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2026 Draft Thread

Northernhawk

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Feb 22, 2020
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Let’s just call this one the Gavin McKenna Draft!

Looking ahead to 2026, most teams that have moved their first rounders from this draft have place conditions on it not being a top 10 selection(top 10 protected)…except for…

Chicago and Pittsburgh

-our Blackhawks have Floridas’ 1st from the Seth Jones trade
-the Penguins have the Rangers’ 1st via Vancouver from the Marcus Pettersson trade

Also of note is that the Ottawa Senators have forfeited it’s 1st as a result of the mishandling of Dadonov trade, they had the choice of forfeiting either the 2024, 2025 or 2026 1st…2024 they kept their 7th overall and selected Carter Yakemchuk, 2025 has them selecting 21st overall…odd that they’d forfeit next years 1st

So the 2026 draft will have 31 first round selections, not 32(unless the NHL expands)

Personally I think Pittsburgh is going to pull another Mario Lemieux-Sidney Crosby like season to get McKenna

Im hoping for a very tired Florida Panthers team to miss the playoffs(a stretch) and who knows maybe land Chicago a lottery win!
 
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Northernhawk said:
Let’s just call this one the Gavin McKenna Draft!

Looking ahead to 2026, most teams that have moved their first rounders from this draft have place conditions on it not being a top 10 selection(top 10 protected)…except for…

Chicago and Pittsburgh

-our Blackhawks have Floridas’ 1st from the Seth Jones trade
-the Penguins have the Rangers’ 1st via Vancouver from the Marcus Pettersson trade

Also of note is that the Ottawa Senators have forfeited it’s 1st as a result of the mishandling of Dadonov trade, they had the choice of forfeiting either the 2024, 2025 or 2026 1st…2024 they kept their 7th overall and selected Carter Yakemchuk, 2025 has them selecting 21st overall…odd that they’d forfeit next years 1st

So the 2026 draft will have 31 first round selections, not 32(unless the NHL expands)

Personally I think Pittsburgh is going to pull another Mario Lemieux-Sidney Crosby like season to get McKenna

Im hoping for a very tired Florida Panthers team to miss the playoffs(a stretch) and who knows maybe land Chicago a lottery win!
Click to expand...

This is three straight cup final trips for Florida. But unfortunately they aren’t exactly old or anything either.

I could see them taking a step back, but our pick being in the 17-20 type range.

Only way I see them missing the playoffs is multiple injuries and Bob declining in a massive way.

Assuming we pick top 5ish, this draft will be an opportunity to select a star forward.

McKenna, Stenberg, Roobroeck, Bjorck just to name a few.
 
I wouldn't count on the Hawks picking twice in the top 10 next year even if the sh*t hits the fan for Florida. That pick could move to 2027 if Florida decides to trade it again and if in a crazy world the Panthers really are picking that high, they'd trade it for a better asset and give Chicago their 1st in 2027. I mean if you're definitely going to lose a top 10 pick in 2026, you'd rather trade it for a valuable asset then lose it for already trading for Seth Jones.

And yes, even if we don't get McKenna, the 2 swedes look mighty good and Roobroeck profiles to be exactly what we need. We also don't know who else emerges and Ethan Belchetz might go crazy in juniors with more minutes next season.
 
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MHO said:
I wouldn't count on the Hawks picking twice in the top 10 next year even if the sh*t hits the fan for Florida. That pick could move to 2027 if Florida decides to trade it again and if in a crazy world the Panthers really are picking that high, they'd trade it for a better asset and give Chicago their 1st in 2027. I mean if you're definitely going to lose a top 10 pick in 2026, you'd rather trade it for a valuable asset then lose it for already trading for Seth Jones.

And yes, even if we don't get McKenna, the 2 swedes look mighty good and Roobroeck profiles to be exactly what we need. We also don't know who else emerges and Ethan Belchetz might go crazy in juniors with more minutes next season.
Click to expand...

We have the 2026 pick no matter what. The only way we would not have is if the Panthers 2025 1st that they traded to the Flames was a lottery pick which it is not.
 
Styles said:
We have the 2026 pick no matter what. The only way we would not have is if the Panthers 2025 1st that they traded to the Flames was a lottery pick which it is not.
Click to expand...
1749560374872.png
 
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MHO said:
Are you sure Florida isn't allowed to trade it and give the Hawks their 27 1st?
Click to expand...

I’m positive. That’s only written in there in the case that the pick that the Panthers traded to the Flames which was lottery protected ended up being a lottery pick. So let’s say the Panthers were in the lottery this year. They would then keep their pick. The Flames would get the 2026 pick and then we would get the 2027 pick. That did not happen so the Flames get the 2025 pick and we get the 2026 pick.
 
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Styles said:
I’m positive. That’s only written in there in the case that the pick that the Panthers traded to the Flames which was lottery protected ended up being a lottery pick. So let’s say the Panthers were in the lottery this year. They would then keep their pick. The Flames would get the 2026 pick and then we would get the 2027 pick. That did not happen so the Flames get the 2025 pick and we get the 2026 pick.
Click to expand...
Ok then here's to Bob's game going to hell, the real Seth Jones showing up, and Barkov having nagging injuries next season.
 
MHO said:
I wouldn't count on the Hawks picking twice in the top 10 next year even if the sh*t hits the fan for Florida. That pick could move to 2027 if Florida decides to trade it again and if in a crazy world the Panthers really are picking that high, they'd trade it for a better asset and give Chicago their 1st in 2027. I mean if you're definitely going to lose a top 10 pick in 2026, you'd rather trade it for a valuable asset then lose it for already trading for Seth Jones.

And yes, even if we don't get McKenna, the 2 swedes look mighty good and Roobroeck profiles to be exactly what we need. We also don't know who else emerges and Ethan Belchetz might go crazy in juniors with more minutes next season.
Click to expand...
FLA can't trade their 2026 1st again because we have it. There are times when a trade is made with a conditions that impacts a future pick. The person who acquires the future pick knows there are conditions that could impact that pick. You can't create those conditions after a pick is already traded away.
 
Beukeboom Fan said:
FLA can't trade their 2026 1st again because we have it. There are times when a trade is made with a conditions that impacts a future pick. The person who acquires the future pick knows there are conditions that could impact that pick. You can't create those conditions after a pick is already traded away.
Click to expand...
Yeah I thought the condition meant that they could trade it in 2026 if they wanted to and then the pick would slide to 2027 if they decided to trade the 26 1st. I didn't realize that the condition was put in place because that pick would go to Calgary back from the Tkachuk deal.
 
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Lots of the names at the top going into the season will be late birthdays. (If either of Roobroeck or Stenberg were born two weeks earlier we are probably talking about the Blackhawks taking them at 3 this year)

This year that translated into somewhat stagnant showings from guys like Hagens and Martone (and McQueen though obviously his injury complicated that evaluation). I'm hopeful for this group though based on the little I've seen

Obviously McKenna has the chance to be special.

Roobroeck is massive, has great hands and crucially he can move up the ice pretty damn well. Like a lot of huge kids in junior his compete is hit or miss at this point but he is capable of throwing huge hits now and then. Older vid from last season but check the sequence starting around 5:25 of this video for a shift that kind of encapsulates what people are going to love about him ()

Stenberg has a ton of skill and great offensive sense. Not saying he is the same caliber of prospect but I think people who like Michkov will like Stenberg. He shares that same quality of playing like he's in the Matrix on the boards and absorbing/avoiding contact from bigger and stronger players to create space for himself in settled situations which I think is a really valuable trait. He played a lot in the SHL this year including in the playoffs where he scored at a .5 PPG clip. He also seems to have a screw or two loose and doesn't let himself get pushed around which you like to see for a guy who projects as a slightly below average NHL athlete.

Björck I haven't seen much of yet but I know he's very well-regarded and may get some run in the SHL next year since Djurgardens got promoted.

I'm not sure if any of these kids project as centers which is worth keeping in mind but it feels like it could be a strong group of forwards at the top.
 
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bwanajamba said:
Lots of the names at the top going into the season will be late birthdays. (If either of Roobroeck or Stenberg were born two weeks earlier we are probably talking about the Blackhawks taking them at 3 this year)

This year that translated into somewhat stagnant showings from guys like Hagens and Martone (and McQueen though obviously his injury complicated that evaluation). I'm hopeful for this group though based on the little I've seen

Obviously McKenna has the chance to be special.

Roobroeck is massive, has great hands and crucially he can move up the ice pretty damn well. Like a lot of huge kids in junior his compete is hit or miss at this point but he is capable of throwing huge hits now and then. Older vid from last season but check the sequence starting around 5:25 of this video for a shift that kind of encapsulates what people are going to love about him ()

Stenberg has a ton of skill and great offensive sense. Not saying he is the same caliber of prospect but I think people who like Michkov will like Stenberg. He shares that same quality of playing like he's in the Matrix on the boards and absorbing/avoiding contact from bigger and stronger players to create space for himself in settled situations which I think is a really valuable trait. He played a lot in the SHL this year including in the playoffs where he scored at a .5 PPG clip. He also seems to have a screw or two loose and doesn't let himself get pushed around which you like to see for a guy who projects as a slightly below average NHL athlete.

Björck I haven't seen much of yet but I know he's very well-regarded and may get some run in the SHL next year since Djurgardens got promoted.

I'm not sure if any of these kids project as centers which is worth keeping in mind but it feels like it could be a strong group of forwards at the top.
Click to expand...

Tynan Lawrence is a true center for me. Rest of the names at the top feel like wingers in the NHL
 
My bet a year before:

1. Mckenna
2. Lawrence

It will be interesting to see what SJ does if they picks first overall again. They need defenses.
 
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Will be interesting if any teams go full rebuild mode or at least a retool, seems like a good draft to start one.
 
Nazzz said:
My bet a year before:

1. Mckenna
2. Lawrence

It will be interesting to see what SJ does if they picks first overall again. They need defenses.
Click to expand...

Verhoeff and Lin are looking fantastic honeslty. Oh I see you mean 1OA. I'm sure theyll pick the generational guy and trade for a D.
 
Gavin, Ivar, and Tynan all look like dogs right now. It will be interesting to see how they improve from here. I remember last year having way higher hopes for Martone and Hagens, so you never know.

As for defensemen, there are a ton that could really push for 2nd oa. Verhoeff, Lin, Rudolph, Reid, Schaier, and even Villenueve have looked the part. It’s a stacked crop of defense a long ways out. This draft is exciting me much more than the 2025 group and it’s so far out.
 
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Wonder how many more of these 2026 kids try and go NCAA next season. I would think Roobroeck would he has already played a few full seasons and is physically ready. Villenueve is a personal favorite of mine and would love to see him make the jump as well
 
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