2026 NHL Mock Draft: Debut

Round 1 Picks 1-16

The 2026 NHL Entry Draft is headlined by Penn State left winger Gavin McKenna. Find out who got Gavin McKenna.

Chris Ransom follow @DraftUtopia Last Updated: August 9, 2025.

1. Pittsburgh Penguins: Gavin McKenna, LW, Penn State
   
   
   The 2026 NHL Draft is headlined by Gavin McKenna who has the versatility to play all three forward roles at left winger, center, and right winger. I posted a poll question on X to see whether the Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Pittsburgh Penguins, or San Jose Sharks would get Gavin McKenna in my first 2026 NHL Mock Draft. Pittsburgh won that poll, so they got the first pick in my very first 2026 NHL Mock Draft.
   
   
   
   Gavin McKenna was drafted first overall in the 2022 WHL Draft by the Medicine Hat Tigers as Gavin McKenna was the first 14-year-old drafted into the CHL with most players being 16 and some players in the WHL being 15 when they get drafted. Gavin McKenna led the Medicine Hat Tigers to a WHL Championship in his third season in the 2024-2025 WHL Season as the Medicine Hat Tigers were the runner up in the 2025 Memorial Cup after going 3-0 in the round robin before losing the championship to last years runner up the London Knights. Gavin McKenna talked about how the older players on the Medicine Hat Tigers deserved to win the Memorial Cup more than anything, so Gavin McKenna has excellent character and is mature beyond his years. Gavin McKenna is enrolling at Penn State to play college hockey this Fall.
   
   
   
   Gavin McKenna has the speed, explosion, burst, versatility, agility, skating, foot speed, playmaking, passing, shooting, sniping, wrist shot power, wrist shot accuracy, slap shot power, slap shot accuracy, vision, offensive awareness, defensive awareness, and hockey IQ to succeed in the NHL. One thing I wrote in my WHL Draft writeup on McKenna is that he processes the game so fast. That is an understatement as McKenna processes the game at a supersonic rate after seeing him play the last few years with the Medicine Hat Tigers.
   
   
   
   The 6-0 155 lb Gavin McKenna had 4 goals, 14 assists, and 18 points in only 16 games in 2022-2023. Gavin McKenna had 1 goal, 0 assists, and 1 point in 4 games in the 2023 WHL Playoffs. Gavin McKenna had 34 goals, 63 assists, and 97 points in his first full WHL season as a sophomore in 2023-2024. Gavin McKenna had 2 goals, 4 assists, and 6 points in 5 games in the 2024 WHL Playoffs. Gavin McKenna had 41 goals, 88 assists, 129 points, and a +60 +/- ratio in his third and final WHL season in 2024-2025. Gavin McKenna had 9 goals, 29 assists, and 38 points in 19 games averaging 2 points per game during the 2025 WHL Playoffs.
   
   
   
   Gavin McKenna is making the transition from the WHL to the NCAA as Gavin McKenna is the first of ten players that played on their teams first line in his plus one draft year with Gavin McKenna having the skill set to translate to a first line player in the NHL. I still believe Gavin McKenna will go first overall in the 2026 NHL Draft. Gavin McKenna can transform an NHL team in a rebuild. He has a shot to post the best rookie season in the NHL since Teemu Selanne got 132 points in 84 games with the Winnipeg Jets. I think McKenna has a slim chance to break that record if he goes to Pittsburgh and plays with Sidney Crosby. He could get 100 points as a rookie next to someone like Connor Bedard in Chicago or Macklin Celebrini in San Jose. Heck, he is a guy who could get 90 points on the Boston Bruins playing on a top line with right winger David Pastrnak. That is the type of talent Gavin McKenna is and why he is the top prospect in the 2026 NHL Draft with all 15//15 scouting services including us at Draft Utopia having Gavin McKenna as the top prospect in the 2026 NHL Draft.
   
   
   
   Pittsburgh has most of their core guys back in 2026. Their only key UFA is second line center Evgeni Malkin. Pittsburgh should be able to bring back Malkin if they want to keep him while letting their other UFAs walk replacing those guys with players the organization drafted or guys on the Free Agency market that Kyle Dubas takes a liking to. Pittsburgh would also have a really good first line with Gavin McKenna at left winger, Sidney Crosby at center, and Bryan Rust at right winger until 2028 if the Pittsburgh Penguins win the Gavin McKenna lottery 21 years after winning the Sidney Crosby lottery which was 21 years after the Pittsburgh Penguins ended up with the first overall pick drafting Mario Lemeiux in 1984. Having a first line that strong and bringing back Malkin might be enough for the Pittsburgh Penguins to get back into the Stanley Cup Playoffs if Crosby can continue to play at a high level without declining.
   
   
   
2. Chicago Blackhawks: Keaton Verhoeff, D, North Dakota
   
   
   The Chicago Blackhawks finished second in my Gavin McKenna poll question. Chicago may miss out on the cousin of Connor Bedard, but in this mock draft, they get the best defenseman in the 2026 NHL Draft. Keaton Verhoeff was drafted fourth overall by the Victoria Royals in the 2023 WHL Draft. Keaton Verhoeff is going to North Dakota the alma matter of former Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews.
   
   
   
   Keaton Verhoeff has the speed, explosion, burst, agility, skating, playmaking, passing, shooting, sniping, wrist shot power, wrist shot accuracy, slap shot power, slap shot accuracy, vision, offensive awareness, defensive awareness, and hockey IQ to succeed in the NHL. Keaton Verhoeff can play all three zones the offensive zone, defensive zone, and the neutral zone. He can be an ace on the power play or an enforcer on the penaly killing unit.
   
   
   
   The Victoria Royals GM called him an outstanding person that leads by example. Keaton Verhoeff took the number one defenseman job on the Victoria Royals from team captain Justin Kipkie who moved over to the number two defenseman role on the top line next to Keaton Verhoeff with Keaton Verhoeff demonstrating elite shot blocking as Verhoeff did more in his +1 draft year than last years number one pick Matthew Schaefer and that's not a knock on Schaefer as much as it is praise to Verhoeff and his all around game. Keaton Verhoeff will be a number one defenseman and a first line defenseman for the team that drafts him in the NHL making him the second first line player in this draft behind Gavin McKenna as Keaton Verhoeff is the second best player on all 15/15 scouting services for the 2026 NHL Draft.
   
   
   
   The 6-4 212 lb Keaton Verhoeff was 191 when he entered the WHL, but has added 21 lbs of muscle since entering the WHL two years ago. Keaton Verhoeff only had 0 goals, 2 assists, 2 points, and a +0 +/- ratio in 12 games in his rookie season in 2023-2024. Keaton Verhoeff had 0 goals, 0 assists, and 0 points in the 2024 WHL Playoffs. Keaton Verhoeff had 21 goals, 24 assists, 45 points, 14 penalty minutes taking only 7 penalies with 0 minutes for fighting, and a +23 +/- ratio as the Victoria Royals number one defenseman in 2024-2025. Keaton Verhoeff had 1 goal, 9 assists, and 10 points in 11 games in the 2025 WHL Playoffs.
   
   
   
   Chicago would have a loaded defensive core if they drafted Keaton Verhoeff. The Chicago Blackhawks would have Keaton Verhoeff and Artyom Levshunov the defenseman they drafted second overall in 2024 on the first line. Sam Rinzel their third 2022 first round pick would compliment Alex Vlasic a 2019 second round pick on the second line. Chicago would also have Kevin Korchinski their first player drafted seventh overall in 2022 and Wyatt Kaiser a 2020 third round pick as their two third line defenseman. With that defensive core helping goalies like Spencer Knight and Drew Comesso out, the Chicago Blackhawks would finally get back to the Stanley Cup Playoffs with Connor Bedard beginning his lengthy contract extension with the Chicago Blackhawks following his rookie deal.
   
   
   
   
   
3. Boston Bruins: Ivar Stenberg, LW, Frolunda Indians (Elitserien)
   
   
   Ivar Stenberg played on the third line, second line, and first line with Frolunda HC which was once known as the Frolunda Indians. Basically he has the floor of a third line left winger and the ceiling of a first line left winger. I do not have the Frolunda HC logo, so I just use the Frolunda Indians logo because it is all I have to work with. Speaking of Ivar Stenberg, he is the younger brother of St. Louis Blues 2023 first round pick Otto Stenberg. Ivan Stenberg is also one of two Swedes that played on a first line in Europe as a 16-year-old and the first of two to do so since Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov played for Tappara on their top line as a 16-year-old. Ivar Stenberg has the versatility to play all three forward roles at left winger, center, and right winger too even though he projects as a winger in the NHL. Finally, Ivar Stenberg is ranked as the third best player in the 2026 NHL Draft in all 15 scouting services.
   
   
   
   There was some debate about who would go third overall behind Gavin McKenna and Keaton Verhoeff for a while with many NHL mock drafts debating between Ryan Roobroeck who entered the 2025 NHL Draft in June as the favorite to go second overall before being jumped by Keaton Verhoeff and Ivar Stenberg a Swedish winger with the versatility to play both left winger and right winger. The 2025 World Juniors Summer Showcase put this conversation to bed thanks to Ivar Stenberg scoring a hat trick on the USA Under 20 Team before proceeding to get promoted from the third line to the first line on the Sweden Under 20 Team. In his first game on the Sweden Under 20 Team first line, Sweden proceeded to smack Canada in the Semifinals of the 2025 World Junior Summer Showcase 8-4 after Canada defeated the Sweden Under 20 Team earlier this year 7-0. Ivar Stenberg and his Swedish teammate Viggio Bjorck whose also in the top 10 of the 2026 NHL Draft at this time play Finland in the championship game of the 2025 World Junior Summer Showcase.
   
   
   
   Ivar Stenberg has the speed, explosion, burst, versatility, agility, skating, foot speed, playmaking, passing, shooting, sniping, wrist shot power, wrist shot accuracy, slap shot power, slap shot accuracy, vision, offensive awareness, defensive awareness, and hockey IQ to succeed in the NHL. Ivar Stenberg played 25 SHL games in the league once known as Elitserien with 12 games on the third line, 12 games on the second line, and 1 game on the first line making Ivar Stenberg the first NHL prospect outside of the United States or Canada to play on the first line as a 16-year-old since Aleksander Barkov. He also has the best point per game total among Swedes since Henrik Sedin the former Vancouver Canucks first line left winger with Ivar Stenberg being the third player with first line potential in the NHL.
   
   
   
   Ivar Stenberg had 1 goal, 2 assists, and 3 points in 25 SHL games with Frolunda HC in 2024-2025. Ivar Stenberg dominated the first part of the six part draft process that is the 2026 NHL Draft with the World Junior Summer Showcase being part 1, games in the Fall of 2025 being part 2, CHL All Star Game/USHL All Star Game/World Junior Championships in December being part 3, games in the Winter of 2026 being part 4, the playoff games being part 5, and the NHL Combine being part 6 and the final part of the pre draft process before the actual NHL Draft takes place. Dominating the first part of the NHL draft process pretty much has Stenberg locked into the top 3 of the 2026 NHL Draft right now since Anton Frondell had knee surgery last year and still went third overall to the Chicago Blackhawks after returning from knee surgery in January.
   
   
   
   Drafting Ivar Stenberg gives the Boston Bruins a trio of Ivar Stenberg at left winger, James Hagens, Boston's 2025 first round pick at center, and David Pastrnak at right winger on the Boston Bruins first line of forwards. If James Hagens struggles, Boston can always get a center in the 2027 NHL Draft and move James Hagens down to the second line where he may actually perform better.
   
   
   
4. San Jose Sharks: Ryan Lin, D, Vancouver Giants (WHL)
   
   
   After the top three players in the 2026 NHL Draft in Gavin McKenna, Keaton Verhoeff, and Ivar Stenberg, there is not a unanimous fourth best player in the draft like there is with the top three at this time. San Jose can either draft the best player available which is Ryan Roobroeck a center who also has experience at left winger that was once favored to go first overall over Matthew Schaefer in the 2023 OHL Draft following the 2022 OHL Draft where Michael Misa went first overall or San Jose can reach for the second best defenseman in the 2026 NHL Draft since San Jose only has two good defensemen long term in Sam Dickinson their second 2024 first round pick after Macklin Celebrini and Haoxi Wang also known as Simon Wang, a defenseman San Jose drafted thirty third overall to start the second round of the 2025 NHL Draft as Haoxi Wang was a player I had a late first round grade on.
   
   
   
   Mike Grier has a San Jose Sharks team that is loaded with forwards such as William Eklund, Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, Michael Misa, Igor Chernysov, and Quentin Musty. San Jose also has their goalie of the future in Joshua Ravensbergen if Yaroslav Askarov does not take a leap soon after Askarov was drafted eleventh overall by the Nashville Predators in the 2020 NHL Draft before being traded to San Jose. I ended up mocking Vancouver Giants defenseman Ryan Lin to San Jose due to San Jose needing defense.
   
   
   
   Ryan Lin has the speed, explosion, burst, agility, skating, playmaking, passing, shooting, sniping, wrist shot power, wrist shot accuracy, slap shot power, slap shot accuracy, vision, offensive awareness, defensive awareness, and hockey IQ to succeed in the NHL. Ryan Lin has the traits you want from an NHL defenseman. He does not dominate all three zones like Keaton Verhoeff and is not as big as Verhoeff, but he is a number one defenseman on his teams first line.
   
   
   
   Right now, the best advice I can give Mike Grier is to use the 2026, 2027, 2028, and 2029 NHL Drafts to get the best defneseman on the board so that the San Jose Sharks are positioned to be a perrenial Stanley Cup contender by 2030 at the very latest because San Jose has enough talent to where they can push for a playoff spot as early as 2028 with the offensive pieces in place. You got Ryan Lin and Daxon Rudolph available at defense in the 2026 NHL Draft if you miss out on Keaton Verhoeff. Landon DuPont headlines the 2027 NHL Draft as the top overall prospect despite being a defenseman with other defensemen in this draft class such as Diego Gutierez on the USNTDP, Malik l'Italian the top defenseman in the 2025 QMJHL Draft, Brock Cripps who went second behind DuPont in the 2024 WHL Draft, along with Aden Bouchard the third pick in the 2024 WHL Draft. Nolan Wolitski, Crosby Mateychuk the younger brother of Denton Mateychuk who was named after Pittsburgh Penguins legend Sidney Crosby, and Holden Sexsmith are defenders to watch in 2028. The 2029 NHL Draft features Holden Woulters along with Thor Liffiton two defensemen competing to be the top prospect in that draft with those two as the front runners to be the first two picks in the 2029 NHL Draft after both defensemen went in the top 4 picks of the 2025 WHL Draft. RJ Celebrini, Macklin's younger brother is the top prospect in 2030 at the moment, but I want to focus more on what the Sharks need to do at 4 in 2026 versus putting pressure on the younger brother of Macklin Celebrini. If San Jose can find a way to get four of the defensemen I mentioned in the next four NHL Drafts from 2026-2029, that path gives you the best chance of getting the San Jose Sharks a Stanley Cup because Macklin Celebrini has the talent to bring a Stanley Cup to San Jose down the road, but that will probably take place later in his career as Joe Sakic won the first of two Stanley Cups when he was 27. Mike Modano won his only Stanley Cup when he was 29 on the 1999 Dallas Stars which is when I began watching NHL explaining why I became a Stars fan while Steve Yzerman did not win his first of three Stanley Cups until he was 32 after going fourth overall in the 1983 NHL Draft to the Detroit Red Wings.
   
   
   
   There were only three defenseman that generated 50 points at the age of 16 in the WHL. One of those defenseman was New Jersey Devils legend Scott Niedermeyer. The other two are Ryan Lin the second best defenseman in the 2026 NHL Draft and the other guy is Landon DuPont, the first pick in the 2024 WHL Draft who won the WHL Rookie Of The Year last season guiding the Everett Silvertips to the leagues best regular season record as DuPont is the favorite to go first overall in the 2027 NHL Draft. The irony is the San Jose Sharks ended up with both of these players in this 2026 NHL Mock Draft and the 2027 NHL Mock Draft that I am working on for a later date. Ryan Lin was drafted sixth overall by the Vancouver Giants in the 2023 WHL Draft.
   
   
   
   Most NHL Draft scouting services for the 2026 NHL Draft have Ryan Lin as the eighth or ninth best prospect, but the reality is he is the best defenseman available if San Jose opts for a defenseman over a forward at 4 which the San Jose Sharks may opt to do considering how deep their prospect pool is at forward while already having a goalie of the future on the roster if things go south with Askarov. I said Ryan Lin could end up being the best offensive defenseman in the 2023 WHL Draft and that has exactly how things have transpired as Ryan Lin went from only playing one game as a rookie in the WHL to being the Vancouver Giants number one defenseman on the Vancouver Giants first line in his second season making him the fourth first line player behind Gavin McKenna, Keaton Verhoeff, and Ivar Stenberg in the 2026 NHL Draft.
   
   
   
   The 5-11 172 lb Ryan Lin has gained 20 lbs of muscle since being drafted by the Vancouver Giants with the sixth pick in the 2023 WHL Draft. Ryan Lin has a long stride when skating on the ice. He also knows how to take risks and when to take risks with his timing for taking risks at a precise level. Ryan Lin had 5 goals, 48 assists, 53 points, 14 penalty minutes only taking 7 penalties all season, and a +11 +/- ratio in 2024-2025. Ryan Lin had 0 goals, 2 assists, and 2 points in the 2025 WHL Playoffs.
   
   
   
   
   
5. Philadelphia Flyers: Ryan Roobroeck, LW, Niagara IceDogs (OHL)
   
   
   Philadelphia is in a great spot at 5 where they can take either one of the OHL studs between Ryan Roobroeck and Ethan Belchetz. Ryan Roobroeck has the versatility to play all three forward roles at left winger, center, and right winger. That versatility is what separates him over Ethan Belchetz. Ryan Roobroeck was drafted second overall by the Niagara IceDogs in the 2023 OHL Draft after entering that draft as the favorite to go first overall following the 2022 OHL Draft.
   
   
   
   I have Ryan Roobroeck listed as a left winger in this mock because the player I gave the Philadelphia Flyers in my 2027 NHL Mock Draft is a center, plus the Flyers spent two first round picks in the top half of the draft on both Jett Luchanko in 2024 and Jack Nesbitt in 2025, so that may prompt Philadelphia to try Roobroeck at left winger before converting him to center if neither Luchanko or Nesbitt wows the organization with left winger and center as the two main positions that Ryan Roobroeck plays even though Ryan Roobroeck is amazing at winning face offs. There are 14/15 scouting services have Ryan Roobroeck as the fourth best player in the 2026 NHL Draft with the other scouting service having him at 5 as most had Ryan Roobroeck as the clear cut number two player behind Gavin McKenna before Keaton Verhoeff and Ivar Stenberg jumped him on draft boards this summer. He is fourth on my big board, but I believe San Jose goes defense over forward if they get the fourth pick since San Jose has a lot of prospects at forward which caused Ryan Roobroeck to drop to Philadelphia at 5 in my first 2026 NHL Mock Draft.
   
   
   
   Ryan Roobroeck has the speed, explosion, burst, versatility, agility, skating, foot speed, playmaking, passing, shooting, sniping, wrist shot power, wrist shot accuracy, slap shot power, slap shot accuracy, vision, offensive awareness, defensive awareness, and hockey IQ to succeed in the NHL. Ryan Roobroeck is the fifth of ten players in the 2026 NHL Draft with experience on the first line along with Gavin McKenna, Keaton Verahoeff, Ivar Stenberg, and Ryan Lin.
   
   
   
   The 6-4 190 lb Ryan Roobroeck had 28 goals, 23 assists, 51 points, and a -34 +/- ratio in 63 OHL games as a rookie on the Niagara IceDogs as a second line center in 2023-2024. Ryan Roobroeck had 41 goals, 46 assists, 87 points, and a -7 +/- ratio in 64 OHL games in 2024-2025. Ryan Roobroeck had 3 goals, 3 assists, and 6 points in 5 games during the 2025 OHL Playoffs.
   
   
   
   Philadelphia is building an exceptional young core of forwards with Matvei Michkov and Porter Martone headlining that core of young stars. A couple more young stars like Ryan Roobroeck and one of the top 2 centers such as Rocco Pelosi or Alexis Joseph in the 2027 NHL Draft will allow the Philadelphia Flyers to make a run at the Stanley Cup Playoffs as early as 2027 with Philadelphia having excellent long-term stability by the time the next decade rolls around in 2030 similar to where the Philadelphia Flyers were twenty years ago heading into the 2009-2010 NHL Season.
   
   
   
6. Buffalo Sabres: Tynan Lawrence, C, Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
   
   
   The Buffalo Sabres ended the regular season moving first line center Tage Thompson back to right winger, the position he played entering the 2016 NHL Draft. This tells me the Buffalo Sabres do not have their first line center of the future on the roster since they traded a center they drafted in the top 10 in Matthew Savoie to Edmonton. One way to rectify this is to draft Muskegon Lumberjacks center Tynan Lawrence who ended up becoming the first line center on the eventual USHL Champions this past season. Buffalo will have to be patient with Lawrence though since he has two years of USHL eligibility left and does not enroll in Boston University until 2027. That is what Elite Prospects says, but he might enroll in 2026 especially if the Muskegon Lumberjacks find a way to repeat as Clarke Cup Champions in the USHL next season.
   
   
   
   Tynan Lawrence has the speed, explosion, burst, agility, skating, foot speed, playmaking, passing, shooting, sniping, wrist shot power, wrist shot accuracy, slap shot power, slap shot accuracy, vision, offensive awareness, defensive awareness, and hockey IQ to succeed in the NHL. Tynan Lawrence is the sixth of ten players in the 2026 NHL Draft with experience on the first line along with Gavin McKenna, Keaton Verahoeff, Ivar Stenberg, Ryan Lin, and Ryan Roobroeck.
   
   
   
   Tynan Lawrence was a first round pick in the QMJHL Draft. He opted for the USHL over the QMJHL despite going undrafted in the USHL Draft.
   
   
   
   The 5-11 170 lb Tynan Lawrence had 25 goals, 29 assists, 54 points, and a +23 +/- ratio in 2024-2025. Tynan Lawrence had 8 goals, 10 assists, 18 points, and only 2 penalty minutes in the 2025 USHL Playoffs after taking 49 in the regular season in 14 games during the 2025 USHL Playoffs leading the Muskegon Lumberjaccks to the 2025 Clarke Cup. The scary thing is he did all of that as a rookie, has two more USHL seasons left, does not enroll in college until 2027, and could be ready for the NHL by 2028 at the earliest with 2030 being the latest he becomes a professional hockey player meaning Lawrence has not even scratched the surface on what his is capable of yet while already being a USHL Champion.
   
   
   
   
   
7. Anaheim Ducks: Ethan Belchetz, LW, Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
   
   
   There are only four players with first line expereince left on the board, but one of them is a center. That is a position Anaheim is already stacked at and even more so after drafting Roger McQueen in the 2025 NHL Draft. This leaves Anaheim with Ethan Belchetz a former number one pick in the OHL Draft whose a top 7 prospect in all 15/15 scouting services, Daxon Rudolph a defenseman that was also a former number one pick in a WHL Draft, and Lars Steiner the top right winger in the 2026 NHL Draft who posted 60 points in the QMJHL. I believe Anaheim goes with the best player on the board and takes Ethan Belchetz at 7.
   
   
   
   Ethan Belchetz was drafted first overall by the Windsor Spitfires in the 2024 OHL Draft. Ethan Belchetz was also someone that an OHL scout told me could be a top 5 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. Quite frankly he still could be if he dominates in his draft year.
   
   
   
   Ethan Belchetz has the speed, explosion, burst, agility, skating, foot speed, playmaking, passing, shooting, sniping, wrist shot power, wrist shot accuracy, slap shot power, slap shot accuracy, vision, offensive awareness, defensive awareness, and hockey IQ to succeed in the NHL. Ethan Belchetz is the seventh of ten players in the 2026 NHL Draft with experience on the first line along with Gavin McKenna, Keaton Verahoeff, Ivar Stenberg, Ryan Lin, Ryan Roobroeck, and Tynan Lawrence.
   
   
   
   The 6-5 227 lb Ethan Belchetz had 17 goals, 21 assists, 38 points, 48 penalty minutes, and a -3 +/- ratio in 56 OHL games in 2024-2025. Ethan Belchetz was the Windsor Spitfires first line left winger in a majority of the games he played when he was healthy. The OHL regular season is 66 games, so Belchetz only missed 10 games with an injury which is why I would not put too much stock into his injury history.
   
   
   
8. New York Islanders: Daxon Rudolph, D, Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)
   
   
   The New York Islanders already drafted two first line defensemen in the 2025 NHL Draft in Matthew Schaefer and Kashawn Aicheson. Even if Matthew Schaefer begins the season as the number six defenseman playing on the New York Islanders third line, you know he will most likely be the New York Islanders number one defenseman on the first line by the start of the 2026 NHL season at the very latest. Kashawn Aitcheson sounds like he will return to the OHL despite speculation about him going to college. The best player on the board at 8 for the New York Islanders is Daxon Rudolph who went first overall in the 2023 WHL Draft.
   
   
   
   Daxon Rudolph has the speed, explosion, burst, agility, skating, playmaking, passing, shooting, sniping, wrist shot power, wrist shot accuracy, slap shot power, slap shot accuracy, vision, offensive awareness, defensive awareness, and hockey IQ to succeed in the NHL. Daxon Rudolph has the traits you want from an NHL defenseman as he plays all three zones at a high level in the offensive zone, defensive zone, and neutral zone. He is the best shot blocker not named Keaton Verhoeff in the 2026 NHL Draft. He is a number two defenseman on the Prince Albert Raiders instead of being a number one defenseman on his WHL team compared to two defensemen drafted after Daxon Rudolph in Keaton Verahoeff and Ryan Lin. Daxon Rudolph is the eighth player with experience playing on the first line in the 2026 NHL Draft.
   
   
   
   The 6-1 195 lb Daxon Rudolph had 7 goals, 34 assists, 41 points, 30 penalty minutes from 15 penalties, and a +13 +/- ratio in 2024-2025. Daxon Rudolph had 1 goal, 11 assists, and 12 points in 11 games in the 2025 WHL Playoffs averaging 1 assist per game.
   
   
   
   Drafting Daxon Rudolph gives the New York Islanders a third defenseman with experience as a number one defenseman that can play anywhere from 20 to 35 minutes a game. That is not a good problem to have. That is a great problem to have. Heck, I would argue this is an awesome problem for the New York Islanders to have since Matthew Schaefer will be the New York Islanders number one defenseman, Kashawn Aitcheson and Daxon Rudolph can compete for that number two spot next to Schaefer. The loser of that competition will most likely get demoted to the second line, but will be a very good number three defenseman on the Islanders second line down the road.
   
   
   
   The New York Islanders have Alexander Romanov, Ryan Pulock, Adam Pelech, Scott Mayfield, Tony DeAngelo, and Adam Boqvist as their six defenseman under contract for the 2025-2026 NHL Season. The New York Islanders have the flexibility to send Matthew Schaefer back to the Erie Otters in the OHL for this season, but something tells me the New York Islanders sign Matthew Schaefer to a rookie contract since he was drafted number one overall in the 2025 NHL Draft and use Adam Boqvist as a number seven defenseman for insurance since NHL Network projects Schaefer to be the number six defenseman on the New York Islanders third line eased into the NHL due to missing so many games with an injury last year. New York can ease Schaefer into their lineup this year and keep Boqvist as a scratch unless Orlov gets moved before the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline since Orlov is the only 2026 UFA on the New York Islanders defense. Adam Boqvist is a UFA in 2027 which means Kashawn Aitcheson probably replaces Adam Boqvist at that time making his NHL debut then. If the New York Islanders drafted Daxon Rudolph in the 2026 NHL Draft, Daxon Rudolph most likely replaces Adam Pelech in 2029 since his contract expires before Romanov, Pulock, and Mayfield. That would give Rudolph two more WHL seasons after this year along with a half of a season or a full season in the AHL until Adam Pelech gets traded. This is a fantastic problem for the New York Islanders to have with all of their short-term and long-term stability on defense.
   
   
   
   
   
9. Nashville Predators: Lars Steiner, RW, Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (QMJHL)
   
   
   Nashville goes with a right winger at 9. Lars Steiner was the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies first round pick in the 2024 CHL Import Draft with Rouyn-Noranda poaching Lars Steiner away from HC Davos a National League A team that plays professional hockey in Switzerland. Lars Steiner is an under the radar player that has a mid to late first round grade, but he is currently my ninth best player in the 2026 NHL Draft due to his experience as a first line right winger. Some believe he is a first line right winger at the NHL level while others believe Lars Steiner saw his production skyrocket due to playing on the same line as 2025 first round pick Bill Zonnon. Lars Steiner will not have Bill Zonnon on his line next season, so Lars Steiner will have to prove he can dominate as a player without Bill Zonnon and improve on his 60 point rookie season with the departure of Zonnon if he wants to be drafted in the top 10 of the 2026 NHL Draft. I was ahead of the curb on Carter Bear last year, and Lars Steiner is the guy not many people are talking about that I want to pound the table for in the 2026 NHL Draft. I may be ahead of the media on Lars Steiner, but whether I end up being right or wrong ultimately depends on how Steiner performs without Zonnon in the QMJHL this season.
   
   
   
   Lars Steiner has the speed, explosion, burst, agility, skating, foot speed, playmaking, passing, shooting, sniping, wrist shot power, wrist shot accuracy, slap shot power, slap shot accuracy, vision, offensive awareness, defensive awareness, and hockey IQ to succeed in the NHL. Lars Steiner is the ninth of ten players in the 2026 NHL Draft with experience on the first line along with Gavin McKenna, Keaton Verahoeff, Ivar Stenberg, Ryan Lin, Ryan Roobroeck, Tynan Lawrence, Ethan Belchetz, and Daxon Rudolph.
   
   
   
   The 5-10 177 lb Lars Steiner had 23 goals, 37 assists, 60 points, 44 penalty minutes taking 22 penalties, and a +12 +/- ratio in 57 QMJHL games in 2024-2025. Lars Steiner had 4 goals, 4 assists, and 8 points in 13 games during the 2025 QMJHL Playoffs. Lars Steiner gives you a right winger that can play on the Nashville Predators behind Jonathan Marchessault, but he can also take over for him if the former Vegas Golden Knights right winger that led Vegas in points in his contract year demands a trade out of Nashville at some point.
   
   
   
10. Calgary Flames: Viggo Bjorck, C, Djurgardens IF (Elitserien)
    
    
    Viggo Bjorck entered last year as the favorite to go second overall behind Gavin McKenna in the 2026 NHL Draft. Viggo Bjorck has played on the first line, second line, third line, and fourth line on the Djurgardens Under 20 Team. He also played all three forward roles at left winger, center, and right winger. When Anton Frondell got injured, he took the first line center job from him on the Under 20 Team and did not give it back due to a breakout campaign where he posted 74 points after entering the Fall of 2024 as the number two player behind McKenna, but this top 10 is so stacked that Bjorck plummetted all the way from 2 to 10 occupying the final spot in the top 10 of my first 2026 NHL Mock Draft. The drawback with Bjorck is he only has 1 game of experience on a pro team with men playing 1 game in Allsvenskan while Frondell the third pick in the 2025 NHL Draft had a lot more experience on Djurgardens IF in Allsvenskan before being drafted third overall by the Chicago Blackhawks even after knee surgery.
    
    
    
    Viggo Bjorck was the third line center on the Sweden Under 20 Team at the World Junior Summer Showcase. Like Ivar Stenberg he got promoted to the top line. Viggo Bjorck has the eye popping production that I wish Frondell showed me in Sweden. He also lacks expereince against men mainly playing against players his own age despite having amazing traits on tape while Frondell has some experience playing older players.
    
    
    
    Viggo Bjorck has the speed, explosion, burst, versatility, agility, skating, foot speed, playmaking, passing, shooting, sniping, wrist shot power, wrist shot accuracy, slap shot power, slap shot accuracy, vision, offensive awareness, defensive awareness, and hockey IQ to succeed in the NHL. Gavin McKenna, Keaton Verahoeff, Ivar Stenberg, Ryan Lin, Ryan Roobroeck, Tynan Lawrence, Ethan Belchetz, Daxon Rudolph, Lars Steiner, and Viggo Bjorck are the only ten players in the 2026 NHL Draft with experience playing on a top line. There are six other players that are raw that have potential to develop into top line players with much lower floors. Then the back half of the first round is filled with role players.
    
    
    
    Calgary needs all the star players they can get. Passing on someone as talented as Viggo Bjorck if they end up with a top 10 pick is not an option.
    
    
    
    
    
11. Calgary Flames: Xavier Villeneuve, D, Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (QMJHL)
    
    
    Calgary is back on the clock thanks to owning the Vegas Golden Knights 2026 first round pick. Vegas did get Mitch Marner in Free Agency to pair with Jack Eichel and Mark Stone. Their best defenseman Alex Pieterangelo had a career ending injury. Without him, the Vegas Golden Knights are due to regress for a few years until they draft a defenseman good enough to replace him. I had Noah Hanifin graded as the third best defenseman in the 2015 NHL Draft behind Ivan Provorov and Zach Werenski who I both liked more on tape than Hanifin. Also, I had Hanifin graded as a second line defenseman instead of a first line defenseman like most coming out of Boston College. Noah Hanifin showed he could be a decent number two complimentary defenseman for the first time in his career when he got traded to Vegas, but his NHL career so far has been up and down the first and second line whether that was the case in Carolina, Calgary, or Vegas.
    
    
    
    Noah Hanifin will get the opportunity to finally shine as a number one defenseman, but something tells me Hanifin squanders this opportunity. If I am right, there is a chance Vegas drafts this high in both 2026 and 2027 even with the addition of Mitch Marner. At this point, I believe Adin Hill has to be in the running to win the Vezina Trophy at goalie in order for the Vegas Golden Knights to return to the playoffs unless this team leads the NHL in both hits and penalty killing without their best defenseman to compensate for losing Alex Pietrangelo. Most of their core players from their 2023 Stanley Cup Championship team still on the roster are in or entering their thirties.
    
    
    
    When Vegas lost to Dallas in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, their cup window closed for good depsite having the talent to be a playoff team on a yearly basis. With their best defender suffering a career ending injury and 70 percent of this roster heading into their thirties or in their thirties, Vegas feels like a team that may be closer to a rebuild than a cup contender. That is why I gave the Calgary Flames the eleventh pick from Vegas. Vegas ended up at 16 in my 2027 NHL Mock barely missing the playoffs. This year feels like a transition year for Vegas without Alex Pieterangelo since Noah Hanifin a guy who is a number two or three defenseman on an NHL team whose good in that role on most teams now has to be the number one defenseman. Minnesota led the first round series against 2-1 leading game 4 with home ice before Vegas came back to win in 6 games. Edmonton also beat the Vegas Golden Knights in 5 games.
    
    
    
    Calgary is getting a defenseman here. Xavier Villenueve was the number four defenseman playing a complimentary role on the second line of Blainville-Boisbriand Armada defense among their three lines in the QMJHL. Xavier Villenueve was drafted seventh overall by the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada in the 2023 QMJHL Draft.
    
    
    
    Xavier Villenueve has the speed, explosion, burst, agility, skating, playmaking, passing, shooting, sniping, wrist shot power, wrist shot accuracy, slap shot power, slap shot accuracy, vision, offensive awareness, defensive awareness, and hockey IQ to succeed in the NHL. Xavier Villenueve has the traits of a first line NHL defenseman on a top defensive line pairing, the experience of a second line defenseman, and the size of a third line defenseman. A player with that kind of skill set could end up all over the place as he could end up being the eleventh player in the 2026 NHL Draft, but he could also be a bust.
    
    
    
    The thing is, Xavier Villenueve also won the Emile-Bouchard trophy for the best defenseman in the entire QMJHL despite being undersized. Despite his lack of size he did post 62 points in 61 games and became the first defenseman to win the Emile-Bouchard trophy in his plus one draft year since J.J. Daigenault a defenseman that went tenth overall in the 1984 NHL Draft that was headlined by Pittsburgh Penguins center Mario Lemieux. J.J. Daigenault had a sixteen year NHL career helping the Philadelphia Flyers make a Stanley Cup while also winning a Stanley Cup in Montreal despite the early part of his NHL career with the Vancouver Canucks, the team that drafted him not working out.
    
    
    
    The 5-10 150 lb Xavier Villenueve was 5-9 139 only adding 11 lbs of muscle since being drafted into the QMJHL two years ago. Xavier Villenueve posted 8 goals, 35 assists, 43 points, 26 penalty minutes, and a -10 +/- ratio as a rookie in 2023-2024. Xavier Villanueve had 1 goal, 4 assists, and 5 points in 7 games during the 2024 QMJHL Playoffs. Xavier Villenueve posted 12 goals, 50 assists, 62 points, 24 penalty minutes, and a +14 +/- ratio in 61 QMJHL games with the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada in 2024-2025. Xavier Villeneuve did worse in the 2025 QMJHL Playoffs with 0 goals, 4 assists, and 4 points in 5 games during the 2025 QMJHL Playoffs.
    
    
    
    Some NHL teams have Xavier Villeneueve as the second best defenseman in the 2025 NHL Draft behind only Keaton Verhoeff. Some have him third behind Verhoeff and Ryan Lin. Others have him fourth behind Verhoeff, Lin, and Daxon Rudolph. I loved Lane Hutson the player Villeneueve is being compared to, but my gut is telling me Villenueve is a bust. My friend believes I am overthinking this and that I am wrong. One team that reportedly loves Xavier Villeneuve is the Pittsburgh Penguins as he is a guy there fanbase is high on too. The more I talk about this guy the more I am convinced Xavier Villenueve last years Emile-Bouchard Trophy winner is the most polarizing layer in the 2026 NHL Draft. Someone will take him earlier than they should because of his offensive skillset.
    
    
    
12. Montreal Canadiens: Colin Fitzgerald, C, Peterborough Petes (OHL)
    
    
    Montreal drafts the best player on the board at 12. Colin Fitzgerald was once considered a top 5 talent in this draft. He ends up dropping to 12 in my first 2026 NHL Mock Draft. Colin Fitzgerald was drafted third overall by the Peterborough Petes in the 2024 OHL Draft.
    
    
    
    Colin Fitzgerald has the speed, explosion, burst, agility, skating, playmaking, passing, shooting, sniping, wrist shot power, wrist shot accuracy, slap shot power, slap shot accuracy, vision, offensive awareness, and hockey IQ to succeed in the NHL. Colin Fitzgerald needs to improve his defensive awareness, but he is the twelfth player with potential to play on first line in the 2026 NHL Draft.
    
    
    
    The 6-2 207 lb Colin Fitzgerald had 12 goals, 16 assists, 28 points, and a -21 +/- ratio in 2024-2025. Colin Fitzgerald has the floor of a third line center in the NHL and the ceiling of a first line center in the NHL in terms of his potential. He probably projects as a second line center in the NHL, but Montreal is a perfect fit for Colin Fitzgerald since he would start out as a third line center behind Nick Suzuki and Kirby Dach. He is also someone Montreal can ease into a bigger role.
    
    
    
    
    
13. Seattle Kraken: Braidy Wassilyn, LW, Niagara IceDogs (OHL)
    
    
    Braidy Wassilyn has the versatility to play all three forward roles at left winger, center, and right winger. He was a center prior to the 2024 OHL Draft, but after being drafted fourth overall by the Niagara IceDogs in the 2024 OHL Draft, he made the full-time transition to left winger.
    
    
    
    Braidy Wassilyn has the speed, explosion, burst, agility, skating, foot speed, playmaking, passing, sniping, wrist shot power, wrist shot accuracy, slap shot power, slap shot accuracy, vision, offensive awareness, defensive awareness, and hockey IQ to succeed in the NHL. Braidy Wassilyn was team captain of the Markham Majors GTHL team before joining the Niagara IceDogs. He was supposed to Boston University this Fall, but ultimately decided it would be best to return to the Niagara IceDogs to improve his game. Braidy Wassilyn will be on Boston University in 2026 though.
    
    
    
    The 5-11 194 lb Braidy Wassilyn is smaller than his projection heading into the OHL which was 6-1 195. Braidy Wassilyn had 8 goals, 31 assists, and 39 points with the Niagara IceDogs in 2024-2025. Braidy Wassilyn had 1 goal, 2 assists, and 3 points in 5 games in the 2025 OHL Playoffs.
    
    
    
    Braidy Wassilyn has the floor of a third line left winger and the ceiling of a first line left winger making him the thirteenth player with first line potential in the 2026 NHL Draft. With Jaden Schwartz set to be a UFA and Jared McCann set to enter a contract year, Seattle drafts Braidy Wassilyn here hoping things work out.
    
    
    
14. Detroit Red Wings: Mikey Berchild, C, USNTDP (USHL)
    
    
    Detroit should have a deadly first line by 2026 with Carter Bear, Dylan Larkin, and Lucas Raymond with Alex DeBrincat as the second line left winger in a contract year. You would also have Moritz Seider and Simon Edvinsson as your two first line defensemen with John Gibson as the starting goalie giving Detroit a strong first line pairing of forwards and defensemen to compliment the goalie they traded for. Getting a second line center if neither Marco Kasper or Nate Danielson steps up will be the next course of action. Mikey Berchild has the versatility to play all three forward roles at left winger, center, and right winger. That is exactly where Mikey Berchild potentially comes into play here as Mikey Berchild was picked first overall by the USNTDP in the 2024 USHL Draft as the United States Team Developmental Program owned the Omaha Lancers first round pick that year and took Berchild first overall in the 2024 USHL Draft.
    
    
    
    Leading up to the 2024 NHL Draft, Mikey Berchild was the defacto challenger to Gavin McKenna to be the first player picked in the 2026 NHL Draft. Then Viggio Bjorck jumped Berchild before Keaton Verhoeff and a bunch of other guys I mentioned jumped Berchild. Most NHL mock drafts have Mikey Berchild in the 18-22 range, but I believe he will go much earlier than that.
    
    
    
    Mikey Berchild has the speed, explosion, burst, versatility, agility, skating, foot speed, playmaking, passing, sniping, wrist shot power, wrist shot accuracy, slap shot power, slap shot accuracy, vision, offensive awareness, defensive awareness, and hockey IQ to succeed in the NHL. Mikey Berchild fell out of the top 5 of most 2026 NHL Mock Drafts due to other players outperforming him last year. When he was first drafted into the USHL his ceiling for the 2026 NHL Draft was second overall behind Gavin McKenna and his floor was tenth overall.
    
    
    
    The 5-9 172 lb Mikey Berchild had 14 goals, 7 assists, 21 points, 20 penalty minutes, and a -7 +/- ratio in 34 USHL games on the United States National Team Developmental Program in 2024-2025. Mikey Berchild was a first line player on the United States National Team Developmental Program playing left winger when L.J. Mooney lined up at center and he was a first line center when L.J. Mooney lined up at right winger. Outside of L.J. Mooney, Mikey Berchild was the most consistent first line player on the United States Developmental program, but having under 30 points on the USHL team, the US Under 18 Team, and the US Under 17 Team makes some scouts question his production despite having more experience on a first line than any player I mocked outside of the top 10. Despite this, Mikey Berchild is the fourteenth player with first line potential in the 2026 NHL Draft.
    
    
    
    Honestly, I believe NHL scouts are overthinking that and we should see a rapid improvement from Mikey Berchild in year 2 with the United States National Team Developmental Program. He will also play in the NCAA with Denver in 2026-2027 following the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.
    
    
    
    Detroit has the flexibility to make Mikey Berchild a line 2 left winger behind Carter Bear if Marco Kasper improves as Kasper only poasted 19 goals, 18 assists and 37 points as the Detroit Red Wings second line center behind team captain Dylan Larkin. If Marco Kasper does not improve and 2023 first round pick Nate Danielson who posted 12 goals, 27 assists, and 39 points in the AHL with the Grand Rapids Griffins does not take that leap as the second line center behind Dylan Larkin, there will be an opportunity for Mikey Berchild to supplant both Kasper and Danielson as the Detroit Red Wings second line center down the road if the Detroit Red Wings draft Mikey Berchild in the 2026 NHL Draft. Mikey Berchild has the experience to play on a first line, but unless Carter Bear, Dylan Larkin, or Lucas Raymond gets injured, he will end up playing in a second line role on an orgainzation on the Detroit Red Wings and with his experience on the first line, Mikey Berchild is capable of being that 50 point center that compliments Larkin whose capable of being a 70 point center.
    
    
    
    
    
15. Utah Mammoth: Adam Nemec, LW, HK Nitra (Tipos)
    
    
    Adam Nemec is the younger brother of defenseman Simon Nemec who was drafted second overall by the New Jersey Devils in the 2022 NHL Draft. There were three players on my radar for the 2026 NHL Draft back in the summer of 2022. Gavin McKenna, Ryan Roobroeck, and Adam Nemec were those three players since I knew Adam was Simon's younger brother back in 2022. Other players have impressed me as they got on radars though. Adam Nemec has lined up at left winger, center, right winger, and defenseman on both the left as well as the right side making Adam Nemec the first plug-in-play player I've scouted for the NHL Draft since Lukas Reichel back in the 2020 NHL Draft as Reichel played both winger roles while being used as a defenseman on the power play in Germany for Eisbaren Berlin. Adam Nemec can play any position on the ice as a skater, but he lined up as a left winger in the game I watched.
    
    
    
    Adam Nemec has the speed, explosion, burst, versatility, agility, skating, foot speed, playmaking, passing, sniping, wrist shot power, wrist shot accuracy, slap shot power, slap shot accuracy, vision, offensive awareness, defensive awareness, and hockey IQ to succeed in the NHL. Adam Nemec has the ceiling of a top 5 pick and the floor of a top 15 pick.
    
    
    
    The 6-1 176 lb Adam Nemec had 28 goals, 29 assists, 57 points, and a +42 +/- ratio in 43 games on the HK Nitra Under 20 Team in 2023-2024. Adam Nemec had 4 goals, 4 assists, and 8 points in 11 playoff games with the HK Nitra Under 20 Team. Adam Nemec had 28 goals, 23 assists, 51 points, and a +37 +/- ratio on the HK Nitra Under 20 Team in 2024-2025. Adam Nemec had 9 goals, 6 assists, and 15 points in 11 playoff games with the HK Nitra Under 20 Team. Adam Nemec also had 3 goals, 4 assists, 7 points, and a +6 +/- ratio in 20 games with HK Nitra in Tipos the professional hockey league in Slovakia. In fact the game I watched of Nemec where he had 1 goal and 2 assists was a Tipos game where he was competing against Slovakian men at the highest level.
    
    
    
    Adam Nemec has the floor of a third line left winger in the NHL and the ceiling of a first line left winger in the NHL. Adam Nemec is the fifteenth player with first line potential in the 2026 NHL Draft, but I think he projects as a second line left winger. Utah drafted Tij Iginla to be the eventual replacement to second line left winger Nick Schmaltz whose a 2026 UFA. Utah will draft Adam Nemec to be the eventual replacement to Lawson Crouse giving Utah Clayton Keller, Tij Iginla, and Adam Nemec as their top three left wingers if Nemec can crack the NHL by 2027. You would also have Logan Cooley, Caleb Desnoyers, and Barrett Hayton at center on the top three lines.
    
    
    
    If Utah let Clayton Keller walk in 2028, then you could see Tij Iginla on the first line and Adam Nemec on the second line. Utah should make the Stanley Cup Playoffs by 2027 and I believe they will win a playoff series by 2028, but whether Utah sustains this success will come down to whether Clayton Keller re-signs with Utah or goes elsewhere since Keller did demand a trade from Arizona at one point prior to the team relocating to Utah.
    
    
    
    I've only seen seven players from the 2026 NHL Draft conduct interviews in their plus 1 draft year. Those seven players were Gavin McKenna at the 2025 Memorial Cup, Tynan Lawrence on the Steel Flyers Podcast, Mikey Berchild on Steel Flyers, Adam Nemec on the I only Touch Greatness podcast, his teammate Tomas Chrenko on the I only Touch Greatness podcast, Simon Katolicky on the I only touch greatness podcast, and Adam Valentini on the Steel Flyers podcast. All seven of those interviews stood out in a big way. When NHL teams interview those seven they will see the passion, talent, and confidence those seven showcase as I have four of those seve in my top 15 with the other three players all getting picked in the back half of the first round.
    
    
    
16. Seattle Kraken: Mathis Preston, RW, Spokane Chiefs (WHL)
    
    
    I had a tough time deciding between Carolina and Tampa Bay as to who the final team in the Eastern Conference to make the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs would be. Ultimately I gave Carolina the edge over Tampa Bay. Seattle owns Tampa Bay's first round picks in 2026 and 2027, but both of those draft picks are top 10 protected. I do not believe Tampa Bay will be bad enough to finish in the bottom 10 this season, so Seattle will pick for Tampa Bay in this 2026 NHL Mock Draft.
    
    
    
    Mathis Preston has the versatility to play all three forward roles at left winger, center, and right winger. He was a center in Bantam hockey, but converted to right winger after being drafted third overall by the Spokane Chiefs in the 2023 WHL Draft.
    
    
    
    Mathis Preston has the speed, explosion, burst, versatility, agility, skating, foot speed, playmaking, passing, sniping, wrist shot power, wrist shot accuracy, slap shot power, slap shot accuracy, vision, offensive awareness, defensive awareness, and hockey IQ to succeed in the NHL. Mathis Preston has the floor of a third line forward at right winger as well as center and Mathis Preston has the ceiling of a first line forward at right winger and center and is the sixteenth player in the 2026 NHL Draft with first line potential. Mathis Preston mainly played on the third line last year due to Andrew Cristall being on the first line, but Preston should see more top 6 forward minutes in his draft year with the Spokane Chiefs.
    
    
    
    The 5-11 168 lb Mathis Preston had 23 goals, 22 assists, 45 points, and a +15 +/- ratio in 54 WHL games with the Spokane Chiefs in 2024-2025. Mathis Preston had 9 goals, 7 assists, and 16 points in 20 games during the 2025 WHL Playoffs helping the Spokane Chiefs win the Western Conference.