2026 NHL draft prospects

[Dirtyf1ghter]

What would your top 10 look like right now? Mine is somewhere around:

McKenna
Fydorov
Hurlbert
Roobroeck
Hawery
Wassilyn
Nyman
Rudolph
Valentini
Verhoeff

Guys like Preston/Rozzi/Hermansson/Nemec are on the outside looking in

It's impossible to be able to make such peremptory comparisons at 15 but Dylan Rozzi, in isolation, he pulverized the best U15 PPG in Quebec history which belonged to Lafreniere.

 

[WayneGretzky]

It's impossible to be able to make such peremptory comparisons at 15 but Dylan Rozzi, in isolation, he pulverized the best U15 PPG in Quebec history which belonged to Lafreniere.

It’s not impossible at all, literally a whole industry based on it. I’ve seen a bit of the top 08s so far, early indications are that it’s another strong class. Rozzi looks good, but isn’t in my top 10 right now, there’s an 09 out of Quebec who may be even better.

For reference, here was my top 10 in 2019 for the 2022 draft. (Same distance out)

Obviously many changes, but the 1st OA is there, 2 top 5, 3 top 10, followed by 5 guys in Lambert/McGroarty/Geekie/Luneau/Casey who I feel would all be top 15-20 in a way too early redraft…only 2 I would categorize as not having panned out over the last 3-4 years.

 

[Dirtyf1ghter]

It’s not impossible at all, literally a whole industry based on it. I’ve seen a bit of the top 08s so far, early indications are that it’s another strong class. Rozzi looks good, but isn’t in my top 10 right now, there’s an 09 out of Quebec who may be even better.

For reference, here was my top 10 in 2019 for the 2022 draft. (Same distance out)

Obviously many changes, but the 1st OA is there, 2 top 5, 3 top 10, followed by 5 guys in Lambert/McGroarty/Geekie/Luneau/Casey who I feel would all be top 15-20 in a way too early redraft…only 2 I would categorize as not having panned out over the last 3-4 years.

Rozzi, Joseph and Scantlebury are all 3 exceptional bantam players for Quebec. Not impossible to think that these are 3 elite talents.

Your top 10 is logical compared to the time.

Surprised by Americans. It seems to me that in 2019 McGroarty, Nazar and Howard were coming off. I didn't have Cooley at all.

I had Nemec ahead of Slafkovsky. I was skeptical about the level of Slafkovsky considering that the Slovaks hadn't produced anything for 20 years.

My top 10 had to be : 1 Wright 2 Lambert 3 Savoie 4 to 10 McGroarty, Nazar, Nemec, Luneau, Miroshnichenko, Iurov, Geekie

Very skeptical about your current top 10 2026, because I can hardly imagine 8 Canadians and only one European in the top 10.

The current trends are more like 3 Canadians, 3 Americans, 4 Europeans.

 

[WayneGretzky]

Rozzi, Joseph and Scantlebury are all 3 exceptional bantam players for Quebec. Not impossible to think that these are 3 elite talents.

Your top 10 is logical compared to the time.

Surprised by Americans. It seems to me that in 2019 McGroarty, Nazar and Howard were coming off. I didn't have Cooley at all.

I had Nemec ahead of Slafkovsky. I was skeptical about the level of Slafkovsky considering that the Slovaks hadn't produced anything for 20 years.

My top 10 had to be : 1 Wright 2 Lambert 3 Savoie 4 to 10 McGroarty, Nazar, Nemec, Luneau, Miroshnichenko, Iurov, Geekie

Certainly possible, but statistically unlikely, Quebec is so hit and miss with even their best talents, I see it as unlikely that 3 will come in 2 years, but perhaps 1 will be legit in terms of NHL upside, that would be great!

Point is, scouting this far in advance is not impossible at all. 14-15 is when the pro scout’s generally start compiling relevant data on players.

 

[WarriorofTime]

At this point, you can certainly start to see who is beginning to really stand tall within particular regions. How players across the regions rank amongst each other though, that is much harder to project right now absent just using a historical basis for strength amongst that region. Certainly nobody knew who the heck Leon Draisaitl was back in 2011. His initial break out occurred when he won the player of the year in the German Development League, which earned him a number 2 selection in the CHL Import Draft (behind Ivan Barbashev). That iself can be hit or miss. Players like Vladimir Alistrov, Martin Chromiak, Jan Bednar and Niko Huuhtanen were all recent CHL Import Draft Number 2 overall selections.

 

[Postulates]

Odin Vauhkonen
Alofa Tunoa Tunoa Ta'amu

 

[GermanSpitfire]

Odin Vauhkonen
Alofa Tunoa Tunoa Ta'amu

Has there ever been a Hawaiian NHLer?

 

[Dirtyf1ghter]

Has there ever been a Hawaiian NHLer?

No, but the order of the US WHL draft doesn't mean anything. Who knows Shaun Rios or Alexios Georgaklis ? N°2 and N°3 in 2020. This draft is useless. They should stop and include the Americans in the classic draft.

Vauhkonen is for 2027.

 

[Dominance]

Rozzi, Joseph and Scantlebury are all 3 exceptional bantam players for Quebec. Not impossible to think that these are 3 elite talents.

Your top 10 is logical compared to the time.

Surprised by Americans. It seems to me that in 2019 McGroarty, Nazar and Howard were coming off. I didn't have Cooley at all.

I had Nemec ahead of Slafkovsky. I was skeptical about the level of Slafkovsky considering that the Slovaks hadn't produced anything for 20 years.

My top 10 had to be : 1 Wright 2 Lambert 3 Savoie 4 to 10 McGroarty, Nazar, Nemec, Luneau, Miroshnichenko, Iurov, Geekie

Very skeptical about your current top 10 2026, because I can hardly imagine 8 Canadians and only one European in the top 10.

The current trends are more like 3 Canadians, 3 Americans, 4 Europeans.

You’re off. Actually over the last ten years it averages almost perfectly to 4 Canadians, 4 Europeans, and 2 Americans.

 

[WarriorofTime]

No, but the order of the US WHL draft doesn't mean anything. Who knows Shaun Rios or Alexios Georgaklis ? N°2 and N°3 in 2020. This draft is useless. They should stop and include the Americans in the classic draft.

Vauhkonen is for 2027.

What is the reason that the WHL and QMJHL have separate American drafts? Just seems odd to have them in a different pool. I guess just a way to prioritize draft rights without having to risk a valuable pick for players that are often longshots to come over?

 

[GermanSpitfire]

What is the reason that the WHL and QMJHL have separate American drafts? Just seems odd to have them in a different pool. I guess just a way to prioritize draft rights without having to risk a valuable pick for players that are often longshots to come over?

Only reason I can think of is it gives more players in that region drafted (in theory). in practice though, it’s useless…

 

[Dirtyf1ghter]

What is the reason that the WHL and QMJHL have separate American drafts? Just seems odd to have them in a different pool. I guess just a way to prioritize draft rights without having to risk a valuable pick for players that are often longshots to come over?

Given the level of the selected players...

A much simpler operation: a player applies for either USHL or CHL and there is no doubt.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Given the level of the selected players...

A much simpler operation: a player applies for either USHL or CHL and there is no doubt.

WHL does things differently where they draft players after their age 14 season, instead of after their age 15 season, and they wait a year until they enter the WHL, so that complicates things too.

 

[Arthur Morgan]

I did write the following message :

"One year later :

Roobroeck n°2 OHL
McKenna n°1 WHL"

So I don't see the lie at all.

We were talking about players who were approaching their 15th birthday and who were already going through the CHL draft process. In August 2022, Ryan Roobroeck was already bigger than the average adult.

However, you came to say that you weren't interested in talking about teenagers several times. So that hardly explains your presence on the thread and even on the site which is mainly oriented towards teenagers.

Why did you even tag me here anyways I never originally even messaged or directed any messages to you.

I made a joke to the person asking if their voices changed yet saying the real question is do you think their balls dropped yet.

odd to say that I did something several times considering the balls dropping comment was my only comment in this thread till you tagged me yesterday. now I have 4 in here.

 

[Dirtyf1ghter]

Why did you even tag me here anyways I never originally even messaged or directed any messages to you.

I made a joke to the person asking if their voices changed yet saying the real question is do you think their balls dropped yet.

odd to say that I did something several times considering the balls dropping comment was my only comment in this thread till you tagged me yesterday. now I have 4 in here.

You also appear on topic 2028 where you say the same thing.

Regarding your remark, it was addressed to Roobroeck when the guy was the age of selected players in the WHL and had already been known for 5 years.

Today he was selected 2nd last month so it was not incongruous to talk about him on this thread.

This is what he looked like 2 months before your message :

Ryan Roobroeck Makes History At World Selects, and you ?​

 

[Arthur Morgan]

You also appear on topic 2028 where you say the same thing.

Regarding your remark, it was addressed to Roobroeck when the guy was the age of selected players in the WHL and had already been known for 5 years.

Today he was selected 2nd last month so it was not incongruous to talk about him on this thread.

This is what he looked like 2 months before your message :

Ryan Roobroeck Makes History At World Selects, and you ?​

Wow that must have really bothered you didnt it. are you going to be okay?

 

[Dirtyf1ghter]

Wow that must have really bothered you didnt it. are you going to be okay?

Just curious to understand your presence on this site if you are not interested in Ryan Roobroeck. You are on Hockey Future.

 

[Arthur Morgan]

Just curious to understand your presence on this site if you are not interested in Ryan Roobroeck. You are on Hockey Future.

Oh so I guess we might as well get rid of all other topics that have nothing to do with prospects.
Roobroeck I wont lie, I never even heard of but I wont waste my time thinking about them till they are close to being drafted by the NHL.

It's fine if your into that thing but me.... I just dont care. I even play dynasty leagues where we do these drafts before the NHL but these kids are just too far away to think about.

 

[WarriorofTime]

this guy has a really big fascination with Ryan Roobroeck. Relative?

Going 2nd in the OHL Draft is an accomplishment for sure. We'll have to keep an eye on him. Hopefully his future looks more like 2015 OHL Priority Selection 2nd overall, Gabriel Vilardi Gabriel Vilardi at eliteprospects.com than 2016 OHL Priority Selection 2nd overall Owen Lalonde Owen Lalonde at eliteprospects.com or 2017 OHL Priority Selection 2nd overall Tag Bertuzzi Tag Bertuzzi at eliteprospects.com

 

[Dirtyf1ghter]

this guy has a really big fascination with Ryan Roobroeck. Relative?

Or Gavin McKenna... Big U15 world prospects

Just struggling with a guy who criticizes the principle of the site

 

[czech]

My top-150.

 

[GermanSpitfire]

My top-150.

just my opinion - but your ranking of Ontario kids is… interesting.

Kipfer is good, but although he played as an underager last year, isn’t the second best ‘08 in my opinion, for example.

Wassilyn and McLean are too low.

Elton Hermansson is a legit talent for this class and should be at minimum top - 20 for what he has done so far.

appreciate the list though - and love how many names you mention first on here. Keep it up!

 

[Postulates]

Seems a bit low on JP Hurlbert he's definitely a top 30 kid in this class at a minimum at this tage

Put up 195 in 75 playing with Dallas Stars Elite 14u squad 112 of which were goals

 

[clevelandcane]

My top-150.

Dying to know how you came up with this list. In particular, thoughts on Cal Basile and how you even came across him.

 

[czech]

... In particular, thoughts on Cal Basile and how you even came across him.

I watched the games of St. Ignatius. By the way, he played in attack, despite the fact that he was marked D on the Eliteprospects website. He played well, which is why I put him on my list.