2026 NHL DraftliveUpdated 5m agoFollow along as the Toronto Maple Leafs hold the No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft.Corey Pronman, Scott Wheeler and The Athletic NHL staffJune 26, 2026 at 7:30 AM EDTGavin McKenna is the most likely player to go No. 1 to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Jaime Crawford / Getty Images2026 NHL Draft — how to watch, what to know, order of selectionThe Toronto Maple Leafs have the first pick. Jared Silber / NHLI via Getty ImagesThe 2026 NHL Draft comes amid a frantic early offseason of massive trades and on the heels of the Carolina Hurricanes' second Stanley Cup championship. Now, the Toronto Maple Leafs take center stage with the No. 1 pick, widely projected to be Penn State forward Gavin McKenna. Will he indeed go first? If so, who comes after? Will it be Sweden's Ivar Stenberg, Boston University commit Caleb Malhotra or someone else? Follow along with our live updates of the NHL Draft, which begins at 7 p.m. ET at Buffalo's KeyBank Center.See our live tracker and check out our full interactive draft guide here.Follow along all day for live analysis, news, reaction, intel and more from our crew of NBA reporters.When: 7 p.m. ETWhere: KeyBank Center, Buffalo, N.Y.TV and streaming: ESPN and ESPN+ (U.S.); Sportsnet and TVA Sports (Canada)Here's the full first-round draft order:Toronto Maple LeafsSan Jose SharksVancouver CanucksBuffalo SabresNew York RangersCalgary FlamesSeattle KrakenWinnipeg JetsSan Jose SharksNashville PredatorsSt. Louis BluesNew Jersey DevilsNew York IslandersColumbus Blue JacketsSt. Louis BluesSt. Louis BluesLos Angeles KingsWashington CapitalsUtah MammothBuffalo SabresPhiladelphia FlyersPittsburgh PenguinsBoston BruinsVancouver CanucksOttawa SenatorsNew York RangersSan Jose SharksMontreal CanadiensSt. Louis BluesCalgary FlamesCarolina HurricanesOttawa SenatorsRounds 2-7 begin at 11 a.m. Saturday on NHL Network, ESPN+ and Sportsnet.After Chase Reid, who is the next defenseman?Carson Carels, left, and Chase Reid. Bruce Bennett / Getty ImagesIf a team misses out on Reid, they won’t have to wait long for a consolation prize, as this is a fantastic year for blueliners. Carson Carels and Alberts Šmits are right behind Reid on most boards. Šmits is a tall, mobile left-shot defenseman with a high-end point shot and impressive defensive reach. He isn’t a super dynamic skater, but he projects safely as a reliable top-pairing defender. Carels is a very physical defender who skates and moves pucks well, projecting as a highly coachable and reliable top-four, major-minutes player.Who will take Viggo Björck?Viggo Björck is an intriguing prospect who also represents a gamble. David Berding / Getty ImagesAt 5-foot-9, the Djurgården center has been a dominant player versus junior and men the last two years. He has elite playmaking vision, great hands and a hyper-competitive motor. He isn’t afraid of the dirty areas and battles incredibly hard for his size. He’s a good but not high-end skater, though, and at his size, that athletic profile will scare teams with a super high pick. Who will roll the dice on Björck, who has arguably outplayed Stenberg when they’ve been on the same team twice this season?Does Vancouver take Caleb Malhotra if Stenberg is available?Caleb Malhotra fits the bill for the Canucks, but passing up Stenberg would be hard. Bruce Bennett / Getty ImagesThe Canucks sit at No. 3 and desperately need a young, high-end center to serve as a foundational piece for their rebuild, especially with Elias Pettersson’s future somewhat uncertain. Caleb Malhotra fits that bill perfectly. He’s a 6-foot-2, two-way pivot from the OHL who drives play, skates well and was outstanding in the second half and playoffs. However, if San Jose opts for Reid, Stenberg will be sitting right there. Passing on a premium, game-breaking winger to pick arguably a less purely skilled player, but a bigger and harder-to-find piece down the middle (Malhotra is a projected high-end 2C/low-end 1C) will be a massive debate in the Canucks’ front office.Chase Reid or Ivar Stenberg at No. 2?Chase Reid projects as a top-pairing anchor on defense. Bruce Bennett / Getty ImagesThis is where the draft probably begins, and it presents a classic debate for the San Jose Sharks: positional premium versus a vastly more skilled winger. Chase Reid is a 6-foot-2, right-handed defenseman who has very good offensive tools and skating, and projects as a top-pairing anchor. On the other hand, Ivar Stenberg might be the most complete forward in the draft. The Frölunda forward is highly cerebral, has elite puck skills, and already proved he can thrive playing massive minutes against men at the World Championship and the SHL. It’s a coin flip between a potential major-minutes No. 1/2 defenseman and a do-it-all top-line forward who gets to the interior.Is Gavin McKenna a lock at No. 1?For the most part, yes. Gavin McKenna entered the season as the projected top pick. While he had a brief adjustment period adapting to the pace and physicality of the NCAA, he ultimately had a great season, producing at an elite rate. McKenna possesses a dynamic offensive toolkit with elite puck skills and high-end hockey sense that makes him a nightmare for defenders to handle off the rush and in the offensive zone. The Maple Leafs hold the No. 1 pick, and while McKenna’s profile as a smaller winger who can stay on the perimeter at times will leave some doubts as to whether he’s for sure the guy, the sense in the league is that Toronto is leaning toward building around the potential top-of-the-lineup scoring winger.