Pre-Game Talk: 2026 NHL Draft - First Round | Friday, Jun. 256h | 4:00PM PST | SNP | 3rd & 24th Overall

[credulous]

i just hope they draft for talent and future impact and don't get cute with 'storylines' or 'culture' with gimmicks like drafting the ruck twins, uniting the malhotras, etc and i hope they're not skipping on a player they think is the best option in a vacuum because they don't want another quinn hughes scenario

 

[Jack Burton]

My final top 10.

1) McKenna
2) Stenberg
3) Bjorck
4) Smits
5) Reid
6) Malhotra
7) Verhoeff
8) Carels
9) Cullen
10) Lawrence

Obviously lean Bjorck but would be happy with anyone ranked in the top 6. Cullen is my darkhorse steal of the draft year. Preston could be interesting as well. I am hopeful he is available at 24. A swing for the fences that I believe still holds top line potential.

Finally a draft day to be excited about. Looking forward to the typical pissing and moaning over who we pick. Lots of diverse opinions this year. Should be a doozy!

Got the best center

Got the best defenceman

Throw in a Reid, Malhotra & Verhoff

Sprinkle in Carels and a little bit of Cullen

 

[Canucks LB]

i just hope they draft for talent and future impact and don't get cute with 'storylines' or 'culture' with gimmicks like drafting the ruck twins, uniting the malhotras, etc and i hope they're not skipping on a player they think is the best option in a vacuum because they don't want another quinn hughes scenario

If they draft the Ruck twins its because they think they are the best selection in that spot, has nothing 2 do with culture.

 

[StickShift]

I think it will be Reid—but I also think there is a real possibility that Viggo Bjorck will be the pick.

Daniel Sedin saw him beat NHLers live at the Worlds and they already have familiarity with the Bjorck family.

 

[credulous]

If they draft the Ruck twins its because they think they are the best selection in that spot, has nothing 2 do with culture.

i think it's highly unlikely any team walking away with both ruck twins is drafting purely for talent, but sure, if that's the way the draft list breaks down ok

 

[lawrence]

What time are we expecting picks to actually start being made?

show starts at 7 I won’t be surprised if leafs doesn’t pick 15 minutes later with Bettman doing his intro and wishing the kids best of luck. Averages out to 5 minutes per pick. We will know by 7:30 my guess

Don’t expect our 24th pick to happen 2 and a half hours later.

 

[Canucks LB]

My Final Mock Draft:
Leafs: Mckenna (No Brainer)
Sharks: Stenberg ( BPA )
Canucks: Malhotra (Canucks go with a C over D)
Buffalo: Viggo (Buffalo Linked to Viggo, Love the guy)
Rangers: Reid (Just makes sense, But could see Carels here also
Calgary: Carels (They get the LHD They badly Want)
Seattle: Verhoeff (Swing for Upside, Need a RHD)
Jets: Smits (BPA, NHL Ready, Great skater)
Sharks: Rudolph (They get either Smits or Rudolph, based on above)
Nashville: Gustafsson (Tough Between him and Lawrence)

 

[Orca Smash]

Should be carels at 3 imo but given the his name not being as popular on here the media must not be pushing him which means van probably is going to pass. Someone will end up with a hell of a talented dman.

 

[Nucky]

I know, right? Just like that even smaller runt in Carolina. Stankoven. Carolina would have won the Cup if that puny disaster wasn't in the lineup....

Oh wait!!!!!

I love Stank and Benson, but are they really great outcomes for 3rd overall? I'd say they'd be okay, but not a great result. Bjorck would have to be Brayden Point tier.

 

[settinguptheplay]

I love Stank and Benson, but are they really great outcomes for 3rd overall? I'd say they'd be okay, but not a great result. Bjorck would have to be Brayden Point tier.

Oh yes. I feel Bjorck is a superior player to Stank or Benson. I am thinking Suzuki/Point tier.

 

[Mike Pecarino]

Again, you’re in the 3 spot. Its literally giving you the option of picking your own destiny rather than having it decided for you.

Anyway, RJ has already signaled he really likes where the Canucks are picking, so discussing trading down is redundant.

Is any of Malhotra, Reid, Bjorck, Carels, Smits, Rudolph and Verhoeff the clear runaway better prospect in this group, or worst for that matter? Because one of these prospects will be available somewhere between 3rd and 9th pick.

 

[Jack Burton]

My Final Mock Draft:
Leafs: Mckenna (No Brainer)
Sharks: Stenberg ( BPA )
Canucks: Malhotra (Canucks go with a C over D)
Buffalo: Viggo (Buffalo Linked to Viggo, Love the guy)
Rangers: Reid (Just makes sense, But could see Carels here also
Calgary: Carels (They get the LHD They badly Want)
Seattle: Verhoeff (Swing for Upside, Need a RHD)
Jets: Smits (BPA, NHL Ready, Great skater)
Sharks: Rudolph (They get either Smits or Rudolph, based on above)
Nashville: Gustafsson (Tough Between him and Lawrence)

Huge run of defenceman!!!!
Something like this could happen. After the top 3 teams pick, then it’s game on me thinks

 

[lawrence]

Should be carels at 3 imo but given the his name not being as popular on here the media must not be pushing him which means van probably is going to pass. Someone will end up with a hell of a talented dman.

I’m starting to think there are no very talented dman in this draft. Even for malhotra bjork, these guys probably top out as 2nd line forwards. Malhotra is maybe a mctavish level player bjork well bjork is probably a Marco Rossi player. Chicago giving up the 4th for byram (not a bad player but not great either, but they didn’t even bother with this draft. It’s probably 2002 level bad.

 

[Vector]

Caleb should renounce his father and change his last name to Nash. Problem solved.

 

[lawrence]

Is any of Malhotra, Reid, Bjorck, Carels, Smits, Rudolph and Verhoeff the clear runaway better prospect in this group, or worst for that matter? Because one of these prospects will be available somewhere between 3rd and 9th pick.

I think it’s one big tier. That’s why for this draft you don’t have to die on a hill for the “BPA” even though they do have to finalise the list they can still go for another player in the same tier.

 

[Canucks LB]

Should be carels at 3 imo but given the his name not being as popular on here the media must not be pushing him which means van probably is going to pass. Someone will end up with a hell of a talented dman.

Teams don't care about the media when it comes to the draft, they will pick who they think is the best player in that spot for their lists and lots of hours of conversations

 

[Nucky]

Caleb should renounce his father and change his last name to Nash. Problem solved.

Pettersson

 

[Canucks LB]

I’m starting to think there are no very talented dman in this draft. Even for malhotra bjork, these guys probably top out as 2nd line forwards. Malhotra is maybe a mctavish level player bjork well bjork is probably a Marco Rossi player. Chicago giving up the 4th for byram (not a bad player but not great either, but they didn’t even bother with this draft. It’s probably 2002 level bad.

Or it's gonna surprise and all the top 4 D turn into #1 guys

 

[Brock Boeser Laser Show]

What time range will 3rd overall be announced? 4:30ish? Or closer to 5? The fact the leafs are picking first makes me think they will drag this out forever before moving on to #2 pick

 

[Jack Burton]

Is any of Malhotra, Reid, Bjorck, Carels, Smits, Rudolph and Verhoeff the clear runaway better prospect in this group, or worst for that matter? Because one of these prospects will be available somewhere between 3rd and 9th pick.

It actually doesn’t matter who’s better.

This draft is all about sheer luck and what team has the better player development.

It’s a cookie cutter draft

 

[Canucks LB]

Is any of Malhotra, Reid, Bjorck, Carels, Smits, Rudolph and Verhoeff the clear runaway better prospect in this group, or worst for that matter? Because one of these prospects will be available somewhere between 3rd and 9th pick.

Their tier that most ppl agree with is this.

Mckenna
-
Stenberg
-
-
Reid
Malhotra
Carels
Verhoeff
Smits
Viggo
-
Rudolph
Gustafsson
-
-

Lawrence
Cullen
etc
etc

 

[Vancouver_2010]

take the BPA, dont pick based on position, Reid is the BPA if mckenna and stanberg is gone.

 

[Canucks LB]

take the BPA, dont pick based on position, Reid is the BPA if mckenna and stanberg is gone.

Subjective, Many people think carels is BPA over Reid on D

 

[Vancouver_2010]

Subjective, Many people think carels is BPA over Reid on D

sure, just dont take malhotra for god's sake.

 

[SelltheTeamFrancesco]

Subjective, Many people think carels is BPA over Reid on D

I was of this opinion but the concussion concerns that some have brought up for Carels worries me.