NHL Draft 2026 Predictions for Where Elite Talent Will Land in 1st-Round Mock Draft

2026 NHL Mock Draft1 of 2

Projected draft order based on regular-season standings.

1 Vancouver – Gavin McKenna, LW, Penn State

2. Chicago – Keaton Verhoeff, D, North Dakota

3. Calgary – Chase Reid, D, Soo (OHL)

4. New York Rangers – Ivar Stenberg, LW/RW, Frolunda

5. Toronto – Carson Carels, D, Prince George (WHL)

6. Seattle – Tynan Lawrence, C, Boston University

7. Florida – Caleb Malhotra, C, Brantford (OHL)

8. St. Louis – Alberts Smits, D, Jukurit

9. San Jose – Ethan Belchetz, LW, Windsor (OHL)

10. Winnipeg – Daxon Rudolph, D, Prince Albert (WHL)

11. New Jersey – Viggo Bjorck, C/RW, Djurgardens

12. Nashville – Oliver Suvanto, C, Tappara

13. New York Islanders – Oscar Hemming, F, Boston College

14. St. Louis (via Detroit) – Ryan Lin, D, Vancouver (WHL)

15. Washington – Ilya Morozov, F, Miami (Ohio)

16. Columbus – Adam Novotny, LW/PW, Peterborough (OHL)

17. Los Angeles – Elton Hermansson, LW/RW, MoDo

18. San Jose (via Edmonton) – Marcus Nordmark, RW, Djurgardens

19. Washington (via Anaheim) – Nikita Klepov, F, Saginaw (OHL)

20. Utah – JP Hurlbert, F, Kamloops (WHL)

21. Philadelphia – Yegor Shilov, C, Victoriaville (QMJHL)

22. Boston – Malte Gustafsson, D, HV71

23. Pittsburgh – Juho Piiparinen, D, Tappara

24. Vancouver (via Minnesota) – Xavier Villeneuve, D, Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)

25. Montreal – Maddox Dagenais, C, Quebec (QMJHL)

26. Seattle (via Tampa Bay) – Ryan Roobreck, C, Niagara (OHL)

27. New York Rangers (via Dallas) – Mathis Preston, F, Vancouver (WHL)

28. Calgary (via Vegas) – Niklas Aarom-Olsen, RW/LW, Orebro

29. Buffalo – Liam Ruck, F, Medicine Hat (WHL)

30. Carolina – Alexander Command, C, Orebro

31. St. Louis (via Colorado) – William Hakansson, D, Lulea

32. Ottawa – Wyatt Cullen, F, U.S. Development Program