Prospect Info: 2026 NHL Draft Thread

[BigBoss614]

2026 NHL Draft Guide

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I feel myself staring to be drawn to some of the centers in this draft. Interesting they highlighted Command over Suvanto. I get the hype, same with Lawrence.

 

[Siskquatch]

I've never had a problem with Smits' decision making. I think he's going to be a star defensive player and push play forward. But 1D upside usually presumes a lot of point production. Do you see him producing a lot of points? If so, how? To produce you need deception from the point, and that is usually something that prospects either have or they don't.

Bjorck does so many things well, I'd love to have him. I'll admit I don't see 1C type production though. How is he going to produce like 70 or 80 pts a year?

Sorry it took me a minute to get back to this.

For Smits, I disagree with the premise entirely. Slavin is a 1D with a career high of 42 points. Seider was a pretty consistent 40+ point guy before hitting 60 this season. I don't think you need top-end Z/Makar/Quinn Hughes level production to be a 1D. The raw defensive game is there for Smits, and he's a good puck mover. He may not have high-end offensive zone instincts or flash, but he's got a solid shot, and he moves well. I'm not worried about him hitting 40-50 points throughout most of his career. Deception is for the Hutsons and Makars, the high-end powerplay QBs. I don't think you need to be that to be a team's top defenseman.

On Bjorck, it's an odd question. He just finished putting up 6 points in 8 games against men at the WC (DY WC production is typically a pretty good indicator of future success). He put up the third most points on his team at the WJC (and only one back from leading his team). He's clever with the puck, inside drive, a bulldog on free pucks. He has a good shot and knows how to find soft areas of the ice. He's been a top PP piece everywhere he's been. He put up 20 points in 9 games in the U20 league during the playoffs. I think you're letting his Djurgardens men's team production color your opinion a bit here. I don't know if he's quite got a 90-point ceiling without more talent around him, but I see no reason he couldn't be a Point level 1C where he's primarily a 70-80 point guy in his prime who flirts with bigger numbers.

 

[majormajor]

Sorry it took me a minute to get back to this.

For Smits, I disagree with the premise entirely. Slavin is a 1D with a career high of 42 points. Seider was a pretty consistent 40+ point guy before hitting 60 this season. I don't think you need top-end Z/Makar/Quinn Hughes level production to be a 1D. The raw defensive game is there for Smits, and he's a good puck mover. He may not have high-end offensive zone instincts or flash, but he's got a solid shot, and he moves well. I'm not worried about him hitting 40-50 points throughout most of his career. Deception is for the Hutsons and Makars, the high-end powerplay QBs. I don't think you need to be that to be a team's top defenseman.

On Bjorck, it's an odd question. He just finished putting up 6 points in 8 games against men at the WC (DY WC production is typically a pretty good indicator of future success). He put up the third most points on his team at the WJC (and only one back from leading his team). He's clever with the puck, inside drive, a bulldog on free pucks. He has a good shot and knows how to find soft areas of the ice. He's been a top PP piece everywhere he's been. He put up 20 points in 9 games in the U20 league during the playoffs. I think you're letting his Djurgardens men's team production color your opinion a bit here. I don't know if he's quite got a 90-point ceiling without more talent around him, but I see no reason he couldn't be a Point level 1C where he's primarily a 70-80 point guy in his prime who flirts with bigger numbers.

I could see Smits becoming a Slavin/Seider type #1D. But it's unnerving to rest so much of the projection on defensive quality. The difference in defensive contribution between a very good defender and guys like Slavin is enormous. There's only a handful of guys who contribute that much value through defense and scouts don't have a good track record of identifying them through the draft.

For Bjorck I'm absolutely judging based on his SHL scoring. It was his main team this year, it's our best window into how he scores vs pros. He had a big role too, it's not like some of these SHL rookies that we don't get to see spread their wings. Bjorck played a lot and scored an okayish amount. Okay as in in line with a #4-#10 pick.

 

[Siskquatch]

I could see Smits becoming a Slavin/Seider type #1D. But it's unnerving to rest so much of the projection on defensive quality. The difference in defensive contribution between a very good defender and guys like Slavin is enormous. There's only a handful of guys who contribute that much value through defense and scouts don't have a good track record of identifying them through the draft.

For Bjorck I'm absolutely judging based on his SHL scoring. It was his main team this year, it's our best window into how he scores vs pros. He had a big role too, it's not like some of these SHL rookies that we don't get to see spread their wings. Bjorck played a lot and scored an okayish amount. Okay as in in line with a #4-#10 pick.

I mean, what are we getting into here with Smits? It's unnerving to try to project Reid's defense becoming usable. It's unnerving to try and project Carels' offense translating up levels. If I were confident Smits would pop off as a 70-80 point defenseman, I wouldn't be putting him on level with Bjorck and Stenberg. That would be like... Schaefer level 1OA confidence. And yeah, I agree that if the defense doesn't shape up the way I think it will, and the offense never materializes, he's just a top 4 minute muncher. But the floor isn't really the question. I have confidence he can hit that ceiling, and I'd bet on his profile at 1OA.

As for Bjorck... His role completely shifted post WJC. He took like six or seven games to adjust and then finished the season with 7 points in 12 games, playing a two-way 1C role that isn't really matched by anybody else in this draft. He (and Stenberg) were the engines for the WJC. Is there some projection involved? Sure. But I don't think there's a single center in the draft with his resume, experience, and production at the international level. Would I rather bet on the first half of the season playing 4th line minutes or the second half, where he basically was his team's offense? I choose the latter personally

 

[AnonCommentary]

https://media.d3.nhle.com/image/private/t_document/prd/edi6cjilkn7ruuii4bhj.pdf

Attendees for the combine

 

[AnonCommentary]

NHL Mock Draft 2026: Gavin McKenna to Leafs, Caleb Malhotra to Canucks in Round 1 projection

McKenna remains the consensus favorite as the top pick to Toronto, but who will go after him?

www.nytimes.com

Hemming is very well thought of in the league. He’s highly physical with size, while also having a good amount of talent that makes him a potential hard-nosed top-six winger for the Blue Jackets.

 

[majormajor]

This was fantastic:



Malte Gustafsson is a kid playing in the SHL and he's zoning off like a quarter of the rink. Great smarts and positioning and his ranginess with that stick is remarkable. His decision making throughout was great, with and without the puck. This is the most "clean" game I've seen from a D prospect in this draft.

 

[majormajor]

This is my top ten, and this might be it for making draft lists this year. It's a clear top ten for me and then I just don't have a ton of interest in watching guys after that. I had some good looks at Morozov, and Cullen is tantalizing (if also maddening, a la Zegras), and I'm curious myself how those guys should stack up with Verhoeff, Rudolph, Lin, etc... Those might be my 10-15, but I'm not seeing enough of the guys after that to know.

Here's the top ten with projection and notes.

1.	Caleb Malhotra	#1C	Game-controlling complete center. High end skating, handling, and vision, combined with elite puck thievery.
2.	Ivar Stenberg	#1W	Inside driven, pocket Peter Forsberg. Not a special player until you consider how much he can do with a defender draped on his back.
3.	Gavin McKenna	#1W	As lazy as Will Smith, but McKenna could also score 50 powerplay points a year. Best vision we've seen in years.
4.	Chase Reid	#1D (R)	He looks like John Carlson or Zach Werenski with the puck. Breakouts with ease, great passing everywhere, great shot. D game will take time.
5.	Oscar Hemming	#1/2W	A bull in a china shop with great hands. His point totals really undersell how talented he is. The scoring tools are there and he plays smart and mean. Heavy feet might be the big drawback.
6.	Carson Carels	#2D (L)	A great skating D who is always involved and competes everywhere on the ice. Hits everything. He's a good playmaker and breaks the puck out well. A volume shooter, probably not a PP1 guy.
7.	Malte Gustafsson	#2D (L)	He covers a huge amount of ice with his reach, skating, and great decision making. Controls the game.
8.	Viggo Bjorck	#2C	Elusive pocket center with great edges and smarts. A "coach on the ice" type tactician.
9.	Alberts Smits	#2/3D (L)	A beastly defender who can rock NHLers already, Smits also has a bomb from the point. His puck decisions are just okay.
10.	Maddox Dagenais	2C	Big nasty with great hands. He "flipped a switch" on his compete this year. When he's competing there's very little missing in his game.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

This is my top ten, and this might be it for making draft lists this year. It's a clear top ten for me and then I just don't have a ton of interest in watching guys after that. I had some good looks at Morozov, and Cullen is tantalizing (if also maddening, a la Zegras), and I'm curious myself how those guys should stack up with Verhoeff, Rudolph, Lin, etc... Those might be my 10-15, but I'm not seeing enough of the guys after that to know.

Here's the top ten with projection and notes.

1.	Caleb Malhotra	#1C	Game-controlling complete center. High end skating, handling, and vision, combined with elite puck thievery.
2.	Ivar Stenberg	#1W	Inside driven, pocket Peter Forsberg. Not a special player until you consider how much he can do with a defender draped on his back.
3.	Gavin McKenna	#1W	As lazy as Will Smith, but McKenna could also score 50 powerplay points a year. Best vision we've seen in years.
4.	Chase Reid	#1D (R)	He looks like John Carlson or Zach Werenski with the puck. Breakouts with ease, great passing everywhere, great shot. D game will take time.
5.	Oscar Hemming	#1/2W	A bull in a china shop with great hands. His point totals really undersell how talented he is. The scoring tools are there and he plays smart and mean. Heavy feet might be the big drawback.
6.	Carson Carels	#2D (L)	A great skating D who is always involved and competes everywhere on the ice. Hits everything. He's a good playmaker and breaks the puck out well. A volume shooter, probably not a PP1 guy.
7.	Malte Gustafsson	#2D (L)	He covers a huge amount of ice with his reach, skating, and great decision making. Controls the game.
8.	Viggo Bjorck	#2C	Elusive pocket center with great edges and smarts. A "coach on the ice" type tactician.
9.	Alberts Smits	#2/3D (L)	A beastly defender who can rock NHLers already, Smits also has a bomb from the point. His puck decisions are just okay.
10.	Maddox Dagenais	2C	Big nasty with great hands. He "flipped a switch" on his compete this year. When he's competing there's very little missing in his game.

Interesting thing re: this list and the CBJ is I expect we won’t need any more guys ranked to see our pick.

(In other words, one or more of these guys is likely available at 14 despite your ranking.)

 

[AnonCommentary]

 

[BigBoss614]

This is my top ten, and this might be it for making draft lists this year. It's a clear top ten for me and then I just don't have a ton of interest in watching guys after that. I had some good looks at Morozov, and Cullen is tantalizing (if also maddening, a la Zegras), and I'm curious myself how those guys should stack up with Verhoeff, Rudolph, Lin, etc... Those might be my 10-15, but I'm not seeing enough of the guys after that to know.

Here's the top ten with projection and notes.

1.	Caleb Malhotra	#1C	Game-controlling complete center. High end skating, handling, and vision, combined with elite puck thievery.
2.	Ivar Stenberg	#1W	Inside driven, pocket Peter Forsberg. Not a special player until you consider how much he can do with a defender draped on his back.
3.	Gavin McKenna	#1W	As lazy as Will Smith, but McKenna could also score 50 powerplay points a year. Best vision we've seen in years.
4.	Chase Reid	#1D (R)	He looks like John Carlson or Zach Werenski with the puck. Breakouts with ease, great passing everywhere, great shot. D game will take time.
5.	Oscar Hemming	#1/2W	A bull in a china shop with great hands. His point totals really undersell how talented he is. The scoring tools are there and he plays smart and mean. Heavy feet might be the big drawback.
6.	Carson Carels	#2D (L)	A great skating D who is always involved and competes everywhere on the ice. Hits everything. He's a good playmaker and breaks the puck out well. A volume shooter, probably not a PP1 guy.
7.	Malte Gustafsson	#2D (L)	He covers a huge amount of ice with his reach, skating, and great decision making. Controls the game.
8.	Viggo Bjorck	#2C	Elusive pocket center with great edges and smarts. A "coach on the ice" type tactician.
9.	Alberts Smits	#2/3D (L)	A beastly defender who can rock NHLers already, Smits also has a bomb from the point. His puck decisions are just okay.
10.	Maddox Dagenais	2C	Big nasty with great hands. He "flipped a switch" on his compete this year. When he's competing there's very little missing in his game.

Tbh I haven't even watched most of your guys on this list because I don't think they'll be available with the exception of Dagenais.



Also now that Malhotras the HC of Vancouver... What are the chances Manny is able to draft his son?! That's gotta be the first time in history no?

 

[AnonCommentary]

 

[majormajor]

Interesting thing re: this list and the CBJ is I expect we won’t need any more guys ranked to see our pick.

(In other words, one or more of these guys is likely available at 14 despite your ranking.)

My thoughts exactly. And I suspect that is how the list making will go for the CBJ scouts. They'll have a top 3 or 4 that won't make it near 14. But somewhere in that 4-10 range they will have someone make it to 14, so that will be the focus of their lists. After that you start thinking about who will make it to our 2nd rounder.

Last year I believe Jackson Smith was fourth on their list.

Tbh I haven't even watched most of your guys on this list because I don't think they'll be available with the exception of Dagenais.

Have you watched Dagenais yet?

I'm surprised there isn't more excitement about him. His performances have been dominating and look very projectable. I would have put him higher but I kept reminding myself that it's just the Q and I couldn't put him over guys ahead of him who are already in pro leagues.

Also now that Malhotras the HC of Vancouver... What are the chances Manny is able to draft his son?! That's gotta be the first time in history no?

Caleb was already rumored and widely mocked to go third, I don't think the appearance of conflict of interest is a plus, and I wonder if they keep Manny away from the draft.

 

[AnonCommentary]

Have you watched Dagenais yet?

I'm surprised there isn't more excitement about him. His performances have been dominating and look very projectable. I would have put him higher but I kept reminding myself that it's just the Q and I couldn't put him over guys ahead of him who are already in pro leagues.

I think you and I will be far apart on Dagenais but I’m interested to hear your thoughts.

Do you find yourself thinking he’s got a lot of inconsistency in his game? Early on, I felt he was very viewing dependent I think he’s got a lot of interesting skills / tools to offer but it’s felt a bit incomplete. I don’t mean to imply that I think he’s been bad but rather he hasn’t reached the top level impact he has / could display more consistently.

 

[BigBoss614]

My thoughts exactly. And I suspect that is how the list making will go for the CBJ scouts. They'll have a top 3 or 4 that won't make it near 14. But somewhere in that 4-10 range they will have someone make it to 14, so that will be the focus of their lists. After that you start thinking about who will make it to our 2nd rounder.

Last year I believe Jackson Smith was fourth on their list.



Have you watched Dagenais yet?

I'm surprised there isn't more excitement about him. His performances have been dominating and look very projectable. I would have put him higher but I kept reminding myself that it's just the Q and I couldn't put him over guys ahead of him who are already in pro leagues.



Caleb was already rumored and widely mocked to go third, I don't think the appearance of conflict of interest is a plus, and I wonder if they keep Manny away from the draft.

I think I started to watch some clips on him and then got distracted and never finished them, I'll have to take another gander this week when I have some time


And yeah I agree it's not a necessarily a good look for Nucks unless it works out then who GAF. But from a father/son perspective that's really f***ing cool.

 

[cbjthrowaway]

Have you watched Dagenais yet?

I'm surprised there isn't more excitement about him. His performances have been dominating and look very projectable. I would have put him higher but I kept reminding myself that it's just the Q and I couldn't put him over guys ahead of him who are already in pro leagues.

i am all in on dagenais.

 

[AnonCommentary]

i am all in on dagenais.

What’s your thoughts on him?

 

[ColumbusTrill]

This is my top ten, and this might be it for making draft lists this year. It's a clear top ten for me and then I just don't have a ton of interest in watching guys after that. I had some good looks at Morozov, and Cullen is tantalizing (if also maddening, a la Zegras), and I'm curious myself how those guys should stack up with Verhoeff, Rudolph, Lin, etc... Those might be my 10-15, but I'm not seeing enough of the guys after that to know.

Here's the top ten with projection and notes.

1.	Caleb Malhotra	#1C	Game-controlling complete center. High end skating, handling, and vision, combined with elite puck thievery.
2.	Ivar Stenberg	#1W	Inside driven, pocket Peter Forsberg. Not a special player until you consider how much he can do with a defender draped on his back.
3.	Gavin McKenna	#1W	As lazy as Will Smith, but McKenna could also score 50 powerplay points a year. Best vision we've seen in years.
4.	Chase Reid	#1D (R)	He looks like John Carlson or Zach Werenski with the puck. Breakouts with ease, great passing everywhere, great shot. D game will take time.
5.	Oscar Hemming	#1/2W	A bull in a china shop with great hands. His point totals really undersell how talented he is. The scoring tools are there and he plays smart and mean. Heavy feet might be the big drawback.
6.	Carson Carels	#2D (L)	A great skating D who is always involved and competes everywhere on the ice. Hits everything. He's a good playmaker and breaks the puck out well. A volume shooter, probably not a PP1 guy.
7.	Malte Gustafsson	#2D (L)	He covers a huge amount of ice with his reach, skating, and great decision making. Controls the game.
8.	Viggo Bjorck	#2C	Elusive pocket center with great edges and smarts. A "coach on the ice" type tactician.
9.	Alberts Smits	#2/3D (L)	A beastly defender who can rock NHLers already, Smits also has a bomb from the point. His puck decisions are just okay.
10.	Maddox Dagenais	2C	Big nasty with great hands. He "flipped a switch" on his compete this year. When he's competing there's very little missing in his game.

Would Jackson Smith be in your top 10 if he was in this class? IIRC you had him high in your rankings last year

 

[cbjthrowaway]

What’s your thoughts on him?

he had a slow start but then a switch flipped somewhere in his brain and he stopped taking shifts off and started absolutely clobbering guys.

the shot and skating will play in the top six some day, but adding the nasty streak, two-way game and size, i think he’s got a chance to be really good.

the skills, size and tracking data make him a top 10 player for me and he’s at the top of my “guys who will be on the board at 14” list.

that said… if they can find a way to trade up into the top 10 for bjorck that’s my ideal outcome but that kind of thing never happens.

 

[BigBoss614]

Either his shot/release is next level or goaltending in the Q is absolutely terrible.


You know who he actually kinda reminds me of? A bigger Artemi Panarin... He has the hands to make a move and his release is so quick and effortless that I think he's catching everyone off guard combined with the accuracy to consistently hit those corners that if he's on the point and he got spaced, he's gonna find a corner... But does that translate with less space and more physicality?

 

[majormajor]

I think you and I will be far apart on Dagenais but I’m interested to hear your thoughts.

Do you find yourself thinking he’s got a lot of inconsistency in his game? Early on, I felt he was very viewing dependent I think he’s got a lot of interesting skills / tools to offer but it’s felt a bit incomplete. I don’t mean to imply that I think he’s been bad but rather he hasn’t reached the top level impact he has / could display more consistently.

Did you see that inconsistency in games after November? I'm just watching the shift by shifts on youtube and he didn't have any off games or off periods in there.

We were talking about him earlier and the concussions he had in his D-1 season, that might have played into his earlier struggles.

 

[majormajor]

My favorite two plays here,

1) at 1:20:

He pulls the puck out of the scrum and then goes from soft pass to really hard on his stick to redirect it home. A guy with hands like that who can't be pushed away around the net, that's so valuable.

2) the very next highlight a drag and release with zero extra handling.

Either his shot/release is next level or goaltending in the Q is absolutely terrible.

Maybe both but it's definitely a high end shot. There's not much wind up or extra handling or long release, it just rockets off his stick.

But does that translate with less space and more physicality?

That's an issue for all prospects coming from lower leagues. But a guy who embraces physicality and who is as strong as Dagenais, I worry less about his skill translating. He'll find ways to score without needing a lot of space.

 

[AnonCommentary]

Did you see that inconsistency in games after November? I'm just watching the shift by shifts on youtube and he didn't have any off games or off periods in there.

We were talking about him earlier and the concussions he had in his D-1 season, that might have played into his earlier struggles.

Yes I did. His playoffs weren’t the best to me and it reads like he was inconsistent as well at U18s as well in the draft guide. There’s some decent game reports but others say he’s quiet and not his physical self. Which does point backs back to consistency.

I think he’s actually coasting quite a bit defensively in the February one. Definitely felt like some shifts off in that one. Could’ve made an extra effort in some cases but felt like he didn’t.

 

[BigBoss614]

My favorite two plays here,

1) at 1:20:

He pulls the puck out of the scrum and then goes from soft pass to really hard on his stick to redirect it home. A guy with hands like that who can't be pushed away around the net, that's so valuable.

2) the very next highlight a drag and release with zero extra handling.



Maybe both but it's definitely a high end shot. There's not much wind up or extra handling or long release, it just rockets off his stick.



That's an issue for all prospects coming from lower leagues. But a guy who embraces physicality and who is as strong as Dagenais, I worry less about his skill translating. He'll find ways to score without needing a lot of space.

I noticed that first play as well, not only for his ability to do that but IQ to know that he needs to crash the net and cause some netfront chaos.

And I specifically mentioned about his ability to do that at the next level partially because of the rep of guys coming out of the Q. I feel like a lot of guys produce a ton outta there and can't quite do it at the next level. But guys that have that killer instinct usually do quite well. If he's truly found that next gear and the internal drive id be less worried.

 

[BigBoss614]

Definitely a project and obviously what we need right now won't be what we need by the time he could be ready, but is there ever a time when we don't need a big bodied defensive minded RHD?