Gavin McKenna (Getty Images)
As all self-respecting hockey nerds tend to do, I've historically been prone to breaking my fast on sports writing to delve back into the world of junior hockey, a source of great passion for me. Mock drafts are, by far, the most exciting exercise that any amateur hockey "analyst" can undertake. At the end of the day, nobody can actually draw a meaningful conclusion from the few minutes of game tape that are available on YouTube. However, draft season consistently lures people like me into the same false sense of self-belief that my reconnaissance work could genuinely rival the competence of those who scout as a full-time job, earning a far heftier salary than I can conceive, thanks to my Stockholm Syndrome-esque relationship with Camp Quin-Mo-Lac and unadvertised sports writing.
Regardless, there's no denying that I've watched an ungodly amount of hockey in my 20 years on this planet, so I reckon that I've picked up a few tricks. In the online age, scouting has never been easier, with a variety of accessible clips of players' shifts circulating the Internet and an extensive amount of scouting reports to consult. The 2025-26 pro hockey calendar has been going on for about a month, so I have a respectable amount of information to utilize before making my first mock draft of the year. Frankly, I'm already ecstatic at the concept of looking back at this article in June and seeing all my horrendous takes.
To sketch out the order of the draft lottery, I simply used my pre-season standings predictions in reverse order. Obviously, there are a few egregious misses (I doubt Anaheim will finish 12th last in the league at this rate), but I trust my instinct more than I trust a sample size of 15 games.
As always, take my ramblings with a grain of salt. Predicting the development arc of prospects at this stage of their draft-eligible seasons is a fool's errand, so it's within the scope of probability that I go 0/16 in this article. You're likely to see a disproportionate amount of international players here (compared to other mock drafts), which is largely because I've seen less of the Europeans, so I'm less likely to have seen the negative habits that creep into young prospects.
1. Calgary Flames
LW Gavin McKenna, Penn State (NCAA)
Although McKenna hasn’t lit college hockey alight yet, he is still clearly the top player in this class and I’d be surprised if he doesn’t end up as a top-20 player in the league during his prime. McKenna is one of the best skating prospects of the decade, with truly elite straight-line speed and shiftiness in transition. He is an excellent playmaker that uses his elusive motion to open up passing lanes for his teammates. While I think he’s closer to Connor Bedard’s level as a prospect than to Connor McDavid, I also believe his mediocre start to life in college can be easily rectified. I’d like to see him get more aggressive attacking downhill and be more comfortable using his shot as a weapon. Like most elite offensive prospects, he’s a work in progress in his own zone, but NHL reps should help him eliminate his puck-watching habits.
2. San Jose Sharks
D Keaton Verhoeff, North Dakota (NCAA)
With a loaded, young forward group and the emergence of Sam Dickinson as an offensively gifted left-sided defensemen, picking a physically mature right-shot blueliner would be at the top of San Jose’s priority list. In this universe, they get to do so by adding the 6’4 Verhoeff who is plying his trade in college hockey during his draft year. Verhoeff has the physical tools to be a number 1 defenseman in the league. He has a hard, NHL-caliber shot from the point that will be dangerous on power play units from Day 1. I think he has a few potential areas of improvement, notably his skating stride, especially out of his defensive stance, and I’ve seen him dawdle with the puck on occasion. Similarly to another huge defensemen with major raw tools, Artyom Levshunov, he might face a steep learning curve in the NHL at first, but I think he could easily be a future top-pair defenseman.
3. Chicago Blackhawks
C Tynan Lawrence, Muskegon (USHL)
Considering the Blackhawks were the team to pull the trigger on Anton Frondell in 2025, a bet that they appear to have been vindicated in making with the Swede’s hot start, they likely wouldn’t shy away from Ivar Stenberg, especially as Connor Bedard enters the final year of his ELC and still has yet to have had an offensively elite linemate. However, Stenberg’s lighter frame could draw some pause and Lawrence is a fantastic player in his own right. Lawrence strikes me as a fantastic future 2C, perhaps not quite as dynamic as Michael Misa, but a very projectable two-way forward nevertheless. Lawrence’s strength and instincts help him drive into the slot and make plays in dangerous areas. He has a high-end compete level and he works hard defensively. Picking a center here could allow the Hawks to move Frondell to the wing down the line, where his defensive skills could complement Bedard nicely. The Chicago organization is also somewhat familiar with USHL Muskegon, having taken former Lumberjack Sacha Boisvert 18th overall in 2024.
4. Nashville Predators
RW Ivar Stenberg, Frolunda (SHL)
The Predators are in one of the most lamentable situations in the league. They’re cap strapped due to their unwise spending spree in 2024’s free agency period and their prospect pool, while deep, lacks any high-end stars that could turn the franchise’s direction around. Taking Stenberg, one of the most offensively gifted prospects in the draft, will breathe some new hope into the fanbase, at the very least. Stenberg is a Jesper Bratt-esque winger, dynamic as a playmaker and as a scorer. While his speed and puck skills are evident, his greatest strength isn’t his play in transition, but rather his forechecking ability in the zone. Even if the offensive instincts don’t perfectly translate to the NHL, Stenberg is going to be a very good top-six winger purely because of his connective plays. Despite his 5’11 frame, he has unprecedented strength on the wall to make bump passes to his teammates. Stenberg, like Bratt, will elevate star talent around him, while also possessing game-breaking talent in his own right.
5. Philadelphia Flyers
LW Ethan Belchetz, Windsor (OHL)
Philadelphia’s clear need is a Tynan Lawrence-type player, a solid, two-way center with enough offensive instincts to potentially claim a 1C role in the future. However, I’d argue that this draft class only has one of those guys, and he’s regrettably off the board. Philly made a commitment to getting bigger and nastier with Porter Martone and Jack Nesbitt in the first round last year; Belchetz would be a continuation of this trend. A teammate of Nesbitt in Windsor, Belchetz uses his size differently than Martone. He can dominate in the corners by virtue of his physical advancement. Although he doesn’t have Martone’s passing skill, I think Belchetz is a better shooter, from a standstill or attacking downhill, and he’s better at the connective board plays that I value so highly. Belchetz isn’t my favourite player in this class by any means; I think he relies too much on his frame to make plays, which will be harder against grown men. Nevertheless, physical maturity and a scoring touch go a long way in the league. It’s easy to imagine Belchetz growing into a James van Riemsdyk-esque player.
6. Boston Bruins
D Chase Reid, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)
While Boston is in a position to pick best player available and I’m not entirely convinced that Reid should be held to that standard, this feels like a perfect marriage of team and player. The Bruins have been a successful franchise for a long time because they value tools that translate to the Show. Reid has burst on to the scene in recent months; with Brady Martin joining the Greyhounds for a potential OHL title run, Reid strikes me as a player that will continue to shoot up draft boards. He is an excellent skater and he shows off his fleet-footedness in transition and against oncoming forecheckers. His hockey sense is still developing, but a veteran leader like Charlie McAvoy would be the perfect mentor. While Reid and McAvoy share some qualities (smooth puck-moving, poise under pressure), Reid still has a few steps to take on the defensive side of the puck to become his fully realized form.
7. Buffalo Sabres
LW Ryan Roobroeck, Niagara (OHL)
Viggo Björck perfectly fits the mould of player that Buffalo has targeted in recent years, but I wonder if their 2025 draft is indicative of a shift to targeting bigger players (I’m also not fully on board with Björck as a top-8 pick yet). Roobroeck certainly fits the bill at 6’3. Despite previous experience at center, he projects as a top-six winger at the NHL level. Roobroeck’s best trait is his hard and accurate shot. Similarly to the Sabres’ Tage Thompson, Roobroeck is uniquely good for a bigger player at cradling the puck and shooting it off the flank. Although Roobroeck can sometimes fade out of games as his effort level wanes, the Niagara forward has the talent to challenge for a top-5 pick. He strikes me as a player that would love to play alongside Zach Benson.
8. New York Islanders
LW Marcus Nordmark, Djurgården (J20 Nationell)
This is probably my boldest call of the lottery and easily the most likely to age like milk. Nordmark is a very physically developed scoring winger with a particular finesse to his game. While his hands are impressive in tight, the calling card of Nordmark’s game is his snap shot. The release is rapid and he generates insane levels of power with it. Unlike Roobroeck and Belchetz, other big wingers in the class, Nordmark’s upside is more-or-less predictable, but he has a high floor because of his projectable play close to the net. While I’m a big fan of Maxim Tsyplakov, his game has been up-and-down this year for New York; Nordmark could solidify the Isles’ future winger contingent. With Anders Lee playing in his age-35 season, a pure finisher like Nordmark could be a solid piece in the future.
9. Vancouver Canucks
D Ryan Lin, Vancouver (WHL)
In this scenario, the Canucks get arguably the steal of the draft. At 5’11 and 172 pounds as a defenseman, Lin fits the profile of a player that will slide down the order on draft day. However, he’s one of the most cerebral players in the class. His hockey IQ and poise against pressure are off-the-charts. Lin may not be the most dynamic offensive defenseman in the class, but he’s a crisp passer that rarely makes the wrong read. He’s acutely aware of his surroundings and always had his head up, scanning for danger in the area. At age 17, he’s remarkably cognizant of the proper defensive reads; he won’t often get caught pinching at the wrong time. A straightforward game may not jump off the page, but it won’t make Lin any less effective at the NHL level.
10. Pittsburgh Penguins
D Xavier Villeneuve, Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)
Playing in the weakest of the CHL leagues and weighing just 162 pounds will certainly count against Villeneuve during the draft process, but GM Kyle Dubas and his head scout, Wes Clark, are among the likeliest candidates to bet on Villeneuve’s offensive skill and worry about his lack of physical polish later. The league will always look down on sub-6’0 players, but the emergence of defensemen like Lane Hutson, who shares some similarities with Villeneuve, could shake the misconception that soft skill can’t thrive in the NHL. Villeneuve is a great, not elite, skater, but his deception with his body makes him difficult to catch in open ice. Offensively, Villeneuve is an excellent facilitator, especially in the quarterback role on the power play. He has solid instincts defensively and can effectively eliminate passing lanes with his stick, but shutdown hockey will never be his strength. Regardless, with Kris Letang and Erik Karlsson nearing the end of their respective careers, a dynamic puck-mover will be welcomed in Pittsburgh.
11. Seattle Kraken
D Carson Carels, Prince George (WHL)
The Kraken have picked a forward with their first pick in every single draft since their inception, which has helped them cultivate a fairly intriguing young group of centers with a few interesting winger profiles. Thus, I figured it was time for the Kraken to swing on a young D-man to eventually slot in on the back end. Carels is a great skater that isn’t afraid to activate and join the rush. Although his rush ability is his strong suit, Carels is a fairly mature defensive prospect as well, adept at closing down lanes with his body and stick. He might be a couple of years away, but with a veteran defensive group, the Kraken can afford to wait. Quick note: Carels is an excellent player and a safe bet to be a lottery pick, but I thought about jumping the gun and picking William Håkansson here. Håkansson isn’t a household name yet (unranked by pundits like TSN’s Craig Button and Elite Prospects), but he’s playing against adults in the SHL already and has some really nice athletic gifts. At the end of the day, Seattle’s love for WHL prospects prevailed.
12. Anaheim Ducks
D Juho Piiparinen, Tappara (Liiga)
Like Håkansson, Piiparinen hasn’t fully established himself in the mainstream. However, a strong showing at the U18 Hlinka Gretzky tournament put him on the map. Piiparinen has a strong frame and moves very well. Defensemen often need to learn gap control and play along the boards as they develop, but the Finn has already nailed it down. For the next step in his development, I’d like to see Piiparinen use his physicality more to square up hits. The Ducks have been a left-sided defenseman factory in the past few years, drafting Jackson LaCombe, Pavel Mintyukov, Stian Stolberg, and Olen Zellweger in recent years, all of whom I believe to be quality NHLers, now or in the future. Their forward group has also come along quite nicely, so they can afford to pick a right-shot blueliner here. If so, it would be between Piiparinen and Daxon Rudolph, but I prefer Piiparinen’s upside as a potential top-4 option.
13. Columbus Blue Jackets
C Viggo Björck, Djurgården (SHL)
The Blue Jackets don’t have an obvious need, as they’ve done a good job at filling out their pipeline in recent years, so I decided to pick the best player available. In my mind, that is Swedish center Viggo Björck. At 5’9 and 177 pounds, the case to make against Björck is simple, but he has consistently shown high-end skill and playmaking chops in Sweden. Potentially more promising for his draft stock is the fact that he fits the mould of players that have come from Sweden in recent years: small, but feisty. His Djurgården teammate, Victor Eklund, is 5’11, but has an excellent motor; that rewarded Eklund with a 16th overall selection last year. I’d argue Björck has even more finesse than Eklund, despite being a year younger. Some of his main advocates have drawn comparisons to Brayden Point; personally, I don’t see Björck ever having the straight-line speed of Point, but he does strike me as the type to outplay his size and win more puck battles than you’d expect.
14. Minnesota Wild
C J.P. Hurlbert, Kamloops (WHL)
The Wild could go in a number of directions here. I thought about Daxon Rudolph again, who’s experiencing a bit of a slide down the board, especially considering Jared Spurgeon is 35 years old now. However, I think the Wild could inject a bit of skill into their pipeline with the selection of American JP Hurlbert. Hurlbert is an enigmatic player. After leaving the national development program, he joined the WHL, where he has absolutely lit it up, leading the league in scoring by a fair margin. Hurlbert is small and he can drift out of games, but he’s a lethal downhill attacker. He doesn’t have the physicality to get to the slot at will, but he has the stick-handling ability to make plays from the perimeter, too. In certain ways, Hurlbert reminds me of Minnesota’s Marco Rossi, who has been plagued by trade rumours during his time with the Wild, despite being a very productive NHL player. After only agreeing to a bridge deal with the Wild in the offseason, it’s possible that GM Bill Guerin doesn’t see Rossi as part of his future; Hurlbert could fill that void. However, even if Rossi commits to Minnesota for the long-term, Hurlbert’s skill could also replace Mats Zuccarello when he eventually ages out of the PP1 role alongside Kirill Kaprizov.
15. Detroit Red Wings
D Alberts Smits, Jukurit (Liiga)
GM Steve Yzerman has assembled a great forward corps and a pair of excellent young, right-handed defensemen in Moritz Seider and Axel Sandin-Pellikka. However, outside of Shai Buium, the Red Wings don’t have much depth on LHD in their prospect pool. Smits is a Tier-1 prospect as a skater. He can absolutely fly up and down the ice, joining the rush and recovering defensively in one fell swoop. There are some Matthew Schaefer-esque offensive instincts to his game. However, I simply don’t know enough about Smits to make an accurate projection here. Regardless, he seems intriguing enough to be a lottery pick. I also really considered Malte Gustafsson here. A 6’4, smooth-skating, Swedish defenseman? Sounds like a Red Wing already. Smits could easily be a top-10 prospect by the end of the year, but I frankly haven’t watched nearly enough tape, so I’ll stick with him somewhere in the lottery.
16. Ottawa Senators
C Oliver Suvanto, Tappara (Liiga)
Technically, Ottawa has voided their first-round pick this year because of the Evgenii Dadonov trade controversy, but for the sake of the exercise, I kept them here, mainly because I wanted to speak about Oliver Suvanto. The Senators have their elite talent already at the NHL level. Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stützle should prove to be All Star-caliber forwards for the duration of their careers. However, Ottawa has struggled to draft forwards to surround their stars, as none of Xavier Bourgault, Tyler Boucher, or Blake Montgomery look very intriguing. With Jake Sanderson, Thomas Chabot, and a significant amount of draft capital attributed to defensemen, the Sens should look for a talented middle-six forward option. Suvanto is one of the youngest players in the draft, meaning he probably won’t be ready to make a difference for a few years, but he possesses an intriguing size-skill combination. In the Finnish league, Suvanto has been trusted with meaningful minutes, flashing impressive hockey sense and physicality. His skating stride needs polish. He has some Anton Frondell-isms to his game; Frondell was one of my favourite prospects of last year's class. I considered Adam Novotny as a pro-ready option that could play in the Sens’ middle-six as soon as 2027, but Suvanto’s upside was too tantalizing (worth noting that Ottawa hasn’t picked a Finnish forward since 2016, though).
VIDEO FOOTAGE COURTESY OF PROSPECT SHIFTS
SCOUTING REPORTS COURTESY OF THE ATHLETIC, DOBBER PROSPECTS, ELITE PROSPECTS
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