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)

 

[ORRFForever]

Canada is on flippin fire.

 

[Dion TheFluff]

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

2020 Byfield, Drysdale, Quinn, Rossi, and Perfetti were all top 10 out of the OHL.

actually last year was close with Lindstrom, Iginla, Yakemchuck, and Catton coming out of the WHL.

 

[hockeyprospects9]

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.

Otto is more powerful whereas Ivar might be slightly more skilled, though the biggest difference I’ve seen is their willingness and ability to play more direct and attack the net. Ivar is out producing everyone in J20 because he’s incredibly direct (and obviously very skilled), something that Otto hasn’t been able to do.

 

[ijuka]

That's a top tier Swedish name if I've ever seen one.

 

[Corso]

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

He usually bases his rankings on the last tournament he attended, I would not put any stock into this list.

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)

I have a very dim view of these academies. Not because of development, since there is no denying that they do a phenomenal job, but because of cost. Hockey numbers are crashing across N.A. Spent some time talking with someone involved with the Middlesex Islanders Assoc in Mass recently, and was told that demographics are terrible NOW and that many who are playing AAA really don't belong at that level but due to high costs the teams are taking them because they need bodies.

I know this isn't the thread for this but those European academies you mentioned are often funded by the various professional soccer associations and I really believe that this is the path the NHL must follow in order to allow for more youth to participate in the sport without having to sell their future grandchildren to cover the costs.

 

[Hockeyville USA]

He usually bases his rankings on the last tournament he attended, I would not put any stock into this list.


I have a very dim view of these academies. Not because of development, since there is no denying that they do a phenomenal job, but because of cost. Hockey numbers are crashing across N.A. Spent some time talking with someone involved with the Middlesex Islanders Assoc in Mass recently, and was told that demographics are terrible NOW and that many who are playing AAA really don't belong at that level but due to high costs the teams are taking them because they need bodies.

I know this isn't the thread for this but those European academies you mentioned are often funded by the various professional soccer association and I really believe that is the path the NHL must go on in order to involve more youth to participate in the sport and not have to sell their future grandchildren to cover the costs.

Don't some of these NHL teams in the States fund some of the minor hockey teams already? But yes you're right, it's prohibitively expensive, especially in Canada, but also in most of the States.

The hockey academies out west have done a great job, but just too expensive to be a sustainable model for the non super wealthy.

 

[Corso]

Don't some of these NHL teams in the States fund some of the minor hockey teams already? But yes you're right, it's prohibitively expensive, especially in Canada, but also in most of the States.

The hockey academies out west have done a great job, but just too expensive to be a sustainable model for the non super wealthy.

The funding that they provide doesn't cover much of anything other than the "try hockey for a day" or some equipment. Yes, some expansion teams did provide for seed money to start associations but the cost to play is shouldered by the parents of the players. The average cost to play AAA hockey in the northeast for example runs between 15-20k a year, a prohibitively high cost. Just think of all the good players we lost because of it.

 

[Bobby Orrtuzzo]

That's a top tier Swedish name if I've ever seen one.

If only Ivan Ivan had a Swedish cousin named Ivar Ivar

 

[kyle44]

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.

Don’t agree with you on Lin. If he can surpass the 6’0 mark, he absolutely has the skillset for a top-10 pick. Im not sure if you’re basing this on the U-17 only; he’s been dominant at times in the WHL as a 16 year old. A lot to sort out before next year of course, but the talent is there.

 

[Hockeyville USA]

The funding that they provide doesn't cover much of anything other than the "try hockey for a day" or some equipment. Yes, some expansion teams did provide for seed money to start associations but the cost to play is shouldered by the parents of the players. The average cost to play AAA hockey in the northeast for example runs between 15-20k a year, a prohibitively high cost. Just think of all the good players we lost because of it.

I meant that Boston Jr Bruins, Pittsburgh Jr Penguins, Little Caesar's, Little Caps, Los Angeles Jr Kings, San Jose Jr Sharks, etc minor hockey seemingly have support from the local NHL team.

 

[Erikfromfin]

No Piipari? Oscar Hemming gonna rocket into this list

 

[kyle44]

No Piipari? Oscar Hemming gonna rocket into this list

I can assure you this list is based off what he saw at the U-17 this year (or last year in the case of McKenna, Roobroeck and Stenberg). If the player performed well in league play only, or did not participate at the U-17s, they won’t be on this list, which is why it is essentially useless. Sure some of the top guys come 2026 will be on this list, but let’s not pretend this is an objective ranking based on him watching the 2008 and late 2007 crop globally.