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

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NYR Viper said:
Is there any concern from anyone with the fact that Bjork is likely almost fully grown and not just height but also weight? Based on his listed metrics, it seems likely that he is about as big as he is going to get which means he’s likely tapped out physically. I like someone who is perhaps 6’ and maybe 175lbs who likely has the ability to put on 15-20lbs of strength. I’m not saying there is a major concern just a thought
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I’m bigly concerned (pun intended). Even the smallest NHL centers are 2’ taller. And there’s like only less than 5% of them in the NHL. It’s too much of a risk. Yes he’s uber talented but at 5 if there’s a choice 10 out of 10 I will take Malhotra or one of these D in Smits or Carels
 
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kovazub94 said:
I’m bigly concerned (pun intended). Even the smallest NHL centers are 2’ taller. And there’s like only less than 5% of them in the NHL. It’s too much of a risk. Yes he’s uber talented but at 5 if there’s a choice 10 out of 10 I will take Malhotra or one of these D in Smits or Carels
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I'd be less concerned if he were a choice later in the draft. At #5, you have to be certain.
 
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haohmaru said:
I'd be less concerned if he were a choice later in the draft. At #5, you have to be certain.
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Agree. We’ve seen in a recent past that smallish top-5 level talent-wise forwards fall into teens range where the risk of taking them becomes more acceptable (relative to alternatives in bigger but less talented prospects).
 
kovazub94 said:
Agree. We’ve seen in a recent past that smallish top-5 level talent-wise forwards fall into teens range where the risk of taking them becomes more acceptable (relative to alternatives in bigger but less talented prospects).
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Yeah, but it's the also the C position making it more risky for a lot of GM's. If he ends up a winger, you probably get still get a great player, but then you're weighing that up against the center/defense position you could have drafted.
 
pld459666 said:
Reid
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pQV90P5.gif
 
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With 4 days left, here is my final ranking, in order, of who I want:

  1. Gavin McKenna – Obviously not happening.
  2. Ivan Stenberg – Probably a 3% chance he somehow drops to us, but I would do a full-blown sprint to the podium if he's available.
  3. Chase Reid – Best defenseman in the draft. I'd love to snag him, but from #3 to #8 I don't see a huge amount of separation.
  4. Keaton Verhoeff – Will be a top-pair defenseman in the league for the next decade. The few haters he has will come around next season when he outperforms the rest of the top defensemen who are heading to the NCAA.
  5. Celab Malhotra – I ended up coming around on him more than I thought I would. If he continues to develop the way he has, he'll be the centerpiece of a Stanley Cup-winning team and bring it every night. Future captain material for sure. I'm a little skeptical about how much offense he'll bring at the NHL level, but if he can get to around 80 points, that's a home run.
  6. Albert Smits – Another potential top-pair defenseman, but I could see him having the toughest path to reaching that ceiling. I don't think he's as NHL-ready as some people do and should probably play overseas for another season. That likely won't happen if the Rangers draft him.
  7. Carson Carels – My biggest dropper. Sorry, but the concussion scare has scared me away from him. Lingering effects two months after the hit are a major cause for concern. Before that, he would have been ranked #4.
  8. Viggo Björck – One of the highest-skilled players in the draft, but he's small. At this point, though, I wouldn't be upset if he ended up being the pick.
  9. Daxon Rudolph – This is where I think we'd be reaching if he or my #10 gets drafted. I'm not a huge fan of him, and there have been too many reports about him being lazy at times. That's the last thing we need. Still insanely skilled
  10. Tynan Lawrence – I think whoever gets him will end up very happy. Unfortunately, Malhotra and he will likely be fighting for top-line minutes next season.
Not sure who we end up with, but anyone from #3 through #8 is a player I'd expect and be happy with.
 
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Filip Chytil said:
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IDK apart of me thinks yes, that would get awkward fast if [when] a coach gets fired and it's a player's dad...

But I think it's all smoke; the fact they announce it and hire him a couple weeks before his son is projected to go top-3 to a team with the 3rd overall pick, and they'll almost certainly never have the chance to play together...they're just saying this and will happily go to the podium to pick Caleb.

Which is FINE. Of the top 8 in this draft (4 forwards and 4 D) I'd probably be most disappointed with Malholtra at 5 (if he was avaiable and we picked him); always thought his was a bust (for his draft position) and Caleb was kinda nowhere a few months ago and now is a top-2/3 pick? Nah.

If Ivar is not there, I go Viggo first, and then honestly I wouldn't be disappointed if we went Smits either.
 
I'm weirdly calm when it comes to the 5. overall pick on friday. Will be happy with any of the top 8 rated prospects, and don't believe Drury will go so far of the consesus that he will pick someone from outside that group. There is of course some I personally rank over the other on that list, but we should get a really good prospect whoever they pick.

Looks like Rangers picks 5. in a 8 player draft (at this time, will look different in 5 years).

At 26. overall you really never know what you get, can be everything from a star to a bust at that level.
Guess teams are more gathering players in tiers then a strict ranking at that point, so if we go D with the 5., and they have a C ranked as the D's at pick 26. they go for a C then.
 
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My Top 16 for the moment:

McKenna
Stenberg
Reid
Bjorck/Malhotra (if pressed Bjorck by a hair)
Carels/Smits (if pressed Smits by a hair)
Gustafsson
Verhoeff
Rudolph
Cullen
Belchetz
Lin
Hemming
Suvanto
Pugachyov

Clusters:
1-3
4-7
8
9-12
13-16
 
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McSauer said:
IDK apart of me thinks yes, that would get awkward fast if [when] a coach gets fired and it's a player's dad...

But I think it's all smoke; the fact they announce it and hire him a couple weeks before his son is projected to go top-3 to a team with the 3rd overall pick, and they'll almost certainly never have the chance to play together...they're just saying this and will happily go to the podium to pick Caleb.

Which is FINE. Of the top 8 in this draft (4 forwards and 4 D) I'd probably be most disappointed with Malholtra at 5 (if he was avaiable and we picked him); always thought his was a bust (for his draft position) and Caleb was kinda nowhere a few months ago and now is a top-2/3 pick? Nah.

If Ivar is not there, I go Viggo first, and then honestly I wouldn't be disappointed if we went Smits either.
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Caleb has been a first round projection for almost he entire year and a steady climber even before his playoff explosion.
 
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GoAwayRempe said:
Caleb has been a first round projection for almost he entire year and a steady climber even before his playoff explosion.
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idk why people are acting like risers are inherently bad. in 2017 nico hischier wasnt even close to ranked 1OA at the start of the year while nolan patrick had been on radars for years. personally i much prefer risers over fallers. i swear people just dont want malhotra because of his dad and are reverse engineering reasons to not take him
 
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On the whole, it’s fair to say that Reid and Carels are the two consensus top D in the class (in that order).

Scout 1: 1. Reid
2. Carels
3. Verhoeff
4. Šmits
5. Rudolph

Scout 2: First: Reid. Last: Rudolph.

Scout 3: Carels top, Rudolph bottom, but I’d be ecstatic with any of them and the order within this list is fairly fluid.

Scout 4: The group is very close, to me the biggest question is how much worse is the CHL this year? If you assume it is not meaningfully worse, then Rudolf and Carels are having really impressive seasons — have strong 200-foot games that should be in your top four in a couple seasons with top pair upside. Verhoeff likely is undervalued in all of this, given he was playing in (the) NCAA and was solid but not elite. He probably is closer to NHL-ready, but projection seems less variable and exciting. Šmits could play in (the) NHL next year and is a fun wild-card option, might not have the offense of the others but be a better minute eater. I don’t believe Reid’s season is as impressive as the others; OHL production is fine, but I don’t see game-breaking offense like some others have claimed. So I probably have Reid lowest. The other four, it really comes down to preference of handedness, playing style and risk tolerance — just trade back if you want a D in the top 10.

If you had to pick, who’s No. 1?

Rudolph is probably the guy I would bet on, but I am not taking him top five. I would trade back if in that situation and wanted a D. Rudolph is one of the better skaters, can play physical and makes really smart passes. Sometimes he looks lazy/too calm, but I think that is a product of his high-end brain and ability to make quick plays with the puck.

Scout 5: 1. Reid
2. Rudolph (but close!)
3. Carels
4. Verhoeff
5. Šmits

Curious: Why Šmits last?

I think we see a little lower production/PP ceiling there. Top four D, though, all day long. It’s a hard exercise to have to pick these guys apart.

Scout 6: First: Reid. Last: Carels.

You’re the first to have Carels last. Curious: Why?

It’s pretty close with all those guys. He just wasn’t quite as dominant as the others.

Scout 7: Reid first and Rudolph last.

Scout 8: Did not see Šmits, but Reid would be first for me. And Rudolph last.

Scout 9: 1. Reid
2. Carels
3. Šmits
4. Rudolph
5. Verhoeff

Why Verhoeff last?

Well, to be honest, it’s nearly a toss-up between all these D. I like Verhoeff as a potential top-two D but in modern hockey speed is essential and in the international games I have watched Verhoeff, I didn’t think that his overall speed (skating speed plus head speed) is top notch and in the physical department he plays sometimes a bit too much as a gentle giant. But all these are criticisms on a very high level. In the end, we are talking about a potential top-five pick, and personally, I have him top 12 but not top five. Maybe I watched the wrong games, but I stand by my observations.

Scout 10: First: Carels. Last: Rudolph (reluctantly, Verhoeff makes me nervous).

Why Carels first?

I just think Carels does a bit of it all. Hard to play against. I think the skating and defensive game is advanced. Don’t see him as a PP1 guy, but the offensive game is certainly solid enough.

Scout 11: I’d have Carels first (with the caveat that I haven’t watched Reid). Total package. A lot of Jake Sanderson there. Verhoeff last. Not a fan of his IQ or feet.
Scout 12: 1. Carels
2. Verhoeff
3. Reid
4. Rudolph
5. Šmits

Scout 13: First: Reid. Last: Šmits (somewhat by default as I did not see Šmits live this year).
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Tor 1. McKenna
SaJ 2. Reid
Van3. Malhotra
Chi 4. Stenberg

That would be my guess for how the first 4 picks go.

San Jose could really use a puck moving D quite a lot more IMO than a LW and even if it's more than arguable that Stenberg is the BPA at 2 IMO it's not by that much. Sharks need a power play QB.....future #1 D. Dickinson should be a very good player but he's not going to be either of those two things.

Vancouver with Malhotra seems pretty likely to me now that they hired his dad to be coach. Maybe not but that's what I'd figure.

And if those two things happen then Stenberg is there for the Blackhawks. I think that's most likely. Maybe they could use a big puck moving D too but I think Chicago takes Stenberg----tantalizingly close to our pick though.

The thing with Carels is a bit unclear. Right now I'm leaning with Smits and Bjorck would be my next after Smits. Verhoeff is the No. 8 for me. He wouldn't be a bad pick but I'd definitely would prefer the other two.
 
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2. Caleb Malhotra - Center - Brantford Bulldogs

Highest Ranking: 1st (4x)

Lowest Ranking: 2nd (9x)

Total Votes: 13

Comments:

“Malhotra’s stock climbed for a reason — 84 points in 67 games and another 26 in a dominant playoff run will do that — but there’s more to his game than raw production. He shows exceptional ice awareness, elite hockey sense, and a work ethic that allows him to suffocate opponents defensively while still generating high‑danger looks the other way. His straight‑line acceleration and top‑end speed aren’t elite, but he consistently finds space and makes calculated decisions that translate. With his brain, compete, and ability to drive play, he projects safely as a future top‑six NHL center.” - Dominic Tiano


“I feel he's the best center of this draft. He's come a long way since the start of the season. He's one of the smartest players in the OHL. A good athlete that’s offensively gifted but also has a strong 2-way game and knows when to use his body and where to put pucks. A real team player who rises to the occasion.” - Mike Morreale


“Highly intelligent and very process-driven, Malhotra is the kind of center that can fit into just about any system. His physical edge and improving speed have become assets as he has embraced his creativity as a playmaker. Malhotra had one hell of a second half and that’s driven his stock through the roof. His ceiling, in my view, is a tweener top six center that isn’t quite a true #1 but he could potentially be one of the better #2s around the league.” - Tony Ferrari


“While the debate between Caleb Malhotra and Chase Reid continues, I’m still high on Malhotra by a small margin. He’s extremely smart on both sides of the puck, plays with a great amount of pace and deception and continued to elevate his play from the regular season to the playoffs as he dominated the Ontario Hockey League postseason with 26 points in 15 games. He can catch defenders off guard with his speed and puck skills, open lanes up effectively to draw players in and distribute the puck well and has the ability to constantly push the danger areas while also being a threat far out with his shot. There are questions if Malhotra can truly be an established top line centre at the next level, I have no issues that he can reach that in time, given his high IQ and skilled two-way game.” - Peter Baracchini


“I think you just have to be really amazed at how Malhotra was able to make so many adjustments to his game this year, while also playing a key role for one of the OHL’s best teams. It really improved his outlook and projection. I think what’s not talked about enough is that Malhotra had developed into a borderline power forward by the OHL playoffs. When his frame fills out, this is someone who I think can evolve into that power center prototype. He’s the number one center in the class because I just don’t see a concerning flaw.” - Brock Otten


“True 1C upside paired with 2C floor with his high hockey IQ, NHL ready shot, great vision and playmaking, never stops moving, fantastic motor who can change the outlook on a game. He was a big part of the Brantford Bulldogs success this season especially on the Power Play that was the best Power Play Brantford has seen in 30 years. His father Manny Malhotra and Uncle Steve Nash have helped him learn the fine details of being a pro that some players never have the luxury of learning at a young age.” - Anthony Donati


“He was my Top OHL player when we did this exercise at the midway point, and he remains in that spot for me today. I do see a world in which he develops into a #1C at the NHL level, and I believe his floor is a high-end #2C. He is a plus-player in all 3 zones, and with ever growing offensive confidence, I believe it’s possible he is just scratching the surface of his potential.” - Rocco Zappia
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This list is only OHL players. Top 10:

1. Reid
2. Malhotra
3. Belchetz
4. Klepov
5. Novotny
6. Rogowski
7. Cali
8. Cover
9. Roobroeck
10. Sokolovskii
 
TGWL said:
Yeah, but it's the also the C position making it more risky for a lot of GM's. If he ends up a winger, you probably get still get a great player, but then you're weighing that up against the center/defense position you could have drafted.
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Definitely but even if the idea is “he doesn’t work out as a C we switch him to W” is still too risky for top-5.
 
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