Each year, I put together an NHL Draft class superlatives ranking prospects across several different categories: best skaters, best shooters, best hands, most competitive, smartest, strongest, top 200-foot forwards and top offensive defensemen.This year-end class project (pun intended) is like the “best of” or “most likely to” section of your high school yearbook, except the graduating class is each draft class.Here’s how the 2026 draft class slots across those different categories and traits.Is Viggo Bjorck the best center in the NHL Draft?Corey Pronman, Scott Wheeler and moreBest skatersNone of the forwards in this class skate like a Cullen Potter or an Oliver Moore, and none of the defensemen skate like a Matthew Schaefer, but there are standout skaters in their own ways. Landon Hafele has natural wheels. Mathis Preston can get out and go and put defenders on their heels with his acceleration. Adam Novotný has real power in his stride. And then there are several D whose mobility is central to their profile (Tomas Galvas, Tommy Bleyl) and one who is naturally springy in his changes of direction (Xavier Villeneuve).
Landon Hafele
Mathis Preston
Tomas Galvas
Carson Carels
