Kyle Woodlief | Mike Brehm
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Ten years after picking Auston Matthews No. 1 overall, the Toronto Maple Leafs selected Gavin McKenna first at the 2026 NHL draft on Friday, June 26.The Penn State star and Matthews will try to help the Leafs get back to the playoffs after the end of their nine-year postseason run.The pick was announced by music superstar Justin Bieber, and Matthews was on video welcoming McKenna to the team.McKenna dominated at Medicine Hat in the Western Hockey League and switched to Penn State last year, finishing with 51 points in 35 games.Ivar Stenberg went second overall to the San Jose Sharks and there were two big trades. The Vegas Golden Knights sent Pavel Dorofeyev to the New York Rangers and the Utah Mammoth sent J.J. Peterka to the Boston Bruins.Red Line Report, an independent scouting publication, lists this year's draft as a strong one."The top end of the first round has star power, the top 10 is jam-packed with big, strong skating, offensively gifted defensemen, and there are strong options right on down through the mid-20s," writes Kyle Woodlief, publisher and chief scout for Red Line Report.USA TODAY's Mike Brehm will detail what's going on at the draft while Woodlief will provide scouting reports on who was selected. Follow along:No. 1. Toronto Maple Leafs draft pickLW Gavin McKenna, Penn StateBrilliant hockey sense and fantastic whole ice vision. He’s ultraquick at processing situations and finding the best play. Ridiculous stickhandling skills – at times it looks like he’s playing a game of “keep-away” shinny hockey. His variety of moves is endless: change of pace, toe drag, delay, inside-outside. It’s dizzying for any defender, and it’s near impossible to take the puck off him. His finishing skill around the net, along with his passing creativity and imagination are already at NHL star level. Plus, he has the ability to elevate his game under pressure. Showed his compete and desire to constantly challenge himself and improve by moving to the NCAA. Still needs to work on his play without the puck and consistent D-zone effort.Projection: Dynamic offensive catalyst and facilitator.Style compares to: Nikita KucherovNo. 2. San Jose Sharks draft pickLW Ivar Stenberg, FrölundaNot a blazing straight line skater, but is highly shifty and elusive and understands when to burst to holes to receive passes. He’s a natural sniper from the circles in, burying his chances in a variety of ways. Has great feints and dekes in tight, a snappy release that he hides well, and accurately pinpoints his shots to corners. He’s an imaginative playmaker who gets pucks to linemates in good positions. Despite average size, his tremendously strong core and legs give him great balance in battles and he’s able to drive through bigger opponents.Projection: Relentless top line wing impacts game at both ends.Style compares to: Seth JarvisCanucks select new coach's sonCaleb Malhotra goes No. 3 overall to the Vancouver Canucks. His dad, Manny, was just hired as Canucks coach.No. 3: Vancouver Canucks draft pickC Caleb Malhotra, BrantfordTall, rangy center might be the best two-way forward in the draft. He’s a prototypical top-six center with ideal size and poise beyond his years. Thinks the game well and can manipulate defenders. Plays with up-tempo pace, skill, controlled aggression and contributes mightily at both ends. His high-end motor and physicality make him a defensive asset. Strong leadership qualities and carries himself with confidence. Big and strong with soft hands, lots of puck poiseand playmaking skill. More playmaker than shooter but finishes well from scoring areas.Projection: Top line two-way center and team leader.Style compares to: Nico HischierNo. 4: Buffalo Sabres draft pickD Daxon Rudolph, Prince AlbertAny other year, he’d be the talk of the scouting world. Fires heavy snap shots from all over the offensive zone and is fantastic at getting it through shot blockers. NHL ready offensive game - is always on the attack, sneaks in on rushes and makes really smooth passes or just leans into it. Looks off coverage to slide smart seam passes to teammates cutting back door. Defensively plays with some edge and uses his size consistently. Exceptionally underrated with big two-way upside.Projection: Top pairing two-way defenseman and power play triggerman.Style compares to: Zach WerenskiNo. 5: New York Rangers pickD Alberts Smits, JukuritBig, physical defenseman played against men in the Finnish league all season. Has a combination of excellent size and offensive skills. Leans into a rocket shot and gets great torque as he opens his hips. Patient and poised with the puck offensively, and has good instincts. Always goes to the right spot with the puck, and moves it calmly under pressure. Plays a mountain of minutes internationally for Latvia, matching up against the top forwards. Not overly physical, but uses his big frame to win puck battles.Projection: Big, highly mobile top pairing defenseman.Style compares to: Moritz SeiderWe have a trade! J.J. Peterka dealtJ.J. Peterka is going from Utah to Boston for the Bruins' 2023 overall pick and a conditional 2028 first round pick.We have a trade! Pavel Dorofeyev dealtThe Golden Knights forward is heading to the New York Rangers for the 26th and 92nd pick in 2026 and a conditional first-round pick in 2028. He's a restricted free agent.No. 6: Calgary Flames draft pickD Carson Carels, Prince GeorgeA highly intelligent two-way presence. His skating is poetry in motion - fluid with great four-way mobility and balance. Moves better backward than most other players can move forward. Creates a lot of room for himself to make plays. Defensively, he’s mature beyond his years. His gap control is consistent, and he rarely bites on first moves.Seldom overextends himself, preferring stick positioning to reckless aggression. Battles extremely hard along the walls. A likely top unit power play quarterback with the hockey sense and puck skill to complement top forwards offensively.Projection: Top pairing, mistake-free, two-way defenseman.Style compares to: Josh MorrisseyNo. 7: Seattle Kraken draft pickD Chase Reid, Sault Ste. MarieHis stock has been soaring and the ceiling is sky high. He’s a big-framed defenseman with a cannon shot who processes the game at a high level. Has tremendous puck skills and offensive instincts. His skating and high-traffic edgework is already NHL level. Shows three-zone aggression, looking to force the play at both ends. He’s a terrific outlet passer, and very adept at rifling hard slap-passes for tip-ins. We have legitimate concerns about his defensive decision making. He is prone to frequent ugly turnovers and loses wall battles against much smaller opponents. But his development curve is headed straight upward.Projection: Electric, high upside, wants to impact every shift.Style compares to: Charlie McAvoyNo. 8: Winnipeg Jets draft pickC Viggo Björck, DjurgårdensTremendously smart, cerebral playmaker who does so many little things right. Brilliant puck control and fantastic patience when setting up and making imaginative feeds on the power play. Has an uncanny knack for delaying just inside the blue line on the rush, holding the puck an extra beat until linemates can find space, then placing passesright on the tape with touch. Always in the perfect position in all three zones, showing tremendous hockey IQ.Projection: Brainy, competitive, productive top six center.Style compares to: Brayden PointNo. 9: San Jose Sharks draft pickD Keaton Verhoeff, North DakotaImpressive rookie season as a 17 year-old going against top college competition. Has high-end skill and offensive prowess. Heavy shot and loves to activate offensively. Carries the puck up himself, generating great speed through neutral zone while looking for plays with his head up. Makes long, sharp stretch passes with accuracy. Showsvery good movement along the offensive blue line to open passing/shooting lanes. On defense his stick takes away a lot of plays and he overpowers forwards in corners and along walls, but he doesn’t move the puck quickly enough against speedy forecheckers.Projection: Huge, top pairing, minute-munching defender.Style compares to: Noah DobsonNo. 10: Nashville Predators draft pickLW Wyatt Cullen, U.S. NTDP U-18Continued to elevate his game throughout the season and established himself as an on-ice leader. Speedy winger sets the pace whenever he’s on ice, always playing at a very high tempo – drives play for his line. Intense and willing to engage physically. Wants the puck on his stick and uses his speed to attack the middle of the ice and drive pucksto the net. Has the hockey IQ and skillset to change tactics on the fly. Very quick hands and terrific stickhandling skills in small areas. Consistently finds the open man with creative passes,.Projection: Scoring, playmaking winger on a playoff team.Style compares to: Dylan GuentherNote: His father, Matt, played for the Predators for two seasons.No. 11: St. Louis Blues draft pickC Tynan Lawrence, Boston UniversityLeft the United States Hockey League at midseason to play college hockey, and struggled to produce offence and meet enormous expectations while likely playing through nagging injuries. But when right, he has elite feet, hands, hockey sense, competitiveness and drive. Causes havoc all over the ice. Tremendous on the forecheck and always makesthe right decisions. Dangerous scorer from the circles in, and even better as a set-up man. Off-puck habits and hard defensive play make him an all-around player coaches love.Projection: Strong second line center for championship caliber club.Style compares to: Ryan O’Reilly/Sebastian AhoNo. 12: New Jersey Devils draft pickC Alexander Command, ÖrebroSweden’s top line center and best player at the World U-18s, where he was an offensive force nearly every shift. Not flashy, but an effective two-way center who plays an up-tempo game. Excellent skater with great edges and has strong playmaking skills. Comes back hard and plays a responsible defensive game. Battles hard through checks and does some of his best work in tight traffic. Absolutely fantastic on faceoffs.Projection: Complete second line center for playoff team.Style compares to: David KrejciNo. 13: New York Islanders draft pickD Malte Gustafsson, HV 71Long, rangy, good skating blue-liner has great physical tools. He’s huge and a highly mobile four-directional skater. Defensive lynchpin and a mobile presence along the blue line. Also a confident puckhandler who makes good short area passes with fine touch when he has time, though he can get a bit flustered if rushed. If he doesn’tsee an outlet, he’ll take the puck and carry it up ice and through the neutral zone himself, keeping his head up looking for plays. Can run a power play and has a heavy shot, but takes too long to get it away.Projection: Huge, smooth skating defeneman and penalty kill mainstayStyle compares to: Mattias SamuelssonNo. 14: Columbus Blue Jackets draft pickLW Oscar Hemming, Boston CollegeBig, Finn came over midseason after an ugly dispute with his former club shelved him for the first half of season. Made a rapid adjustment using his size and long, fluid skating to disrupt plays on the forecheck and provide quick-strike counterattacks in transition. Though light on production, considering he was the youngest player in college hockey and didn’t have the benefit of playing any games from mid-August until late December, his solid two-way impact was remarkable. Not a smooth puckhandler at speed, but uses his body well to shield it and it’s near impossible to knock him off the puck.Projection: Huge, powerful playmaking second line winger.Style compares to: Kirill MarchenkoWe have a trade! Mason McTavish dealtThe Ducks sent Mason McTavish to the Blues for the 15th and 29th overall picks.No. 15: Anaheim Ducks draft pickLW Nikita Klepov, SaginawThe Ontario Hockey League’s scoring leader is an electric player whose speed, combined with quick cuts and a pro release, make him an offensive threat every time he’s on the ice. Highly skilled and always thinking two steps ahead with the puck on his stick. Truly creative on zone entries and can overwhelm defenders with his ability to attack the middle and use his linemates. His shot is just average, but he gets it away fast and has great hands around the net. Could play both first unit power play and penalty kill in the pros.Projection: Competitive, playmaking wing who elevates linemates.Style compares to: Lucas RaymondNo. 16: St. Louis Blues draft pickLW Maddox Dagenais, QuébecA big, rangy forward who sees the ice well and makes creative passes. He’s a sneaky shooter who hides his release point well, and also has a hard, accurate shot with a quick release, especially on the power play. We’ve been concerned that his skating was only marginally better than his father, Pierre, bit Maddox seems to have picked up a half-step and is better able to deal with pace now, though he still lacks first step explosion and is not a speed burner at the top end. His skillset has never been in question. Has soft hands and uses his big frame to battle down low and get to net.Projection: Two-way, rugged, versatile middle six forward.Style compares to: Charlie StramelBill Guerin wins general manager of the yearThe Minnesota Wild general manager made the trade for Quinn Hughes and also selected the USA team that won Olympic gold.We have a trade! Kings trade downThey move the No. 17 pick to Utah for the 19th and 83rd pick. The Mammoth are on the clock.No. 17: Utah Mammoth draft pickLW Ethan Belchetz, WindsorHis production didn’t explode this season like many expected, and for a player whose biggest gift is enormous physical size, he was too passive. He waited for chances to come to him, as opposed to attacking and creating them himself. That said, when he’s on and playing angry, he’s uniquely hard to handle. He plants himself in the slot and can‘t be moved. A broken clavicle ended his season.Projection: Huge, goal scoring winger.Style compares to: Rick NashNo. 18: Washington Capitals draft pickC Oliver Suvanto, Tappara TampereHuge horse works hard down low behind net to get pucks out front to his teammates. Dominates physically, even when playing against men – rugged and finishes off every puck pursuit with punishing hits. Takes a straight line right to the action. Battles through checks along the wall and maintains possession to set up great chances. Controls the middle of the ice. Great in the faceoff circle. The only downside: his shot is mediocre and he’s not a finisher around net. But we love the grit/smarts/puck movement combo.Projection: Big, rugged, competitive second line center.Style compares to: Poor man’s Anze Kopitar/Adam LowryWhat time is NHL draft tonight?The first round of the 2026 NHL Draft will start at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, June 26. The second through seventh rounds will start at 11 a.m. ET on Saturday, June 27.2026 NHL Draft: How to watch, streamDates: Friday, June 26 (first round) and Saturday, June 27 (rounds 2-7)Times: 7 p.m. ET on the first day, 11 a.m. ET on the second.Location: KeyBank Center (Buffalo, New York); Prospects will be there and general managers will work remotelyTV: ESPN on the first day and NHL Network on the second.Streaming: Fubo carries ESPN and NHL NetworkStream the 2026 NHL Draft on FuboToronto Maple Leafs draft pick2026 NHL Draft first-round orderToronto Maple Leafs San Jose SharksVancouver CanucksBuffalo Sabres (from Chicago)New York RangersCalgary FlamesSeattle KrakenWinnipeg JetsSan Jose Sharks (from Florida via Ottawa)Nashville PredatorsSt. Louis BluesNew Jersey DevilsNew York IslandersColumbus Blue JacketsAnaheim Ducks (from Detroit via St. Louis)St. Louis Blues (from Washington)Utah Mammoth (from Los Angeles)Washington Capitals (from Anaheim)Los Angeles Kings (from Utah)Buffalo Sabres (from Edmonton via San Jose)Philadelphia FlyersPittsburgh PenguinsUtah Mammoth (from Boston)Vancouver Canucks (from Minnesota)Ottawa Senators (from Tampa Bay via Seattle and Florida)Vegas Golden Knights (from Dallas via Carolina and Rangers)San Jose Sharks (from Buffalo)Montreal CanadiensAnaheim Ducks (from Colorado via Islanders and Blues)Calgary Flames (from Vegas)Carolina HurricanesOttawa SenatorsGary Bettman opens 2026 NHL DraftNaturally, the commissioner is booed. He's on the stage with the Sabres' Josh Doan and the Bills' Dion Dawkins, who are cheered.NHL draft trade trackerThe NHL draft is more than just about the prospects being selected. Here is the latest trade news and rumors.2026 NHL Draft prospects with famous relativesIvar Stenberg is the brother of Blues player Otto Stenberg.Caleb Malhotra is the son of Canucks coach and former NHL player Manny Malhotra.Keaton Verhoeff is the cousin of current NHL players Kirby and Colton Dach.Wyatt Cullen is the son of three-time Stanley Cup winner Matt Cullen.Parker Trottier is the grandson of Hall of Famer Bryan Trottier.Adam Nemec is the brother of Flames defenseman Simon Nemec.Joe Iginla is the son of Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla.Weston Cameron is the nephew of Stanley Cup winner Jason Arnott.Matthew Schaefer at the NHL draftIslanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer, who was taken No. 1 overall in 2025, is chatting with prospects in Buffalo. Schaefer won the 2025-26 Calder Trophy in an unanimous vote.NHL draft is decentralized againFor the second year in a row, the NHL draft is decentralized. The top prospects are in Buffalo, New York, at KeyBank Center, but general managers are in their home cities.NHL draft comparablesWhat are the best and worst case scenarios for the top prospects in the 2026 NHL Draft?2026 NHL Draft top prospectsThe top prospects as listed by NHL Central Scouting:Top North American skatersLW Gavin McKenna, Penn StateD Chase Reid, Sault Ste. MarieD Carson Carels, Prince GeorgeD Keaton Verhoeff, North DakotaD Daxon Rudolph, Prince AlbertTop international skatersLW Ivar Stenberg, SwedenD Alberts Smits, LatviaC Oliver Suvanto, FinlandC Viggo Bjorck, SwedenRW Elton Hermansson, Sweden2026 NHL Draft's top 120 prospectsCheck out the top 120 NHL draft prospects from The Hockey News' Ryan Kennedy.NHL mock draft: Who follows Gavin McKenna?Red Line Report has Gavin McKenna going first to the Maple Leafs. Who goes second to the Sharks? Check out the latest NHL mock draft.
