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

[lawrence]

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

Why ?

 

[Hammman]

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

Many feel he's the BPA, so you're immediately contradicting yourself.

 

[Buresflyingelbow]

I’m not buying the Chase Reid to Vancouver is 100% narrative. Not one bit. They gotta be f***in stupid if so I’m putting this group in the tier as Alvin Rutherford.

Honestly, the hate and lack of optimism is narrow minded and you need to adapt to the way things have played out, outside of the top 2 wingers there isn’t any consensus BPA and Reid is not a consolation prize, he’s a legit riser in the draft who has proven in the NHL draft to be a complete beast from a zone exit and entry machine. He has the size and shoots right that will lockdown the defence going forward. He’s almost top in every defensive category and ended up being the number 1 Dman as a draft eligible player on the American team while being a fun and dynamic player who is not only fun to watch, but efficient.

He is the consensus BPA amongst scouts available at 3rd overall if the two wingers are chosen and there is a reason for that, I like Caleb as well but realize that maybe both of them don’t want to develop together as father and son on the same team, it does make sense.

To think a RHD who’s projected to be the top Dman in the draft with his skillset is a terrible choice is absolutely crazy, the opportunities it presents are endless on the backend. We would control the offence from the defence and when we do get our studs up front that will create space for them as we will control the puck the majority of the time when Zeev or Chase is on the ice.

His trajectory is through the roof and value is second to none with the skillset and potential he possesses, you can’t be upset as there are no other game breakers up front after the two wingers who play a position least desirable.

No reason to not get excited with either Reid or Malhotra but you don’t want to see anyone else other than those two from a potential and position point of view, I flip flop like a fish on who to go for but there is no wrong pick between Reid or Malhotra, Caleb actually carries more baggage at this point because of Manny as the head coach.

 

[lawrence]

my final mock

1 McKenna
2 stenberg
3 malhotra
4 carels
5 Reid
6 verhoeff
7 smit
8 Rudolph
9 bjork
10 Cullen.

I don’t see a scenario were teams take a 2nd line 5’9 centerman over a 2nd pairing dman. All of them 6’3 and taller. I just don’t.

 

[Jack Burton]

Why ?

 

[JVH]

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

It would probably have something to do with chemistry…

 

[Just A Bit Outside]

My peepee hard now

Sir this is a draft thread.

 

[Just A Bit Outside]

Have to think there’s a good chance we draft someone tomorrow.

 

[Brock Boeser Laser Show]

Have to think there’s a good chance we draft someone tomorrow.

Almost as prolific as John Madden

 

[Flik]

I take a look at these mock draft boards and think to myself

"Man, so tight,

almost like a playoff

game."

 

[David Bruce Banner]

Assuming McKenna goes first, the next 8 or so seem like a crapshoot

Stenberg: I’m fine with him, but he’s probably the guy the Canucks need the least, a good bit mid-sized winger.
Reid: Good option, but American flight risk is real. Not sure how high his upside is.
Carels: Would be my pick, but rumours of a concussion worry me
Malhotra: I’d be fine with him, but worried that the slightest hiccup in his progress would get blown way out proportion when he makes the team with his dad coaching.
Björck: I like him and think his size won’t be an issue. His lack of speed might cap him as a 2C, though
Smits: Might actually be the safest pick.
Verhoeff: Pass, unless we trade back.
Rudolph: I like him better than Verhoeff, but not as much as the other D prospects.

At 24 I want Command or Pugachyov
No friggin Rucks, please.

 

[DonnyNucker]

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!!!!!

sigh...i knew this lazy reply was coming. shouldn't be surprised after seeing your list

 

[Just A Bit Outside]

Had no idea the draft was at 2:56am tomorrow.

Now I have to stay up late!

 

[DonnyNucker]

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

the Sedin's aren't treating this process as a joke. they don't give AF about twin or family storylines. they want to win a cup in vancouver. none of this shit is happening.

the Sedin's are doomed because we have a poor owner but that is an entirely different issue

 

[ProviesGhost]

RJ with the pick, or the Twins?

(since we have no trades to talk about)

 

[DonnyNucker]

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.

yes they are. the Canucks will have a well defined list and will prefer their number 3 to pick number 9. greatly. just because you are indecisive and view the top 10 as somewhat interchangebel doesn't mean NHL front offices agree

 

[DonnyNucker]

Pettersson

dammit. I hate Caleb already

 

[Just A Bit Outside]

RJ with the pick, or the Twins?

(since we have no trades to talk about)

Harvey going to select Verhoeff and I will throw a rock through my phone.

 

[Orca Smash]

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

That was not what I was saying, clearly they don't but Canucks have had leaks for awhile dhaliwal for instance is not pumping carels at 3 to Canucks and he has sources with the team.

 

[Orca Smash]

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.

Carels is going to be an excellent dman imo. Beyond him I think it's a drop. But I also don't think Chicago knows what they are doing. I'm not sure there a team I feel are really good at drafting either.

 

[credulous]

the Sedin's aren't treating this process as a joke. they don't give AF about twin or family storylines. they want to win a cup in vancouver. none of this shit is happening.

the Sedin's are doomed because we have a poor owner but that is an entirely different issue

i'm giving the sedins every chance but i feel like hiring savants has a lot of risk

 

[Bgav]

Sir this is a draft thread.

Forgive him, he thought it was 2025-26 game 56 gdt

 

[lawrence]

Carson Carels finished his playoffs after missing 2 games. I don’t think it’s a concern. Just take him. Apparently he played very well. We can have Buium Carels in a line, like we did in 2011 where we had ehrhoff edler as the top pairing.

Or…. Don’t be chicken shit, and just draft Caleb.

 

[Orca Smash]

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

Then you also have to be concerned about Reid being American every prospect has risks. Carels had one concussion I was aware of but passed all his medicals at the combine. If it was lingering issue or repeated I'd be concerned maybe then. He missed two games and came back. Nothing that would make me say no way am I taking the best dman in the 2026 draft.

 

[Buresflyingelbow]

Final ranking for myself:

1. Mckenna
2. Stenberg
3. Reid
4. Malhotra
5. Carels
6. Verhoeff
7. Bjork
8. Smits
9. Rudolph
10. Hemming

I say Reid 3rd but it’s based off of the Canucks doing their due diligence and knowing Manny and Caleb want to have separation for both of their careers going forward. Our media is cutthroat and will pick every single second of ice time or PP opportunities apart via analytics and favouritism in every failed attempt possible. I feel Cootes has that “same” skillset and leadership and that could also cause controversy over leadership roles and favouritism.

I prefer the Canadian 10/10 and the Center position but what can you do? I’d love Carels as well but he hasn’t been linked or had dinner with the team and also is a LHD who holds less value. Verhoeff I don’t want to even get into for the backlash but he probably turns out to be the best Dman and player out of this draft, this market would explode! To have a 17 year old play a level up and put up historically good numbers vs players like Werenski and Hughes with 55 points in the WHL as a D-1 is obscure, I bet he has the best numbers in College Hockey next year and a 6’4 RHD from Canada., guy challenged himself like McKenna and I’d say he put up better numbers as a Dman than he did compared to McKenna putting up way less numbers than a Eichel.