2026 NHL Mock Draft: FINAL Full Two-Round Projections ...Middle East

It is the eve of the 2026 NHL Draft, Blackhawks fans, and a lot has changed since our last mock draft just ten days ago. The following picks in this year’s first two rounds have been moved since then:

The net results: the Sabres own a top-four pick and moved up seven spots, the Sharks have two picks in the top ten overall, the Blues own three of the top 16 overall (four in the first round), the Senators own two picks in the first round, and the Devils added a pick early in the second round (and future draft capital).

There will probably still be some trades that change the draft order — especially after the draft begins on Friday night. But here’s how the first two rounds could play — our final 2026 NHL Mock Draft before things get swinging for real.

2026 NHL Mock Draft — First Round

1. Toronto Maple Leafs — Gavin McKenna, W, Penn State (NCAA)

5-11.25, 170Shoots: Left

I’m staying put with McKenna here. Shawn Hutcheon reported the Leafs already told McKenna they were taking him first overall at the NHL Draft Combine and I’m not doubting that intel. Our mock draft stays the same at the top.

2. San Jose Sharks —  — Ivar Stenberg, W, Frölunda (SHL)

5-11, 183Shoots: Left

When the Sharks traded William Eklund to Ottawa, this felt like the logical step for San Jose. Adding the ninth overall pick gives them the ability to address their blue line issues later in the top ten overall while still adding one of the top forwards in this year’s draft. San Jose is back on the clock in our mock draft inside the top ten now…

3. Vancouver Canucks — Caleb Malhotra, C, Brantford (OHL)

6-1.75, 185Shoots: Left

I know that David Pagnotta at The Fourth Period wrote just Sunday that he doesn’t expect the Canucks to draft Malhotra. But here’s the thing: the Canucks need a lot of things, but getting a legit top center is maybe the hardest piece to come by. Yeah, his dad’s the new head coach in Vancouver. But I think the Canucks take the valuable center.

4. Buffalo Sabres (from CHI) — Chase Reid, RHD, Soo (OHL)

6-2.5, 190Shoots: Right

When the Sabres traded Bo Byram to the Blackhawks to acquire this pick it raised eyebrows everywhere — largely that Chicago would move out of a premium pick to acquire a defenseman. The Sabres won their division this past season and added Louis Crevier in the Byram deal, but he’ll likely replace the traded Michael Kesselring as a depth defenseman. Reid could be a long-term replacement for Byram on the right side of their blue line. A great add for the Sabres’ future in our mock draft.

5. New York Rangers —  Carson Carels, LHD, Prince George (WHL)

6-1.75, 198Shoots: Left

The Rangers are a team to watch in this draft because they’re stuck between trying to compete and a rebuild — something that is never popular in New York, and would be increasingly tough to sell with the Knicks success. Many feel Carels could be the best defenseman in this draft class, and he could be an ideal complement for Adam Fox… if the Rangers don’t move Fox and start that rebuild process they really need to consider that route. Safe pick? Yes. Right pick? Yes. We’re going with Carels to the Blue Shirts here in our mock draft.

6. Calgary Flames — Viggo Björck, C, Djurgårdens (SHL)

5-9, 180Shoots: Right

In the wake of the trade to acquire 22-year-old defenseman Simon Nemec on Tuesday, the Flames now have a stockpile of young defensemen at the top of their system. So I think they pivot at the No. 6 pick and take Björck, whose hockey IQ and compete have scouts falling in love with him. They hit with a small player in Johnny Gaudreau in the past. Adding a dynamic forward here now makes sense in our mock draft.

7. Seattle Kraken — Keaton Verhoeff, RHD, North Dakota (NCAA)

6-4, 215Shoots: 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 all of their talk at the start of the offseason was about improving the entire program. Landing Verhoeff, an enormous right-shot defenseman who can do everything and who is still considered the top defenseman in this class by some, is a great building block for the Kraken early in our mock draft.

8. Winnipeg Jets — Alberts Šmits, LHD, Jukurit (Liiga)

6-2.75, 209Shoots: Left

The Jets need to get younger. They need skill. They need high-end players. They’ll be tempted to take a top forward at this point, but Šmits might be the most pro-ready defenseman in this draft class. A nice get here in our mock draft.

9. San Jose Sharks (from FLA) — Daxon Rudolph, RHD, Prince Albert (WHL)

6-2.5, 205Shoots: Right

Rudolph has the make-up of a top-pair guy and some have suggested he could be the second or third defenseman off the board in this year’s draft. After taking Stenberg at No. 2, the Sharks come back here and land the right-shot defenseman they desperately need. A big night for the Sharks lands two big-time players to fill needs soon for San Jose in our mock draft.

10. Nashville Predators — Ethan Belchetz, W, Windsor (OHL)

6-5, 230Shoots: Left

Belchetz it the top tier heavyweight in this draft class. A legit power forward, he feels like the kind of forward the Blues would love to add to their mix. His stock has slid a bit late in the process because of an injury, but he’ll be part of a loaded incoming class at Michigan State and get to play with a lot of NHL-caliber talent for the Spartans.

11. St. Louis Blues — Malte Gustafsson, LHD, HV71 U18 (U18 Region)

6-4.5, 205Shoots: Left

The Blues have three picks in the first round this year, so they could go any number of directions with the first selection. Gustafsson is a rock of a defenseman who could replace Colton Parayko at some point. He has the ideal size to play big minutes on the back end at the next levels, and his stock has been climbing.

12. New Jersey Devils — Tynan Lawrence, C, Boston University (NCAA)

6-0.5, 185Shoots: Left

The Devils are an interesting team to watch heading into the draft. They’re in the process of trying to get an extension done with their captain, Nico Hischier. How those talks develop between now and the draft could influence who New Jersey selects. Lawrence is still one of the top centers in this class and could be viewed as a potential top-six center down the road for the Devils… if they aren’t able to get something done with Hischier, they might need him to be that sooner.

13. New York Islanders — Wyatt Cullen, W, USNTDP

6-1, 183Shoots: 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. The Islanders could use his skillset in their top-six.

14. Columbus Blue Jackets — Alexander Command, C, Örebro U20 (U20 Nationell)

6-0.75, 187Shoots: Left

Command is a nice, strong all-around center who’s a good skater with good hands. He’s been climbing rankings recently, which is interesting because some project him as a winger and not staying at center. The Blue Jackets have a nice young mix and add a versatile forward with a strong all-around game here in our mock draft.

15. St. Louis Blues (from DET) — Oscar Hemming, W, Boston College (NCAA)

6-4, 204Shoots: 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. After taking a big defenseman earlier in the first round, more size here feels like a St. Louis move in our mock draft.

16. St. Louis Blues (from WSH) — Adam Novotný, W, Peterborough (OHL)

6-1, 200Shoots: Left

The Blues double-down with forwards here after going defense earlier in our mock draft. Novotný is an elite skater with a very good shot. The skating and build, coupled with a good compete level and terrific offensive instincts make him a nice addition to St. Louis’ pipeline.

17. Los Angeles Kings — Oliver Suvanto, C, Tappara (Liiga)

6-3, 213Shoots: Left

Suvanto is a physical player whose size plays; he’s got a pro-ready body. He’s going to stick at center at the NHL level, and the Kings’ cupboard is looking pretty empty at center right now. They would love to get Suvanto if he falls here. A nice add for the Kings.

18. Washington Capitals (from ANA) — 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). The Capitals traded the 16th pick for a forward, and still need to find a replacement for John Carlson. They get that done here in our mock draft.

19. Utah Mammoth — Ilya Morozov, C, Miami (OH) University (NCAA)

6-2.75, 205Shoots: Left

Morozov is the next center on our board. He’s big, physical, nasty and played well as a true freshman in his pre-draft season in college. He has the size to be an impactful middle-six center, which is something they could use in Utah.

20. Buffalo Sabres (from EDM) — Maddox Dagenais, C, Québec (QMJHL)

6-3.75, 198Shoots: Left

The Sabres won their division, but they’re losing some key contributors — most notably Alex Tuch. Which makes adding a big, strong power forward makes sense. Dagenais plays a heavy game. Whether he sticks at center will now be a decision the Sabres can talk thru with the player, but this is a nice add for Buffalo in our mock draft.

21. Philadelphia Flyers — Jack Hextall, C, Youngstown (USHL)

6-0.5, 195Shoots: Right

Hextall is strong on the puck, skates well and wins battles. With his size, he projects as a player who can stay at center at the pro levels, which helps his draft stock. He’s seen that stock go up in recent weeks. His ability to play in the middle would make him a strong addition for the Flyers, who could use more center depth. Yes, a Hextall in Philly in our mock draft.

22. Pittsburgh Penguins — JP Hurlbert, LW, Kamloops (WHL)

6-0, 190Shoots: Right

The Penguins are going to continue running it back with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin up front, but they need to add secondary scoring. Here, Pittsburgh lands the 2025-26 WHL Rookie of the Year. He actually had slightly better size at the Draft Combine, which helps his draft stock. Hurlbert is one of the better natural scorers in this draft class; he put up 42 goals and 97 points for Kamloops this past season and will head to the University of Michigan this fall.

23. Boston Bruins — Nikita Klepov, RW, Saginaw (OHL)

6-0, 180Shoots: Left

Klepov was named the OHL Rookie of the Year for Saginaw after scoring 37 goals. He’s headed to Michigan State with a loaded incoming class that includes Blackhawks 2025 first-round pick Mason West. The Bruins search for secondary scoring gets a boost here with a talented winger in our mock draft.

24. Vancouver Canucks (from MIN) — Marcus Nordmark, RW, Djurgårdens (SHL)

6-1.5, 180Shoots: Left

Scott Wheeler at The Athletic recently wrote a good profile on one of the more polarizing prospects in this year’s draft class. When he’s on, Nordmark can be a game-changing forward. But the knock on him is the consistency with which he’s engaged. The Sedins will know the player well. Adding two dynamic forwards in Malhotra and Nordmark is a strong start to our mock draft for Vancouver.

25. Ottawa Senators (from MIN) — Liam Ruck, RW, Medicine Hat (WHL)

5-11.5, 174Shoots: Right

Ottawa acquired this pick in the Brady Tkachuk trade. 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 Senators also own the 32nd overall pick… so… (wink).

26. New York Rangers (from DAL) — Elton Hermansson, RW, MoDo (HockeyAllsvenskan)

6-0.5, 182Shoots: Right

The Rangers also went with a potential future top-pair defenseman early in our mock draft, so they opt to take a skilled forward here. Hermansson is an offensively gifted right-shot winger who has a terrific shot and playmaking ability; his highlights are impressive. But he isn’t the biggest/strongest player or skater, which may cause him to slide down the draft board a bit. Good value pick here for the Rangers.

27. San Jose Sharks (from BUF) — Tommy Bleyl, RHD, Moncton (QMJHL)

5-11.5, 165Shoots: Right

The Sharks went with a right-shot defenseman early in this mock draft (at No. 9) and could go a number of directions here — including trading this pick. But their need to stock their blue line (especially on the right side) has me taking one of the more productive defensemen in this draft class later in the first round. With Moncton in the QMJHL, Bleyl had 81 points in 63 regular-season games and then raised his stock into a first-round player with 28 points in 21 playoff games. He can skate and really plays well with the puck. He could be their future PP1 QB, and is another nice grab for the Sharks.

28. Montreal Canadiens — Juho Piiparinen, RHD, Tappara (Liiga)

6-1.75, 204Shoots: Right

The Habs might look at one of the big centers still available here, but a shut-down defender makes sense for their blue line. Piiparinen is young (August birthday), but plays a very good game that doesn’t necessarily grab your attention — and not noticing a defenseman can be a good thing. He skates well. He defends well. A solid, safe pick for Montreal here in our mock draft.

29. St. Louis Blues (from COL) — Brooks Rogowski, C, Oshawa (OHL)

6-7, 235Shoots: Right

The Blues selecting an enormous center here to complete their four selections in the first round of our mock draft gives them size, size, size. It’s still TBD if the Blues actually make all four selections or try to move up; their outgoing general manager Doug Armstrong has already told the media they’re open for business.

30. Calgary Flames (from VGK) — William Håkansson, LHD, Luleå (SHL)

6-4, 216Shoots: Left

The Flames went with the smaller forward early in this mock draft, so they come back here with an enormous left-handed defensemen to complement their collection of right-shots already in the system. The Flames had two of the first four picks in the second round before adding Nemec via trade, but they’re still back on the clock early in the second round.

31. Carolina Hurricanes — 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 defending Stanley Cup champions can afford to make a bet here. But, if history holds, we could easily see Carolina move back and add assets when they’re on the clock.

32. Ottawa Senators — Markus Ruck, C, Medicine Hat (WHL)

6-0, 168Shoots: Left

The Ruck twins announced earlier this week that they’re headed to North Dakota together this coming season to play college hockey. If the draft plays out the way our mock draft projects, they’ll also be headed to Ottawa together eventually. Markus put up huge numbers in the WHL this past season. This would be a great story for their family and the Senators.

2026 NHL Mock Draft — Second Round

33. Vancouver Canucks — Maksim Sokolovskii, LHD34. Chicago Blackhawks — Gleb Pugachyov, LW35. New Jersey Devils (from NYR) — Ryan Roobroeck, C36. Calgary Flames — Niklas Aaram-Olsen, LW37. Chicago Blackhawks (from TOR) — Casey Mutryn, F38. Seattle Kraken — Simas Ignatavicius, C39. Pittsburgh Penguins (from WPG) — Xavier Villeneuve, LHD40. Florida Panthers — Tobias Trejbal, G41. Vancouver Canucks (from SJ) — Samu Alalauri, RHD42. Nashville Predators — Tomas Chrenko, C43. Columbus Blue Jackets (from STL) — Ryder Cali, C44. New Jersey Devils — Jakub Vaněček, LHD45. Buffalo Sabres (from NYI) — Nikita Shcherbakov, LHD46. Los Angeles Kings (from CBJ) — Adam Goljer, RHD47. Detroit Red Wings — Adam Andersson, C48. Florida Panthers (from WSH) — Ben MacBeath, LHD49. Los Angeles Kings — Yegor Shilov, F50. Anaheim Ducks — Adam Valentini, C51. Calgary Flames (from UT) — Dmitri Borichev, G52. Edmonton Oilers — Alexander Bilecki, LHD53. Philadelphia Flyers — Jaxon Cover, LW54. Pittsburgh Penguins — Rudolfs Berzkalns, C55. Calgary Flames (from OTT) — Adam Nemec, LW56. Boston Bruins — Charlie Morrison, LHD57. Nashville Predators (from MIN) — Chase Harrington, LW58. Montreal Canadiens — Mans Gudmundsson, RHD59. Tampa Bay Lightning — Jonas Lagerberg Hoen, RW60. Dallas Stars — Zac Olsen, RW61. Toronto Maple Leafs (from BUF) — Ethan MacKenzie, LHD62. New York Rangers (from CAR) — Oscar Holmertz, C63. San Jose Sharks (from COL) — Vladimir Dravecky, RHD

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