2026 NHL draft prospects

[Andy Dufresne]

It's funny people act like identfying future stars that young is a new thing. It used to be whoever was tearing up the Quebec Peewee tournament was a future nhl star. The list of Hall of famers from that tourney is stupendous. And they were all hyped more than any kid that age is today. Bobby Orr signed with the Bruins when he was 14.

 

[hellwar9]

Adam Nemec at eliteprospects.com, brother of Simon Nemec

Another interesting player after Adam Nemec is Tomas Chrenko at eliteprospects.com

 

[Maverick41]

Some names to keep an eye on from Germany:

Tobias Krestan
Leon Gromov
Marcel Lünse
Roman Heinrichs

Interesting list. I also have Krestan on my list. Will have to keep an eye out for the other three.
Three others that were pointed out to me were Erik and Max Thiel (Köln) and Adel Akhmadeev (Düsseldorf).

I can't wait for junior hockey to come back in Germany.

 

[Sweetpotato]

Another sarcastic and unnecessary comment.

Elite Prospects - WSI U12 Stats 2015-2016

So just watch this. Matthew Savoie, Ivan Miroshnichenko, Shane Wright, Joakim Kemell, Rutger McGroarty, Juraj Slafkovsky, Aron Kiviharju (10 years). Too early, really ?

Hey man his was actually genuinely funny XD

 

[GermanSpitfire]

I have noticed that in general, draft topics start 5 years earlier. The 2024 topic could have been opened in 2016 when Kiviharju was having a huge U12 tournament.

Thanks to websites and because hockey is a very concentrated sport and the difference in talent occurs very early, it is possible to detect the best players before other sports.

At this stage, it is relevant to quote only the players who stood out impressively during a tournament or a championship.

I noted a name in my database:

Ryan Roobroeck (C, Canada, 2007)

Known for outperforming everyone at WSI U12 2019.

Not anecdotal since the previous players to be at the top of the list of this tournament are called Jack Devine, Matthew Savoie, Connor Bedard, Cole Eiserman.

Of course, we would be further ahead if there had not been so much tournament suppression since last year.

edit

 

[czech]

Russia:
Viktor Fedorov
Egor Shilov
Adel Kalimullin
Ivan Mangustov
Nikita Gromakov
Matvey Kotkov
Dmitriy Nazarov
Arseniy Ilin
Nikita Ovcharov
Arseniy Shapovalov
Klimentiy Belyakov
Nikita Klepov
Aleksandr Ivanov
Grigoriy Avdeev
Egor Tsyganov
Maksim Seldemirov
Oleg Chipsanov

Czech Republic:
Václav Nedorost
Jiří Maxa
David Sedláček
Adam Burda
Vojtěch Bulat
David Zmrhal
Danny Barna
Štěpán Václavík
Jan Trefný
Adam Novotný
Kryštof Dubrava
Šimon Bělohorský
Jan Fodor
Václav Svoboda
Lukáš Hess
Matěj Ryšavý

Slovakia:
Adam Nemec
Geonhu Ra (Korea?)
Juraj Ďurčo
Juraj Lizák
Šimon Potočka
Tomáš Chrenko
Tobias Tomík
Kristián Rezničák
Roman Taliga
Matej Stankoven

Sweden:
Ture Holmer
Ivar Stenberg
Alexander Command
Michael Kim
Joel Mårtensson
Oskar Holmertz
Elliot Östervall-Lewis
Charlie Nilsson Nadj
Marcus Nordmark
Ola Palme
Viggo Björck
Alexander Hedberg-Bouveron
Ville Söderström
Adam Agfalsk
Wille Lönqvist
Noel Lundell
Adrian Norin

Finland:
Miko Orajärvi
Oscar Hemming
Oiva Juntunen
Oliver Torkki
Onni Keltikangas
Eemil Saari
Niilo Jokinen
Max Laatikainen
Elias Koistinen
Tuomas Parviainen
Noel Pakarinen
Pavel Savin
Heikki Korhonen

Switzerland:
Kimi Sutter
Fabrice Bouvard
Noah Vaucher
Clemens Troxler
Rafael Müller
Nino Schoch
Tim Munger
Nolan Thürler
Adam Klaus (Czech Rep.?)
Elia Pedrotti

Germany:
Tobias Krestan
Arel Albert
Adel Akhmadeev
Colin Hurbanek
Patrick Latusek
Leon Gromov
Miron Ivakha
Marcel Lünse

Great Britain:
Tomasz Marsden (Poland?)

Lithuania:
Simas Ignatavičius

Latvia:
Rainers Belovs

Kazakhstan:
Yan Melnikov

Ukraine:
Mykola Ovchynnikov (Germany?)

Netherlands:
Hector Kapitonov

 

[Ryan Van Horne]

I’ve been in a keeper pool many years now. It has a farm system with no underage limit. Everyone in the pool competes to get the next generational talent. Many times we choose names that are far from the players draft year. It’s a 100% guarantee that Roobroeck will be chosen in the leagues draft next year. Its fun and a lot of people try to stump me wondering if I’ve heard of this person or that person and constantly ask for advise on picking young NHLers for their yearly pools because I’ve been reading about them for years. This is a good time for this thread to come out for me anyway.

Sounds like a fun hockey pool.

 

[alko]

Slovakia:

Geonhu Ra (Korea?)

Huh? Wtf? Here his profile on Hockeyslovakia.

 

[hellwar9]

Very soon, but he looks promising from what i saw. I would add him to the Slovaks mentioned by @czech
Ivan Matta at eliteprospects.com

 

[LiveLongandProspal]

That's what I love about these junior high kids. I grow older, they stay the same age. Yes, they do...yes, they do.

 

[habsrule4eva3089]

Ryan Roobroeck at eliteprospects.com

Special player for 2026.

Maybe exceptional status worthy?

 

[tmlmatus]

Huh? Wtf? Here his profile on Hockeyslovakia.

I know I saw a few Asians when I was in Slovakia a few years ago. Maybe a son of an immigrant.

 

[alko]

I know I saw a few Asians when I was in Slovakia a few years ago. Maybe a son of an immigrant.

People from South Korea arent immigrants in traditional way. Or am i wrong?

Btw, after 2 games he has :

Názov	Tím	Sezóna	GPI	G	A	PTS	+/-	PIM
Liga starších žiakov 8.ročník	TRO	2021/2022	2	10	9	19	32	0

[TBODY] [/TBODY]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]

 

[Dirtyf1ghter]

It must be games without a goalkeeper to have such statistics. The best players born in 2008 started in U16. He's not part of it yet.

 

[hellwar9]

It must be games without a goalkeeper to have such statistics. The best players born in 2008 started in U16. He's not part of it yet.

This is truth. The U15 league (what is the equivalent Liga starsich ziakov 8.rocnik in Slovakia) is only played at the regional level and really doesn't have much quality. Many times the matches will end there with a difference of 15+ goals. Statistics have no weight there.

 

[JapanesePopstar]

From Austria right now there are maybe 2 that might be interesting for this draft, Luc van Ee and Lennox Setzinger:
Luc van Ee at eliteprospects.com
Lennox Setzinger at eliteprospects.com

 

[JFA87-66-99]

Another sarcastic and unnecessary comment.

Elite Prospects - WSI U12 Stats 2015-2016

So just watch this. Matthew Savoie, Ivan Miroshnichenko, Shane Wright, Joakim Kemell, Rutger McGroarty, Juraj Slafkovsky, Aron Kiviharju (10 years). Too early, really ?

This is insane. Could be like the 2011 Brick Tournanent. That Years list of alum is crazy. Kids are better at all sports now even younger.

 

[tobu]

People from South Korea arent immigrants in traditional way. Or am i wrong?

Btw, after 2 games he has :

Názov	Tím	Sezóna	GPI	G	A	PTS	+/-	PIM
Liga starších žiakov 8.ročník	TRO	2021/2022	2	10	9	19	32	0

[TBODY] [/TBODY]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Could be a son of some KIA korean management or of a Korean father / slovak mother family. Nice ppg average!

 

[Eye of Ra]

Geonhu Ra
RA, Geonhu

 

[Dirtyf1ghter]

Geonhu Ra
RA, Geonhu

His case has already been discussed. About a hundred players born in 2008 play in U16. Him no. The U14 championship is very heterogeneous.

Last games : 55-0 ; 30-4 ; 22-3 ; 15-2 ; 11-4

 

[JRJRJRJRJR]

One guy we will definitely hear from Finland as 2026 prospect, is Janne Karassaari. The kid is just cerebral with and without the puck. -08 born d-man who could easily play in the U16 top level.

 

[GettingYourMoms]

Is this thread serious lol?

 

[Eye of Ra]

Is this thread serious lol?

It went unserious when people where trying to say that Geonhu Ra is not a super talent.

 

[Thomas Chathoot]

Some of the bigger names for 2026 I would consider that have a chance to be NHLers are
Ryan Roobroeck
Ivar Stenberg
Adam Nemec
Gavin McKenna
Tobias Tomik
Beckham Edwards

Some other noticeables are
Tomas Chrenko
Tobias Kreston
Noah Kosick
Awrelig Fomenko
Noah Pettersson Askling
Alfred Persson

Something intersting about Roobroeck is that he even got Craig Button to talk about him on TSN.
"He is an outstanding young player, his ability in so many different areas of the game are really terrific, I mean he's got the hand skills, he can skate." His path to the OHL is through exceptional status" - Craig Button when he got asked about the International Silver Stick hockey Tournament. Now I think he won't be an "exceptional status" level player and I think Craig Button is overrating this kid just a little bit but he should be the 2024 (2023 if exceptional status) first overall pick and is looking like he can be an elite center as of right now. I think he could be the best player in 2026 and I think he is a level just below exceptional status

 

[austin63867]

Some of the bigger names for 2026 I would consider that have a chance to be NHLers are
Ryan Roobroeck
Ivar Stenberg
Adam Nemec
Gavin McKenna
Tobias Tomik
Beckham Edwards

Some other noticeables are
Tomas Chrenko
Tobias Kreston
Noah Kosick
Awrelig Fomenko
Noah Pettersson Askling
Alfred Persson

Something intersting about Roobroeck is that he even got Craig Button to talk about him on TSN.
"He is an outstanding young player, his ability in so many different areas of the game are really terrific, I mean he's got the hand skills, he can skate." His path to the OHL is through exceptional status" - Craig Button when he got asked about the International Silver Stick hockey Tournament. Now I think he won't be an "exceptional status" level player and I think Craig Button is overrating this kid just a little bit but he should be the 2024 (2023 if exceptional status) first overall pick and is looking like he can be an elite center as of right now. I think he could be the best player in 2026 and I think he is a level just below exceptional status

Glad someone finally mentioned McKenna. He's been having a great season, looks like a future WHL 1st pick or even an Exceptional Status player.

Also I haven't heard anything about Beckham Edwards except his Brick record, how good is he now?