2026 NHL draft prospects

[landy92mack29]

you never really know until a player makes the jump to the WHL/Juniors how they'll adjust but looking like another very strong class out west even with Kosick+Beuker looking like NCAA path players and no idea what the imports will be

1-Gavin McKenna F Medicine Hat
2-Mathis Preston F Spokane
3-Daxon Rudolph D Prince Albert
4-Ryan Lin D Vancouver
5-Brett Olson F Vancouver
6-Keaton Verhoeff D Victoria
7-Joe Iginla F Edmonton
8-Liam Ruck F Medicine Hat
9-Markus Ruck F Medicine Hat
10-Riley Boychuk F Prince Albert

HM-Ty Muenier F Prince Albert, Beckett Hamilton F Red Deer, Cruz Pavao F Tri-City, Jordan Duguay F Portland, Caelan Joudrey F Wenatchee

 

[wetcoast]

you never really know until a player makes the jump to the WHL/Juniors how they'll adjust but looking like another very strong class out west even with Kosick+Beuker looking like NCAA path players and no idea what the imports will be

1-Gavin McKenna F Medicine Hat
2-Mathis Preston F Spokane
3-Daxon Rudolph D Prince Albert
4-Ryan Lin D Vancouver
5-Brett Olson F Vancouver
6-Keaton Verhoeff D Victoria
7-Joe Iginla F Edmonton
8-Liam Ruck F Medicine Hat
9-Markus Ruck F Medicine Hat
10-Riley Boychuk F Prince Albert

HM-Ty Muenier F Prince Albert, Beckett Hamilton F Red Deer, Cruz Pavao F Tri-City, Jordan Duguay F Portland, Caelan Joudrey F Wenatchee

Some really exciting prospects coming out of the Dub recently both in quality and quantity.

Too bad about Kosick+Beuker though.

Kosick is tiny though so the NCAA might be his best path but he might stagnate on the way.

Any idea on where he and Beuker are playing next year?

 

[landy92mack29]

Some really exciting prospects coming out of the Dub recently both in quality and quantity.

Too bad about Kosick+Beuker though.

Kosick is tiny though so the NCAA might be his best path but he might stagnate on the way.

Any idea on where he and Beuker are playing next year?

both will try and make the NTDP as both are dual citizens. If not I imagine they'll be in the BCHL, maybe USHL.

 

[Garl]

Lol no denial of the other part

I don't "hate" russian players either, but I barely even wrote anything about belarusians at all

 

[Dirtyf1ghter]

Alexander Vlasov seems to be very strong too.

 

[Hockeyville USA]

Evan Jardine 8 points in 7 games for Youngstown in limited action. Most of his season in U17 minor hockey, late 2007 born, Harvard commit

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Evan Jardine 8 points in 7 games for Youngstown in limited action. Most of his season in U17 minor hockey, late 2007 born, Harvard commit

Watched one of his games recently. Looked like of these small dime a dozen opportunistic scorers. What he’s doing in the USHL for a 2026 eligible is notable, but I didn’t think he looked like a future high pick. Potentially that changes.

 

[Buttonwood]

How does the top 30 of 2026 stack up against 2023, 2024, 2025 at this point?

Based on way to early estimations is it 1. 2023, 2. 2025, 3a. 2026 3b. 2024 (tbh I'm just basing the last 2 on the respective rankings of Iginla brothers )

 

[SAS]

How does the top 30 of 2026 stack up against 2023, 2024, 2025 at this point?

Based on way to early estimations is it 1. 2023, 2. 2025, 3a. 2026 3b. 2024 (tbh I'm just basing the last 2 on the respective rankings of Iginla brothers )

Bumping this thread as I am curious about this also.

 

[macbowes]

In my opinion, 2023 looks the best as of now, due to Bedard/Carlsson/Fantilli/Smith being a very strong 1-4 combo. I'd rank them 2023>2026>2024>2025. I think 2026 is actually pretty close to 2023, and maybe even just as good, depending on how good McKenna ends up being.

 

[teravaineSAROS]

In my opinion, 2023 looks the best as of now, due to Bedard/Carlsson/Fantilli/Smith being a very strong 1-4 combo. I'd rank them 2023>2026>2024>2025. I think 2026 is actually pretty close to 2023, and maybe even just as good, depending on how good McKenna ends up being.

McKenna obviously seems promising and I know Fedorov and Björck seem like top tier prospects. Are there any other names that right now seem like potential top 5 picks?

I'm also curious if there are any defensemen that seem like potential top 10 picks. Maybe Rudolph and Schairer?

 

[scoutman1]

McKenna obviously seems promising and I know Fedorov and Björck seem like top tier prospects. Are there any other names that right now seem like potential top 5 picks?

I'm also curious if there are any defensemen that seem like potential top 10 picks. Maybe Rudolph and Schairer?

Alexei Vlasov, Mathias Preston, JP Hurlburt and Mikey Berchild are names that could push for top 5....Vlasov IMO is the top russian over Fedorov....for the Russians though i am just going by contacts i have in Russia who do scouting for NHL teams.

 

[macbowes]

McKenna obviously seems promising and I know Fedorov and Björck seem like top tier prospects. Are there any other names that right now seem like potential top 5 picks?

I'm also curious if there are any defensemen that seem like potential top 10 picks. Maybe Rudolph and Schairer?

F Yegor Shilov, F Ryan Roobroeck, F Mathis Preston, D Callum Crosskery, all stand out to me as having top-5 potential, although there are quite a few others I wouldn't be surprised to see there, and certainly at least one of them will get there. It seems like a very deep class, to me. F Riley Boychuk, F Joe Iginla, F Liam Ruck, F Markus Ruck, F Brett Olson, F Dayne Beuker, F Mikey Berchild, F JP Hurlburt, F Ethan Belchetz, F Alessandro Di Iorio, F Adam Valentini, F Elton Hermansson, D Keaton Verhoeff, D Brek Liske, and D Dennis Lindberg, in addition to the names you listed, I think have top 10 potential. Lots of development to go between now and then, but I'm high on a lot of prospects from this class.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

McKenna obviously seems promising and I know Fedorov and Björck seem like top tier prospects. Are there any other names that right now seem like potential top 5 picks?

I'm also curious if there are any defensemen that seem like potential top 10 picks. Maybe Rudolph and Schairer?

Would not rule out Chase Reid from that defensemen for top 10 discussion.

 

[Joe Hallenback]

Just wanted to bump this up and talk a bit about a few of the WHL guys that look really good early

Mathias Preston - 4 goals in his first 5 games. A real competitor with a lot of high end puck skill. Great release and good speed. looks impressive so far

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Keaton Verhoeff - A big mean mobile defender. 6 points in 5 games with 3 goals. I am pretty excited about this kid, I think out of what will be a great group of D men this is the guy. A right shot too.

Ryan Lin - Smooth skating offensive dynamo. 7 points in 4 games. Just very poised for a 16 year old. Another Right shot guy that will put up big numbers and play solid defensively

Jaxon Jacobsen - I have watched him more than anyone on this list and while he only has 2 points in 5 games it isn't because he hasn't had chances. He seems to have 5 to 10 shots a game and is playing really good hockey overall. An absolute buzzsaw despite his smaller size. The points will come.

Cooper WIlliams - A 2nd round bantam pick who has 8 points in 5 games. A surprise for me when I saw him against the Wheaties. All over the ice, he stood out. Blades got a good one here.

Anyways those are the guys that have stood out early to me. There are few that I have missed but I haven't the chance to watch them yet like Carels and Joudry

 

[JotAlan]

No one keeping an eye on Ivar Stenberg? It's doing crazy things on the J20

 

[wetcoast]

In my opinion, 2023 looks the best as of now, due to Bedard/Carlsson/Fantilli/Smith being a very strong 1-4 combo. I'd rank them 2023>2026>2024>2025. I think 2026 is actually pretty close to 2023, and maybe even just as good, depending on how good McKenna ends up being.

It seems like 25 is getting a bit shortchanged here but it's hard to tell as the 25/26 guys are still emerging and the excitement for the 24 draft is still in the air.