2026 NHL Draft: We won #2! Reid or Stenberg for the win; taking Verhoeff is a drafting sin!

[Patty Ice]

Cam and Ellis mocking the first round.

For quick reference

2 OA @ 7.50 mark
20 OA @ 51.58 mark

I'd be over the moon if it turns out that way.

 

[CaptainShark]

Cam and Ellis mocking the first round.

For quick reference

2 OA @ 7.50 mark
20 OA @ 51.58 mark

I'd be over the moon if it turns out that way.

Thanks for not spoiling (was just listening to the pod while reading here)…

 

[Gecklund]

Frank's such a hack.

Feels like most of these insiders are these days. It’s insane the level of click bait they are putting out there. Friedman is clearly by far the most connected but he speaks exactly like DW where he says a lot while saying nothing.

 

[coooldude]

Cam and Ellis mocking the first round.

For quick reference

2 OA @ 7.50 mark
20 OA @ 51.58 mark

I'd be over the moon if it turns out that way.

Spoiler!

Spoiler: spoiler!

Reid and Lin wouldn't be bad at all given where we were at 9OA. I would personally have Hermansson, Novotny, Bleyl, and Sokolovskii before Lin, but at this point there are so many options who all have some clear role with upside that we could use, and a lot of questions as to whether they'll hit it.

 

[Patty Ice]

Spoiler!

Spoiler: spoiler!

Reid and Lin wouldn't be bad at all given where we were at 9OA. I would personally have Hermansson, Novotny, Bleyl, and Sokolovskii before Lin, but at this point there are so many options who all have some clear role with upside that we could use, and a lot of questions as to whether they'll hit it.

I agree. For me, the field is wide open after 12 or 13 guys. At that point, I think teams are justified to draft for need and preferences.

 

[coooldude]

For the Pronman haters (@weastern bias -- I can't remember if it was you or someone else who said Pronman is the guy who is an ass and thinks he's going to get 100 on the test but gets 50, and Wheeler is the nice dork who thinks he's going to get 50 and gets 100)

but this was a lolworthy exchange from this article from athletic debating the top 4. Wheeler definitely comes across more compelling here, which is rough for me because my "list" looks more like Pronman's. Big Yikes.

 

[SJS1991]

Spoiler!

Spoiler: spoiler!

Reid and Lin wouldn't be bad at all given where we were at 9OA. I would personally have Hermansson, Novotny, Bleyl, and Sokolovskii before Lin, but at this point there are so many options who all have some clear role with upside that we could use, and a lot of questions as to whether they'll hit it.

I just don’t know if Grier and the staff will take a sub 6’-0” defenseman at 20OA.

I agree on Novotny, Hermansson for forward, maybe throw in a Mutryn.

I think if they go double defenseman I think it’s like Sokolovski, Goljer, Hakansson, or Shcherbakov. I just think until they(SJ) show they will take sub 6’-0” guys in the first… I wouldn’t go out of my way to mock those types to them.

They tend to take these types in the 2nd round. LSW, Havelid, etc.

 

[coooldude]

I just don’t know if Grier and the staff will take a sub 6’-0” defenseman at 20OA.

I agree on Novotny, Hermansson for forward, maybe throw in a Mutryn.

I think if they go double defenseman I think it’s like Sokolovski, Goljer, Hakansson, or Shcherbakov. I just think until they(SJ) show they will take sub 6’-0” guys in the first… I wouldn’t go out of my way to mock those types to them.

They tend to take these types in the 2nd round. LSW, Havelid, etc.

I think you're right. Goljer FWIW is not 6'3" but only 6'1" and not elite at anything in particular so I see him more like a Lin/LSW/Havelid (and Piip) than a Soko or Shcherbakov. I think Hakansson is very vanilla and I have him out of the first, but we'll see.

 

[weastern bias]

For the Pronman haters (@weastern bias -- I can't remember if it was you or someone else who said Pronman is the guy who is an ass and thinks he's going to get 100 on the test but gets 50, and Wheeler is the nice dork who thinks he's going to get 50 and gets 100)

but this was a lolworthy exchange from this article from athletic debating the top 4. Wheeler definitely comes across more compelling here, which is rough for me because my "list" looks more like Pronman's. Big Yikes.

View attachment 1253379

I've never said such mean words against him, it's just the voice for me

 

[SJS1991]

For the Pronman haters (@weastern bias -- I can't remember if it was you or someone else who said Pronman is the guy who is an ass and thinks he's going to get 100 on the test but gets 50, and Wheeler is the nice dork who thinks he's going to get 50 and gets 100)

but this was a lolworthy exchange from this article from athletic debating the top 4. Wheeler definitely comes across more compelling here, which is rough for me because my "list" looks more like Pronman's. Big Yikes.

View attachment 1253379

I think a few things can be true at the same time. 1. Pronman can be a jerk, and think too much of himself and 2. Of the “Internet”/“content” scouts in the media he seems to mirror a lot of the traditional hockey executives thinking.

I like listening to all the different guys and I think Pronman’s usefulness is having that “position” in the room of public discourse.

Otherwise you’d just hear about how all the 5’-9” highly skilled guys are going to take over the league… when they don’t.

 

[coooldude]

I think a few things can be true at the same time. 1. Pronman can be a jerk, and think too much of himself and 2. Of the “Internet”/“content” scouts in the media he seems to mirror a lot of the traditional hockey executives thinking.

I like listening to all the different guys and I think Pronman’s usefulness is having that “position” in the room of public discourse.

Otherwise you’d just hear about how all the 5’-9” highly skilled guys are going to take over the league… when they don’t.

Yeah, I agree with you. My commentary was more about his personality (and voice).

I do think if you look back historically, he over-rotates on whatever scouts are telling him something surprising and ends up with provocative lists (great) but they haven't aged that well (aww).

 

[SJS1991]

I think you're right. Goljer FWIW is not 6'3" but only 6'1" and not elite at anything in particular so I see him more like a Lin/LSW/Havelid (and Piip) than a Soko or Shcherbakov. I think Hakansson is very vanilla and I have him out of the first, but we'll see.

I can just see them liking Goljer, Piip and Hakansson because they are vanilla.

Agreed that if they want to take swings Soko and Shcherbakov are the play… but they tend to also like to draft guys because they will make the league and play a specific role.

With a Reid… they would have their “dynamic”, so I could see them trying to pair that with a boring defenseman that will play on the second/ third pairs.

 

[crankshaft mechanic]

For the Pronman haters (@weastern bias -- I can't remember if it was you or someone else who said Pronman is the guy who is an ass and thinks he's going to get 100 on the test but gets 50, and Wheeler is the nice dork who thinks he's going to get 50 and gets 100)

but this was a lolworthy exchange from this article from athletic debating the top 4. Wheeler definitely comes across more compelling here, which is rough for me because my "list" looks more like Pronman's. Big Yikes.

Hah, that was me. And yeah, it was regarding their demeanors rather than the merits of their scouting per se. I think of Wheeler/Pronman as a two-headed muppet monster thats greater than the sum of their parts.

As someone who's ultimately leaning towards picking D (Reid, Smits) my (I'm sure flawed) stack rank below on positional importance is what it sort of boils down to for me. Even if Reid ends up being a 3 D, I feel like that's roughly equivalent to the value a first line winger brings. In other words, if Reid hits his ceiling, he be expected to be a tier above in impact vs a top line wing. If they're in the same tier, than Reid still fits a need better for the team than another top line wing.

By no means an original opinion here. Just sharing how I visualize it.

Feel free to slash away at this lol:

1C
1D
--
2C
2D
--
1-2W
3C
3-4D
--
3-4W
5-6D
--
4C
5-6W

Also, this is skating out positions only. Not going to wade into where goalies should go here lol.

 

[Lebanezer]

If the Sharks go Reid or D with #2 and don't trade up in an attempt to get Gustafsson or Smits, however unlikely that may be, I would expect pick 20 to be used on a big forward in the Kiefer Sherwood mold.

 

[Star Platinum]

Cam and Ellis mocking the first round.

For quick reference

2 OA @ 7.50 mark
20 OA @ 51.58 mark

I'd be over the moon if it turns out that way.

All that smart, rational thoughts you just posted is invalidated by the fact it's actually Cam Robinson and Chris Peters mocking the first round

 

[Emperor Joe Thornton]

Not sure if this got posted yet, but for those like me that just saw it, here's EP's piece on Reid:

Film Room: 'Unstoppable' Chase Reid is the 2026 NHL Draft's best defenceman

Here's why the Soo Greyhounds star is the best defenceman available for the 2026 NHL Draft.

www.eliteprospects.com

 

[Gecklund]

If the Sharks go Reid or D with #2 and don't trade up in an attempt to get Gustafsson or Smits, however unlikely that may be, I would expect pick 20 to be used on a big forward in the Kiefer Sherwood mold.

I do like Novotny. He doesn’t have the ceiling that we’d want from a first round pick but I think he could be a great piece we don’t currently have in our system.

 

[Star Platinum]

Not sure if this got posted yet, but for those like me that just saw it, here's EP's piece on Reid:

Film Room: 'Unstoppable' Chase Reid is the 2026 NHL Draft's best defenceman

Here's why the Soo Greyhounds star is the best defenceman available for the 2026 NHL Draft.

www.eliteprospects.com

Feels a bit too much glazing to me - if he was really the player described in this analysis, he'd probably be the #1 pick. But a good amount of information packed into this article.

 

[Patty Ice]

All that smart, rational thoughts you just posted is invalidated by the fact it's actually Cam Robinson and Chris Peters mocking the first round

 

[Star Platinum]

All that smart, rational thoughts you just posted is invalidated by the fact it's actually Cam Robinson and Chris Peters mocking the first round

Also wanted to mention that considering that this forum has more or less been at each other's throat for the past month over what to do with this pick, I thought that the discussion on what to do with the pick (not so much what pick they ultimately made, but the thought process that went into deciding whether to go winger or defense) was well stated and thought out by both guys.

 

[hohosaregood]

i know i shouldn't be enamored by size but sokolovskii seems fun. i only watched like one highlight package/shift by shift but the way he was overpowering kids to kill plays was very satisfying. and endlessly amusing to see him up in the play.

 

[SJSharksfan4life]

Feels a bit too much glazing to me - if he was really the player described in this analysis, he'd probably be the #1 pick. But a good amount of information packed into this article.

 

[SJSharksfan4life]

I don't see it as “glazing as you do. Reid brings a lot of the qualities that provide a high ceiling. For example his skating, his passing and his vision. Add to that, he’s big and right handed.
I want him to be drafted, not because he’s the best overall but the best defenseman. Is that worth the second overall pick? I think so.

 

[NiWa]

Hah, that was me. And yeah, it was regarding their demeanors rather than the merits of their scouting per se. I think of Wheeler/Pronman as a two-headed muppet monster thats greater than the sum of their parts.

As someone who's ultimately leaning towards picking D (Reid, Smits) my (I'm sure flawed) stack rank below on positional importance is what it sort of boils down to for me. Even if Reid ends up being a 3 D, I feel like that's roughly equivalent to the value a first line winger brings. In other words, if Reid hits his ceiling, he be expected to be a tier above in impact vs a top line wing. If they're in the same tier, than Reid still fits a need better for the team than another top line wing.

By no means an original opinion here. Just sharing how I visualize it.

Feel free to slash away at this lol:

1C
1D
--
2C
2D
--
1-2W
3C
3-4D
--
3-4W
5-6D
--
4C
5-6W

Also, this is skating out positions only. Not going to wade into where goalies should go here lol.

You should also account for scarcity / market value of RHD vs LHD.

 

[Surfer Dude]

the one forward i am still hoping to fall to 20 is Hemming but i don't think he will at this point.