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News about the host of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft has emerged today as Elite Prospects’ Cam Robinson reported that Buffalo is emerging as the favourite to host.
Buffalo Sabres beat reporter Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News reported that the team is putting in a bid to host the draft again this year.
This news comes after the potential changes proposed by Elliotte Friedman on Saturday Headlines just before the Christmas roster freeze.
The city of Buffalo has hosted the NHL draft just three times in history, in 1991, 1998, and most recently in 2016. The Sabres also serve as the host of the annual NHL Draft Combine for over a decade, where teams get a closer look at the fitness of players, but get a chance to interview the future of the league.
This is the second decentralized draft that the NHL has hosted, and it’s expected to be significantly different than the first decentralized edition.
Buffalo has some epic NHL draft moments when they’ve hosted the annual event. The most notable being the 1991 draft when Hall-of-Fame forward Eric Lindros was drafted first overall by the Quebec Nordiques and refused to put on their jersey.
In 2016, Auston Matthews was selected first overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs and would go on to have one of the most iconic debuts in NHL history, scoring four goals against the Ottawa Senators.
The favourite to go first overall in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft is Gavin McKenna, but don’t count out Ivar Stenberg or Keaton Verhoeff. Teams will draft based on their needs, and this is a strong draft for teams able to draft in the top 10.
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Conrad Jack is a Manitoba based sportswriter covering the Winnipeg Jets (NHL) and the Manitoba Moose (AHL). He also covers the NHL Draft and World Junior Championship for ITR. He occasionally covers league wide news for Inside The Rink.