Scouting Combine 2026

[Hockeyfrilla]

McKenna, Stenberg among 90 draft prospects attending NHL Scouting Combine | NHL.com

Event gives teams chance to assess players through interviews, physical testing

www.nhl.com

The Combine, which will run June 1-6, provides the 32 NHL teams with physical and medical assessments of the top prospects ahead of the 2026 draft at KeyBank Center in Buffalo June 26-27.

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

 

[dr1234]

Not noticing many “snubs” off the bat unless I’m missing anything

 

[TheKrebsCycle]

What day do they do measurements? That’s always an interesting one ; maybe more eye opening than the physical tests in some cases( being much larger or much smaller than advertised could affect draft stock for sure ).

 

[hockeeyyy]

What day do they do measurements? That’s always an interesting one ; maybe more eye opening than the physical tests in some cases( being much larger or much smaller than advertised could affect draft stock for sure ).

Likely today. We'll start seeing announcements later this afternoon maybe.

 

[Grub]

Stenberg , Bjork and Malhotra’s height is what intrigues me.

 

[Martin Elz]

I think Björck is going to crush it, he seems strong.

 

[whldraft]

For the anti WHL crowd. In USHL terms (anyone who played here is ours), the WHL has 27, not 25. Kurtz will be a TC American soon as well.

 

[bigdog16]

For the anti WHL crowd. In USHL terms (anyone who played here is ours), the WHL has 27, not 25. Kurtz will be a TC American soon as well.

Not for nothing but the CHL does the same "anyone who played here is ours" when all their guys go NCAA...

 

[The Crypto Guy]

For the anti WHL crowd. In USHL terms (anyone who played here is ours), the WHL has 27, not 25. Kurtz will be a TC American soon as well.

Are those the official heights/weights they measured this week?

 

[hockeeyyy]

From what I remember of the 2003 NHL Combine that happened in Toronto at the Park Plaza hotel, the group came in and they did an orientation and then measurements the same day. It's possible they've changed the format a bit, but I doubt it changed much.

I was their age then, and I was still star struck. MAF was the nicest person then, and the nicest person now.

 

[hockeeyyy]

Are those the official heights/weights they measured this week?

Before that. No measurements taken until today. They grab measurements from their junior / college / pro teams, and then upgrade them afterwards. For example, I'm pretty sure Wyatt Cullen's is taller than 6'1 now. Gavin McKenna was listed at 6'0 in various media spaces, including his Penn State profile, but Central Scouting defaulted his height to 5'11.

 

[lanky]

I think heights and weights will be taken during the physical testing on the weekend. Usually the first few days are for interviews only.

 

[whldraft]

Not for nothing but the CHL does the same "anyone who played here is ours" when all their guys go NCAA...

Only because of Glenn's bullshit counting. All the dumb shit comes back to that.

 

[My3Sons]

Traditionally in the US your NHL draft season coincides with your senior year of high school. 8 guys playing NCAA during what would be their final year of high school sounds pretty impressive on the surface.

 

[whldraft]

Are those the official heights/weights they measured this week?

They almost always adjust down to reality.

 

[HawksDub89]

I think heights and weights will be taken during the physical testing on the weekend. Usually the first few days are for interviews only.

Yeah I was gonna say, usually the very last day.

 

[bigdog16]

Only because of Glenn's bullshit counting. All the dumb shit comes back to that.

Dude, nobody really cares who claims who. Why does it bother you so much?

 

[Bonin21]

Over/under 30 out of 90 being on a NCAA campus on October 1?

 

[whldraft]

Dude, nobody really cares who claims who. Why does it bother you so much?

Because it is fake.

 

[whldraft]

Over/under 30 out of 90 being on a NCAA campus on October 1?

Could be close. Are there spots in the right programs to fit the ones who aren't already committed outside of the obvious top 10 guys?

 

[ScoutyMcScoutface]

Ahh yes, the day that causes the most headaches for scouts.

I've seen a years worth of scouting reports get disregarded because leadership decides to get their own ideas after physical testing scores.

 

[coooldude]

Can't wait for all the juicy, juicy gossip about who went to dinner with whom, which conversations felt great, and which idiot listed himself at 6'3" but was actually barely 6'0".

 

[Kegs]

Not for nothing but the CHL does the same "anyone who played here is ours" when all their guys go NCAA...

I think it’s going to be become standard practice to go from CHL to NCAA.

 

[hockeeyyy]

I think heights and weights will be taken during the physical testing on the weekend. Usually the first few days are for interviews only.

That would be a departure from the the way they used to do it. They used to stagger it. Some prospects would do interviews first, some would do the physical parts first. But the heights/weights usually happened at the start, not afterwards.

Teams would stay in hotel rooms and deliberate over specific physical profiles of each prospect.

But from reading a bit more into it, it looks like you are absolutely right -- the format has definitely evolved to do interviews first.

 

[bigdog16]

Because it is fake.

It's literally the same thing as a CHL team claiming a now-NCAA player