2026 NHL Mock Draft: Final Mock 7 Rounds

Round 2

Chris Ransom follow @DraftUtopia Last Updated: June 26, 2026.

33. Vancouver Canucks: Mathis Preston, RW, Vancouver Giants (WHL)
    
    
    Mathis Preston has the versatility to play all three forward roles at left winger, center, and right winger. He's the best player still on the board in the second round, and he's right in the Vancouver Canucks backyard. 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.
    
    
    
    Our 2026 NHL Draft Simulator is currently at 42 players. Mathis Preston was the top player that did not crack my top 32.
    
    
    
    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 is the thirty second 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. Mathis Preston had 18 goals, 26 assists, and 44 points in 46 WHL games in 2025-2026.
    
    
    
    Mathis Preston was a second line right winger on the Spokane Chiefs this year. He played first line right winger and left winger after being traded to the Vancouver Giants mainly since the Giants traded Cameron Schmidt, the Dallas Stars 2025 third round pick that they had in their top 32 to the Seattle Thunderbirds, who traded Schmidt to the Victoria Royals after his 100 point season in the WHL. Mathis Preston is the thirty second player with experience or potential to be on a first line outside of the top goalie in the 2026 NHL Draft.
    
    
    
    Mathis Preston can return to the WHL and develop. I don't see him playing on Vancouver's first line when Brock Boeser is there since Brock Boeser is locked up with Elias Petersson in Vancouver until 2032. Mathis Preston seems like an ideal player to replace Linus Karlsson as Vancouver's second line right winger when Linus Karlsson becomes a 2028 UFA.
    
    
    
34. Chicago Blackhawks: Marcus Nordmark, RW, Djurgardens IF (Elitserien)
    
    
    The Chicago Blackhawks need to get first line wingers for Connor Bedard. One guy that played with both Viggo Bjorck and Anton Frondell is Marcus Nordmark who would be a complimentary piece behind Vaclav Netrasil, Chicago's 2025 first round pick down the road.
    
    
    
    Marcus Nordmark has the speed, explosion, burst, agility, versatility, 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. Marcus Nordmark has the floor of a fourth line right winger and the ceiling of a second line right winger if you watch his tape on Djurgardens IF. He was a first line right winger on Sweden's teams at Sweden Under 20 Team at the World Junior Summer Showcase with Viggo Bjorck as his center as well as the World Junior Championship where he won a gold medal with Alexander Command as his first line center.
    
    
    
    The 6-1 183 lb Marcus Nordmark had 9 goals, 9 assists, 18 points, 10 penalty minutes, and a +17 +/- ratio in 17 games with the Djurgradens IF Under 20 Team. Marcus Nordmark also had 3 goals, 1 assist, and 4 points in 5 playoff games. Marcus Nordmark had 0 goals, 1 assist, and 1 point in 17 SHL games with Djurgardens IF in 2025-2026.
    
    
    
    
    
35. Calgary Flames: Jaxon Cover, LW, London Knights (OHL)
    
    
    Calgary uses this second round pick from the New York Rangers to get a left winger to add to their prospect pool. Jaxon Cover was the first line left winger on the London Knights and he's going to Penn State this Fall where he will compete with Pierce Mbyui to be the first line left winger job unless Gavin McKenna returns to Penn State for his sophomore season. I think McKenna goes straight to the NHL, but who knows. Cover will still compete with Mbyui for a top six role as the second line left winger if McKenna comes back which could be the difference between staying at Penn State for two years versus three years if McKenna does come back to Penn State.
    
    
    
    Jaxon Cover has the speed, explosion, burst, agility, skating, playmaking, passing, vision, offensive awareness, defensive awareness, and hockey IQ to succeed in the NHL. Jaxon Cover really improved his wrist shot power, wrist shot accuracy, slap shot power, and slap shot accuracy in his draft year which was his weakness coming into this year. Jaxon Cover is the thirty fourth player with experience or potential to play on a first line in the 2026 NHL Draft.
    
    
    
    The 6-1 185 Jaxon Cover had 20 goals, 32 assists, 52 points, a +9 +/- ratio, 48 penalty minutes, 6 power play goals, 160 shots on goal, 2 game-winning goals, and 7 faceoff wins in 67 OHL regular season games in 2025-2026. Jaxon Cover had 2 goals, 1 assist, and 3 points in 5 games during the 2026 OHL Playoffs.
    
    
    
36. Calgary Flames: Alexander Command, C, Orebro HK (Elitserien)
    
    
    Calgary grabs a center to stash and develop. Alexander Command is a center that is raw, but can develop for a few years in Sweden with his contract with Orebro HK running through 2028.
    
    
    
    Alexander Command has the skating, playmaking, passing, vision, wrist shot power, wrist shot accuracy, offensive awareness, defensive awareness, and hockey IQ to succeed in the NHL. Alexander Command mainly played on the fourth line of Orebro HK in the SHL, but he did play on the first line for Sweden at the World Junior Championships where he averaged a poinnt per game and won a gold medal. He also played on the second line behind Viggo Bjorck on the International Jr. team for Sweden averaging a point per game as well. This is the thirty fifth player with experience or potential on a first line outside of my top goalie in the top thirty six of the 2026 NHL Draft.
    
    
    
    The 6-1 187 lb Alexander Command had 17 goals, 27 assists, 44 points, and a +10 +/- ratoi on the Orebro HK Under 20 Team in 2025-2026. Alexander Command had 5 goals, 8 assists, and 13 points in 14 games in the Orebro HK Under 20 team in the 2026 Playoffs. Alexander Command had 0 goals, 0 assists, and 0 points in 6 SHL games.
    
    
    
    Alexander Command's Orebro HK contract in Sweden runs through 2027-2028. That is perfect timing with Mikael Backlund and Morgan Frost set to be UFA's as well as Connor Zary set to be an RFA by that point. That's why rolling the dice on a guy that many have in the first round like Alexander Command makes a ton of sense for Calgary if he falls to the second round.
    
    
    
    
    
37. Chicago Blackhawks: Adam Nemec, LW, Sudbury Wolves (OHL)
    
    
    Chicago needs to get wingers for their centers. Losing out on a top 2 pick really kept them from addressing that long-term, but with drafting a defenseman at 4, the centers, defenders, and goalies are there. I gave Chicago Marcus Nordmark with their first second round pick at right winger. I'm giving Chicago Adam Nemec the younger brother of Simon Nemec, who entered the Fall with a first round grade, but is now a second round prospect.
    
    
    
    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 is the thirty sixth player with experience or potential to play on a first line in the 2026 NHL Draft in the top thirty seven outside of the best goalie in the 2026 NHL Draft.
    
    
    
    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 3 goals, 12 assists, and 15 points in 28 games with HK Nitra in 2025-2026 before going over to the London Knights in the OHL. Adam Nemec had 14 goals, 21 assists, and 35 points in 31 OHL games in 2025-2026. Adam Nemec finished the regular season with both teams posting 17 goals, 33 assists, and 50 points in 2025-2026. Adam Nemec had 0 goals, 2 assists, and 2 points in 4 games in the 2026 OHL Playoffs.
    
    
    
    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 will continue developing in the OHL and will have two full seasons in the OHL before Chicago has to secure him to an entry-level contract.
    
    
    
38. Seattle Kraken: Jakub Vanecek, D, Tri-City Americans (WHL)
    
    
    Seattle drafts a defenseman. Jakub Vanecek is a defenseman that provides great value at this point in the second round since he was the Tri-City Americans first round pick in the 2025 CHL Import Draft.
    
    
    
    Jakub Vanecek has the skating, foot speed, playmaking, passing, vision, offensive awareness, defensive awareness, and hockey IQ to succeed in the NHL. Jakub Vanecek is the thirty seventh skater with experience or potential to play on a first line in the 2026 NHL Draft.
    
    
    
    The 6-1 191 lb Jakub Vanecek had 14 goals, 21 assists, 35 points, 20 penalty minutes, 112 shots on goal, 4 power play goals, and 2 game-winning goals in 2025-2026. Jakub Vanecek will be back on Tri-City next year and will not be taking the NCAA route.
    
    
    
    
    
39. Pittsburgh Penguins: Wyatt Cullen, LW, USNTDP (USHL)
    
    
    Pittsburgh drafts a forward with this second round pick. Wyatt Cullen is the son of former Carolina Hurricanes and Pittsburgh Penguins Stanley Cup winner Matt Cullen. Wyatt Cullen has the versatility to play all three forward roles at left winger, center, and right winger though.
    
    
    
    Wyatt went from a guy that wasn't even on the USNTDP roster at the beginnng of the season who got promoted to team captain of the USNTDP Under 18 Team by the end of the season. He started out at 5-8 146 back in October, but is now 6-1 180.
    
    
    
    Wyatt Cullen 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. Wyatt Cullen has the traits you covet his floor is second line left winger on an AHL team and his ceiling is first line left winger on an NHL team making Cullen a boom or bust pick with his injury history as he was injured multiple times in the season. He is the thirty eighth player with potential or experience on a first line as he played on the top line in the USA VS CHL Prospects Challenge recording 1 goal, 2 assists, and 3 points in a win for USA over the CHL.
    
    
    
    The 6-1 180 lb Wyatt Cullen had 16 goals, 29 assists, and 45 points in 40 games on the United States National Under 18 Team in 2025-2026. Wyatt Cullen had 6 goals, 10 assists, and 16 points in 15 USHL games as well in 2025-2026.
    
    
    
40. Florida Panthers: Brooks Rogowski, RW, Oshawa Generals (OHL)
    
    
    Florida gets their future fourth line right winger with this pick. Brooks Rogowski can play left winger, center, or right winger with his versatility.
    
    
    
    Brooks Rogowski has the 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. Brooks Rogowski is the thirty ninth skater with experience or potential to play on a first line in the 2026 NHL Draft.
    
    
    
    The 6-7 236 lb Brooks Rogowski had 15 goals, 27 assists, 42 points, 272 face off wis, 137 shots on goal, 7 power play goals, and 3 game-winning goals in 46 games with the Oshawa Generals in 2025-2026. Brooks Rogowski is going to Michigan State this Fall.
    
    
    
    
    
41. Vancouver Canucks: Samu Alalauri, D, Lahti Pelicans (SM Liiga)
    
    
    Vancouver drafts a defenseman prospect for the future to add to their prospect pool after trading Quinn Hughes away to Minnesota. Samu Alalauri is the Lahti Pelicans number two defenseman on their first line. He was also an alternate captain for the Finland Under 18 Little Lions team serving directly under Juho Piiparinen earlier this Spring in a hockey tournament.
    
    
    
    Samu Alalauri has the 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. Samu Alalauri is the fortieth player with experience or potential to play o a first line in the 2026 NHL Draft.
    
    
    
    The 6-2 215 lb Samu Alalauri had 6 goals, 19 assists, and 25 points in 40 games with the Lahti Pelicans Under 20 Team in 2025-2026. Samu Alalauri also had 1 goal, 3 assists, and 4 points as an alternate captain for Finland. Samu Alalauri is going to Massachusetts to play on the blue line with Landon Nycz and goalie Tobias Trejbal in 2026.
    
    
    
42. Nashville Predators: Egor Barabanov, C, Saginaw Spirit (OHL)
    
    
    Nashville is going to need multiple centers for the future. Egob Barabanov is a great value pick in the second round.
    
    
    
    Egor Barbanov 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. Egor Barabanov is the forty first player with experience or potential on a first line in the 2026 NHL Draft.
    
    
    
    The 6-0 175 lb Egor Barbanov had 28 goals, 63 assists, 91 points, 481 face off wins, 197 shots on goal, 11 power play goals, and 1 game-winning goal in 2025-2026. Egor Barabanov had 1 goal, 3 assists, and 4 points in 4 games during the 2026 OHL Playoffs.
    
    
    
    Egor Barbanov is heading to Massachusetts with Tobias Trejbal, Landon Nycz, and Samu Alalauri next season. He's a crafty creative guy and a playmaker who sees all his options. Saginaw signed him as a Free Agent and reloaded at center after losing Michael Misa, the second overall pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft.
    
    
    
    
    
43. Columbus Blue Jackets: Mans Gudmundsson, D, Farjestads BK (Elitserien)
    
    
    Columbus drafts another defender here since Zach Werenski is a 2028 UFA. Mans Gudmundsson was the number one defender on the Farjestads BK Under 20 Team this past season. His defensive play took a lot of pressure off of Mans Goos, the Dallas Stars 2025 fifth round pick at goalie.
    
    
    
    Mans Gudmundsson 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. Mans Gudmundssonis the forty second skater with experience or potential to play on a first line in the 2026 NHL Draft outside of the top goalie in this draft.
    
    
    
    The 6-2 188 lb Mans Gudmundsson had 1 goal, 24 assists, 25 points, and 10 penalty minutes with the Farjestads Under 20 Team in 2025-2026. Mans Gudmundsson had 1 goal, 4 assists, and 5 points in 7 playoff games.
    
    
    
44. New Jersey Devils: Samuel Eriksson, D, Farjestads BK (Elitserien)
    
    
    New Jersey gets another defender to stash and develop. Samuel Eriksson was linemates with Mans Gudmundsson on the Farjestds BK Under 20 Team.
    
    
    
    Samuel Eriksson has the 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. Samuel Eriksson is the forty third skater with experience or potentail to play on a first line.
    
    
    
    The 6-5 210 lb Samuel Eriksson had 3 goals, 3 assists, 6 points, and a +5 +/- ratio in 32 games with the Farjestads BK Under 20 Team in 2025-2026. Samuel Eriksson had 0 points in 7 playoff games. He also played 1 SHL game unlike Mans Gudmusson, but Mans Gudmunsson got an invite to the 2026 NHL Combine while Samuel Eriksson didn't.
    
    
    
    
    
45. Chicago Blackhawks: Zach Wooten, LW, Green Bay Gamblers (USHL)
    
    
    Chicago drafts another winger to stash and develop for the future here. Zach Wooten is one of the five best USHL players in this draft and rankly him in round 2 or 3 is way better value than Wyatt Cullen in the top 10 or round one for that matter. I want to type way in all caps to emphasize how much better of a value pick Zach Wooten is versus Wyatt Cullen in the first round, but I won't since I believe Cullen will get drafted ahead of Wooten due to his leadership traits and his father Matt Cullen playing in the NHL. Wyatt Cullen also interviewed really well too, but let's focus on why Zach Wooten should go in the top 50.
    
    
    
    Zach Wooten has the 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. Zach Wooten is the forty fourth player with experience or potential to play on a first line in the 2026 NHL Draft outside of the top goalie in this draft through forty five picks.
    
    
    
    The 6-2 209 lb Zach Wooten had 35 goals, 27 assists, 62 points, a +98 _/- ratio, 177 shots, 7 power play goals, 5 game-winnng goals, 4 short-handed goals, and 2 goals in penalty shootouts in 61 games with the Green Bay Gamblers in 2025-2026. Zach Wooten had 2 goals, 0 assists, and 2 points in 2 games in the 2026 USHL Playoffs.
    
    
    
    Zach Wooten is going to Wisconsin this Fall. Zach Wooten can develop further there and the team that drafts him will not have to rush him up to the NHL.
    
    
    
46. Los Angeles Kings: Luke Schairer, D, USNTDP (USHL)
    
    
    The Los Angeles Kings own this second round pick from Columbus, but do not have their own second round pick. Los Angeles uses this pick to get a younger defenseman that can arrive on the Los Angeles Kings in a few years. Luke Schairer is the top defenseman on the USNTDP team and you can honestly make an argument that he's the top prospect on their entire roster. Drew Doughty is in a contract year and there are other defensemen that will become UFA's soon, so drafting Luke Schairer and adding him to the Los Angeles Kings prospect pool feels necessary.
    
    
    
    Luke Schairer has the skating, playmaking, passing, vision, offensive awareness, defensive awareness, and hockey IQ to succeed in the NHL. Luke Schairer was the number one defender on the USNTDP USHL team meaning he played against men more than anyone on the USNTDP team versus other players like Wyatt Cullen Luke Schairer is the forty fifth player with experience on a first line or first line potential in the 2026 NHL Draft outside of the top goalie.
    
    
    
    The 6-3 195 lb Luke Schairer had 1 goal, 8 assists, 9 points, and a + in 25 games with the UNSTDP USHL team in 2025-2026. Luke Schairer needs to develop his shot when he goes to Boston University if he wants to succeed in the NHL.
    
    
    Previous Pick: Arseni Ilyin, LW, SKA Saint Petersburg (KHL)
    
    
    
    
47. Detroit Red Wings: Matias Vanhanen, LW, Everett Silvertips (WHL)
    
    
    The Detroit Red Wings have Alex Debrincat as their first line left winger in a contract year, Dylan Larkin, their 2014 first round pick and team captain as their first line center, and Lucas Raymond their 2020 first round pick as their first line right winger. Emmitt Finne their 2023 seventh round pick is now expected to play on the top six next season after playing all 82 NHL games this past season, Andrew Copp is their second line enter, and J.T. Compher is their second line right winger. Detroit could have Carter Bear their 2025 first round pick as their third line left winger, Michael Rasmussen their 2017 first round pick as their third line center, and Mason Appleton as their third line right winger. Detroit could have Marco Kasper their 2022 first round pick as their fourth line center after being Detroit's second line center in 2024-2025, and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, Detroit's 2024 first round pick is their fourth line right winger.
    
    
    
    The Detroit Red Wings have Moritz Seider their 2019 first round pick as their number one defenseman on their first line and Simon Edvinsson their 2021 first round pick complimenting him on the first line as an RFA this offseason. Both of those defensemen were drafted sixth overall in their respective draft years. Justin Faulk was a number one defenseman on the Carolina Hurricanes and St. Louis Blues, but now he is a number three defenseman anchoring the Red Wings second line with Axel Sandin-Pellikka the Red Wings second 2022 first round pick complimenting him. Detroit has Ben Chiarot and Jaob Beranrd-Docker complimenting him. Albert Johansson is a seventh sdefenseman for depth.
    
    
    
    Detroit Red Wings starting goalie John Gibson enters a contract year next season. The backup goalie Cam Talbot is a UFA this summer. Detroit Red Wings 2021 first round pick Sebastian Cossa drafted fourteenth overall in 2021 has had three strong seasons in the AHL with the Grand Rapids Griffins. Michal Postava an undrafted goalie that played for HC Kometa Brno in Extraliga in the Czech Republic dominated down the stretch for the Grand Rapids Griffins, so Cossa will have competition for the backup goalie job behind John Gibson. Detroit Red Wings 2023 second round pick Trey Augstine will be the backup goalie on the Grand Rapids Griffins next season.
    
    
    
    Detroit drafts a future left winger since fourth line left winger is an immediate need. Matias Vahanen was so good with the Everett Silvertips after coming over from Finland in the 2025 CHL Import Draft, that Carter Bear, Detroit's 2025 first round pick moved from first line left winger to first line right winger just to give Matias Vanhanen an opportunity to play on the Everett Silvertips top line.
    
    
    
    Matias Vanhanen 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. Matias Vanhanen is the forty sixth player with experience on a first line or potential to play on a top line in the 2026 NHL Draft outside of the top goalie in this years draft.
    
    
    
    The 5-10 177 lb Matias Vanhanen had 21 goals, 66 assists, 87 points, 154 shots on goal, 6 game-winning-goals, 3 power play goals, a +58 +/- ratio, and 6 penalty minutes in 62 WHL games in 2025-2026 during his rookie WHL season. Matias Vanhanen had 12 goals 12 assists, 24 points, and a +17 +/- ratio in 18 games during the 2026 WHL Playoffs. Matias Vanhanen also led all players with 8 goals during the 2026 Memorial Cup where the Kitchener Rangers, the 2026 OHL Champion defeated the Everett Silvertips, the 2026 WHL Champion.
    
    
    
48. Florida Panthers: Brady Knowling, G, USNTDP (USHL)
    
    
    Florida loses their starting goalie and backup goalie as both are UFA's. Even if Sergei Bobrovsky comes back, Florida is at a tipping point where they need to draft their goalie of the future since they traded Spencer Knight, their 2019 first round pick to Chicago to get defenseman Seth Jones.
    
    
    
    Tobias Trejbal was my only first round goalie. I was torn between Brady Knowling and Dmitry Borichev here. Brady Knowling was the only other goalie outside of Trejbal that checked off all 10 boxes in a goalie.
    
    
    
    The 6-5 205 lb Brady Knowling had a 3.33 goals against average, and .886 save percentage in 15 USHL games with the USNTDP team in 2025-2026. Brady Knowling had 42 saves in a 4-2 win over the CHL in the Team USA VS CHL Prospects Game.
    
    
    
    Style, Post Integration, Glove, Blocker Pad, Reading The Puck By Tracking, Rebound Control, Post Save Recovery, Quickness, Footwork, and Puckhandling. Those are ten different categories that NHL Draft Scouts use to evaluate goalies. Tobias Trejbal is the best goalie in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft and he checks off all ten boxes, but the other goalie that checks off those 10 boxes in this draft is Brady Knowling. Tobias Trejbal has the goals against average and save percentage to sneak into the first round and Knowling doesn't, that's the difference between those two goalies.
    
    
    
    Brady Knowling will go to Boston University. That is where Dallas Stars goalie Jake Oettinger played college hockey. If his GAA and save percentage improve there, he could be a really good NHL starting goalie down the road.
    
    
    
    
    
49. Toronto Maple Leafs: Brek Liske, D, Everett Silvertips (WHL)
    
    
    The Los Angeles Kings are going to move Quinton Byfield up from the second line to the first line with Anze Kopitar retiring. One player the Los Angeles Kings may draft here is Miami Ohio center Ilia Morozov.
    
    
    
    Ilia Morozov has the speed, 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. Ilia Morozov has the floor of a third line center and the ceiling of a first line center making him the seventeenth player with the experience and ceiling to play on a top line. With Byfield on the Kings, Morozov will probably be eased into a second line center role which might suit him better.
    
    
    
    The 6-3 205 lb Ilia Morozov had 11 goals, 11 assists, and 22 points as a first line center on the Tri-City Storm in the USHL 2024-2025 as a 16-year-old. Ilia Morozov had 8 goals, 12 assists, and 20 points on Miami Ohio as a freshman in 2025-2026 after beginning the season as the youngest player in Division 1 hockey.
    
    
    
50. Anaheim Ducks: Chase Harrington, LW, Spokane Chiefs (WHL)
    
    
    Washington got Anaheim's first round pick when they traded their most experienced defender John Carlsson away. One player Washington likes that they could stash for the future is Maddox Dagenais.
    
    
    
    The top foward available is Maddox Dagenais the Quebec Remparts center. Maddox Dagenais was drafted first overall by the Quebec Remparts in the 2024 QMJHL Draft. Maddox Dagenais was originally a center, but he converted to right winger in his NHL Draft year.
    
    
    
    Maddox Dagenais has the speed, explosion, burst, agility, skating, versatility, 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. Maddox Dagenais has the floor of a third line center on an NHL team and the ceiling of a first line center. He moved to right winger and started out as a second line right winger and got promoted to a first line right winger. Maddox Dagenais is the eighteenth player with first line potential in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.
    
    
    
    The 6-4 196 lb Maddox Dagenais had 12 goals, 14 assists, and 26 points in 43 QMJHL games in 2024-2025. Maddox Dagenais had 0 goals, 0 assists, and 0 points in 4 games in the 2025 QMJHL Playoffs. Maddox Dagenais had 30 goals, 32 assists, 62 points, 10 power play goals, and 4 game-winning-goals in 62 games averaging a point per game in 2025-2026. Maddox Dagenais had 3 goals, 3 assists, and 6 points in 11 games during the 2026 QMJHL Playoffs.
    
    
    
    Maddox Dagenais can return to the QMJHL. He could replace Anthony Beaulivier whose in a contract year as early as next season in 2027.
    
    
    
    
    
51. Calgary Flames: Beckett Hamilton, C, Red Deer Rebels (WHL)
    
    
    Utah could have Clayton Keller as their first line left winger, Logan Cooley as their first line center, and Dylan Guenther as their first line right winger next season. Utah could have Tij Iginla as their second line left winger, Caleb Desnoyers as their second line center, and Daniil But as their second line right winger. Utah could have JJ Peterka as their third line left winger, Barrett Hayton as their third line center, and Michael Carcone as thier third line right wiger. Utah could have Jack McBain as their fourth line left winger, Nick Schmaltz as their fourth line center, and Brandon Tanev as their fourth line right winger.
    
    
    
    Mackenzie Weegar and Mikhail Sergachev the two first line defensemen on the Utah Mammoth are both back with both defensemen under contract through 2030-2031. John Marino and Nate Schmidt, the two second line defensemen on the Utah Mammoth are both back next season. Sean Durzi will be back as the number five defenseman. Dmitri Simashev could take over for Ian Cole as the number six defenseman on this third line next season after being a 2023 first round pick that was drafted sixth overall by the Arizona Coyotes in 2023 one year before the franchise moved to Utah.
    
    
    
    Karel Vejmelka will be back as the starting goalie for the Utah Mammoth. Vitek Vanecek is a UFA, but hif he leaves, Utah could bring up Michael Hrabel the goalie that was ddrafted by Arizona in the second round of the 2023 NHL Draft as a backup goalie on a rookie deal since Jacob Fowler is already in the NHL now as a backup goalie since Hrabel was drafted ahead of Jacob Fowler. If Utah doesn't re-sign Vanecek and does not want to bring up Hrabel, they could target another goalie while reloading this roster with younger players on rookie deals to replace the UFA's with only $5 million in cap space.
    
    
    
    Utah drafts a player to stash and develop. Adam Novotny was drafted eighth overall in the 2024 CHL Import Draft. Adam Novotny has the versatility to play both left winger and right winger.
    
    
    
    Adam Novotny 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 Novotny has the ceiling of a top 15 pick and the floor of a top 20 pick. Adam Novotny is the nineteenth player with experience as well as potenital to be a first line player in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.
    
    
    
    The 6-1 204 lb Adam Novotny had 34 goals, 31 assists, 65 points, 8 power play goals, 8 game-winning goals, 1 short-handed goal and a 278 goals in his rookie season with the Peterborough Petes in 2025-2026. Adam Novotny had 0 goals, 1 assist, and 1 point in 6 games during the 2026 OHL Playoffs.
    
    
    
    Adam Novotny would be a player that Utah develops long-term. Clayton Keller is a UFA in 2028, and I'm guessing that is when Adam Novotny would arrive in the NHL if Clayton Keller didn't get extended when he becomes a UFA. If Utah extends Keller, then he will probably spend a year in the AHL before competing for a spot on Utah in 2029.
    
    
    
52. Edmonton Oilers: Dmitry Borichev, G, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL) (KHL)
    
    
    San Jose owns the Edmonton Oilers 2026 first round pick. San Jose took a left winger at 2 in Ivar Stenberg. They use this pick to add a defenseman.
    
    
    
    San Jose has Dmitry Orlov and Shakir Mukhamadullin, the New Jersey Devils third 2020 first round pick from the Timo Meier trade as their two first line defensemen. Sam Dickinson, San Jose's second 2024 first round pick who many had going in the top 10 of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft will be promoted from the number four defenseman on the second line to the number three defenseman anchoring the second line with Luca Cagnoni their 2023 fifth round pick that I had a second round grade on complimenting him. It's also possible that Sam Dickinson beats out Shakir Mukhamadullin for the number two defenseman spot on the first line in camp next year. John Klingberg is a UFA and Luca Cagonin their 2023 fifth round pick that I had a second round grade on got some limited NHL action as a number six defenseman and looked good, so he might get an opportunity to play on the second line with a strong camp. San Jose needs two more defensemen short-term and two more defensemen long-term if 2025 second round pick Simon Wang pans out. Malte Gustafsson the Swedish defenseman on HV71 has shown he can be a number two defenseman on a first line overseas in Sweden, and with him being a consensus top 16 prospect, he's an obvious choice for the San Jose Sharks at 20.
    
    
    
    Malte Gustafsson has the 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. Malte Gustafsson is the twentieth player with experience on a first line or potential to play on a first line in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.
    
    
    
    The 6-4 201 lb Malte Gustafsson had 0 goals, 3 assists, and 3 points in 27 SHL games in 2025-2026. Malte Gustafsson had 0 goals, 0 assists, and 0 points in 4 games during the 2026 SHL Playoffs in the league once known as Elitserien now more commonly referred to as the SHL.
    
    
    
    
    
53. Philadelphia Flyers: Jayden Kurtz, D, Rogers HS (MN)
    
    
    Philadelphia could have Tyson Foerster their 2020 first round pick as their first line left winger, Trevor Zegras as their first line center, and Porter Martone their 2025 first round pick as their first line right winger. Philadelphia could have Owen Tippett back at full health as their second line left winger, Christian Dvorak who got some reps at first line center in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs as their second line center, and Matvei Michkov their 2023 first round pick as their second line right winger. Denver Barkey, Philadelphia's 2023 third round pick could be their third line left winger, Jett Luchanko, Philadelphia's 2024 first round pick could be their third line center, and Travis Konecny, Philadelphia's 2015 first round pick will remain the third line right winger behind the Philadelphia Flyers young stars at right winger despite being an alternate captain. Philadelphia could have Noah Cates as their fourth line left winger, Sean Couturier, Philadelphia's 2011 first round pick as well as team captain as their fourth line center, and Garnet Hathaway as their fourth line right winger.
    
    
    
    Philadelphia has Jamie Drysdale and Travis Sanheim back as their two first line defenseman. Oliver Bonk, Philadelphia's second 2023 first round pick is the number three defenseman on the second line with Cam York their 2019 first round pick complimenting him as the number four defensemen on the second line. Philadelphia could have Rasmus Ristolainen if he comes back or David Jiricek if he doesn't as their number five defenseman anchoring the third line with Nick Seeler as their number six defenseman.
    
    
    
    Philadelphia has Dan Vladar in a contract year at goalie next season. Samuel Ersson the Philadelphia Flyers 2018 fifth round pick is an RFA. Both goalies showed they could be low-end starters and Carson Bjarnason, Philadelphia's 2023 second round pick is already showing promise on the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in the AHL.
    
    
    
    Philadelphia is in a great spot at 21. JP Hurlbert has the versatility to play all three forward roles at left winger, center, and right winger. That versatility is why JP Hurlbert comes off the board here. JP Hurlbert was drafted twentieth overall by the Kamloops Blazers in the 2023 WHL Draft.
    
    
    
    JP Hurlbert 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. JP Hurlbert is the twenty first player with experience or potential to play on a first line in the NHL since he was a top line guy at the WHL.
    
    
    
    The 6-0 182 lb JP Hurlbert had 42 goals, 55 assists, 97 points, 9 power play goals, 4 game-winning goals, 249 shots on goal, 170 face off wins, and a +13 +/- ratio in 68 WHL games in 2025-2026. JP Hurlbert had 1 goal, 2 assists, and 3 points in 4 games in the 2026 WHL Playoffs
    
    
    
    Philadelphia is building an exceptional young core of forwards with Matvei Michkov and Porter Martone headlining that core of young stars. That young core allowed them to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins in a playoff series. JP Hurlbert won the Jim Piggot Memorial Trophy as the WHL Rookie Of The Year and JP Hurlbert is going to Michigan this Fall. All four of Michigan's centers are under contract until 2030. I think JP Herlbert will spend three years at Michigan if the Flyers draft him and will be signed in 2029 spending a year with Lehigh Valley in the AHL before making the jump to the NHL in 2030.
    
    
    Previous Pick: Ryan Roobroeck, LW, Niagara IceDogs (OHL)
    
    
54. Pittsburgh Penguins: Myles Brosnan, D, Dexter Southfield HS (MA)
    
    
    Pittsburgh drafts their goalie for the future. One goalie that wowed me at the 2025 USHL Fall Classic was Youngstown Phantoms goalie Tobias Trejbal who had a 33 save shutout back in September. When I watched Trejbal at that time he had a sixth round grade, but I knew he was going to be the first goalie drafted in that moment after watching him play in person.
    
    
    
    The 6-4 188 lb Tobias Trejbal went 30-9-3 witha 2.12 goals against average and a .916 save percentage in 42 USHL games in 2025-2026. Tobias Trejbal went 1-2-1 witha 1.66 goals against average and a .896 save percentage in the 2026 USHL Playoffs. Tobias Trejbal was a finalist for 2025-2026 USHL Rookie Of The Year. He was the 2026 USHL Goalie Of The Year just like Jacob Fowler.
    
    
    
    Style, Post Integration, Glove, Blocker Pad, Reading The Puck By Tracking, Rebound Control, Post Save Recovery, Quickness, Footwork, and Puckhandling. Those are ten different categories that NHL Draft Scouts use to evaluate goalies. Tobias Trejbal is the best goalie in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft and he checks off all ten boxes. I believe he's gonna be an NHL starting goalie and Pittsburgh needs a long-term goalie. Tobias Trejbal is going to play college hockeyin the NCAA at the Unversity of Massachusetts.
    
    
    
    
    
55. Calgary Flames: Timofei Runtso, D, Victoria Royals (WHL)
    
    
    The Ottawa Senators were supposed to lose this first round pick for tampering. Instead, the NHL gave them this pick back, but they will pick at 32 in the 2026 NHL Draft and cannot trade the pick.
    
    
    
    The Ottawa Senators have Brady Tkachuk, their 2018 first round pick drafted fourth overall as their first line left winger as well as their team captain with Tkachuk only having two years left on his contract before he becomes a UFA in 2028, Tim Stutzle drafted third overall in the 2020 NHL Draft as their first line center, and Drake Batherson their 2017 fourth round pick as their first line right winger with Drake Batherso entering a contract year next season. Ottawa has Warren Fogele as their second line left winger in a contract year next season, Dylan Cozens is their second line center, and Michael Amadio, Ottawa's third line right winger will get promoted to second line right winger unless second line right winger Claude Giroux, a UFA this Summer, re-signs with Ottawa. Ottawa has Ridly Greig their third 2020 first round pick as well as their late first round pick from the 2020 NHL Draft as a third line left winger, Shane Pinto, their 2019 second round pick as their third line center, and Fabian Zetterlund will get promoted from fourth line right winger to third line right winger if Claude Giroux leaves. Ottawa needs fourth line forwards with left winger Nick Cousins, center Lars Eller, and a fourth line right winger if Claude Giroux leaves.
    
    
    
    The Ottawa Senators have Jake Sanderson, their fifth overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft as their number one defenseman and Thomas Chabot their 2015 first round pick as their number two defenseman complimenting Jake Sanderson on their first line with Chabot under contract until 2028 beore he becomes a UFA. Ottawa has Artem Zub also pronounced Artyom Zub as their number three defenseman anchoring the second line as Zub was an undrafted defenseman that has spent his NHL career with Ottawa despite going undrafted in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft with Tyler Kleven, Ottawa's 2020 second round pick and fourth pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft as the number four defenseman on Ottawa's second line. Carter Yakemchuk, Ottawa's 2024 first round pick finally saw significant minutes on the third line as the number five defensemen, but that may have been due to both Jake Sanderson and Artem Zub being injured before game 4 of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs where Carolina swept Ottawa.. Jordan Spence, who filled in for an injured Jake Sanderson is an RFA this summer and the number six defenseman on Ottawa. Nikolas Matinpalo gives you a number seven defenseman for depth too.
    
    
    
    The Ottawa Senators extended starting goalie Linus Ullmark. Leevi Merilainen, Ottawa's 2020 third round pick and the sixth player Ottawa drafted in the 2020 NHL Draft is now the fifth player from Ottawa's 2020 NHL Draft to crack the NHL as he beat out veteran James Reimer for the backup goalie job. This gives Ottawa the flexibility to let James Reimer walk for nothing.
    
    
    
    Ottawa pounds the table for the top Russian in this years draft. Most scouts do not have a Russian player in the first round and this guy is a third round prospect in most scouting services around pick 72. This player blew me away on tape to the point where I moved them into my top 32. That's the type of impact Lavr Gashilov can bring to an NHL team.
    
    
    
    Lavr Gashilov has the 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. Lavr Gashilov has the mindset of a defensive center that can be used as a grinder. He is also a great shot blocker. Lavr Gashilov was a first line center and alternate captain on Avotmobilist Yekaterinburg's MHL team. He also won a mind boggling 72 percent of his faceoffs in the MHL this season which is the best of any player in this years 2026 NHL Draft. Lavr Gashilov is the thirty first player with experience or potential to play on a first line in the NHL and through thirty two picks the only pick that wasn't a first line skater was a goalie. His exceptional play defensively also allows an NHL team to plug him into a back six role.
    
    
    
    The 6-2 170 lb Lavr Gashilov had 15 goals, 25 assists, 40 points, a +20 +/- ratio, 12 penalty minutes, and won 69 percent of his faceoffs as a rookie in on Avotmobilist Yekaterinburg's MHL team in 43 games in 2024-2025. Lavr Gashilov had 16 goals, 53 assists 69 points, a +25 +/- ratio, 20 penalty minutes, and won 72 percent of his faceoffs in his second season on Avotmobilist Yekaterinburg's MHL team in 2025-2026. Lavr Gashilov had 3 goals, 5 assists, 8 points, 6 penalty minutes, and a +2 +/- ratio in 15 games during the 2026 MHL Playoffs.
    
    
    
    His captain scored the first goal at left winger in the game I watched, but he scored the second goal, and his right winger scored the third goal in the game I watched. There are people in Russia saying Lavr Gashilov is the next in line to be captain of Avotmobilist Yekaterinburg's MHL team with a possible promotion to the VHL and possibly the KHL next season with next year being his final year under contract with Avotmobilist Yekaterinburg. If an NHL team drafts Lavr Gashilov, they can sign him to an entry-level contract in 2027. Ottawa could make Lavr Gashilov their fourth line center as early as 2027, or they could start him in the AHL on the Belleville Senators and make him earn NHL playing time if they manage to attract a quality Free Agent. Even if Gashilov goes to the AHL for a few years, he should be ready for the NHL by 2030, worst case scenario when both Dylan Cozens, Ottawa's second line center, and Shane Pinto, Ottawa's third line center become UFA's.
    
    
    
    I think Lavr Gashilov could be Ottawa's fourth line center down the road. The Ottawa Senators already got Tim Stutzle, Dylan Cozens, and Shane Pinto locked up until 2030. They do not have a fourth line center for next season. If Ottawa doesn't like the fourth line center options on the Free Agency market, they can get someone on a one to three year deal and draft Lavr Gashilov with this first round pick to stash and develop.
    
    
    
56. Boston Bruins: Landon Nycz, D, Massachusetts
    
    
    Boston is looking at drafting a defenseman at 23. William Hakansson makes a lot of sense here as he has the upside to develop into a first line defenseman.
    
    
    
    William Hakansson 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. William Hakansson is the twenty second skater with experience or potential to play on a first line. The other player in my first round was Youngstown Phantoms goalie Tobias Trejbal. I had Jacob Fowler at twenty first on my big board in 2023, and I only got Trejbal one spot lower on my 2026 NHL Draft Big Board.
    
    
    
    The 6-4 207 lb William Hakansson had 0 goals, 2 assists, 2 points, and a +1 +/- ratio in 22 SHL games in 2025-2026. William Hakansson had 0 goals, 0 assists, and 0 points in 9 games in the 2026 SHL Playoffs. William Hakanson showed he could execute a wrist shot and slap shot effectively despite not scoring in the SHL. He's great at blocking shots and hitting players by crashing them into the boards which is why some have him and Malte Gustafsson in the defensive defenseman category.
    
    
    
    William Hakansson's contract with Lulea HF runs through 2027-2028. William Hakansson will not be on the NHL team that drafts him until 2028 at the very earliest despite his ceiling.
    
    
    Previous Pick: Ivar Stenberg, LW, Frolunda Indians (Elitserien)
    
    
57. Vancouver Canucks: Ryan Roobroeck, LW, Niagara IceDogs (OHL)
    
    
    Vancouver gets their left winger of the future. Ryan Roobroeck has the versatility to play all three forward roles at left winger, center, and right winger. That versatility is what makes Ryan Roobroeck a first round pick still even after a down year in his draft year. 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.
    
    
    
    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 6-4 215 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. Ryan Roobroeck had 30 goals, 28 assists, 58 points, a 1+/- ratio, 10 power play goals, 6 game-winning goals, and 2 face off wins after converting from center to left winger full-time in 2025-2026.
    
    
    Previous Pick: Elton Hermansson, RW, Modo Hockey (Elitserien)
    
    
    
    
58. Seattle Kraken: Liam Ruck, RW, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
    
    
    Seattle uses this first round pick on a right winger for depth. Liam Ruck had an excellent season with the Medicine Hat Tigers stepping up after Gavin McKenna left for Penn State.
    
    
    
    Liam Ruck was drafted ninth overall by the Medicine Hat Tigers in the 2023 WHL Draft. Liam Ruck also has a twin brother named Markus Ruck that plays center.
    
    
    
    Liam Ruck 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. Liam Ruck is the twenty fourth player with experience on a first line or potential to play on the first line in the NHL..
    
    
    
    The 6-0 175 lb Liam Ruck had 25 goals, 16 assists, 41 points, and a +17 +/- ratio in 51 WHL games with the Medicine Hat Tigers in 2024-2025. Liam Ruck had 6 goals, 4 assists, and 10 points in 18 games helping the Medicine Hat Tigers win the WHL during the 2025 WHL Playoffs. Liam Ruck had 45 goals, 59 assists, 104 points, 16 power play goals, 3 short-handed goals, 223 shots on goal, and 10 game-winning goals in 2025-2026. Liam Ruck had 8 goals, 4 assists, and 12 points in 14 games during the 2026 WHL Playoffs.
    
    
    Previous Pick: Mathis Preston, RW, Vancouver Giants (WHL)
    
    
59. New York Rangers: Markus Ruck, C, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
    
    
    New York owns the Dallas Stars 2026 first round pick thanks to the Mikko Rantanen trade. The New York Rangers got the higher of the two Carolina Hurricanes 2026 first round picks.
    
    
    
    Markus Ruck was drafted twenty first overall by the Medicine Hat Tigers in the 2023 WHL Draft. Markus Ruck also has a twin brother named Liam Ruck that plays right winger.
    
    
    
    Markus Ruck has the speed, explosion, burst, agility, versatility, 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. Markus Ruck is the twenty fifth player with experience on a first line or potential to be a top line center in the 2026 NHL Draft.
    
    
    
    The 6-0 167 lb Markus Ruck had 8 goals, 21 assists, 29 points, and a +12 +/- ratio in 62 WHL games in 2024-2025. Markus Ruck had 1 goal, 3 assists, and 4 points in 14 games during the 2025 WHL Playoffs helping the Medicine Hat Tigers win the 2025 WHL Championship. Markus Ruck had 21 goals, 87 assists, 108 points, a +45 +/- ratio, 190 face-off wins, and 132 shots on goal in 2025-2026. Markus Ruck had 4 goals, 9 assists, and 13 points in 15 games during the 2026 WHL Playoffs.
    
    
    Previous Pick: Tomas Chrenko, C, HK Nitra (Tipos)
    
    
    
    
60. Buffalo Sabres: Pierce Mbuyi, LW, Owen Sound Attack (OHL)
    
    
    The Buffalo Sabres have Zach Benson their 2023 first round pick as their first line left winger, Josh Norris as their first line center, and Tage Thompson as their first line left winger. Buffalo has Josh Doan as their second line left winger, Ryan McLeod as their second line center, and Jack Quinn Buffalo's 2020 first round pick probably gets promoted from third line right winger to second line right winger if Alex Tuch, the Buffalo Sabres second line right winger leaves since Alex Tuch is a UFA. Buffalo has Jason Zucker as their third line left winger and Konsta Helnius their 2024 first round pick as their third line center. Jordan Greenway is back as their fourth line left winger, but becomes a UFA in 2027. Buffalo will promote Jiri Kulich their 2022 first round pick to replace Peyton Krebs. They will try to bring back Alex Tuch, but if they cannot expect Buffalo to reload at right winger in Free Agency.
    
    
    
    The Buffalo Sabres have Rasmus Dahlin and Matias Samuelsson as their two first line defensemen. Buffalo has Owen Power and Bowen Byram as their two second line defensemen. Buffalo has Connor Timmins and Zach Metsa as their two third line defensemen.
    
    
    
    Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is the Buffalo Sabres starting goalie. Colten Ellis is the backup goalie. Devon Levi and Topias Leinonen Buffalo's 2022 second round pick are the two AHL goalies in Buffalo's prospect pool.
    
    
    
    The Buffalo Sabres get a left winger that can replace Jordan Greenway down the road. Pierce Mbuyi is the best player available at this point in the first round and he's going to Penn State to replace Gavin McKenna if McKenna goes straight to the NHL.
    
    
    
    Pierce Mbuyi was drafted seventh overall by the Owen Sound Attack in the 2024 OHL Draft. Pierce Mbuyi was a player I wasn't enamored with entering the OHL as I gave the Owen Sound Attack a B+ grade instead of an A+ grade when they drafted him, but he's lived up to the draft hype with a strong rookie season and looks like someone that is a strong bet to get picked in the back end of the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft.
    
    
    
    Pierce Mbuyi 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. Pierce Mbuyi has the floor of a third line left winger in the NHL and ceiling of a first line left winger in the NHL making Pierce Mbuyi the twenty sixth player with first line potential in the 2026 NHL Draft.
    
    
    
    The 5-10 153 lb Pierce Mbuyi had 29 goals, 23 assists, 52 points, 46 penalty minutes, and a +8 +/- ratio in 63 OHL games in 2024-2025. Pierce Mbuyi had 1 goal, 1 assists, and 2 points in 4 games in the 2025 OHL Playoffs. Pierce Mbuyi lined up as a first line left winger in one game recording a hat trick by scoring 3 goals in the first period. Pierce Mbuyi is the only player to do this in the 2026 NHL Draft. Pierce Mbuyi had 32 goals, 43 assists, and 75 points in 68 games with the Owen Sound Attack in 2025-2026. Pierce Mbuyi had 1 goal, 0 assists, and 1 point in 4 games in the 2026 OHL Playoffs. Pierce Mbuyi is going to Penn State this Fall and the only thing that you could argue drags him down to the second round is his size. If you look at just what he does on tape and look past the size, I'd argue he's a late first round prospect.
    
    
    Previous Pick: Tynan Lawrence, C, Boston University
    
    
61. Montreal Canadiens: Oliver Suvanto, C, Tappara (SM Liiga)
    
    
    The Montreal Canadiens have Juraj Slafkovsky, their first overall pick from the 2022 NHL Draft as their first line left winger, Nick Suzuki as their first line center, and Cole Caufield, their 2019 first round pick as their first line right winger. Montreal's top line wingers Slafkovsky and Caufield have the versatility to play either winger role at left winger or right winger. Montreal has Alex Newhook as their second line left winger, Jake Evans as their second line center, and Ivan Demidov who was drafted fifth overall in the 2024 NHL Draft is their second line right winger. Montreal has Alexander Texier as their third line left winger, Phillip Danault as their third line center in a contract year next season, and Josh Anderson as their third line right winger whose also in a contract year next season. Montreal has Zack Bolduc their fourth line left winger as an RFA, Joseph Veleno their fourth line center is an RFA, but will be a UFA in 2027, and the same can be said with fourth line right winger Kirby Dach whose an RFA this summer before becoming a UFA in 2027.
    
    
    
    The Montreal Canadiens have Noah Dobson and Lane Huton their 2022 second round pick that won the Calder last year as their two first line defensemen. Montreal has Mike Matheson and Kaiden Guhle their 2020 first round pick as their two second line defensemen. Montreal has Jayden Struble and Alexandre Carrier as their two third line defensemen with Carrier in a contract year.
    
    
    
    Montreal has Jakub Dobes as their starting goalie and Jacob Fowler as their backup goalie with both rookie goalies on rookie contracts. I had Montral at 12 in my preseason NHL Mock because I felt like Samuel Montembault would be a disaster as Montreal's starting goalie. Dobes and Fowler my favorite goalie from the 2023 NHL Entry Draft both made the NHL this year and both had excellent rookie years which is why Montreal went from a fringe playoff team in 2024-2025 to a team that made the 2026 Eastern Conference Finals. With everyone back, Montreal is my early favorite to win the Eastern Conference in 2027, if Sergei Bobrovsky was a lock to return to Florida you could make an argument for the Florida Panthers as the favorite to win the Eastern Conference next season since Florida won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2024 and 2025 before Aleksander Barkov tore his ACL.
    
    
    
    Montreal drafts the best player on the board at 28. Oliver Suvanto makes a lot of sense here. Michael Hage, Montreal's 2024 first round pick can be a replacement to Phillip Danault in 2027-2028. Oliver Suvanto could be a replacement to Joseph Veleno as the fourth line center on Montreal in 2027-2028 since his contract in Finland is up after next season.
    
    
    
    Oliver Suvanto 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. Oliver Suvanto played on all four lines. He was mainly a fourth line and third line center on Tappara, but he was team captain and the first line center for Finland at the Under 18 World Junior Championships. This makes Oliver Suvanto the twenty seventh different player with experience or potential to play on a top line in the 2026 NHL Draft, and I got one goalie in the top twenty two as I stated earlier.
    
    
    
    The 6-3 209 lb Oliver Suvanto had 2 goals, 9 assists, 11 points, and a +3 +/- ratio in 2025-2026. Oliver Suvanto models his game after Aleksander Barkov on the Florida Panthers, he could go as high as 9 to Florida, but the furthest he would fall is the Montreal Canadiens at 28.
    
    
    Previous Pick: Colin Fitzgerald, C, Peterborough Petes (OHL)
    
    
    
    
62. St. Louis Blues: Xavier Villeneuve, D, Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (QMJHL)
    
    
    The New York Islanders got this 2026 first round pick from the Colorado Avalanche in the Brock Nelson trade. New York traded this pick to the St. Louis Blues with the condition that the St. Lous Blues would get Colorado's 2026 first round pick if it was outside of the top 10.
    
    
    
    St. Louis 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. He did get promoted to the top line after playing on the second line as a rookie.
    
    
    
    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, but even with a down season after being a preseason top 11 pick right outside of the top 10, he still did enough to stay in the first round. This makes Villeneuve the twenty eighth skater with experience or upside to play on a first line in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft through twenty nine picks with one being a goalie.
    
    
    
    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 5-11 157 lb Xavier Villenueve was 5-9 139 only adding 11 lbs of muscle since being drafted into the QMJHL two years ago before adding 7 lbs of muscle in his draft year. 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. Xavier Villenueve had 6 goals, 32 assists, 38 points, and a +7 +/- ratio n 2025-2026. Xavier Villeneuve had 6 goals, 8 assists, and 14 points in 17 games during the 2026 QMJHL Playoffs.
    
    
    
    Some NHL teams had Xavier Villeneueve as the second best defenseman in the 2026 NHL Draft behind only Keaton Verhoeff in the preseason. Some had him third behind Verhoeff and Ryan Lin in the preseason. Others had 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. St. Louis is stacked with defenseman and they are a team that can role the dice on Xavier Villeneuve with a late first round pick with Adam Nemec and a defenseman that I mocked to the St. Louis Blues at 15 in Ryan Lin.
    
    
    Previous Pick: Nils Bartholdsson, RW, Rogle BK (Elitserien)
    
    
63. Calgary Flames: Juho Piiparinen, D, Tappara (SM Liiga)
    
    
    Calgary is back on the clock thanks to owning the Vegas Golden Knights 2026 first round pick. I gave Calgary another defenseman with this pick. Calgary can role the dice on someone if the value is terrfic and the player they take here will not have to worry about first line responsibilities down the road unless Zayne Parekh or Carson Carels, the defenseman that I mocked to Calgary at 6 gets injured.
    
    
    
    Calgary is getting a defenseman here. Juho Piiparinen was the top defenseman in Finland not named Albert Smits and a big part of the Tappara team that won the Liiga league. Oliver Suvanto and Juho Piiparinen were both part of the Tappara team that won Liiga in the league once known as SM Liiga, that I still refer to as SM Liiga in Finland in 2025-2026.
    
    
    
    Juho Piiparinen has the skating, playmaking, passing, vision, offensive awareness, defensive awareness, and hockey IQ to succeed in the NHL. Juho Piiparinen was mainly a third line guy on Tappara, but he was the number one defenseman on the first line for Finland at this years Under 18 World Junior Championships acting as a quarterback on the power play and penalty killer with his center teammate Oliver Suvanto. This makes Juho Piiparinen the twenty ninth skater in my top thirty with experience or potential to play on a first line. Juho Piiparinen has the floor of a third line defenseman in the NHL and the ceiling of a first line defenseman. This means he will likely be a second line defenseman, but could be a third line guy if he only reaches his floor, or a first line guy if he reaches his potential.
    
    
    
    The 6-3 203 lb Juho Piiparinen had 0 goals, 3 assists, 3 points, and a +6 +/- ratio in 29 games with Tappara in 2025-2026. Juho Piiparinen needs to develop his shot by improving his wrist shot power, wrist shot accuracy, slap shot power, and slap shot accuracy. How much improvement he makes in his shot will determine if he's a bottom pairing defender on a third line, a middle pairing defender on a second line, or a top pairing defender on a first line.
    
    
    Previous Pick: Xavier Villeneuve, D, Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (QMJHL)
    
    
    
    
64. Carolina Hurricanes: Tommy Bleyl, D, Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL)
    
    
    The Carolina Hurricanes have Andrei Svechnikov their 2018 first round pick drafted second overall as their first line left winger, Sebastian Aho a 2017 second round pick as their first line center, and Seth Jarvis their 2020 first round pick as their first line right winger with those three guys all locked up until 2029 when Svechnikov becomes a UFA. Carolina has Taylor Hall as their second line left winger, Logan Stankoven as their second line center, and Jackson Blake as their second line right winger. Carolina has Nikolaj Ehlers as their third line left winger, Jordan Staal their team captain as their third line center with Staal entering a contract year next season, and Jordan Martinook as their third line right winger with Martinook entering a contract year next season. Carolina has William Carrier as their fourth line left winger, Mark Jankowski as their fourth line center, ad Eric Robinson as their fourth line right winger.
    
    
    
    The Carolina Hurricanes have Jaccob Slavin and K'Andre Miller as their two first line defenseman. Sean Walker and Shyne Gostisbehere are their two second line defensemen. Jalen Chatfield and Alexander Nikishin whose an RFA this Summer are their two third line defensemen. Slavin is a good number one defenseman. Miller showed he could handle being promoted from the second line to the first line after signing a contract that keeps both Slavin and Miller locked up until 2033. Carolina had the number one penalty killing unit in the entire NHL this season despite me saying Carolina's defense got worse last offseason after replacing Brett Burns with K'Andre Miller.
    
    
    
    Frederik Anderson their starting goalie for many years is a UFA. Brandon Bussi took the backup goalie job from Pytor Kochetkov their 2019 second round pick got demoted to third string goalie with Bussi locked up long-term and Kochetkov entering the final year of his contract next season. Both Bussi and Kochetkov are under contraxt next season while Anderson is not. Carolina got to the 2026 Stanley Cup Finals this season, so if Frederik Anderson wins a Stanley Cup after being the best goalie in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, its hard not to see Anderson back for one more season with Carolina moving Kochetkov this Summer.
    
    
    
    Carolina could draft a goalie at some point in this draft, but it won't be here. I got Carolina stacking up on defenders. Moncton Wildcats defenseman Tommy Bleyl is a perfect long-term project for Carolina to roll the dice on.
    
    
    
    Tommy Bleyl 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. Tommy Bleyl is the thirtieth player in the top thirty one with experience to play on a first line on his junior team or potential to play on a first line in the 2026 NHL Draft the other player in the top thirty one is a goalie.
    
    
    
    The 6-0 160 lb Tommy Bleyl had 13 goals, 68 assists, 81 points, a +58 +/- ratio, 195 shots, and 4 power play goals ceasing control of the first line defenseman on the defending 2025 QMJHL Champion Moncton Wildcats in his rookie QMJHL Season in 2025-2026. Tommy Bleyl had 6 goals, 22 assists, 28 points, a +15 +/- ratio, 71 shots, 3 power play goals, and 2 game-winning goals in 21 games during the 2026 QMJHL Playoffs. Moncton returned to the 2026 QMJHL Finals hoping to defend their title, but lost to the Chicoutimi Sagueneens in the Championship game.
    
    
    
    One of The Prospect Don's friends in a group chat on X said Tommy Bleyl is a dark horse to crack the first round. I agree completely after watching the tape of Tommy Bleyl. He has one more year in the QMJHL and then enrolls at Michigan State in 2027. My guess is Tommy Bleyl will be on Carolina in 2029 when Sean Walker becomes a UFA after two years of development on Michigan State in the NCAA.
    
    
    Previous Pick: Beckham Edwards, C, Sarnia Sting (OHL)