The Stanley Cup Playoffs have reached the conference final stage. And the Memorial Cup is set for the CHL. And the IIHF World Championship is under way. So what better time than now to look at an updated 2026 NHL Mock Draft!
In addition to a lot of excellent hockey taking place, some front office openings have been filled since our last mock draft. Those decisions could impact what those franchises do in June when the selections are made.
Two would-be picks in this draft have now been impacted by the NHL slapping an organization with discipline. Most recently, the Vegas Golden Knights forfeited their pick in the second round of the 2026 NHL Draft for blowing off the media after their clinching win against Anaheim. Ottawa was given a first-round pick back, but they’re locked at No. 32 overall. So there are only 63 selections in this updated, full two-round mock draft.
Barry Reeger-Imagn Images2026 NHL Mock Draft — First Round
1. Toronto Maple Leafs — Gavin McKenna, W, Penn State (NCAA)
5-11, 170Shoots: Left
The Maple Leafs have a new general manager and the No. 1 pick. They do not have a head coach, however; they fired Craig Berube since our last mock draft. The coaching decision shouldn’t have any impact on taking McKenna at No. 1 overall, however.
2. San Jose Sharks — Chase Reid, RHD, Soo (OHL)
6-2.5, 195Shoots: Right
The Sharks moving up to No. 2 overall has become noteworthy because they’re reportedly open to trading the pick. The Sharks need defensemen — especially on the right side. Reid has a very good case to be the second player taken in this draft class, and he happens to fill a need for San Jose. Dream scenario for both sides of this pick… if the Sharks stay here.
3. Vancouver Canucks — Ivar Stenberg, W, Frölunda (SHL)
5-11, 183Shoots: Left
The Canucks have a new front office in place, with Henrik and Daniel Sedin serving as co-presidents of hockey operations and Ryan Johnson getting a promotion to general manager. The big question now is what the Canucks do with the third overall selection. Will the Sedins have a say in going with the smaller wing in Stenberg over the center whose father is a coach in the organization? I think the Canucks take the higher profile player here and take Stenberg.
4. Chicago Blackhawks — Caleb Malhotra, C, Brantford (OHL)
6-1.75, 182Shoots: Left
There are probably some Blackhawks fans who are absolutely, positively okay with the draft lottery playing out the way it did. Malhotra has all of the tools to be a stand-out, top-six center in the NHL. Do the Blackhawks have a lot of centers already? Sure. Could they trade out of this pick? Sure. Would this make four consecutive years the Blackhawks draft a Brantford Bulldog? Absolutely.
5. New York Rangers — Carson Carels, LHD, Prince George (WHL)
6-1.75, 198Shoots: Left
The Rangers need a lot. We’ve reached the part of the top ten in our mock draft where you’re going to get a run on defensemen, however. Thankfully, Carels is a stud and could be skating next to Adam Fox at Madison Square Garden in the near future.
6. Calgary Flames — Alberts Šmits, LHD, Jukurit (Liiga)
6-3, 205Shoots: Left
I’ve changed my thought on this pick since our last couple mock drafts. The Flames have three young right-handed defensemen in their system already, so taking Verhoeff might not make as much sense here — even if he’s a different type of defenseman than their three current prospects. Šmits would provide the same big, stay-home approach but he’s left-handed and could ultimately complement one of those smaller right-handed defensemen.
7. Seattle Kraken — Keaton Verhoeff, RHD, North Dakota (NCAA)
6-3.5, 208Shoots: Right
The Kraken have never taken a defenseman in the first round of an NHL draft. It’s time to change that. Seattle will be tempted to go with one of the talented forwards in this draft class, but Verhoeff is a big, physical defenseman. He could be the top-pair defenseman they build their back end around
8. Winnipeg Jets — Viggo Björck, C, Djurgårdens (SHL)
5-9, 177Shoots: Right
Björck’s size is the only issue with a player whose skill and hockey IQ would otherwise have him as a top-five pick. He was marvelous at the World Juniors and is skating top minutes for Sweden at the men’s World Championship. The Jets could use a lot of things at this point, but a highly skilled center should be an easy call (even if he’s “too short”).
9. Florida Panthers — Daxon Rudolph, RHD, Prince Albert (WHL)
6-2.5, 206Shoots: Right
This mock draft lines up perfectly for the Panthers to grab a really good player and fill a need. Rudolph has the make-up of a top-pair guy. And the Panthers need to start re-stocking their back end. Rudolph may be the heir to Aaron Ekblad’s spot in their rotation.
10. Nashville Predators — Tynan Lawrence, C, Boston University (NCAA)
6-0.5, 185Shoots: Left
We still don’t know who the general manager will be calling this name at the draft, but the skill package is too much to pass one of the best centers in the draft in Lawrence. He’s is a good all-round center prospect who could be the next top-line guy for the Predators.
11. St. Louis Blues — Ethan Belchetz, W, Windsor (OHL)
6-5.25, 228Shoots: Left
Belchetz it the top tier heavyweight in this draft class. A legit power forward, he feels like the kind of forward St. Louis needs. This could be a fascinating summer for the Blues with trade rumors swirling around the team, so where they select could change between now and the draft. But, in our mock draft, we’re going with the big guy up front. The Blues are back on the clock again with Detroit’s pick at No. 15.
12. New Jersey Devils — Oliver Suvanto, C, Tappara (Liiga)
6-2.75, 207Shoots: Left
The New Jersey Devils are in pretty good shape down the middle right now, but taking a big, physical center who could improve their middle six makes sense. Suvanto is one of the youngest players in this draft class — he won’t turn 18 until Sept. 3 — but he’s physically mature and plays a smart, two-way game. With some bigger young forwards in the Eastern Conference, having a physical center would be wise here in our mock draft.
13. New York Islanders — Adam Novotný, W, Peterborough (OHL)
6-1.25, 205Shoots: Left
The Islanders could use some speed and skill up front, and could get that here in our mock draft with the addition of Novotný. He has the size (6-1, 205) to play a power forward game while displaying good hands around the net. He ranked second in the OHL in shots on net (278) and showed very well for Czechia at the World Junior Championship.
14. Columbus Blue Jackets — Wyatt Cullen, W, USNTDP
6-1, 176Shoots: Left
There probably isn’t a player in the 2026 NHL Draft class with more helium right now than Cullen. Once he “found” a couple extra inches of height in the final listings from NHL Central Scouting, his stock felt secure as a first-round prospect. A great U-18 World Championship has only helped the case that he could go early. Steven Ellis recently wrote about him at Daily Faceoff. Do did Scott Wheeler at The Athletic.
15. St. Louis Blues (from DET) — Malte Gustafsson, LHD, HV71 U18 (U18 Region)
6-4.25, 200Shoots: Left
A big, shutdown defenseman with a pro-ready body, Gustafsson played a big role in Sweden ending Canada’s tournament at the U-18 World Championship. Janik Beichler, director of European scouting at Elite Prospects, wrote a nice profile on a player whose stock is climbing. The Blues pairing a big, physical forward with a big defenseman here is a strong start to their new general manager’s first draft.
16. Washington Capitals — Ryan Lin, RHD, Vancouver (WHL)
5-11, 178Shoots: Right
Lin’s a tough guy to place in a mock draft because, if he was 6-1, he would probably be a top-ten pick. But he isn’t, and there’s still a portion of the league that doesn’t want to buy sub-six foot defensemen even (with with Lane Hutson’s success in Montreal). He’s a terrific defenseman who could be the centerpiece of the next generation of the blue line in Washington.
17. Los Angeles Kings — Maddox Dagenais, C, Québec (QMJHL)
6-3.75, 196Shoots: Left
With Anze Kopitar retiring, the Kings now need to look at adding depth down the middle. At this point in our mock draft, the top center options are Dagenais and Ilya Morozov, both of whom are big, physical centers who could eventually play a top-six role for LA. Steven Ellis wrote a good profile of Dagenais for Daily Faceoff in which called him a “goal-scoring wrecking ball.”
18. Washington Capitals (from ANA) — Ilya Morozov, C, Miami (OH) University (NCAA)
6-3, 200Shoots: Left
Like the Kings, the Caps need to build their center depth. Morozov is the next center on the list, and would bring a physicality to the table that Washington needs in the future. Morozov skates well for his size, wins battles and plays the game in a way that will eventually translate into being an impactful center in the NHL postseason. He doesn’t have the offensive upside of Dagenais, but could be a nice shut-down center for the Capitals.
19. Utah Mammoth — Oscar Hemming, W, Boston College (NCAA)
6-3.5, 193Shoots: Left
Hemming is a fascinating prospect because he didn’t have a hockey home until the middle of the season. He went to Boston College late and the numbers didn’t blow people away, but the size and skill package make him a tempting prospect in this draft class. I think Hemming could go anywhere between 10 and 22 in the draft in June.
20. San Jose Sharks (from EDM) — Xavier Villeneuve, LHD, Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)
5-11, 162Shoots: Left
This could be a fascinating spot for the Sharks. I have them taking an outstanding right-handed defenseman at No. 2 overall in this mock draft, but they could come back with another defender here. Yes, Villeneuve is another undersized defenseman. But he’s terrific with the puck and is a good skater. The package of (lack of) size and ability makes him a prospect with volatile draft stock; he was initially considered a top-15 pick but some have him sliding out of the first round now. I think this is good value for the Sharks.
21. Philadelphia Flyers — Alexander Command, C, Örebro U20 (U20 Nationell)
6-1, 183Shoots: Left
Command is a nice, strong all-around center who’s a good skater with good hands. The Flyers are still playing, so any skill they can add early in the draft is a bonus with how young some of their pieces in the NHL are at this point. But they will have some guys moving on in the near future, and Command projects to be a good middle-six center who can help them.
22. Pittsburgh Penguins — Nikita Klepov, RW, Saginaw (OHL)
6-0, 180Shoots: L
Klepov was the OHL Rookie of the Year for Saginaw after scoring 37 goals. The Penguins could use an injection of offense as they (in theory) begin looking to their future post-Crosby/Malkin up front. Klepov has decent size and is known to be an intelligent winger who could be an impactful piece of a top power play unit at the NHL level some day. A nice add for Pittsburgh here in our mock draft.
23. Boston Bruins — Jack Hextall, C, Youngstown (USHL)
6-0.5, 188Shoots: R
Hextall will be part of a loaded incoming class at Michigan State this fall. He’s seen his stock go up in recent weeks with some additional size in the updated rankings, and his ability to play in the middle would make him a tempting addition for the Bruins.
24. Vancouver Canucks (from MIN) — Elton Hermansson, RW, MoDo (HockeyAllsvenskan)
6-1, 181Shoots: Right
The Canucks went with a highly-skilled winger earlier in our mock draft and come back here with another one thanks to the Quinn Hughes trade with the Wild. Hermansson has really good hands and plays with a lot of skill. He had a strong showing at the U-18 World Championship recently, but there are some questions about his consistency that could see his stock slide. This is a nice value pick for the Canucks in our mock draft.
25. Seattle Kraken (from TB) — JP Hurlbert, LW, Kamloops (WHL)
5-11.75, 183Shoots: Right
I have the Kraken going with a big, physical defenseman earlier in the first round of this mock draft. They come back here with the 2025-26 WHL Rookie of the Year. Hurlbert put up 42 goals and 97 points for Kamloops this past season and will head to the University of Michigan this fall.
26. New York Rangers (from DAL) — Ryan Roobroeck, F, Niagara (OHL)
6-2.5, 209Shoots: Left
The Rangers’ second pick in the first round of our mock draft has them taking a big forward who can play center or on the wing. Roobroeck skates well for his size and handles the puck well. As is the case with a few guys late in the first round, the questions come around effort and consistency. When he’s on, Roobroeck can be an impact forward and the Rangers need more of those in their pipeline.
27. Buffalo Sabres — Casey Mutryn, F, USNTDP
6-3, 200Shoots: Right
Mutryn is a big, physical forward who can play center or on the wing. The Sabres play a rugged game (we’ve seen it in these playoffs) and having another guy with some size who can skate and score makes a lot of sense for them. Mutryn has had some helium in recent mock drafts and I can see him sliding into the late stages of the first round.
28. Calgary Flames (from VGK) — Liam Ruck, RW, Medicine Hat (WHL)
5-11.75, 177Shoots: Right
Liam Ruck finished second in the WHL behind his twin brother, Markus, on the points leaderboard with 104 this season. Coming off such an explosive season, his draft stock is quickly climbing the charts. It will be interesting to see if a team tries to put together a package to get both of them. The Flames have two early picks in the second round (wink).
29. Montreal Canadiens — Mathis Preston, RW, Vancouver (WHL)
5-11, 173Shoots: Right
Preston is a polarizing prospect because, when he’s on, he can be electrifying. When he isn’t, he can just be a guy in the lineup. But this part of the draft is where front offices bet on ceilings, and the Habs having a good, young roster makes this a gamble they might be willing to take in our mock draft.
30. Carolina Hurricanes — Marcus Nordmark, RW, Djurgårdens (SHL)
6-1.5, 180Shoots: Left
The Hurricanes drafting this late means they played in the Stanley Cup Final, which would be a nice outcome for their season. Nordmark has a lot of elements to his game that make him a nice fit for Carolina. He has nice size, skates well and has great hands. Based purely on skill, he’s probably a top-15 guy in this draft. But an inconsistent effort level and some bad habits have his stock all over the place. This is a good gamble in our mock draft for a team that’s developed players well.
31. St. Louis Blues (from COL) — Tommy Bleyl, RHD, Moncton (QMJHL)
5-11.5, 165Shoots: Right
The Blues’ third pick in the first round of our mock draft sees them grabbing a smart, skilled defenseman who could run their power play in the future. He’s creative with the puck and is an excellent skater. While his size isn’t ideal, the Blues went with bigger players with their first two picks here. Indeed, pairing Bleyl with Gustafsson could be an anchor for the Blues’ blue line in the future.
32. Ottawa Senators — Juho Piiparinen, RHD, Tappara (Liiga)
6-1, 201Shoots: Right
This would be a really safe pick for Ottawa to close out the first round of our mock draft. Piiparinen skates well, moves the puck well and is a steady defensive defenseman. He projects as a middle-pair right-handed defenseman with adequate size to help the Senators at some point in the coming years.
2026 NHL Mock Draft — Second Round
33. Vancouver Canucks — Nikita Shcherbakov, LHD34. Chicago Blackhawks — Gleb Pugachyov, LW35. Calgary Flames (from NYR) — Markus Ruck, C36. Calgary Flames — Simas Ignatavicius, C37. Chicago Blackhawks (from TOR) — William Håkansson, LHD38. Seattle Kraken — Egor Shilov, F39. Pittsburgh Penguins (from WPG) — Adam Goljer, RHD40. Florida Panthers — Brooks Rogowski, C41. Vancouver Canucks (from SJ) — Samu Alalauri, RHD42. Nashville Predators — Alexander Bilecki, LHD43. Columbus Blue Jackets (from StL) — Jakub Vaněček, LHD44. New Jersey Devils — Niklas Aaram-Olsen, LW45. Chicago Blackhawks (from NYI) — Ryder Cali, C46. Los Angeles Kings (from CBJ) — Tomas Chrenko, C47. Detroit Red Wings — Adam Valentini, C48. Florida Panthers (from WSH) — Tobias Trejbal, G49. Los Angeles Kings — Giorgos Pantelas, RHD50. Anaheim Ducks — Maksim Sokolovskii, LHD51. Calgary Flames (from UT) — Ben MacBeath, LHD52. Edmonton Oilers — Brady Knowling, G53. Philadelphia Flyers — Charlie Morrison, LHD54. Pittsburgh Penguins — Jaxon Cover, LW55. Calgary Flames (from OTT) — Dmitri Borichev, G56. Boston Bruins — Luke Schairer, RHD57. Nashville Predators (from MIN) — Chase Harrington, LW58. Montreal Canadiens — Landon Amrheim, RW59. Tampa Bay Lightning — Olscar Holmertz, C60. Dallas Stars — Alessandro Di Iorio, RW61. Toronto Maple Leafs (from BUF) — Brek Liske, RHD62. New York Rangers (from CAR) — Pierce Mbuyi, LW63. San Jose Sharks (from COL) — Adam Nemec, LW
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