Gavin McKenna (Andre Ringuette)
The National Hockey League draft is right around the corner. On Friday evening, several clubs aiming to reverse their fortunes will receive a rare chance to give their respective prospect cupboards a proverbial shot in the arm. In 2026, the intrigue starts right at the top with the Toronto Maple Leafs, the holders of the first overall pick. While cool logic and innate rationality suggests that the Leafs will inevitably inject the generational skill of consensus top prospect Gavin McKenna, that is not a foregone conclusion. At #2, the wildly exciting San Jose Sharks have a chance to add a premium right-handed defensive asset or stack their already world-class collection of forwards with Swedish phenom Ivar Stenberg. Conflicting reports have dictated the storyline surrounding the Vancouver Canucks at #3 and there is a widely held assumption that the draft could fully come off the rails if new general manager Ryan Johnson deviates from the natural order. To put it simply, the degree of intrigue swirling around Friday's draft in Buffalo is at an all-time high.
As the NHL draft cycle finally reaches its end, the quantity of think pieces dedicated to the prospects that have defined this entire process correspondingly hits an ultimate apex. Broadly, this class feels atypical for its severe lack of projectable top-six centermen and its extreme concentration of skilled defensemen, particularly on the right side of the blueline. Through a macro-analytical lens, this finding lends itself strongly to the overwhelming perception that the 2026 crop is a "weaker" group of players. I personally feel strongly about very few players at the top of my draft board, but I remain fairly confident that the amount of useful contributors from this group will be essentially in line with draft years that are generally deemed more loaded with talent.
I will once again preface this article with a vastly unnecessary and increasingly tedious disclaimer: I am not an NHL scout nor should I be. I am, however, a committed fan of the game and somebody who has consumed all manner of content regarding these prospects for the past eight months at the very least. This article will include my own analysis of the players involved, but the selections in the actual mock draft will largely be driven by other factors, such as team need, drafting history, and the rumour mill. Please excuse the potential contradictions, as the sheer quantity of trades leading up to the draft has severely constrained my ability to create an intelligible collection of thoughts without quickly editing my work.
1. Toronto Maple Leafs
Gavin McKenna
LW, Penn State (NCAA)
HT 5'11 WT 170 Shoots L
Sincere Sports Ranking: #1
Style Comparison: Artemi Panarin
Gavin McKenna's game has been picked to pieces by scouts since he burst onto the scene as a young and spirited 15-year-old winger in the Western Hockey League. Under the added spotlight of an NCAA commitment (along with a controversial $750k NIL payout), McKenna took some lumps from the public and private scouting spheres throughout the year. Nevertheless, he stands out as the most gifted and potentially transformational figure in this class (by some distance, in my humble opinion). While the Leafs could certainly feel enamoured by the play-driving defenseman in Chase Reid or the two-way force in Caleb Malhotra, McKenna is the same transcendental must-have player that many have followed since his time in Medicine Hat. Although some warts in his attitude, pace, and defensive game cropped up at Penn State, he became an increasingly potent rush threat in the latter half of the year and continued to demolish defensive schemes with passes that could simultaneously take a whole five-man unit out of the play. Alongside Auston Matthews, McKenna projects to be the exact playmaking threat that the Leafs have needed since Mitch Marner departed for Vegas in the 2025 offseason. I am cognizant of the concerns with his supposedly self-righteous belief in his own ability, but I think a certain gumption is needed to handle the Toronto media spotlight. A certain selfishness, akin to William Nylander's personality, could help McKenna acclimate to the Leafs' market sooner than anybody else in this class.
2. San Jose Sharks
Ivar Stenberg
LW, Frölunda HC (SHL)
HT 5'11 WT 183 Shoots L
Sincere Sports Ranking: #2
Style Comparison: Jake Guentzel
The Sharks' intention with this pick has been well-hidden. As with the Michael Misa pick last year, GM Mike Grier has done an excellent job at employing smokescreens in the media to disguise his true intention. While the addition of Michael Kesselring does not alleviate the pressing need for right-handed defensemen in the San Jose organization, I increasingly suspect that Grier is firmly in best player available mode. The Sharks were firmly in the postseason mix until the latter stages of the 2025-26 season, but I would not be ready to proclaim this forward unit as complete. Many of their forwards' sparkling results were driven by unsustainable PDO benders. Stenberg, the rare winger capable of driving play for prolonged stretches, would still instantly secure himself a top-six spot on this roster, for the present and the future. Stenberg has a well-rounded play style that projects him into difference-maker status sooner than later. His processing speed is second to only McKenna in this class, but his physicality jumps off the page in comparison to the Canadian winger. Although his shot is not an immediate plus tool, he should be a 30-goal, 80-point winger if his development pans out properly. The floor as a point-producer is ludicrously high, given the quantity of pro habits that he employs regularly against grown men in the SHL. Any team, even a roster blessed with the riches of Macklin Celebrini, William Eklund, Will Smith, and Misa, should be licking their chops at the chance to add a player of Stenberg's caliber.
EDIT: The trade of Eklund to the Ottawa Senators should virtually guarantee that a forward is the main prerogative for Grier. I feel more confident than ever that Stenberg will be the player picked at #2.
3. Vancouver Canucks
Caleb Malhotra
C, Brantford (OHL)
HT 6'1 WT 185 Shoots L
Sincere Sports Ranking: #7
Style Comparison: Dylan Larkin
In my opinion, the Canucks are the most fascinating team in the top five of this year's draft. Following the dismissal of GM Patrik Allvin and coach Adam Foote, Vancouver's plan for this pick may be completely different. The Canucks desperately need talent at all positions, so positional need is only a minuscule consideration. The appointment of Manny Malhotra to head coach sparked questions about whether a reunion with his son, Caleb, was on the cards. Personally, I was initially on the fence about this logic. In this millennium, the only instance of a father coaching his son was interim bench boss Dave Lowry and his son Adam in Winnipeg during the 2021 season. Putting a premium blue-chip asset into the uncomfortable position of learning under the tutelage of his own father is a risky gamble. However, Malhotra seems to be the flavour of the month and that could push Vancouver into strengthening their center corps. The firing of Foote, a coach lauded for his ability to develop defensemen during his tenure as an assistant behind the Canucks bench, was the primary factor behind my decision to select Malhotra in the mock. If the Canucks wanted a player like Chase Reid or Carson Carels, keeping Foote in some capacity may have been on the cards. Malhotra has been buoyed by some late helium following a spectacular playoff run with the Brantford Bulldogs, but I am not positive that his scoring profile translates seamlessly to the next level. While I highly appreciate his detailed two-way game, specifically his pickpocket skills in tight areas, his creativity feels fairly rushed in instances. In short spurts, his give-and-go game looks very polished, but he still turns the puck over too often for my liking and I'm not convinced that he has game-breaking playmaking. Nevertheless, his late rise and widely reported maturity will be huge positives for a Canucks team looking to add culture-setters.
4. Buffalo Sabres (from Chicago Blackhawks)
Chase Reid
RD, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)
HT 6'2 WT 190 Shoots R
Sincere Sports Ranking: #4
Style Comparison: Brandon Montour
In one of the greatest shocks in recent NHL history, the Chicago Blackhawks dealt their fourth overall pick to the Sabres along with other interesting assets for the remarkably gifted, yet equally flawed Bowen Byram. This instantly changes the top of the draft dramatically. I am not convinced that the Sabres would want to make the selection at #4. To accelerate their window, trading back for more assets or leveraging the prized piece of this heaven-sent blockbuster for another superstar (Robert Thomas? Connor Hellebuyck?) are likely the more appealing options. Nevertheless, if they decide to stick and pick, finding a readymade replacement for the offensive juice that they just lost on the back end seems logical. Alberts Šmits is the only player in this range who could meaningfully add to the Sabres as soon as next season, but I reckon a more patient outlook, especially with Alex Tuch's future hanging in the balance, is the more apt strategy to maximize Buffalo's blossoming roster. Reid has been highly regarded as a play-driving #1 defenseman because of his size, excellent shot, and breakout ability. While I'm slightly less enamoured with the profile than his biggest supporters, mainly because he's still far too lax with the puck at his stick for my liking, I still see a potential PP1 quarterback with 60-point upside in the league and the capacity to munch 22+ minutes per night. The Sabres already have Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power, and Mattias Samuelson occupying slots on the squad as left-handed defensemen for the foreseeable future. Adding a right shot to the mix is thus quite feasible. Reid's ability to drive lanes and push the pace in transition are reminiscent of Byram's best traits and should allow the Soo star to thrive in a modern NHL landscape defined by rush chances.
5. New York Rangers
Alberts Šmits (Steven Ellis)
Alberts Šmits
LD, EHC Red Bull München (DEL)
HT 6'3 WT 209 Shoots L
Sincere Sports Ranking: #10
Style Comparison: Darnell Nurse
I think that the three top forwards and Reid would likely be the first four names on New York's board, which creates a peculiar situation for much-maligned GM Chris Drury at #5. This scenario would tee the Rangers up to add to their thin defensive pipeline. To me, Carson Carels is the best blueliner in this draft and I get the sense that he should be appreciated among league circles, given certain stylistic comparisons to Jake Sanderson in the latter parts of the draft cycle. However, the Rangers' unique media spotlight compels them into enforced competitiveness. Drury has been clear that a rebuild is not the expectation. If he wants the Blueshirts to potentially seize a playoff spot in a supremely weak Metropolitan Division, Latvian defenseman Šmits is the most likely candidate to boost his roster immediately. While Šmits' hockey IQ and predicted offensive production are not comparable to the other players in this range, he is a good bet to be a useful top-four player in the near future due to his unbelievably rich toolset. Not many players possess the tempting physicality and mobility combination that Šmits offers. I've been consistently disappointed with his lack of physical engagement, considering his frame, and I struggle to see the deceptive playmaking that a player like Reid or Daxon Rudolph could bring to the table. Nevertheless, it's easy to conceive of a situation in which Šmits slots in right behind Vladislav Gavrikov on Opening Night next season and brings the boom instantly. That could be a tantalizing proposition for a team aiming to rapidly reverse their fate of bottoming out in the hilariously poor Metro.
6. Calgary Flames
Carson Carels
LD, Prince George (WHL)
HT 6'2 WT 198 Shoots L
Sincere Sports Ranking: #3
Style Comparison: Shea Theodore
The Flames were another team that was active in the days leading up to the draft, as they flipped three draft picks to New Jersey for the immensely polarizing Simon Nemec. Nemec is an excellent puck-mover, especially for a right-handed D, with room to grow, but his fit on a roster that already includes Zayne Parekh feels somewhat confounding. It has already been reported that Parekh will likely move to his unnatural left side to accommodate Calgary's increasingly full young defensive group. Thus, it may seem strange to have them take another defender with their first pick, given the lack of blue-chip forwards in their system. I simply get the sense that Calgary, and other clubs in this range, are outrageously high on Carels as a future top-4 guy. Without any can't-miss forwards on the board (I'm still not certain that Viggo Björck's recent helium in the public scouting sphere matches the enthusiasm of primitive front offices that will rule him out for his height alone), Carels feels like a safe choice to be a great NHLer. Carels is a strong skater with a tendency to lay players out. His competitive nature and engine have helped teams convince themselves that he could be a true shutdown option at his peak. He became more confident with his ability to join the rush as an off-puck trailer, which bolstered his counting stats, as the year went on. Loading up on defensive players and ignoring the forward corps would be an unpopular decision among the Flames faithful, but front offices have historically believed that building out through the back first is a viable rebuilding strategy. Carels, Nemec, Parekh, Yan Kuznetsov, Hunter Brzutewicz, and Henry Mews would instantly become the cream of the crop among young rearguard cores in the league.
7. Seattle Kraken
Keaton Verhoeff
RD, North Dakota (NCAA)
HT 6'4 WT 216 Shoots R
Sincere Sports Ranking: #6
Style Comparison: Noah Dobson
If the draft pans out in this manner, the Kraken will have an absolute layup to make with the seventh pick. After concentrating their pick resources on forward talent throughout their existence, the Kraken's prospect cupboard is fairly thin on the back end. A swing on the limitless potential of Verhoeff, a player with a massive, pro-ready frame and innate physical gifts could be the upside bet that the team needs to find a route out of the mushy middle. Verhoeff uses his body well to block off plays and win battles along the boards. With his long reach, he has a suffocating defensive stick that he employs to great effect. Verhoeff became increasingly confident at NoDak, allowing him to join the rush and wield his excellent shot to generate offense and chances at the net front for his teammates to bury. There are still valid mobility and hockey IQ question marks, but players with Verhoeff's frame generally find a way to find success at the NHL level.
8. Winnipeg Jets
Viggo Björck
C, Djurgårdens IF (SHL)
HT 5'9 WT 181 Shoots R
Sincere Sports Ranking: #5
Style Comparison: Logan Stankoven
I reckon that the Jets are hoping to land a defenseman with this pick, but if Carels, Verhoeff, and Šmits are off the board, a pivot to Björck, the uber-talented Swedish wunderkind feels plausible. Björck is a special player with a unique motor and understanding of the nuances of the game. Despite his diminutive frame and lack of physical maturity, Björck forechecks relentlessly and pursues the puck like a dog on a bone. Once you add that to his ability to drive play and funnel pucks into dangerous areas, Björck becomes an easy sell for any team in the top 10. Nevertheless, teams tend to discriminate against small players, especially centers, and Björck is positively tiny. I still feel that a Jets team that desperately needs an infusion of speed and methodical creation skill should feel prepared to spend the 8th overall pick on the young Swede, particularly in this mock, where the opportunity cost is not a surefire defensive ace like Carels or Verhoeff.
9. San Jose Sharks (from Florida Panthers via Ottawa Senators)
Daxon Rudolph
RD, Prince Albert (WHL)
HT 6'2 WT 205 Shoots R
Sincere Sports Ranking: #11
Style Comparison: Brandt Clarke
After dealing the skilled winger William Eklund to the Senators in a package for the 9th overall pick, the Sharks rejoice as one of the premier defensive play-drivers falls into their laps. Rudolph lacks the polish of his peers in this range, but the offensive upside is limitless. Despite not being a world-class skater, Rudolph dissects opposing defensive structures with tactical offensive tools, both off the rush and as an activator off the line. As a pure offensive weapon from the blueline, Rudolph is rivalled only by Reid and Xavier Villeneuve in the 2026 class. He was always a gifted passer, but Rudolph's rise throughout the WHL playoffs can be explained by his newfound ability to beat forechecking pressure through skating or outlet playmaking. The Sharks need defensemen that can funnel the puck up to their loaded forward group and this is an area where Rudolph shines. The concerns regarding his wasteful puck management and non-existent physical dimension are worrisome, but San Jose needs right-handed defensemen more than any profile. Rudolph could also potentially be a future power play quarterback for a team that has yet to find a seamless fit for that role.
10. Nashville Predators
Malte Gustafsson
LD, HV71 (SHL)
HT 6'4 WT 203 Shoots L
Sincere Sports Ranking: #13
Style Comparison: Simon Edvinsson
The Predators are entering a new era under GM Chris MacFarland, one of the primary architects of the current Colorado Avalanche wagon. Nailing their first pick and then recouping assets from their most valuable trade pieces would be a welcome start to this retool period. I have long maintained that the Predators need to reclaim their status as a defensive juggernaut; throughout the 2010s, the franchise was rightfully lauded for its ability to churn out polished defenders. Gustafsson presents an interesting opportunity for the front office. At 6'4, he is a massive defender with genuinely elite mobility traits. With his lengthy reach and his quick acceleration, Gustafsson should be able to snuff out plays in open ice, particularly in the neutral zone. I don't reckon that he will ever be a true producer, even if his shot could potentially become a plus tool, but if he can eat up 23+ minutes a night, it might not matter if he never cracks the 25-point barrier.
11. St. Louis Blues
Wyatt Cullen (Rena Laverty)
Wyatt Cullen
RW, US U18 (NTDP)
HT 6'1 WT 183 Shoots L
Sincere Sports Ranking: #9
Style Comparison: Nikolaj Ehlers
The Blues are blessed with four (!) first-round picks in this year's draft, three of which will fall in the lottery, so they can feel free to take some home run cuts on raw talent to provide a shot in the arm to this suddenly exciting young team. After trading Jordan Kyrou to the Washington Capitals, they could add a new high skilled playmaker to their ranks in the NTDP's Wyatt Cullen. Cullen has the unique potential to establish himself as a true superstar in this class. Following a dramatic growth spurt in his D0 season, his high-end stick-handling and deceptive puck skills were instantly complemented by a greater reach and an improved ability to protect the puck. Given Cullen plays a typically "selfish" game, any physical improvement that grants him more time to hold on to the puck is a welcome addition to his game. Cullen's gamebreaking potential is on full display more often than not, but he needs to understand when to simplify his toolkit and add the requisite strength that could permit him to become a zone entry machine and offensive zone menace.
12. New Jersey Devils
Ethan Belchetz
LW, Windsor (OHL)
HT 6'5 WT 229 Shoots L
Sincere Sports Ranking: #14
Style Comparison: Aliaksei Protas
The Devils have spent the last few offseasons searching for hard skill, a characteristic that generally warrants the exorbitant cost of heavy resources, whether from a draft capital or roster perspective. Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, and Nico Hischier have emerged as gifted play drivers of varying degrees, but the Devils have been unable to surround their star trio with wingers that can physically compete for space and finish plays at an above-average clip. Belchetz projects to do so and more at the NHL level. At 6'5 with a rather soft touch, Belchetz could potentially become a true chaos generator, akin to the Tkachuk brothers, but he would need to become significantly more aggressive in his play style. His muscular frame allows him to create space at the net front and win battles more often than not low in the zone. At his best, he wreaks havoc in competitive areas and plays a game that is conducive to NHL postseason hockey. His passing ability, which has generally been celebrated by circles of the scouting community, is constrained by his inability to read layers of a defensive zone structure, but I still see a player with a high likelihood of developing into a productive middle-six winger if he can consolidate his size-skill package effectively.
13. New York Islanders
Alexander Command
C, Örebro HK U20 (U20 Nationell)
HT 6'1 WT 187 Shoots L
Sincere Sports Ranking: #21
Style Comparison: Josh Norris
After getting a generational talent in Matthew Schaefer to fall into their laps last year, the Islanders need to concentrate on adding the requisite skill around their unicorn defenseman prospect to compete within the next five years. A Schaefer-Kashawn Aitcheson-Victor Eklund first round in 2025 accelerated their retool phase, but the team is crying out for young centers, particularly as Brayden Schenn, Bo Horvat, and Jean-Gabriel Pageau enter varying stages of the greybeard phase of an NHL career. Command is a remarkably energetic and defensively conscious center who has been elevating up the ranks after an impressive U18s performance. A low center of gravity and a mature strength allow the Swede to win a disproportionate amount of battles along the walls in the offensive and defensive zones. In moments, he displays high-end offensive traits, like a hard, fast wrist shot and intelligent reads through traffic to funnel east-west passes across the ice, but he is likely only ever going to be a connective offensive player. Regardless, thanks to his physical play, there is a great chance that Command becomes a highly useful player soon, even if expecting a 1C out of this profile would be wishful thinking.
14. Columbus Blue Jackets
Tynan Lawrence
C, Boston University (NCAA)
HT 6'0 WT 183 Shoots L
Sincere Sports Ranking: #8
Style Comparison: Bo Horvat
Lawrence's fall from grace in the scouting sphere has been somewhat odd to witness as somebody who still retains faith in his ability to polish out the flaws in his game and become a legitimate 2C at the NHL level. For Columbus, a team that desperately needs to break their playoff drought to prove to their young talent that this is a serious project worth their investment, best player available supersedes the need for a big winger like Oscar Hemming or even Maddox Dagenais. Although Lawrence does not stand out physically in any particular manner, he plays the game at a rapid pace and uses his fleet-footedness to pressure opposing defensemen on the forecheck. Lawrence is not a "high-end" playmaker, but he can execute a number of tricky passes in tight windows, particularly following a forced turnover. His constant mentality to push the pace lends itself well to a league that is more rush-based nowadays. Lawrence will not be a player that can take over a game, but I think people aren't giving him enough grace for the rapid turnover to the NCAA game; this remains a player that can serviceably play difficult minutes up the middle at the highest level and chip in offensively.
15. St. Louis Blues (from Detroit Red Wings)
Oliver Suvanto
C, Tappara (Liiga)
HT 6'3 WT 214 Shoots L
Sincere Sports Ranking: #19
Style Comparison: Jordan Staal
After a boom-bust swing at #11 with Wyatt Cullen, the Blues decide to select a high-certainty NHLer and address their pressing need for centers in the pipeline in one fell swoop. Oliver Suvanto has all the hallmarks of a player that will win over NHL teams: he's remarkably strong on his feet, he makes his living in front of the net, and his defensive nuance trumps even some experienced adults. Suvanto does not manipulate defenders with his stick handling nor does he attempt passes into the slot, instead opting to keep play to the perimeter. However, he is excellent at protecting the puck, which could provide an avenue to unlock some untapped offensive potential; he is also flawless in his positioning. The forechecking motor is inconsistent, but this is purely a result of his emphasis on the defensive elements of his role. To free up players like Robert Thomas and Dalibor Dvorsky against easier competition, Suvanto could handle matchup minutes as soon as 2028 in my humble opinion.
16. St. Louis Blues (from Washington Capitals)
Ryan Lin
RD, Vancouver (WHL)
HT 5'11 WT 181 Shoots R
Sincere Sports Ranking: #22
Style Comparison: Jared Spurgeon
A third pick in the lottery gives the Blues an opportunity to address the sole skater position that they have been unable to answer so far. Ryan Lin is a controversial figure among scouts. At 5'11, he does not possess the frame nor the reach of a defenseman that would usually be considered in this range; he does not have high-end offensive tools either to compensate for these physical limitations. However, Lin's hockey IQ is off the charts. Through sheer detail and understanding of stick work, the Vancouver Giants' rearguard has enjoyed a great year in the WHL. Lin consistently plays against top competition and moves the puck with precision. His poise against the forecheck and when joining the rush is breathtaking. The upside is a valid question, as Lin is not a world-class passer and he can't really fall on his B game to guarantee an NHL spot, but his clever game management will surely win the respect of coaches in the league. The Blues have beefier players like Adam Jiricek, Logan Mailloux, and Theo Lindstein breaking through on the back end, so they can afford to discover whether Lin can supersede his frame's limitations to become a trusted and reliable top-four option in the future.
17. Los Angeles Kings
Oscar Hemming (Richard T Gagnon / Getty Images)
Oscar Hemming
LW, Boston College (NCAA)
HT 6'4 WT 198 Shoots L
Sincere Sports Ranking: #15
Style Comparison: Tom Wilson
There's a fairly likely chance that Hemming is off the board before the Kings come up to the podium, but if he makes it here, they shouldn't prioritize a center if Command, Lawrence, and Suvanto are off the board. Maddox Dagenais has been tipped to L.A. by some pundits, but he isn't an obvious center projection in the league either. Hemming is a physical force who bullies players through a series of reverse hits and punishing body checks. Hemming is a choppy skater, but he has underrated vision to make passes into dangerous areas. If GM Ken Holland wants to make the Kings a team that nobody wants to see on any given night, a physical menace like Hemming fits within this team's DNA.
18. Washington Capitals (from Anaheim Ducks)
Brooks Rogowski
C, Oshawa (OHL)
HT 6'7 WT 236 Shoots R
Sincere Sports Ranking: #38
Style Comparison: Michael McCarron
This will be one of my bolder calls of the mock. Rogowski is a massive, fast, and hard-working center, which will always earn him the good graces of NHL front offices. While Rogowski was stuck on a floundering Oshawa Generals team for his draft year, he flashed signs of offensive production on the rush, but his bread and butter will be a projectable forechecking contact game along the boards. Washington has invested heavily in small, skilled wingers recently. I'd predict that they will target size or feistiness here. Rogowski would be a reach by most public evaluations of his game, but 6'7 right-shot centers don't come along too often. This premium profile could lead to a dramatic rise on draft night, not unlike fellow OHLer Jack Nesbitt last year.
19. Utah Mammoth
Tommy Bleyl
RD, Moncton (QMJHL)
HT 5'11 WT 170 Shoots R
Sincere Sports Ranking: #23
Style Comparison: Vince Dunn
Utah has historically committed its draft capital to high motor players with innate physical gifts, be it unnatural size and strength. Nevertheless, teams need to eventually deviate from their preferred profile to cover a broad range of skills. Bleyl is neither huge nor renowned for his competitive edge, but Utah is still lacking an obvious power play quarterback in their system, a void that significantly impacted the team over the course of the regular season. Bleyl is an effortless skater with excellent manipulative handling of the puck. His defensive game isn't likely to be a real strength, but compared to another sub 6'0 D-man in this class, Xavier Villeneuve, it projects to not be an obvious weakness against NHL competition; Bleyl leverages his smaller frame well to win stick battles against bigger forwards. He also plied his trade with QMJHL Moncton this past season, the home club for the Mammoth's former fourth-overall pick Caleb Desnoyers, so their scouting department will be familiar with his game.
20. Buffalo Sabres (from Edmonton Oilers via San Jose Sharks)
Ilia Morozov
C, Miami (Ohio) (NCAA)
HT 6'3 WT 205 Shoots L
Sincere Sports Ranking: #20
Style Comparison: Radek Faksa
After utilizing Michael Kesselring as a trade chip to advance up the draft board, the Sabres go for a physical demon in Ilia Morozov. Despite not possessing high-end offensive gifts, Morozov was hugely impressive as the youngest player in the NCAA this past season, demonstrating mature forechecking habits and excellent defensive positioning. I suspect that his playmaking juice is greater than he could show in college when he was explicitly focused on growing his two-way game, which could unlock some greater potential. The Sabres have generally valued skill highly in their first-round picks, but a new physical element would be welcome.
21. Philadelphia Flyers
Maddox Dagenais
C, Quebec (QMJHL)
HT 6'3 WT 196 Shoots L
Sincere Sports Ranking: #24
Style Comparison: Kirby Dach
Dagenais has been a tricky evaluation for me throughout the draft cycle. His growth as an improved power forward type has been something to behold, but the inconsistent motor and effort level concerns still linger. In the back half of the season, his work rate became a genuine strength, which led to greater effectiveness as an in-zone attacker. Dagenais excels at using his body to manufacture space and knock players off the puck, which should win some fans in Philadelphia's front office. I still have questions about whether he can stick at center, but if the Flyers are convinced that the Dagenais from January onwards is the real version of the player, they could have a big steal on their hands here.
22. Pittsburgh Penguins
William Håkansson
LD, Luleå HF (SHL)
HT 6'4 WT 216 Shoots L
Sincere Sports Ranking: #34
Style Comparison: Lian Bichsel
The Penguins always value skill and IQ highly among their prospects, which is somewhat lacking among the remaining defensive prospects on the board. This would be fine if Pittsburgh hadn't just drafted three forwards in the first round last year and had a drastic need for blueliners in the system. Håkansson is not a flawless prospect, but he has a similar profile to former Pens pick Owen Pickering. There's intrigue surrounding his puck-moving capabilities and he can cover huge spaces with his defensive range, not unlike Malte Gustafsson, but Håkansson has sometimes struggled to deal with pro pace, as evidenced by his struggles with Luleå. Still, this seems like his range and the Pens could use a play-killer type to benefit their run-and-gun forward group.
23. Boston Bruins
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Maksim Sokolovskii (Dan Hickling)
Maksim Sokolovskii
LD, London (OHL)
HT 6'8 WT 240 Shoots L
Sincere Sports Ranking: #45
Style Comparison: Nikita Zadorov
Boston's DNA has always been size, physicality, and a certain swagger. Sokolovskii emphasizes each of those traits in bold font. The Russian is a massive individual who can lay out bone-crushing hits. With his underrated mobility, defensive detail, and unmatched defensive range, Sokolovskii possesses a lot of the tools that NHL teams seek out of their shutdown defenders. I'm not positive that a player with his lack of contact balance, inability to break the puck out against double pressure, and uncontrolled shot from the point can meaningfully be a longtime NHLer, but there are traits here that will appeal to teams like the Bruins.
24. Vancouver Canucks (from Minnesota Wild)
Liam Ruck
RW, Medicine Hat (WHL)
HT 6'0 WT 174 Shoots R
Sincere Sports Ranking: #32
Style Comparison: Teuvo Teravainen
The story of the Ruck twins has been one of the most interesting narratives throughout the draft. After dominating the WHL this year, they both project to be top-50 picks, though Liam is the only consensus first-rounder of the two. For Vancouver, by staking their claim to Liam, they are essentially guaranteeing that they will take Markus as well; everybody seems to understand that this is a package deal. Liam is a high-IQ winger with an excellent shot. He doesn't need many puck touches to dissect a defense, instead opting to find cross-crease lanes and release shots off-the-catch in the blink of an eye. This dual threat ability is rare among players in this class, but Ruck's lack of elite pace and stick handling in transition hold him back. Nevertheless, he could easily become a productive player in the league, even if his overall game never flatters.
25. Ottawa Senators (from Tampa Bay Lightning via Florida Panthers via Seattle Kraken)
Adam Novotny
LW, Peterborough (OHL)
HT 6'1 WT 205 Shoots L
Sincere Sports Ranking: #17
Style Comparison: Josh Doan
Novotny has fluctuated throughout the top-30 of the draft board this season, but I've always been a bit higher on him than the average analyst. The Czech winger is an absolute horse, constantly pushing pace on the forecheck and dominating puck battles against OHL defensemen. The high-end offensive upside is questionable, as Novotny's shot is not world-class and he is more of a deferential passer than a flashy playmaker. However, his maturity and work ethic give him an easy middle-six projection. The Ottawa Senators value physicality within their suffocating system and Novotny can fit into that image perfectly.
26. New York Rangers (from Dallas Stars via Carolina Hurricanes)
Jack Hextall
C, Youngstown (OHL)
HT 6'0 WT 195 Shoots R
Sincere Sports Ranking: #31
Style Comparison: Elias Lindholm
If Malhotra doesn't fall to the Rangers at #5, I suspect that they will do whatever they can to get a center with the 26th pick, especially a right-handed one, given the amount of left-handed forwards in their cupboard. Hextall is a player with no elite individual traits, which I usually would avoid in the first round. However, he possesses a lot of good connective abilities that could boost the Rangers' glut of winger prospects. He isn't a player that will beat a defender one-on-one often, but he can carry the puck in transition and push the play through traffic. Although he generally prefers to pass to his teammates, his shot has some whip to it. This would be a high-probability, low-upside bet for a team that needs young contributors sooner than later.
27. San Jose Sharks (from Buffalo Sabres)
Jakub Vanecek
LD, Tri-City (WHL)
HT 6'2 WT 203 Shoots L
Sincere Sports Ranking: #52
Style Comparison: Mike Matheson
The Sharks need defensemen, even after snatching Rudolph with the ninth pick, but the late 20s are marked by a series of high-skill wingers. San Jose certainly does not need more young offensive forwards, so they could potentially opt to reach on a D-man or trade this pick for an immediate contributor. In this scenario, I went for Jakub Vanecek, an active rush defender with impressive recovery speed. Vanecek seizes any window of opportunity to burst up the ice and make things happen with his feet, but he also can stop plays at the blueline with improved angling techniques. WHL Tri-City had a disastrous end to the season, which confounds Vanecek's eval, but the Sharks could take a swing on a player with skating tools that won't be found outside of the lottery.
28. Montreal Canadiens
Elton Hermansson
RW, MoDo Hockey (HockeyAllsvenskan)
HT 6'0 WT 183 Shoots R
Sincere Sports Ranking: #18
Style Comparison: Jesper Bratt
I'll preface this selection by saying that I don't imagine that this player will be on the Montreal Canadiens in three years. Whether they trade this pick directly or trade the prospect at a later date is not entirely relevant, but I suspect that this asset will be leveraged for more immediate help, especially after the Habs pushed forward their Cup window. If the latter is their plan, Hermansson makes the most sense. He has unbelievable skill for this range, able to weave through sticks and to manufacture open ice for his teammates. He brings a lot of energy to the table, which was especially prevalent in the latter half of the season. The Habs' scouting department can do wonders with a player that has Hermansson's puck skills.
29. St. Louis Blues (from Colorado Avalanche via New York Islanders)
Simas Ignatavicius
RW, Genève-Servette HC (NL)
HT 6'2 WT 201 Shoots R
Sincere Sports Ranking: #30
Style Comparison: Zach Hyman
With their fourth pick of the first round, I have the Blues taking Simas Ignatavicius, a hard-working winger with strong net-front instincts. The Lithuanian is a ball of energy that engages in physical confrontations with a rare gusto. Cullen is the high-skill bet of this crop, but Ignatavicius would fall into a similar category as Suvanto. Although he may not be as refined, his tenacity and size are NHL-caliber tools already. His physical maturity should present a clear avenue to a middle-six role within the next two years.
30. Calgary Flames (from Vegas Golden Knights)
J.P. Hurlbert (Brian Johnson)
J.P. Hurlbert
LW, Kamloops (OHL)
HT 6'0 WT 190 Shoots R
Sincere Sports Ranking: #25
Style Comparison: Tyler Toffoli
Hurlbert started the season off as the runaway leader in WHL scoring, but his numbers started to come down to earth in the last few months. Hurlbert is an excellent puck-handler with a great shot. He can be a bit selfish, reliant on a slow pace style that generally suits junior hockey better than the bigs, and lacks a physical element in his B game, but the Flames need talent desperately. Hurlbert is a very gifted scorer for this section of the round and he would be worth the swing for a team that took a high-probability cut on Carels at #6.
31. Carolina Hurricanes
Nikita Klepov
LW, Saginaw (OHL)
HT 6'0 WT 181 Shoots L
Sincere Sports Ranking: #16
Style Comparison: Travis Konecny
Klepov is one of my favourite players in this class and he led the OHL in scoring, which would make a fall to #31 rather perplexing. Despite his small, thin frame, Klepov plays an explosive style, attacking off the rush and making plays along the boards with a trademark aggressiveness. This is a player that possesses true top-six upside and I can't say that about any other player still on the board.
32. Ottawa Senators
Casey Mutryn
RW, US U18 (NTDP)
HT 6'3 WT 205 Shoots R
Sincere Sports Ranking: #33
Style Comparison: Vasili Podkolzin
As I said with the Novotny pick, the Sens value a competitive drive in their forward prospects. Mutryn is a strong winger that throws around his body to make plays on the forecheck. The shot isn't a plus tool yet, but he can make great passes after forcing turnovers. In many ways, he is a clone of Novotny's profile, but this player type fits within the Senators' system well. One of them will likely pan out as a plus checker for a team that will need that skill in the post-Brady Tkachuk era.
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