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

[rsteen]

Feel like Buffalo definitely takes a forward at 4 (the poor Blackhawk fans lol), should guarantee one of the 5 D is there at 9.

Sharks need D and will pick a forward, Hawks need F and trade their pick for a dman.

Seeing how they overpaid for Byram, I'm surprised they didn't offer something MG would take for #2.

 

[themelkman]

Feel like Buffalo definitely takes a forward at 4 (the poor Blackhawk fans lol), should guarantee one of the 5 D is there at 9.

Bjork I guess? Can't see who else you reach for

 

[Erep]

Sharks need D and will pick a forward, Hawks need F and trade their pick for a dman.

Seeing how they overpaid for Byram, I'm surprised they didn't offer something MG would take for #2.

Actually, this is a very good point. You would think trading up for Stenberg would make a lot more sense than this panic move.

Makes you think teams (or Sharks and Chicago, at least) might actually be higher on the top 2 relative to the field than is being shown to the media.

 

[vortexx]

Not sure if it's going to matter after what happened today but Boyler finally watched 1 game (obviously a tiny sample size) of both Reid and Carels and he prefers Reid, game knows game.

 

[STL Shark]

Just remembered that NYR are exploring trade back scenarios per Wheeler. Wonder what it would cost to get from 9 to 5. 9+27 is realllllly close on Perri, but adding 64 or a prospect likely gets it into our favor.

Would mean we’re drafting Stenberg plus Reid/Carels rather than sitting back and seeing what D falls to 9.

 

[Bizz]

Here's how the draft is gonna go based of current team needs:

1. McKenna (slight possibility for Stenberg)
2. Stenberg
3. Malhotra
4. Carels
5. Bjorck
6. Reid
7. Smits
8. Veorhoff

9. ???

unless we trade up we just traded Eklund for a longshot lottery ticket.

This was posted before the Byram trade. I have no idea who or what Buffalo even wants. I'd have to think they go Bjorck at 4 unless Malhotra is still available. Rangers need a little of everything so I think Carels goes to them at 5. nothing else changes. Both Buffalo and NYR are trade back options for SJ's 9th+.

 

[TheBeard]

I don't honestly expect Buffalo to use 4. They'r in win-now mode. I'm sensing something complicated involving St Louis where Buffalo gets Robert Thomas, St Louis gets Stenberg and we get Reid at 2 plus Lindstein and Krebs.

 

[vortexx]

Here's how the draft is gonna go based of current team needs:

1. McKenna (slight possibility for Stenberg)
2. Stenberg
3. Malhotra
4. Carels
5. Bjorck
6. Reid
7. Smits
8. Veorhoff

9. ???

unless we trade up we just traded Eklund for a longshot lottery ticket.

Wouldn't be shocked if Rudolph enters the top 8 as we know RHD are valuable commodities and we saw in 2024 all of the top RHD were picked before the LHD when many of the consensus rankings had a couple of the LHD ranked higher. Also don't count out a big riser like Cullen or one of the power forwards types surprisingly getting taken in the top 8 as well.

Basically what I am saying is the draft rarely goes as expected, and we just need one other player to get selected higher than expected and then a Smits/Verhoeff/Carels could be there at #9. Grier also has the ammo to trade up from #9 to get his guy, probably could trade up to the #5 range.

 

[Grinner]

I don't honestly expect Buffalo to use 4. They'r in win-now mode. I'm sensing something complicated involving St Louis where Buffalo gets Robert Thomas, St Louis gets Stenberg and we get Reid at 2 plus Lindstein and Krebs.

No thanks

 

[TheBeard]

No thanks

Why not? We get a young power forward and a young up-and-coming d-man?

 

[Grinner]

Why not? We get a young power forward and a young up-and-coming d-man?

Krebs?

 

[TheBeard]

Krebs?

Buffalo Sabres 2025-26 Player Grades: Peyton Krebs - The Hockey Writers Buffalo Sabres Latest News, Analysis & More

The Buffalo Sabres earned a lot of praise for their jump in the standings and young players like Peyton Krebs played a major role.

thehockeywriters.com

 

[Grinner]

Buffalo Sabres 2025-26 Player Grades: Peyton Krebs - The Hockey Writers Buffalo Sabres Latest News, Analysis & More

The Buffalo Sabres earned a lot of praise for their jump in the standings and young players like Peyton Krebs played a major role.

thehockeywriters.com

I watched the cup playoffs. And no,Krebs is not a PF

 

[TheBeard]

I watched the cup playoffs. And no,Krebs is not a PF

He's exactly what the top 6 needs, especially with Eklund gone.

 

[Bizz]

Wouldn't be shocked if Rudolph enters the top 8 as we know RHD are valuable commodities and we saw in 2024 all of the top RHD were picked before the LHD when many of the consensus rankings had a couple of the LHD ranked higher. Also don't count out a big riser like Cullen or one of the power forwards types surprisingly getting taken in the top 8 as well.

Basically what I am saying is the draft rarely goes as expected, and we just need one other player to get selected higher than expected and then a Smits/Verhoeff/Carels could be there at #9. Grier also has the ammo to trade up from #9 to get his guy, probably could trade up to the #5 range.

Out of the teams in the top 9, the Rangers and possibly Calgary are the only teams that don't really need an RD. NYR has Fox and Calgary has Parekh, although Calgary could see Reid as being enough of an upgrade over Parekh to select him at 6 regardless. Winnipeg and Seattle are almost guaranteed to pick D of either side.

 

[Grinner]

He's exactly what the top 6 needs, especially with Eklund gone.

No, Knies would be the kind of PF we need

 

[TheBeard]

No, Knies would be the kind of PF we need

And he would cost SIGNIFICANTLY more in terms of trade and cap hit (he's making just under 8).

 

[Grinner]

And he would cost SIGNIFICANTLY more in terms of trade and cap hit (he's making just under 8).

Supposedly, the Leafs want a top 10 pick, a roster player and a prospect
9
Muk
Musty

 

[TheBeard]

Supposedly, the Leafs want a top 10 pick, a roster player and a prospect
9
Muk
Musty

I mean if that's what it took then fine, but then we're drafted Reid at 2.

Realistically if that's what Toronto is looking for, the pieces would be more along the lines of Graf and Musty.

 

[Hodge]

I'm pretty confident Smits or Rudolph will be there at #9 if we keep the pick. Possibly both if Winnipeg reaches for Lawrence.

 

[Grinner]

I mean if that's what it took then fine, but then we're drafted Reid at 2.

Realistically if that's what Toronto is looking for, the pieces would be more along the lines of Graf and Musty.

Not necessarily
Knies- Celebrini- Smith
Stenberg- Misa- Chernyshov

 

[Grinner]

I'm pretty confident Smits or Rudolph will be there at #9 if we keep the pick. Possibly both if Winnipeg reaches for Lawrence.

I'd offer 27 to make that possible

 

[Patty Ice]

SNOD

2026 NHL DRAFT SIMULATION RESULTS
========================================

YOUR PICKS:
R1 P2 (#2) San Jose Sharks: Gavin McKenna (LW)
R1 P9 (#9) San Jose Sharks: Carson Carels (D)
R1 P27 (#27) San Jose Sharks: Casey Mutryn (F)
R2 P30 (#62) San Jose Sharks: Luke Schairer (D)

15% chaos factor

 

[TheBeard]

Not necessarily
Knies- Celebrini- Smith
Stenberg- Misa- Chernyshov

And still no defense.

 

[OversKy]

Kinda convinced some of you haven't watched much Rudolph tape and your just saying what you're hearing or seeing. Out of any of the D he probably had the most impressive second half of the season. In the playoffs he blew the doors off everyone they ran into, while his peers just didn't. Highest offensive potential of any D in the draft imo, creative, wicked release, and a great skater. From pro scouts are intensity and physicality. Kinda spooky but I don't see it much more than any of the others. I've watched him take a hit to set up successful puck retrieval. I've seen him separate the man from the puck during skate in zone entries.