NHL Entry Draft: 2026 NHL Draft, June 26 7pm ET: Rangers with 5th pick after Lottery

[bhamill]

"
There are varying levels of concern among NHL talent evaluators about a concussion Carels sustained in Prince George’s playoff opener on March 27. He missed the next two games before returning for the team’s final nine, but lingering symptoms caused him to skip testing at the recent NHL Draft Combine, colleague Corey Pronman reported on “The Athletic Hockey Show.”



Well that is something I didn't know and makes me a bit hesitant. He still has lingering issues 2 months later and couldn't do a few tests?? I have him dropping a spot or two in my ranking from that alone. We need to hit the pick out of the park, and if we end up with an injury prone player, like another Chytil, then that would be awful.

I heard he skipped the combine because he had shit to take care of for his family on the farm. This is the first I am hearing about "lingering effects." This sounds like Pronman clickbait. If he had "lingering effects" he would not have played any more games.

 

[eco's bones]

That's 100 % what's up. Farm strength is real. You can see it in Carels defensive highlights, throwing opponents away.

Imo a steal at 5.

Hockey use to be a lot tougher but the WHL (like in the 80's, 90's, early 2000's) use to always be the toughest major junior league in Canada and lots of those players were the sons of farmers, ranchers, oil field workers particularly out of Saskatchewan and Alberta which for the the greatest part are rural populations.....living in that region of the world can be a very harsh hardscrabble kind of life and an everyday reality for those who do of always finding some way to overcome any number of obstacles. That stuff can easily get into the mindsets/DNA of people in a family way and for generations. Nothing comes without some drawbacks but I would think for Carels anyway that kind of life probably will bring mostly positives to the team that drafts him.

Schneider comes from Saskatchewan too. His game has kind of plateaued the last 2/3 years and FWIW I don't think talent wise he's a great comparable to Carels but he strikes me as a big, strong, quiet and simple soul and a guy who's probably never fully realized his own physical strength as far as imposing it on opposition hockey players. Once in a while he'll get into a fight and he usually does very well. Once in a while he really blasts someone like Trouba would do. But that part of him has never really fully come out. It seems like that is already kind of coming out with Carels. There's a bit more engagement with both his skills and his physical game.

FWIW though Smits is pretty physical too.

 

[Mugless]

I'd be very happy with a Carels-Morozov first round.

 

[GoAwayRempe]

I’ve read a few articles that think Smits is the most NHL ready prospect in the draft.

If that’s the case would not bat an eye if he’s the pick at 5. Given the state of the defense.

I like the player a lot but am apprehensive of the NYR even *considering* NHL readiness with where they’re at as a franchise.

It depends.

Are you sacrificing upside/ability for NHL readiness? If yes, thats a problem.

Neither applies to Smits, he's got a ton of both.

Im more worried about them trying to silence the louder parts of his game because they're dont fall into playing the game the "right way."

 

[will1066]

"With the fifth pick, New York Rangers select Mikhail Gorbachev."

@EdJovanovski

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

It depends.

Are you sacrificing upside/ability for NHL readiness? If yes, thats a problem.

Neither applies to Smits, he's got a ton of both.

Im more worried about them trying to silence the louder parts of his game because they're dont fall into playing the game the "right way."

I like Smits. It’s not about picking him. It’s about how they will use him, and what it means for the overall thought process of the org.

 

[Riche16]

"With the fifth pick, New York Rangers select Mikhail Gorbachev."

@EdJovanovski

That dude couldn't find the Korean Peninsula with a map

(If you get this joke I'm impressed)

 

[will1066]

That dude couldn't find the Korean Peninsula with a map

(If you get this joke I'm impressed)

His birthmark

 

[Daves a mess]

"
There are varying levels of concern among NHL talent evaluators about a concussion Carels sustained in Prince George’s playoff opener on March 27. He missed the next two games before returning for the team’s final nine, but lingering symptoms caused him to skip testing at the recent NHL Draft Combine, colleague Corey Pronman reported on “The Athletic Hockey Show.”



Well that is something I didn't know and makes me a bit hesitant. He still has lingering issues 2 months later and couldn't do a few tests?? I have him dropping a spot or two in my ranking from that alone. We need to hit the pick out of the park, and if we end up with an injury prone player, like another Chytil, then that would be awful.

Didn't know that this was the reason he missed the Combine.

Flag up.

 

[EdJovanovski]

Carson Chytils

 

[Riche16]

His birthmark

They used to say it looked like the Korean Peninsula

 

[Daves a mess]

We need guys who live, breathe, and die hockey like Mackinnon. Carels is going to be sitting on the bench thinking about his 1,000 cows back home just like Laf is on the bench thinking about when he'll pop his next piece of Wrigley gum into his mouth. Meanwhile, Mackinnon is meticulously counting his calories and training 8 hours a day like Drago in Rocky 4.

Well our GM is famously known to live, breath and die hockey.

5 days a week.

 

[Daves a mess]

Carson Chytils

Kravtsov's neck would of swatted that hit off like male Giraffes on the Serengetti during breeding season.

 

[will1066]

They used to say it looked like the Korean Peninsula

it does indeed!

 

[Lone Ranger]

That's a lot of cows to tip over..can't say I blame him

I think Carels can care about his cows and still be moo-tivated to be a great player.

 

[will1066]

Selecting Mikhail Gorbachev is obviously going off the board. Little is known about him but he is believed to play a glasnost type of offense that prioritizes openness and is free from confining structures.

 

[McRanger92]

Selecting Mikhail Gorbachev is obviously going off the board. Little is known about him but he is believed to play a glasnost type of offense that prioritizes openness and is free from confined structures.

System player

 

[Lime]

Damn I didn't realize we lost our own good 2nd round pick this year in the trade where we paid to dump Nemeth 4 years ago. That sucks.

 

[effen]

Some of these are NHL level goals and he goes to the hard areas but in none of them does anyone lay a finger on him.

Something I'd like to see from a top 2 pick.

 

[effen]

Damn I didn't realize we lost our own good 2nd round pick this year in the trade where we paid to dump Nemeth 4 years ago. That sucks.

Someone would have reminded you if you hung around long enough.

 

[NickyFotiu]

That's 100 % what's up. Farm strength is real. You can see it in Carels defensive highlights, throwing opponents away.

Imo a steal at 5.

Soon after college I was working in an office. We were having some arm wrestling contests during our lunch hour. I was big in to weight lifting back then and was winning my matches. I was in my early 20's. I went up against a grampa nerdy looking guy who was probably around 55 at that time. I thought it would be easy. Guy demolished me. Tommy Thomson another young guy in to weight lifting told me, "you had no chance. He has farm strength from throwing around hay bales on his ranch". That was the first time I ever heard that term but I never forgot it. Really taught me a lit about judging a book by its cover as well.

 

[savebyrichter94]

Selecting Mikhail Gorbachev is obviously going off the board. Little is known about him but he is believed to play a glasnost type of offense that prioritizes openness and is free from confining structures.

@EdJovanovski announcing the pick

“Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this Domino’s”

 

[will1066]

@EdJovanovski announcing the pick

“Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this Domino’s”

lmao

 

[will1066]

 

[80s Kid]

Selecting Mikhail Gorbachev is obviously going off the board. Little is known about him but he is believed to play a glasnost type of offense that prioritizes openness and is free from confining structures.

Five years from now Drury will be telling him to tear down his no movement clause.