Casey Mutryn had a strong first season at the U.S. NTDP. (Rena Laverty/USA Hockey)
When the final pick is announced in the NHL Draft this June, the attention will turn to 2026.
Nationally, that means Gavin McKenna. The Medicine Hat Tigers forward from Whitehorse, Yukon, in Canada is the consensus No. 1 pick. He dazzles with his skill. He had 41 goals and 129 points in 56 games in the WHL this season. It felt like I saw one of his highlights every day on Instagram.
But what about in New England? How do things look?
For starters, it’s far out. USA Hockey’s Select 17 Camp will give the first big glimpse of a lot of these players. Then comes the actual season where everything changes.
There should be a first-round pick, which is always the first big question. After that, I’d select two more players as definite draft picks. Things open up from there.
This class has a slew of big defensemen, who are always sought after by NHL teams. There’s also the uncertainty of where these players will suit up next season. Do some of these players stay in prep, or do they skip town early for the QMJHL?
Anything and everything will impact their stock.
This list is long because so much is unclear. I expect these rankings to look different a year from now. This isn’t necessarily in the order of best players right now. It’s more so about projecting these players the same way NHL teams will over the next 12 months.