The 2026 NHL Draft looks like it could be a game-changer for certain franchises. Keaton Verhoeff and Ivar Stenberg are among the top prospects, but of course, there’s Gavin McKenna. The term “generational talent” gets thrown out a bit too often, but McKenna could be a franchise cornerstone for some team. Which organizations could have the best shot at him in the 2026 draft?
The Top Candidates
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks should be an improved team this season, but they likely aren’t ready to escape the NHL’s basement just yet. Though they’ve only played three games, Connor Bedard seems poised to take a step forward. Early returns suggest his skating has improved, and that could have him on the verge of a breakout year.
Still, even a Bedard breakout season is unlikely to take the Blackhawks out of the running for McKenna. Looking at their roster, they’re still devoid of the necessary talent to challenge for a playoff spot in a highly competitive Central Division. They have some promising young players, such as Frank Nazar, who are starting to make an impact in the NHL, but there’s still a long way to go in their rebuild. They may not end up having the best odds at McKenna come the draft lottery in late April/early May, but they should be in the mix.
San Jose Sharks
It’s hard to be worse than the 52 points the San Jose Sharks totaled a season ago, so they should improve in the standings. But much like the Blackhawks, it’d be a surprise if they aren’t in the running for McKenna. To the Sharks’ credit, GM Mike Grier has gone about the rebuild as well as he could have to this point.
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The Sharks have a couple of potential cornerstones up front in Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith. On defense, Sam Dickinson has top-pair potential, and Yaroslav Askarov has franchise goalie upside. A budding young core is in place, so what’s one more by adding McKenna to their pool? I know Sharks owner Hasso Plattner hopes the team isn’t in the running for McKenna, but odds are they will be. And if we’re being real, it’s probably best for their long-term future. A Celebrini, Smith and McKenna core to build around up front screams potential perennial contender.
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers have one of the best rising stars in the NHL in Matvei Michkov, but their rebuild is certainly still a work in progress. They could use another blue-chip prospect to build around, and they should be in the running to get one in the 2026 draft.
I would not call the Flyers the worst team in the NHL, but odds are they will finish at or toward the bottom of the Metropolitan Division. They were a 76-point team a season ago and largely overachieved due to John Tortorella’s coaching. It wouldn’t shock me if they’re a bit worse than a 76-point club, which would give them decent odds at having a shot at McKenna.
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins have looked decent to begin the 2025-26 NHL season, going 2-1-0 and posting an expected goals share (xG%) of 51.15 percent, but I can’t imagine that lasts. The Penguins still have some high-end talent, namely Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, as well as a couple of decent complementary pieces in Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust. They might actually be too good for McKenna right now, but I expect that to change in time.
Gavin McKenna, Penn State (Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images)
Rust and Rakell were in the rumor mill all summer long, so I imagine GM Kyle Dubas will eventually move one, if not both, ahead of the trade deadline. The Penguins’ plan has been quite clear since last season ended. They’re the only team starting a teardown and rebuilding, and with McKenna playing college hockey right down the road at Penn State, one has to think Dubas will do his best to put the organization in a position to land an heir to Crosby.
The Next Tier
Seattle Kraken
The Seattle Kraken are in an odd place as an organization. They’re probably not bad enough to have top-three odds at McKenna, but it’s unlikely they’re good enough to clinch a playoff berth. Still, they seem to be in that second tier of teams that’ll have a shot at McKenna if they get lucky in the lottery.
If there’s a team that could use a boost, it’s the Kraken. They made the playoffs in only their second year as an NHL franchise, but it’s been downhill since then. They have some promising prospects in Shane Wright, Jagger Firkus and Berkly Catton, but McKenna would be a game-changer. They have some interesting pieces (Jaden Schwartz, Eeli Tolvanen, and Jared McCann, to name a few) that they could move at the trade deadline if that’s the route they decide to take. If so, that could put them in a better position to have a chance at McKenna.
Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators were one of the biggest disappointments in the NHL last season, and unfortunately for their fans, I’m not sure they’ll be much better in 2025-26. Part of the reason is that the Central is so competitive. It’s hard to imagine them finishing better than seventh in the Central, but they’re also still feeling the effects of an awful free agency period in 2024.
Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei are coming off down seasons and are only another year older. It’s hard to imagine them pulling the team into contention status, and while I don’t think they’re bad enough to have top-three odds, they’re probably bad enough to have a decent shot at McKenna with some lottery luck.
Buffalo Sabres
I hate to do this to Buffalo Sabres fans, but they’ve missed the playoffs 14 straight seasons, and have looked pretty rough in their first two games of the season, including a 4-0 loss to the New York Rangers in their season opener.
At some point, the Sabres have to break out of being in the draft lottery every year. There were more than a few preseason projections that had them hovering around the 90-point mark, but I’m not sure I see it. I don’t think they’ll have top-five odds for McKenna, but it wouldn’t shock me if they’re in that second tier that could get him with some lottery luck.
Dark Horse
Boston Bruins
I know the Boston Bruins have started the season 3-0-0, but I don’t love their roster up front. They have a legit top line with David Pastrnak, Elias Lindholm and Morgan Geekie, but who else will score goals for the team? I wouldn’t expect Pavel Zacha to maintain a point-per-game pace for the rest of the season, and there aren’t many other scoring options outside of their first line and Zacha.
The Bruins’ best bet to overachieve this season is having Jeremy Swayman return to top form after struggling during the 2024-25 campaign. He has a .966 save percentage through his first two starts, and though that will come down, he looks poised for a rebound season. Even so, I think the Bruins’ scoring concerns will come back to bite them. They will not be a top-5 lottery odds team, at least that seems unlikely, but they could end up in the top 10 and get some luck as the New York Islanders did last season.
McKenna Will Change a Franchise
I don’t want to call McKenna a generational talent because those only come around so often. That title should be reserved for the Sidney Crosbys and Connor McDavids. But McKenna could be a building block for whichever franchise selects him in the 2026 draft, and that could make the race to the bottom of the NHL standings quite compelling.
