The 2026 NHL Draft is less than two weeks away. Are the options for teams in each of their respective slots becoming at least a little clearer?Immediately following the lottery in May, we convened our beat writers to make the first 16 picks of the draft. Now, we’re expanding the mock to the full first round.Trades were permitted in this exercise, and while a few involving first-round picks got close, none ultimately came to fruition. However, in the spirit of deal-making, the San Jose Sharks and New York Rangers agreed to a trade involving two young NHL players and a third-round pick. Those details can be found within the draft analysis below.1. Toronto Maple Leafs: Gavin McKenna, LW, Penn State (NCAA)If I’m the Maple Leafs management group, I think long and hard about trading this pick and listen to any offer I get. Any time there isn’t a slam dunk, generational Connor McDavid-type player available at No. 1, that’s what any GM should be doing.Plus, the idea of trading down and still drafting Chase Reid, the possible future No. 1 defenseman the Leafs haven’t had for far too long, is very tempting.But that can all get very complicated. Taking McKenna is a tap-in. Ultimately, turning away a gift of a No. 1 pick is one thing this new management group likely wouldn’t end up considering. Select the most likely superstar in the draft and do everything possible to ensure he flourishes in Toronto. McKenna has the tools to change games for the Leafs. And change for the better is what the Leafs need more than anything, right now. — Joshua Kloke2. San Jose Sharks: Ivar Stenberg, LW, Frölunda (SHL)Moving this pick for an instant upgrade in the defense corps was seriously explored. The aim was high in terms of proven blueliners with plenty of term left on their deals. The trade packages didn’t quite come together, so going with the super-skilled Stenberg allowed me to deal William Eklund to the Rangers for right-shooting Braden Schneider and the best of New York’s four third-round picks to replace one San Jose doesn’t have. Schneider, 24, is young enough to grow with the Sharks’ young core. Losing Eklund was tough, but the bet is that Stenberg is advanced enough to help immediately while having a bigger offensive upside when San Jose is ready to contend for the Stanley Cup. — Eric Stephens3. Vancouver Canucks: Caleb Malhotra, C, Brantford (OHL)The Canucks are at the start of their rebuild, and need just about everything. In the middle of their lineup, however, this club is lacking significantly in high-caliber center prospects and seems intent on taking Malhotra, the consensus best center on the board, even if there are reasonable concerns about his scoring profile, given that he’s really only produced at the level of a top-five pick across about six months toward the end of his draft year. — Thomas Drance4. Chicago Blackhawks: Chase Reid, RHD, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)The Blackhawks would ideally draft one of the top three forwards at No. 4, but with none of them available in this mock draft, they would likely select one of the top defensemen. Who the top defenseman is probably depends on who you ask. Reid has been the highest-ranked defenseman on our experts’ lists of late. There might be some overlap with the Blackhawks already having Artyom Levshunov and Sam Rinzel as right-hand shots, but that won’t likely stop Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson from taking someone who might have the highest ceiling among the players left on the board. — Scott Powers5. New York Rangers: Carson Carels, LHD, Prince George (WHL)The Rangers would love the chance to snag Malhotra, but if the board falls the way many expect it to, my sense is their decision will come down to Carels and Latvian defenseman Alberts Šmits. The latter is considered the most pro-ready, which has appeal for a New York team that’s looking to turn things around quickly, but I’ll give a slight lean to Carels for his combination of skating, physicality and production. (While reserving the right to change my mind in a week!) — Vincent Z. Mercogliano6. Calgary Flames: Viggo Björck, C, Djurgården (SHL)The Flames are starved for talent in their prospect pool. They could make the safe pick and grab Keaton Verhoeff and get a two-way defenseman with size and call it a night while adding to their stocked defensive group. But Björck has turned heads in recent weeks and months, particularly at the World Championship, where he picked up points and held his own against NHL players.Considering how small players such as Brayden Point, Logan Stankoven and now Zach Benson have found ways to energize teams in the playoffs while contributing at both ends of the ice, the Flames shouldn’t be afraid to add another talented center, despite his size. Especially if his motor is a driving force in his play, he’s unafraid to go into the dirty areas, has shown proficiency at both ends of the ice and has proven he can play well in games that matter. — Julian McKenzie7. Seattle Kraken: Alberts Šmits, LHD, Munich (DEL)The Kraken need stars above all else, but at this point in the draft, scooping the best value prospect still on the board seems like a sensible course of action. Šmits is the most NHL-ready of the defenders in this class. There’s a real chance that the Kraken will have added a top-four caliber contributor for the duration of his entry-level contract. That has to be an attractive proposition for a Kraken team that improved its defense significantly under Lane Lambert in his first season, and needs to find a way to show some expedited signs of progress in a competitive Seattle sports market. — Drance8. Winnipeg Jets: Keaton Verhoeff, RHD, North Dakota (NCAA)Winnipeg explored multiple trades but ultimately decided that a big, right-shot defenseman was too good to pass on with the No. 8 pick. Verhoeff projects as a tough-minutes, top-pair defenceman, according to Corey Pronman, and our scouts love his mobility, size, physicality and ability to add to the offense with a great point shot. — Murat Ates