games. Committed to University of Denver.
Oscar Hemming (LW, Boston College/NCAA): 6'4", 195 lbs. Right-handed shot.
Malte Gustafsson (LHD, HV71/SHL): 6'4", 200 lbs. Left-handed shot.
Oliver Suvanto (C, Tappara/Liiga): 6'3". Right-handed shot.
Team Draft Class Evaluations
Team Source 3 Category Source 4 Grade Source 5 Category Source 5 Notable Picks (Including Later Rounds) Anaheim Ducks Overtime Winners B+ Winners Nikita Klepov, Marcus Nordmark, Jayden Kurtz, Mathis Preston Boston Bruins Not Listed B- Overtime Losers Nils Bartholdsson, Oscar Olsson Buffalo Sabres Overtime Losers A- Overtime Winners Daxon Rudolph, Ilia Morozov Calgary Flames Overtime Winners A Overtime Winners Carson Carels, Jack Hextall, Joe Iginla Carolina Hurricanes Not Listed B- Overtime Winners William Håkansson, Wiggo Sörensson Chicago Blackhawks Not Listed C+ Winners Xavier Villeneuve, Ryan Roobroeck Colorado Avalanche Not Listed C+ Overtime Winners Egor Shilov, Beckett Hamilton Columbus Blue Jackets Overtime Losers B Overtime Winners Oscar Hemming, Alessandro Di Iorio Dallas Stars Not Listed C Overtime Winners Jakub Vaněček Detroit Red Wings Overtime Winners B Overtime Winners J.P. Hurlbert, Victor Plante Edmonton Oilers Not Listed C Losers Rudolfs Berzkalns Florida Panthers Not Listed B- Overtime Winners Simas Ignatavicius, Ryder Cali Los Angeles Kings Overtime Winners A- Winners Elton Hermansson, Adam Goljer, Liam Lefebvre Minnesota Wild Not Listed C+ Overtime Losers Adam Andersson, Kayden Lemire Montreal Canadiens Overtime Losers B Losers Gleb Pugachyov, Tim Runtso Nashville Predators Winners B+ Winners Wyatt Cullen, Tommy Bleyl New Jersey Devils Overtime Losers B Overtime Losers Alexander Command, Nikita Shcherbakov New York Islanders Overtime Winners B Overtime Losers Malte Gustafsson, Lincoln Kuehne New York Rangers Overtime Winners B+ Overtime Winners Alberts Šmits, Charlie Morrison Ottawa Senators Losers B- Overtime Losers Jonas Lagerberg Hoen, Jaxon Cover Philadelphia Flyers Losers B- Overtime Losers Maksim Sokolovskii, Brek Liske Pittsburgh Penguins Overtime Losers B+ Overtime Winners Liam Ruck, Tomas Galvas San Jose Sharks Winners A Winners Ivar Stenberg, Keaton Verhoeff, Ryan Lin Seattle Kraken Winners A- Overtime Winners Chase Reid, Casey Mutryn St. Louis Blues Overtime Winners A- Overtime Winners Tynan Lawrence, Maddox Dagenais Tampa Bay Lightning Not Listed C+ Losers Oleg Kulebyakin, Tomas Kralovic Toronto Maple Leafs Winners A Winners Gavin McKenna, Måns Gudmundsson, Patriks Plumins Utah Mammoth Winners B Overtime Winners Ethan Belchetz, Adam Valentini Vancouver Canucks Overtime Winners A Overtime Winners Caleb Malhotra, Adam Novotný, Niklas Aaram-Olsen Vegas Golden Knights Losers C+ Overtime Losers Juho Piiparinen, Ben Wilmott Washington Capitals Overtime Losers C+ Overtime Losers Oliver Suvanto, Tyus Sparks Winnipeg Jets Winners C+ Overtime Winners Viggo BjörckThese evaluations reflect the opinions of the analysts and do not represent objective fact.