2026 NHL mock draft: Projections for the top 32 picks

The 2026 NHL draft is just over 24 hours away, and thank goodness this exercise wasn't done last week because of how many picks have been moved.The paragraph below was written Tuesday morning:

In reality, there is a decent chance more of these picks are moved by the time teams start making selections on Friday night. Chicago may move the fourth overall pick if the right player is available. St. Louis seems poised to do something, with their new GM looking to make a splash. It would not be the least bit surprising if Ottawa moved one or both of its first two selections. With the cap growing exponentially and question marks around plenty of elite talent in the NHL, the possibility of trades seems more likely than ever.

By the time Tuesday night rolled around, two iterations of this mock draft had been scrapped. Hopefully, the third time is the charm. This final mock was compiled using intel we gathered on the players that teams are leaning toward taking and the other options they are considering in Friday's first round (7 p.m. ET, ESPN). If all teams stay in their draft slots, there are some strong indicators of which way they are leaning.

And if the GMs could slow down with the trading until Friday evening, that would be appreciated! Here's how I see the first 32 picks going:

1. Toronto Maple Leafs

Gavin McKenna, LW, Penn State (NCAA)

Cut. Print. Check the gate. Moving on.

Suffice to say, the hockey world would be absolutely flabbergasted if the Leafs selected anyone but McKenna on Friday. There is some scuttlebutt they've already told him he will be their selection. While that is unconfirmed, it would be the biggest smokescreen in a very long time if the Leafs were to select anyone else.

McKenna is slated to step right into the lineup, probably next to Auston Matthews, and be given the opportunity to reignite some missing zip on Toronto's top line.

2. San Jose Sharks

Ivar Stenberg, LW/RW, Frolunda (SHL)

Sharks GM Mike Grier was keenly interested in Stenberg at the combine, which was notable given the belief that San Jose would prefer to add a premier defender. Grier also said San Jose would select the best player available -- and Stenberg is the best player available.

He can slot into the top six this fall, and occupy the spot vacated by the recently traded William Eklund, who was sent to Ottawa to acquire the ninth overall pick. With the Sharks guaranteed to get a high-end defenseman at No. 9, taking Stenberg is a no-brainer. Given his high-end two-way ability, the Sharks will be primed to take another step forward in their quest for the playoffs, with Macklin Celebrini and Stenberg as the foundational pieces up front.

3. Vancouver Canucks

Chase Reid, D, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)

For months, it has felt like Caleb Malhotra would be the pick. It wasn't until very recently that whispers of the Canucks looking at the likes of Reid, Carson Carels and Keaton Verhoeff started to percolate. The feeling is that it may be best for all parties if the Canucks choose a direction other than Malhotra with his father taking over behind the bench for Vancouver.

The Canucks took Reid to dinner at the combine and were reportedly very impressed with him. Verhoeff and Carels have some fans among the Canucks brass, with some believing Carels has the highest ceiling. While it may be a smoke screen, the Canucks organization believes in building a strong blue line. Drafting Reid, who has difference-making offensive abilities, would immediately give the Canucks a blue-chip prospect at the position. While I wouldn't be surprised if they drafted Malhotra, I don't think it is as cut-and-dried as it was heading into the combine.

4. Buffalo Sabres (from CHI)

Caleb Malhotra, C, Brantford (OHL)

The Blackhawks, who had No. 4 pick, was hoping Ivar Stenberg would fall to them. He won't, so they opted for one of the most lopsided trade packages in recent memory to acquire Bowen Byram.Nine years to the day that GM Jarmo Kekalainen fleeced Chicago for Artemi Panarin, he did it again. This time, it was to replace a defender who is likely asking for far too much money with an entry-level contract at a position of need as Buffalo enters its contention window. What a piece of business.

If Malhotra is available at No. 4, I expect the Sabres to take him. While there is some thought the Sabres could target Carels, they have been linked to both Malhotra and Viggo Bjorck and either is a possibility here. Adding a quality center to the organization gives the Sabres more flexibility to move players around the lineup and perhaps use Josh Norris as a trade chip.

5. New York Rangers

Alberts Smits, D, Jukurit (Liiga)

This is the absolute floor for Malhotra. If he's there, the Rangers will waste no time selecting him. There is also talk of the Rangers liking Smits' swagger and the idea that he could step into the lineup immediately. They paid close attention to Carels and Verhoeff at the combine and seem to have keen interest in them as well.

The sense is that Smits and Verhoeff are the top options for the Rangers. While Carels is the best defender on the board, there are some whispers about his desire to play in a smaller city than Manhattan, which may be enough to push the Rangers in another direction. Ultimately, I think the fact that Smits can play in the NHL next season is what tips the scales in his favor, with the Rangers opting for immediate help over the higher ceiling of Verhoeff.

6. Calgary Flames

Carson Carels, D, Prince George (WHL)

The Manitoba farm boy is staying in Canada and will fit in perfectly in Calgary, filling an organizational need on defense. The team is also high on Verhoeff, so he may be a consideration.

Carels gives Calgary an impact defender on the left side who can potentially partner with Zayne Parekh. For what it's worth, Bjorck makes a ton of sense for the Flames too, and I wouldn't be surprised if they take him given their need for a skilled center and the recent acquisition of Simon Nemec. Carels is someone who interviewed well with the Flames and is very high on their list. He feels like the quintessential Flame.

7. Seattle Kraken

Daxon Rudolph,D, Prince Albert (WHL)

The Kraken have never drafted a defenseman with a first-round pick. But the winds are blowing the way of a defender in a top 10 that is loaded with them.

The Kraken took many of the top-flight defenders out to dinner at the combine, and they will likely have at least two from which to choose. Rudolph is a wonderfully gifted offensive defenseman with a cannon for a shot and solid play-driving ability. I think there is a decent possibility that Seattle takes Verhoeff, opting for a more defensive option. However, the Kraken have always favored the elite scoring and play-driving profiles, and Rudolph has the best one outside of Carels and Reid among the blueliners.

8. Winnipeg Jets

Viggo Bjorck,C/RW, Djurgardens IF (SHL)

If Rudolph is available, I think the Jets take him as they've been high on him for a while.

He's gone in this mock, and so the Jets take the player whose stock has climbed more than anyone else's since the end of the season. Bjorck would be a massive boost to a pipeline that lacks a top-six center. He is exactly the type of skill injection Winnipeg needs, and he could become their long-term solution on the second line. If Calgary takes Bjorck, Carels could head to Seattle, leaving Rudolph for Winnipeg. Picks 6-8 seem to be those three players in some order.

9. San Jose Sharks (from FLA)

Keaton Verhoeff, D, North Dakota (NCAA)

What a haul this for the Sharks, who manage to get one of the top forwards and top defenders in the draft class. The pick acquired for William Eklund nets the Sharks their coveted prospect on the blue line in Verhoeff. It is very clear that whichever defender is left for the Sharks is the player they are taking.

If Verhoeff is gone, Malte Gustafsson seems to be the next man in line. With those selections, the Sharks add two blue-chip prospects who will be at the top of their lineup in the near future. It would be a transformational draft for the Sharks' organization and their ability to contend now and into the future.

10. Nashville Predators

Ethan Belchetz,LW, Windsor (OHL)

With all of the commotion ahead of them in the draft order, the Predators are patient and get a prospect who is unlike anyone in their organization.

Belchetz was originally mocked to the Senators at No. 9, but it is difficult to envision a scenario where the Sharks don't take a defender. In Belchetz, the Predators get a big playmaking forward with high-end skill. This fall, he'll head to Michigan State, which did a wonderful job developing Porter Martone. As a Spartan, Belchetz would team up with fellow Preds prospect Ryker Lee. He'll get the chance to improve his consistency while playing an important role for MSU, with the hope he develops into a top-six power forward.

11. St. Louis Blues

Malte Gustafsson,D, HV71 (SHL)

Coming into this week, the Blues had a significant need at center. The acquisition of Connor McMichael and Milton Gastrin in Thursday's deal with the Capitals bolsters that spot. With Tynan Lawrence's stock falling -- and the belief he might be available at 15 -- Gustafsson and Wyatt Cullen are two players the Blues will be pondering here.

The Blues have higher-end prospects on the right side of the blue line, so Gustafsson gives them a defender on the left side with legitimate top-four upside. With four picks in the first round, GM Alexander Steen can most certainly afford to swing on a player like Cullen or Nikita Klepov. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Blues take Cullen here given the need for elite skill at forward, but Gustafsson makes a lot of sense.

12. New Jersey Devils

Wyatt Cullen,LW, USNTDP (USHL)

Under new management -- the type of management that values scoring profiles and projectable NHL attributes -- the Devils like both Cullen and Ethan Belchetz. There is no guarantee that either is available, but the Devils are hoping at least one of them is.

Cullen's package of high-end puck skill, play-driving ability and offensive instincts will be enticing to the Devils, who need to add some skill on the wings. Cullen's ceiling is among the best available at this juncture of the first round, and if he hits, he will be a play-driving winger with endless creativity. If Cullen isn't available, I expect the Devils to take a long look at Nikita Klepov.

13. New York Islanders

Tynan Lawrence,C, Boston University (NCAA)

While Ryan Lin makes the most sense given the Isles' need for a right-handed defenseman, they've been heavily connected to Lawrence and Oliver Suvanto.

In Lawrence, the Isles get a two-way center whose stock fell after a rocky second half of the season at Boston University. The hope is that he can develop his offense and show more flashes of skill. With all that said, if Belchetz falls, I expect the Islanders to take him here.

14. Columbus Blue Jackets

Ryan Lin,D, Vancouver (WHL)

Columbus has been connected to a few players with this pick, and there is a chance it is moved to acquire immediate help, too.

Oscar Hemming and Nikita Klepov have been connected to the Blue Jackets, but players like them are easier to find than right-handed defensemen. Columbus has more depth on the left side, with Jackson Smith and Denton Mateychuk, and Lin would immediately become their top prospect on the right side. In fact, he would be the only one to project as a top-four defender on the right side.

I wouldn't be surprised to see the Blue Jackets take Hemming or Klepov, but some of their center prospects can move to the wing, and Lin's potential to be a key member of the blue line is hard to pass up.

15. St. Louis Blues (from DET)

Oscar Hemming,LW, Boston College (NCAA)

After getting a quality defender with their early pick, Hemming makes a ton of sense here. He's one of the more raw players in the class and is primed for a breakout in his first full season of college hockey. I think the Blues also like Adam Novotny and could target him here as another sizeable winger, but the belief is that they are higher on Hemming's ceiling.

Hemming fits the "hard to play against, tough, physical player with skill" description that the Blues covet. He has time to develop, and if the Blues believe that he can break out, there is a real chance he becomes a long-term solution on the second line.

16. St. Louis Blues (from WSH)

Alexander Command,C, Orebro (U20 Nationell)

With their third pick in the first round, the Blues finally get their center. The additions of McMichael and Gastrin make the need less pressing but still present.

Command shot up draft boards after the combine, with many teams impressed with his interviews and performance at the under-18 world championship. Command has the potential to become a detailed two-way center who provides secondary offense in a matchup role on a second line. At his absolute floor, he seems like a virtual lock as bottom-six center who plays heavy checking and penalty-kill minutes.

17. Los Angeles Kings

Nikita Klepov,RW, Saginaw (OHL)

I won't be the least bit surprised if Klepov is off the board by now; if he is, I expect the Kings to target a center as a distinct area of need in their prospect pool.

But more importantly, the Kings need players with high-end skill and scoring ability. Klepov has the highest ceiling of any player remaining, and he'd give the Kings a prospect with legitimate top-six upside. He is a well-rounded offensive talent with proven scoring ability, and teams seem to like him more than they are letting on. With the lack of a high-end center available, the Kings have to add the best player available and Klepov would be exactly that at No. 17.

18. Washington Capitals (from ANA)

Oliver Suvanto,C, Tappara (Liiga)

After trading McMichael and Gastrin as part of the package for Jordan Kyrou, the Caps have a glaring need for young centers in the organization. Though they've been connected to Novotny, the biggest need within the organization probably will win out. I could see Maddox Dagenais and Ilia Morozov being targets for the Capitals as well.

Suvanto gives the Caps a high-probability NHL center who likely fills a third-line role. He'll be a physical presence with consistent work rate and someone who will be difficult to play against on a nightly basis. The Caps could use a bit of that up the middle.

19. Utah Mammoth

Adam Novotny,LW, Peterborough (OHL)

There's a lot of scuttlebutt that Novotny could go in the late teens, and he makes some sense here for Utah. Maddox Dagenais is another player who brings grit and can be future workhorse for the Mammoth. However, Novotny's consistency and combination of skating and physicality is attractive to the Mammoth, who have smaller skilled players in the top six.

Novotny should become a solid middle-six scoring threat, who can elevate a line through his forechecking and willingness to drive the puck to the net. He gives Utah a solid complementary, two-way forward to pair with their smaller, play-driving offensive forward group.

20. Buffalo Sabres (from EDM)

Ilia Morozov,C, Miami University (NCAA)

The Sabres have been fans of Morozov for quite some time, and the major reason they moved up to 20 is because the feeling is that he wouldn't be available at 27.

Morozov was the youngest player in college hockey this past season, but he plays a mature defensive game and projects to be a shutdown third-line center. If he can develop offense in his sophomore season, he has the chance to be a more impactful two-way center, but his floor is a defensive stalwart with a physical edge. The Sabres have also been known to swing on skill in the draft, making Elton Hermansson and Mathis Preston look like logical targets at this spot as well.

21. Philadelphia Flyers

Maksim Sokolovskii,D, London (OHL)

The Flyers have not been shy about drafting a certain type of player -- especially given coach Rick Tocchet's influence on the organization. Martone, Jack Nesbitt, Jack Murtagh and Shane Vansaghi are massive players with a physical edge.

It is no secret the Flyers want to get bigger on the blue line, with Jamie Drysdale and Cam York representing the only small defenders who will play regular roles. The 6-7 Sokolovskii seems like the prototypical Philadelphia Flyer. He's enormous, skates well, has a mile-long mean streak and is widely considered the hardest hitter in the draft class. All of that screams Tocchet type.

In the London Knights' development program, Sokolovskii might turn into a top-four, punishing shutdown type. If the Flyers take him, his floor could be a physically overpowering, bottom-pair defender who will be loved by his future coach.

22. Pittsburgh Penguins

JP Hurlbert, LW, Kamloops (WHL)

The Penguins are heavily connected to both Ryan Lin and Ilia Morozov. If either of them fall to this point, expect the Penguins to pounce. If both are gone, and they probably will be, the Penguins might trade this pick.

There is belief that GM Kyle Dubas is trying to pull off a major trade that would almost certainly include this pick. Should they keep it, VP of player personnel Wes Clark is known to covet skill. Hurlbert, Dagenais, Elton Hermansson and the very raw Jaxon Cover are logical targets.

Hurbert has an excellent scoring profile, with dual-threat shooting and playmaking abilities. His gifted offensive instincts and versatility should make him a top-six scorer in the NHL.

23. Boston Bruins

Tommy Bleyl,D, Moncton (QMJHL)

After missing out on Toronto's pick since it was in the top five -- which would have guaranteed the Bruins a top-flight defender like Verhoeff or Smits -- the Bruins get a smooth-skating, dynamic puck rusher in Bleyl here.

By taking Bleyl, the Bruins fill a key area of need: a right-handed defenseman. He's one of the best skating defensemen in the draft class, using elite footwork to be very elusive with the puck. If he can use his footwork and improve his stick-on-puck play, Bleyl has the chance to become a quality two-way defenseman who can run a power-play unit and create offense from the back end.

The Bruins don't have a prospect like him, and he immediately becomes their top prospect in a very thin defensive pipeline.

24. Vancouver Canucks (from MIN)

Mathis Preston,RW, Vancouver (WHL)

If the Canucks don't take a center at No. 3, there is a decent chance they take one here. The Canucks seem to like Oliver Suvanto and Brooks Rogowski, but Preston has the higher ceiling as a top-six forward with undeniable talent.

Preston isn't a center, which might ultimately sway the Canucks in a different direction, but they were impressed with his performance at the under-18 championship, along with his combine testing and interview. With a significant need for high-end talent in the organization, Preston is a local product who can be a real difference-maker if he hits his ceiling.

25. Ottawa Senators (from TB)

Maddox Dagenais,C, Quebec (QMJHL)

The Senators could be in play for the Ruck twins at either 25 and 32, but given the concerns there about skating and injury, it makes sense for the Sens to pick a power forward with punishing physicality and a high-end shot.

Dagenais' ceiling isn't as high as the value Brady Tkachuk brought, but a versatile power forward who has a quality offensive skill set would be a quality replacement within the organization. He's different than many of the players the Sens have in their organization, and would certainly become one of the higher-ceiling prospects in the pipeline.

26. New York Rangers (from DAL)

Brooks Rogowski,C, Oshawa (OHL)

After getting a defenseman in the top five, the Rangers' pressing need for young centers -- combined with their desire for size -- makes Rogowski an obvious target. They've been connected to Jack Hextall, giving them a few options here.

Rogowski and Hextall aren't the most skilled players available, but Elton Hermansson is not a center, and positional need probably wins out Friday.

Rogowski has the potential to develop into a physical, two-way center with plus skating and a high work rate. If he can find more offense, he can grow into being a second-line pivot. If not, he's a reliable bet to play valuable bottom-six minutes in the NHL.

27. San Jose Sharks (from BUF)

Elton Hermansson,RW/LW, MoDo (HockeyAllsvenskan)

The Sharks have been clear on taking the best player available. If Bleyl is still on the board, I think they take him. He's not in this circumstance, and Hermansson is the top player left.

High-end offensive skill with dual-threat attacking ability gives Hermansson a decent shot at becoming a play driver from the wing in the NHL. The Sharks are loaded at wing, but Hermansson has the potential to be a top-six forward with game-breaking skill. If nothing else, he's a high-end prospect who rebuilding teams will covet on the opposite side of a future Sharks trade to acquire more NHL-ready options.

28. Montreal Canadiens

Gleb Pugachyov,RW, Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)

It is abundantly clear that the Canadiens are looking to add a power forward or two to the organization. Pugachyov ticks all the boxes for size, physicality and power.

If Rogowski is there, I think the Canadiens give him a long look as the center with a higher ceiling. Pugachyov is getting a lot of love as a late first-rounder, and Montreal's desire for size and power certainly contributes to that viewpoint.

29. St. Louis Blues (from COL)

Jack Hextall,C, Youngstown (USHL)

With four picks in the first round, the Blues have every opportunity to address the various needs within their organization. They've been linked to Hextall, and he certainly fits the profile of player that St. Louis covets. Adding another center to the pipeline, Hextall could be the guy who slots behind Command in the lineup as a long-term third-line center.

Hextall has been getting a ton of love post-combine, and is a good candidate to go in the late stages of the first round (whether to the Blues or elsewhere).

30. Calgary Flames (from VGK)

Liam Ruck,RW, Medicine Hat (WHL)

The Flames have been connected to the Ruck brothers, and with two picks in quick succession here and at the top of the second round, they feel like a legitimate target.

The Rucks are very clear about their desire to play together, and their skating has made some teams question whether they can spend multiple first-round picks on them. With pick No. 30, the Flames grab Liam, the scoring winger with twin telepathy and the potential to become a second-line scorer. The Flames need to swing on skill and potential in their organization, and the Ruck brothers fit that profile perfectly. (And here's hoping for their sake that Markus is available at No. 36.)

31. Carolina Hurricanes

Xavier Villeneuve,D, Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)

The Canes don't scout with a tape measure. They take the best players available, swinging on skill and high-end scoring profiles. Villeneuve is among the most talented players in the class, and has the highest ceiling of any player outside Gavin McKenna.

That is exactly the type of player the Hurricanes have coveted, and with continued development, Villeneuve could become the high-end power-play quarterback and offensive play driver from the back end that Carolina could use. There is also a decent chance Carolina trades back to acquire more draft capital depending how the picks fall Friday.

32. Ottawa Senators

Marcus Nordmark,LW, Djurgardens Jr. (U20 Nationell)

The Sens have taken a rather conservative approach to drafting forwards not named Tim Stutzle. Nordmark is an enigmatic player who is certainly boom-or-bust, but he has the skill to be a difference-maker in the top six.

Given the Sens did not even have this pick until very recently (when it was reinstated by the NHL), there is every reason to take a risk and draft a player who might be a difference-maker in the NHL.

Notably, GM Steve Staios has taken risks on players in the OHL with personality questions. If Nordmark can mature and find his way, the Sens will have a top-15-caliber talent with the last pick of the first round.

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