Craig Button early 2026 top 10 mock

[Mathieukferland]

Craig’s List: Gavin McKenna the runaway favourite for No. 1 in 2026 NHL Draft | TSN

After lighting up the WHL last season as a rookie with 34 goals and 97 points in 61 games to claim CHL and WHL rookie of the year honours, Medicine Hat Tigers forward Gavin McKenna is off to a torrid start this season, leading the league with 37 points in 19 games.

www.tsn.ca

Looks like a strong year out west

Click to read more...

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Missing Katolicky. Lin is not anywhere near a top 10 pick. Carels doesn't belong either. Rest I don't have a big problem with.

 

[LeProspector]

Needs Viktor Fyodorov

 

[Spearmint Rhino]

Will bet my James Westphal that McKenna ends up a Penguin

 

[lakai17]

Tell me U17 World Challenge was last weekend without telling me.

Decent enough list as it's still very early/ I'm no expert

Will bet my James Westphal that McKenna ends up a Penguin

Whichever market can bring in the most revenue. You know how Gary likes it.

 

[Bubbles]

LOL recency bias is strong with Button. Love the WHL heavy list but listing Preston 2nd is jumping the gun.

 

[Czechboy]

No katolicky or Novak? I'm surprised to be honest.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Craig’s List: Gavin McKenna the runaway favourite for No. 1 in 2026 NHL Draft | TSN

After lighting up the WHL last season as a rookie with 34 goals and 97 points in 61 games to claim CHL and WHL rookie of the year honours, Medicine Hat Tigers forward Gavin McKenna is off to a torrid start this season, leading the league with 37 points in 19 games.

www.tsn.ca

Looks like a strong year out west


View attachment 930685

Curious, has a specific league within the CHL ever had 5 of the top 10 of a draft?

 

[BKarchitect]

Needs Viktor Fyodorov

I’ve been trying to follow Fyodorov for years now as the big name from Russia in this ‘08 birth year - but are we sure he’s really this kind of talent after his early MHL returns?

Very solid numbers and he’s got the reputation of being more of a two-way complete player but the kind of pace he is on does not hold up to other top level 16 year-olds in that league from the last decade. He’s also not (as far as I can see on any of his bios), particular big or “snarly”.

Definite one to watch and perhaps the numbers start to blossom as the season unfolds but maybe more of a “looks like he could be a solid 1st round talent” than “total stud top 10 projected pick” at this point?

Anyways…maybe those with eyes on him (and his stable of Torpedo system prospect teammates) can chime in?

@czech @Alex K @Caser @Kshahdoo
@dyldude

 

[John Mandalorian]

I’m always interested in knowing Craig Buttons favorite mock turtle necks. Very seasonal. It makes me crave gingerbread and glogg.

 

[Bobby Orrtuzzo]

All I can do is stat watch, but how does Ivar Stenberg compare to Otto? Seeing he’s already viewed as a potential top 10 pick I’m assuming he’s projected to have a higher ceiling, but just curious to hear the comparison of the two.

 

[Mercedes Benn]

Curious, has a specific league within the CHL ever had 5 of the top 10 of a draft?

Off the top of my head 2012 for the WHL. Murray, Reinhart, Rielly, Dumba, Pouliot. All dman too.

 

[Mathieukferland]

Curious, has a specific league within the CHL ever had 5 of the top 10 of a draft?

2008, Stamkos, Doughty, Bogosian, Pietrangelo, Bailey, Hodgson


Also worth noting that all of those all those WHL players listed came out of the CSSHL; no one is going to write a positive story about 20$K+ hockey academies, but they have been a revolution for player development out west ever since they formed a centralised league. I used to play against POE (when they still played in the states) which I believe in the proceeding time has become RINK Kewlona, and in the particular age group had a team with Tyson Jost, Ethan Bear, and Brandon Duhaime and the explanation I got from the players there was that, even compared to the most elite GTHL or T1EHL programmes, the amount of time they dedicated to on ice skills, gym work and practice was exponentially higher; more akin to European football academy than a minor hockey club. They might be elitist, but the results since those academies have centralised as a league have been insane (Bedard, McKenna, Dupont etc)