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

[Sergei Shirokov]

Caleb & Reid are in the same tier. And even if you put Stenberg in the higher tier than them it isn't by much imo. Both guys have potential to be the best players in the draft.

I still hope its Caleb as its a cleaner projection & rarer asset to find imo (unless you think Reid's a true #1D, I'm not sure about that).

But if Reid is the pick he's an impressive kid too and projects well as a top 3D that can play big mins.

Any of Stenberg/Malhotra/Reid would be fine. Verhoeff is where I'd feel like we reached.

 

[Pastor Of Muppetz]

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.

Just the fact Carels is a LHD probably cancels him out. The positions that hold the highest currency are C and RHD.

You take full advantage of that picking at 3 with both available.

 

[thecupismine]

This has been one of the most interesting draft classes for me, and the most fun I've had scouting in a while. I'm between projects at work right now while waiting for city permits, so it gave me a lot more time than I usually have to do this, and for that I'm pretty grateful.

A lot of the guys I identified early on as potential steals or guys to look out for have risen a ton (Malhotra, Command), and the guys I wasn't vibing with have dropped (Lawrence, Novotny), and I'm curious if that trend continues. It's somewhat validating, but also a bit annoying as I can't do the whole told you so thing

RE: the actual draft quality itself, I think calling it weak is a bit much. It's missing a clear franchise guy or two + the center depth is suspect, and the one it has that could be it (McKenna) has way more warts than you usually see from a #1 pick. Beyond that, the top 8 or 9 looks pretty strong, and 20ish onwards is pretty standard from what you'd see out of a draft class.

On the Canucks, it's going to be a bit weird, as who they pick at 3 will determine a lot of how they chart the rest of the draft.

Go with Reid or Carels, and there's zero guys in the system who project as 1st line players, and there aren't a ton of high skill bets to make later on, which might force the Canucks to pick some higher risk players earlier than they should. You'd ideally want to draft a C, but I don't see any first round caliber centers making it to 24.

The rest of the draft is on easy mode if you go Malhotra, as you can take pretty much any position at 24, 33, or 41 and be content with where your depth chart is at. The bigger concern is the whole father/son dynamic there.

Anyways, I'm fascinated to see how things go tomorrow. Here's my top 30, if anyone is interested on my thoughts on any of the individual players I did a lot more write up in previous threads, but happy to expand on them for people who are only tuning in now:

1. Mckenna
2. Malhotra
3. Stenberg
4. Carels
5. Reid
6. Smits
7. Rudolph
8. Bjorck
9. Gustaffson
10. Command
11. Hemming
12. Verhoeff
13. Hermansson
14. Suvanto
15. Cullen
16. Morozov
17. Lawrence
18. Belchetz
19. Lin
20. Preston
21. Mutryn
22. Klepov
23. Hurlbert
24. L. Ruck
25. Pugachyov
26. Valentini
27. Bilecki
28. Bleyl
29. Cali
30. M Ruck

 

[lawrence]

Just the fact Carels is a LHD probably cancels him out. The positions that hold the highest currency are C and RHD.

You take full advantage of that picking at 3 with both available.

Yea not its a weak ass draft though so bad Chicago is quitting also traded their 2nd, than go malhotra but we are scared of media.

 

[StreetHawk]

Just the fact Carels is a LHD probably cancels him out. The positions that hold the highest currency are C and RHD.

You take full advantage of that picking at 3 with both available.

I like Carels over Verheoff. Skating is important for D if you expect them to play big heavy minutes when it counts. Harder to recover when it requires more effort.

Reid, not as big a deal with the USA thing for me. But, clock ticks faster for some US kids if the team doesn't win.

I do like that Carels wants to play for a CAD team. Seems like that is in rare supply lately for Van.

 

[alternate]

I go Malhotra. Think the father son thing will be a non-issue, and if you feel there's a realistic chance at him being a 1C he should be the choice. Malhotra, Cootes, Buium, Willander is a good balanced foundation to build this thing on.

But adding Reid is sexy as well, and I would be excited if he'sour choice. Some concern about the USA, but really gives us a high end blueline to anchor the rebuild.

Same can be said for Verhoef. I'd be holding my breath for a bit if he is our pick, but if he hits he also fits perfectly with Buium, Willander, and DPetey. Would hope they'd trade back with NYR if he is their target.

Carels adds another LD and we're a bit more flush there organizationally, but guys can play their off hand. I'm happy with him at 3, but also probably a guy you can have at 5.

But ultimately can't complain value wise at getting to choose between the 1C and 1RHD in the draft.

 

[y2kcanucks]

Canucks are going to draft Reid and it pisses me off. But hey, go ahead and draft the guy who is just going to ditch this team like Taylor Swift’s exes.

Carson Carels should be the pick. This will be a day we look back on and regret. I’ll make bank having bet on this before the lines shifted at least.

My top 33 rankings (note: I have Reid ranked high based on talent. But a Canadian team should not draft him):

1. Gavin McKenna
2. Ivar Stenberf
3. Carson Carels
4. Chase Reid
5. Caleb Malhotra
6. Keaton Verhoeff
7. Daxon Rudolph
8. Viggo Bjork
9. Ethan Belchetz
10. Tynan Lawrence
11. Wyatt Cullen
12. Mathis Preston
13. Maddox Dagenais
14. Ryan Lin
15.. Ilya Morozov
16. Oliver Suvanto
17. Alexander Command
18. Liam Ruck
19. Markus Ruck
20. Xavier Villeneuve
21. Tommy Bleyl
22. Adam Valentini
23. Oscar Hemming
24. Alberts Smits
25. Yegor Shilov
26. Casey Mutryn
27. Tobias Trejbal
28. Chase Harrington
29. Brady Knowling
30. Ryan Roobroeck
31. JP Hurlbert
32. Jack Hextall
33. Nikita Klepov

 

[Buresflyingelbow]

I like Carels over Verheoff. Skating is important for D if you expect them to play big heavy minutes when it counts. Harder to recover when it requires more effort.

Reid, not as big a deal with the USA thing for me. But, clock ticks faster for some US kids if the team doesn't win.

I do like that Carels wants to play for a CAD team. Seems like that is in rare supply lately for Van.

Too much weight on 18 year old kids who just want to be drafted into the NHL, a Canadian kid like Malhotra could want out due to his dad being the coach! Nobody has mentioned that once thinking about every other scenario around it, what if Caleb requests a trade because his Dad is his NHL coach and everyone feels uncomfortable with that around him? I could see that happening over drafting an American who grew up in the OHL who gave them his shot to become what he has become.

 

[Sergei Shirokov]

If Gustafsson doesn't go top 10, and starts to slip past 11/12/13 I hope the Canucks consider packaging picks & making an offer to jump up.

I know people will say take as many swings as you can, but a player like Gustafsson presents an opportunity to add a building block that fills a serious need as we build this thing out.

Also not too crazy about the depth of this draft either, I'd rather another premium prospect if one starts to fall down the board. (I think there's about 12 of them in this draft).

The other guy would be Belchetz but I doubt he slips past 11.

 

[Sergei Shirokov]

Go with Reid or Carels, and there's zero guys in the system who project as 1st line players, and there aren't a ton of high skill bets to make later on, which might force the Canucks to pick some higher risk players earlier than they should. You'd ideally want to draft a C, but I don't see any first round caliber centers making it to 24.

The rest of the draft is on easy mode if you go Malhotra, as you can take pretty much any position at 24, 33, or 41 and be content with where your depth chart is at. The bigger concern is the whole father/son dynamic there.

This is a good point. I don't think you can worry so much about drafting to round out the prospect pool given this is our first draft of the rebuild, but I totally get it and agree Malhotra makes everything way easier going forward.

I'm already hoping Morozov gets to #24 anyways, but if we don't take Caleb then I'd be hoping even more to land him, or else I'd be thinking deeper about going with Jack Hextall if he's still there. (Assuming top talents like Klepov/Hermansson aren't)

It would be nice to get a C with atleast middle 6 upside in this draft.

 

[y2kcanucks]

If Gustafsson doesn't go top 10, and starts to slip past 11/12/13 I hope the Canucks consider packaging picks & making an offer to jump up.

I know people will say take as many swings as you can, but a player like Gustafsson presents an opportunity to add a building block that fills a serious need as we build this thing out.

Also not too crazy about the depth of this draft either, I'd rather another premium prospect if one starts to fall down the board. (I think there's about 12 of them in this draft).

The other guy would be Belchetz but I doubt he slips past 11.

What’s the need? A shitty 3rd pair defenseman?

 

[Sergei Shirokov]

What’s the need? A shitty 3rd pair defenseman?

Gustafsson 3rd pair? Guy is a beast.

The need is a bigger LHD that can take the matchups & pressure off Zeev. Gustafsson would be a great complement.

He's got the skating & skill level to be that guy, ontop of the nastiness & defensive play. Hakansson would be more of the 3rd pair type.

 

[StreetHawk]

If Gustafsson doesn't go top 10, and starts to slip past 11/12/13 I hope the Canucks consider packaging picks & making an offer to jump up.

I know people will say take as many swings as you can, but a player like Gustafsson presents an opportunity to add a building block that fills a serious need as we build this thing out.

Also not too crazy about the depth of this draft either, I'd rather another premium prospect if one starts to fall down the board. (I think there's about 12 of them in this draft).

The other guy would be Belchetz but I doubt he slips past 11.

He is regarded as the best pure Defender. Bigger guy at 6'4 and 200 lbs. If he could be somewhere between a Tanev to Slavin level that would be amazing.
But, your hope of moving up, from 10-16 it is Nash, STL, NJ, NYI, CBJ, STL, STL.

Not sure those clubs are interested in trading down. Blues maybe since they don't have a #2 and may want to spread it out a bit. Who knows. Does it benefit Nash, NJ, NYI, CBJ to add more picks? Any of these ones that Debrusk would go to in a flip with #24?

 

[Sergei Shirokov]

He is regarded as the best pure Defender. Bigger guy at 6'4 and 200 lbs. If he could be somewhere between a Tanev to Slavin level that would be amazing.
But, your hope of moving up, from 10-16 it is Nash, STL, NJ, NYI, CBJ, STL, STL.

Not sure those clubs are interested in trading down. Blues maybe since they don't have a #2 and may want to spread it out a bit. Who knows. Does it benefit Nash, NJ, NYI, CBJ to add more picks? Any of these ones that Debrusk would go to in a flip with #24?

Hopefully STL likes Pettersson enough to give us one or 2 of those picks for him, especially the higher ones.

It'll be interesting to see if they can pull off the DeBrusk trade in time to land another pick in the 1st round.

 

[ChilliBilly]

Too much weight on 18 year old kids who just want to be drafted into the NHL, a Canadian kid like Malhotra could want out due to his dad being the coach! Nobody has mentioned that once thinking about every other scenario around it, what if Caleb requests a trade because his Dad is his NHL coach and everyone feels uncomfortable with that around him? I could see that happening over drafting an American who grew up in the OHL who gave them his shot to become what he has become.

Sigh.

This whole father / son thing is such non issue.

Take the player you think is BPA with some minor adjustment for positional need.

Just a point on this. Maholtra's loyalty to the Canucks probably outweighs and daddy issues. He probably really wants to be a Canuck and that also is valuable.

 

[DFAC]

So other teams are throwing around 1sts like candy and the Canucks don't make any moves.... make it make sense. The draft is TMR. WAKE UP MGMT

 

[y2kcanucks]

Gustafsson 3rd pair? Guy is a beast.

The need is a bigger LHD that can take the matchups & pressure off Zeev. Gustafsson would be a great complement.

He's got the skating & skill level to be that guy, ontop of the nastiness & defensive play. Hakansson would be more of the 3rd pair type.

I’m betting he ends up a 3rd pair defenseman if he even makes the NHL. Ceiling is likely Ilya Lyabushkin.

 

[Buresflyingelbow]

Sigh.

This whole father / son thing is such non issue.

Take the player you think is BPA with some minor adjustment for positional need.

Just a point on this. Maholtra's loyalty to the Canucks probably outweighs and daddy issues. He probably really wants to be a Canuck and that also is valuable.

Is it? Manny is his father and what if Caleb deserves the Captaincy and it’s viewed as favouritism, Cootes has the same profile and has no strings attached. Do you give it to him or not in order to keep the peace in the locker room and does that stunt his growth as a high pick? Maybe Caleb asks out with his agent not wanting to be a high pick like his Dad and become essentially a journeyman instead of a top player in the NHL?

Anyone thinking there is less risk with Caleb is fooling themselves and he might want out over any other pick we choose, his Dad might want what’s best for him and agree moving on is the best case scenario.

Not once have I heard fans think Caleb and his agent might want out before any other pick due to him not developing “properly” even if he’s going to bust anyways, it will all be blamed on his situation and father being his coach. Maybe his best friend on the team doesn’t like his ice time and starts talking about his dad and how he’s not utilizing him properly, how does Caleb differentiate the difference between Dad and Coach, are people afraid to talk to him?

 

[Joe Rogan]

Canucks are going to draft Reid and it pisses me off. But hey, go ahead and draft the guy who is just going to ditch this team like Taylor Swift’s exes.

Carson Carels should be the pick. This will be a day we look back on and regret. I’ll make bank having bet on this before the lines shifted at least.

My top 33 rankings (note: I have Reid ranked high based on talent. But a Canadian team should not draft him):

1. Gavin McKenna
2. Ivar Stenberf
3. Carson Carels
4. Chase Reid
5. Caleb Malhotra
6. Keaton Verhoeff
7. Daxon Rudolph
8. Viggo Bjork
9. Ethan Belchetz
10. Tynan Lawrence
11. Wyatt Cullen
12. Mathis Preston
13. Maddox Dagenais
14. Ryan Lin
15.. Ilya Morozov
16. Oliver Suvanto
17. Alexander Command
18. Liam Ruck
19. Markus Ruck
20. Xavier Villeneuve
21. Tommy Bleyl
22. Adam Valentini
23. Oscar Hemming
24. Alberts Smits
25. Yegor Shilov
26. Casey Mutryn
27. Tobias Trejbal
28. Chase Harrington
29. Brady Knowling
30. Ryan Roobroeck
31. JP Hurlbert
32. Jack Hextall
33. Nikita Klepov

Carson Carels is damaged goods and is walking into the draft tomorrow with concussion issues just like Chytil. But damaged goods is your type! What could possibly go wrong?

I still remember you crapping on posters in 2014 wanting Ehlers or Nylander, insisting on the Canucks drafting a one-shouldered Virtanen or piggy Ritchie. How did that one work out again?

 

[Canucks LB]

So other teams are throwing around 1sts like candy and the Canucks don't make any moves.... make it make sense. The draft is TMR. WAKE UP MGMT

Look at the players traded.

Brady Tkachuk got 3
Byram got 1
Kyrou got 1
Eklund got 1
Nemec got 2
Samoskevich got 1

So basically the only player that should not have got one is probably Samoskevich, and Nemec should probably get 1 not 2.

Debrusk is worse then all of those guys except Samo, but huge age difference.
EP40 could get a 1st, but has a full NMC
Hronek has a full NMC would get a Haul

So basically a NMC Debrusk is your best bet to get a 1st.

That's why we did not get a 1st

 

[y2kcanucks]

Carson Carels is damaged goods and is walking into the draft tomorrow with concussion issues just like Chytil. But damaged goods is your type! What could possibly go wrong?

I still remember you crapping on posters in 2014 wanting Ehlers or Nylander, insisting on the Canucks drafting a one-shouldered Virtanen or piggy Ritchie. How did that one work out again?

I didn’t say Virtanen. Nice try. I did want Ritchie though.

Funny you bring that up but ignore the year I had Cale Makar ranked 1. People thought I was nuts when I ranked him so high.

Carels had 1 concussion. That’s far from where
Chytil is at.

Hey, enjoy Chase Reid when he leaves because he wants to go back to the USA

 

[DFAC]

I didn’t say Virtanen. Nice try. I did want Ritchie though.

Funny you bring that up but ignore the year I had Cale Makar ranked 1. People thought I was nuts when I ranked him so high.

Carels had 1 concussion. That’s far from where
Chytil is at.

Hey, enjoy Chase Reid when he leaves because he wants to go back to the USA

FWIW I do remember you pushing really hard for Makar in his draft year

 

[Bleach Clean]

^ Rucks in the top30 on two lists, nice.

This draft is going to rely heavily on development imo. Moreso than others. Don't underestimate the motivation BC born players like Preston, the Rucks and Lin would have to become Canucks players. When all choices are relatively equal, that extra bit of agency could make all the difference.

Which leads to me to Caleb Malhotra: Even if he is slightly behind Reid in BPA talk, I would never bet on Reid becoming more integral to the Canucks franchise. Malhotra just fits here like a glove. If they pass on him, it would be to sell Reid as the clear BPA when that just isn't the case right now.

C'mon Canucks, don't disappoint me tomorrow. It's happened too many times. Make the right call.

 

[DonnyNucker]

This has been one of the most interesting draft classes for me, and the most fun I've had scouting in a while. I'm between projects at work right now while waiting for city permits, so it gave me a lot more time than I usually have to do this, and for that I'm pretty grateful.

A lot of the guys I identified early on as potential steals or guys to look out for have risen a ton (Malhotra, Command), and the guys I wasn't vibing with have dropped (Lawrence, Novotny), and I'm curious if that trend continues. It's somewhat validating, but also a bit annoying as I can't do the whole told you so thing

RE: the actual draft quality itself, I think calling it weak is a bit much. It's missing a clear franchise guy or two + the center depth is suspect, and the one it has that could be it (McKenna) has way more warts than you usually see from a #1 pick. Beyond that, the top 8 or 9 looks pretty strong, and 20ish onwards is pretty standard from what you'd see out of a draft class.

On the Canucks, it's going to be a bit weird, as who they pick at 3 will determine a lot of how they chart the rest of the draft.

Go with Reid or Carels, and there's zero guys in the system who project as 1st line players, and there aren't a ton of high skill bets to make later on, which might force the Canucks to pick some higher risk players earlier than they should. You'd ideally want to draft a C, but I don't see any first round caliber centers making it to 24.

The rest of the draft is on easy mode if you go Malhotra, as you can take pretty much any position at 24, 33, or 41 and be content with where your depth chart is at. The bigger concern is the whole father/son dynamic there.

Anyways, I'm fascinated to see how things go tomorrow. Here's my top 30, if anyone is interested on my thoughts on any of the individual players I did a lot more write up in previous threads, but happy to expand on them for people who are only tuning in now:

1. Mckenna
2. Malhotra
3. Stenberg
4. Carels
5. Reid
6. Smits
7. Rudolph
8. Bjorck
9. Gustaffson
10. Command
11. Hemming
12. Verhoeff
13. Hermansson
14. Suvanto
15. Cullen
16. Morozov
17. Lawrence
18. Belchetz
19. Lin
20. Preston
21. Mutryn
22. Klepov
23. Hurlbert
24. L. Ruck
25. Pugachyov
26. Valentini
27. Bilecki
28. Bleyl
29. Cali
30. M Ruck

swap Reid and Stenberg and I like your list. I've appreciated your draft analysis while you have been between projects. the damn permits are always late!

 

[y2kcanucks]

FWIW I do remember you pushing really hard for Makar in his draft year

I’ll own my misses. But I’ll damn well take credit for my hits too.

In terms of defense prospects: I don’t value one dimensional defensive defensemen. I’m also of the opinion when drafting in round 1, unless the American prospect is in his own tier it’s best to take a non-American if you’re a Canadian team. Don’t risk them wanting to leave the first chance they get.