Prospect Info: The 2026 NHL Draft First Round Thread - Part 5

[mriswith]

I don't want Verhoeff but Chychrun is a clear 1D, that would be a fantastic outcome.

We are in year 1 of a minimum 4/5 year rebuild, if not longer.
We will have a ton of time to get Forwards, I am not worried at all.
This is why going Carels or Reid is perfectly fine.
They can go any direction really, this is year one.

Agreed when it comes to wingers. I'm a little concerned about centres, the type of centre you need for the rebuild to work are generally only available in the top 3 picks of the draft.

If I knew we were committed to the tank for the next two years I'd be clamoring for a dman this time but I'm not confident we will do what is necessary. I'd hate to pass on a potential top line centre and then be sitting in Detroits cuck chair 7 years from now with a bunch of 2/3 c candidates they picked in the top 10 and unable to progress because they didn't tank hard enough and never landed the 1C of the future despite elite talent at the other positions.

 

[StreetHawk]

We are in year 1 of a minimum 4/5 year rebuild, if not longer.
We will have a ton of time to get Forwards, I am not worried at all.
This is why going Carels or Reid is perfectly fine.
They can go any direction really, this is year one.

I agree. Plus, it was the Dman who went for the most value in these recent trades. Now, no higher end C has moved like Larkin, so that could change things. Brady, Sam, Kyrou were winger.

 

[mriswith]

I agree. Plus, it was the Dman who went for the most value in these recent trades. Now, no higher end C has moved like Larkin, so that could change things. Brady, Sam, Kyrou were winger.

That in itself is an expression of value though, like Lundell was never going to be made available for Brady for example.

 

[Luck 6]

If Stenberg is there, it’s easy, just grab him and move on. Don’t worry about getting cute, even if a part of me wants to be cute haha.

Stenberg has the best talent level, and his play looks like it will translate well, he’s kind of a can’t miss. It sucks we don’t get a center, but we have a bunch of other picks still we can take shots with, we can’t pass up a 90 point defensively responsible winger.

 

[Icebreakers]

If Stenberg is there, it’s easy, just grab him and move on. Don’t worry about getting cute, even if a part of me wants to be cute haha.

Stenberg has the best talent level, and his play looks like it will translate well, he’s kind of a can’t miss. It sucks we don’t get a center, but we have a bunch of other picks still we can take shots with, we can’t pass up a 90 point defensively responsible winger.

Well, yea.

But he wont be there. SJS is taking him 10000000% lock it in.

 

[LickTheEnvelope]

I will be Juolevi over Tkachuk level pissed if the Nucks take Verhoeff.

Lol why?

Don't think ive ever seen a 6'4 220 lbs+ dman with terrific numbers draw so much hate as Verhoeff.

 

[LickTheEnvelope]

We are in year 1 of a minimum 4/5 year rebuild, if not longer.
We will have a ton of time to get Forwards, I am not worried at all.
This is why going Carels or Reid is perfectly fine.
They can go any direction really, this is year one.

Also the next 2 years are freaking loaded with top offensive players. This is like the one year to not draft skilled forwards.

 

[Luck 6]

Well, yea.

But he wont be there. SJS is taking him 10000000% lock it in.

I honestly think you’re right, their trade for 9OA solidified that. They’ll take Stenberg at 2OA to replace Eklund, then grad the best defenseman available at 9OA.

 

[Just A Bit Outside]

Lol why?

Don't think ive ever seen a 6'4 220 lbs+ dman with terrific numbers draw so much hate as Verhoeff.

I could care less if he was 7’0 300 lbs and ambidextrous.

Don’t like him.

 

[MarkusNaslund19]

I honestly think you’re right, their trade for 9OA solidified that. They’ll take Stenberg at 2OA to replace Eklund, then grad the best defenseman available at 9OA.

I tend in that direction too.

But it's also possible that San Jose is fixing their D in one draft.

There's heavy rumors they are acquiring Morgan Rielly, they have Kesselring.

There's your veteran mentorship.

They have Dickinson.

If they add Smits and Reid to that, your D is almost rebuilt for the mid term and replacing Rielly and Kesselring won't be too hard from within.

 

[Hodgy]

From New York Times article here. My concern is not just the initial concussion, but also the lingering symptoms that caused him to miss the combine more than 2 months later. He was at the combine, but only did interviews and medical tests. Skipped the physical tests/workouts.

There are varying levels of concern among NHL talent evaluators about a concussion Carels sustained in Prince George’s playoff opener on March 27. He missed the next two games before returning for the team’s final nine, but lingering symptoms caused him to skip testing at the recent NHL Draft Combine, colleague Corey Pronman reported on “The Athletic Hockey Show.”

This is extremely concerning to me. Almost puts him on the DND list.

 

[lawrence]

Verhoeffs 0.56PPG >> Reid’s 1.05 ppg in the ohl. Much harder to pull what verhoeff did it as a 17 year old in a league loaded with 19-24 year olds. I like Keaton also but 3 might be high. This will go back to what I suggested is the best 8 weeks ago.

If McKenna , stenberg is gone just go malhotra.

 

[Brock Boeser Laser Show]

Just go Malhotra if Stenberg is gone. Let Manny take a job elsewhere if it be omes an issue down the road.

Start building a strong group of high character Canadians that will help you win in the playoffs.