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Prospect Info: 2026 NHL Draft Thread

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The Quebec Remparts management announced this morning that player Maddox Dagenais will wear the team's uniform for the 2026-2027 season.
Over the past few days, several discussions have taken place with Maddox, his family, and his agent. Meetings have also been held with general manager Simon Gagné and head coach Éric Veilleux to discuss the situation with the player currently listed at 15th and ranked among the best North American prospects for the NHL draft which will be held in Buffalo on June 26 and 27.
Maddox Dagenais, a first-round pick of the Remparts, first overall in the QMJHL draft in June 2024, was expected to join the Penn State Nittany Lions program, a team playing in NCAA Division I.
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This is likely hockeyprospect's highest rated guy left when we pick at #14. They have him at #11 and the effusive praise tells you they wanted to go higher.

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Gleb isn’t as skilled as some other guys but the tenacity and competitiveness he plays with is very appealing. Skates well too. I had him at 18 in my last rankings.
 
AnonCommentary said:
www.eliteprospects.com

Film Room: Why Oscar Hemming is one of the 2026 NHL Draft's best power forwards

How Oscar Hemming's roller coaster season could end in a top-20 selection at the NHL Draft.
www.eliteprospects.com www.eliteprospects.com
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It can’t be overstated how difficult college hockey is for a 17-year-old. Hemming was a high-school student essentially playing on Boston College's top line. Our belief in his profile and the flashes he showed amid a turbulent year led our staff to believe he could realize a top-line role in the NHL. Thus, we awarded him a top-20 ranking.

For Hemming to realize that potential, the glimmers of high-end play will have to become more frequent. He doesn’t need to control the game through transition, but if he can connect difficult plays on a nightly basis, top-line players will continue to want to play with him, and he will help make them better in turn.
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I still think he's gone before we pick, but we do have some potential to get a really good player if we keep the pick.
 
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Gleb sounds like an interesting kid for sure.
I read about a youngster with great work ethic and eager to learn and that raises an eyebrow.
Sounds like he could help make us a team that other teams hate to see on their schedule. (Which is how I wish us to be portrayed)
 
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MHL is a very uneven league but the top teams like Loko are really good, it looks comparable to Memorial Cup type competition.

You see Gleb Pugachyov in the playoffs here vs Loko, and already making a big impact on his first shift. Huge hit and a nice assist:

 
majormajor said:
MHL is a very uneven league but the top teams like Loko are really good, it looks comparable to Memorial Cup type competition.

You see Gleb Pugachyov in the playoffs here vs Loko, and already making a big impact on his first shift. Huge hit and a nice assist:

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Simon St. Laurent had him #14 in his top 32 and also mentioned how Pugachyov played the same style against grown men in the KHL and even "showed how capable he was of making plays with his teammates at a high tempo."
 
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BigBoss614 said:
I still think he's gone before we pick, but we do have some potential to get a really good player if we keep the pick.
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I really, really like the player too. If they do pick him, I will look forward to seeing how he, Lindstrom and Smith do in the NCAA during the coming season.

The rise of Malte Gustafsson has made me slightly more optimistic that Hemming will be available at #14. But I still expect the Devils to be jerks and grab him at #12, as they did in the mock draft on here.
 
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The 2026 NHL Draft​

THW: Don, thanks as always for doing this. For the second year in a row, you have the 14th pick of the draft. You were recently in Buffalo at the Combine. What things were you able to take away from meeting the prospects there and then what are you prioritizing if you decide to ultimately keep the 14th pick?

Waddell: “The big thing is, I got tied up with a lot of agents. I had a lot of meetings, but I sat in, let’s say the player 9-20, I sat in those interviews. We had them scheduled to where I could make sure I made it for them. The players today, they’re so much more into training and doing the right things. Some big players for sure. Some real strong guys. I haven’t looked at all the testing results because I haven’t had a chance yet. They’re more polished.”

“If we keep our pick, we’ll got a good player there. When you’re picking 14th, you don’t know who’s going to go (where.) They tell you who’s going to go the first five or six but then it’s pretty wide open. Most of those players at that point aren’t ready to come turn pro yet either.”

THW: You have already expressed an openness to trading the 14th pick if the right situation comes up. What would make a trade compelling enough for you in that situation? Where is the balance for you when deciding if a player is good enough to give up that pick?

Waddell: “I think first of all, it’s an age thing. I’m not going to trade for an older player. If it’s a younger player that’s got either a longer contract or we have rights for a number of years, that’s something we would look at for sure. But in saying that, it’s a good pick. There is a high value on that pick. Guys that I have talked to that are trying to move up in the draft, I know it’s a good value pick. I took Jarvis at 13, which he worked out pretty well for Carolina. And he came in right away. We brought him into training camp. No expectation of him staying and he proved himself that he’s ready to play in the NHL. Sometimes you never know.” “You got to be a little but careful about a trade just saying you’re going to trade the pick. I’ll trade the pick, but it’s got to be for the right things.”

THW: Would you consider moving up if the right opportunity came about?

Waddell: “Yeah, we always talk about that. Looks like though you’d have to move past nine. The player we have at nine or 10, we might get at 14. It’s like that every year. Everybody’s got different feelings and different needs. Everybody scouts differently so you just never know.”

THW: Does the status of your prospects, whether in college, the CHL or in the AHL, affect the way you’ll handle the draft? Are there some guys you feel are ready to make the jump to the NHL as soon as next season?

Waddell: “Not really. Probably our number-one guy is Jackson Smith right now. I think him going back to school this year, I won’t be surprised after school if he’s ready to jump into the NHL. Watching a lot this year, he’s close. He could probably play this year, but going back to school is probably a good thing for him.”

“And then, we also got some kids in Cleveland that had great playoffs and a great season so we certainly have to give a look at. Last year, our roster was pretty full. This year, we’re trying to keep a spot or two where these guys can compete for it. I don’t know if it really changes your draft knowing that a guy is probably a few years away. I think we’re pretty open-minded. I’m not going to say just the best player because if we had a left-shot defenseman and a right-shot winger, because we know we’re pretty good on the left side.”


THW: Leave you with this one. Your scouting staff. How do you feel like your scouting team has done of late? Have you made any kind of adjustments to way things are being handled by them?

Waddell: “We’ve changed how we’re doing things this past year. And I think the scouts adapted well to it. I think our guys do a good job. It’s just a matter of we’ve changed a little bit. I want to be a little but more risk, risk versus reward. After the first couple of rounds, I want to take some chances on some guys that maybe have a higher reward. The fourth line guys they’re geared to be, those are easier to find than top-nine guys and top-four D, that’s for sure.”
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thehockeywriters.com

Blue Jackets' GM Don Waddell Talks 2026 NHL Draft, Offseason Progress & More - The Hockey Writers Columbus Blue Jackets Latest News, Analysis & More

Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell stopped by to discuss the upcoming 2026 NHL Draft, offseason progress and much more.
thehockeywriters.com thehockeywriters.com
 
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I’ll be interested to see just how apparent the change in the scouting approach will be. I would love to see some swings in the later round. Makes me excited. Glad to see that was addressed too.
 
AnonCommentary said:
I’ll be interested to see just how apparent the change in the scouting approach will be. I would love to see some swings in the later round. Makes me excited. Glad to see that was addressed too.
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Maybe it's not going all-in on sub-6 ft forwards like they have done lately? That's been a very noticeable pattern.
 
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Crede777 said:
If their top-10 is gone by 14, would it be worth it to trade back to ~20 and add a 2nd and later pick?
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I think it would have to depend on the tiers on the teams personal board. If they have other players within a defined tier they believe they can nab later in the 20s then sure. If they only have like 1 or 2 players - I would stand pat and take the next BPA on team board.
 
Aaaarrgghh said:
With all these mocks predicting Hemming to Columbus, it's bound to not happen.
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can’t you just see it though?

isles on the clock. darche walks up to the podium. selects… tynan lawrence! oh my god it’s happening!

jackets on the clock. hemming is available.

what’s this? gary bettman walking to the podium? we have a trade to announce? oh it’s a trade that has nothing to do with us or our pick, phew.

ok baby let’s go it’s hemming time… wait is that gary again?

THAT’S RIGHT! we have another trade to announce, columbus is trading down and will end up with jack hextall or someone of that ilk. no hemming for you.
 
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