The top of the 2026 NHL Draft class has been a tough one to evaluate. It’s been one that has reminded me of the Owen Power draft in 2021. The presumptive No. 1 pick, like Power was that year, is Penn State’s Gavin McKenna. McKenna has been a fantastic player at the junior and college level, racking up a ton of points as an impactful scorer. However, all year I have felt he hasn’t pulled away from the crop, leading to a tight group at the top with other prospects such as Frölunda winger Ivar Stenberg and Soo Greyhounds defenseman Chase Reid.As we near the finish line, I now have Reid ranked as the No. 1 prospect in the class, with McKenna ranked in a near tie with him alongside a few other prospects.I know it’s not a popular opinion. And I would still wager that McKenna is the likeliest player to actually hear his name called first when the draft rolls around. But if you talk to NHL personnel right now, he wouldn’t be a consensus choice. There are plenty of scouts who are debating Reid at No. 1 or already have him slotted there.The rationale starts with his physical profile and toolkit. He’s a 6-foot-3, right-shot defenseman with the mobility to fly around the ice. When you watch him create in transition or walk the offensive blue line, his high-end improvisation skills immediately jump out. He has the speed, hands, vision and shot to generate high-danger chances consistently and, eventually, become a leading scorer for an NHL team.Reid’s upward trajectory is also fascinating. A year and a half ago, he was playing in the NAHL. To jump from that level to asserting himself as a dominant OHL player is a remarkably steep development curve. It reminds me a bit of the amazing jump Cale Makar made in his draft year.