The 2026 class is defined by strong defensemen but a slightly underwhelming group of top forwards.

Here's what the people making the picks are saying about the prospects at the top of the 2026 class.

The 2026 class is defined by strong defensemen but a slightly underwhelming group of top forwards.

Big, mobile defensemen who can play a lot of minutes and score like Reid are the foundational pieces of a championship roster.

On Thursday's episode of The Athletic Hockey Show, we set out to simulate an NHL Draft meeting by constructing a collaborative top 10.