NHL Mock Draft 2026: Starting with Gavin McKenna to Maple Leafs, Pronman makes all 223 picks

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NHL Mock Draft 2026: Starting with Gavin McKenna to Maple Leafs, Pronman makes all 223 picks

Today, we release my annual seven-round mock draft where I try to predict how the draft will go next week. The specificity of my information linking players to teams dwindles as the draft goes on, and I’m mostly projecting the range I think those prospects will be considered.

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This feels mostly like a foregone conclusion. I think Toronto has done a lot of work on Ivar Stenberg, Chase Reid and Caleb Malhotra, but every source in the league believes McKenna is the Maple Leafs’ guy.

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Chris Coduto / Getty Images

I think the Sharks like both Chase Reid and Ivar Stenberg a lot, and they have interest in some other defensemen. I don’t know which way they are going to go, as Mike Grier has done a great job keeping information closed off in recent years. A majority of my league sources think it’s Stenberg over Reid, but I’ve been convinced through this process that if the evaluation is close, San Jose will take the defenseman.

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Michael Miller / Getty Images

The emerging chalk scenario for the Canucks is Malhotra. I think Stenberg would be in the mix if available, but at this stage Malhotra feels like the pick.

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Brandon Taylor / OHL Images

I think Chicago takes whichever of McKenna, Reid, Malhotra or Stenberg is available at 4. In this scenario, it would be Reid.

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Soo Greyhounds / OHL Images

I think the Rangers would be highly interested in Malhotra if he got to 5, but otherwise they seem primed to take one of the big defensemen. Carels is the likely candidate, but I’ve heard Alberts Šmits a lot with them as well.

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Steven Ellis / Daily Faceoff

Calgary steps up here to take the undersized Björck and secure the future of its center position, which is in desperate need of an upgrade.

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Steven Ellis / Daily Faceoff

Between Verhoeff, Šmits, Carels and Daxon Rudolph, Seattle is likely to take a defenseman. In this projection, the Kraken select the big, versatile right-shot in Verhoeff.

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Steven Ellis / Daily Faceoff

Winnipeg is sitting comfortably here as it will get one of the draft’s premier defensemen. The Jets would be hard-pressed to choose between Šmits and Rudolph, but I think they would be very happy with Šmits as the outcome.

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Michael Miller / Getty Images

I’ve heard Florida with a variety of names: Björck, Rudolph, Malte Gustafsson and Ethan Belchetz. Being able to walk away with a premier defense talent in Rudolph should make the Panthers quite happy, presuming they keep this pick.

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Steven Ellis / Daily Faceoff

Gustafsson has been a fast riser in this draft cycle. Nashville takes a swing on him to add a legit potential top-four D to its system. I’ve heard them linked a lot with Belchetz and Björck, too.

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Steven Ellis / Daily Faceoff

Belchetz has a lot of love in the league as a big, heavy winger with legit skill. I believe the Blues have interest in him and would be highly intrigued by him here. I think they would consider Gustafsson, too.

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Natalie Shaver / OHL Images

The Devils are very happy with how this mock plays out to get a dynamic offensive player in Cullen, who projects as a top-six forward.

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Rena Laverty / USA Hockey’s NTDP

The Islanders will likely be looking to add to their center depth, and in this range of the draft, the next group of centers start going quickly. Lawrence is a dynamic skater with skill who was once a projected top-five pick but had an up-and-down season.

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Richard T Gagnon / Getty Images

Hemming is likely going in the top 15, and could go earlier than Columbus’ pick. In this projection, he lands with the Blue Jackets, giving them a very talented, physical winger. I think Lawrence and Belchetz would be strong considerations here as well.

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Boston College Athletics

I would be a little surprised if the Blues didn’t walk away with a center at 11 or 15. There are going to be a lot of very good centers at this range. Command is getting a lot of interest, and I believe the Blues are high on him.

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Johan Bernström / Sipa via AP Images

Like the Blues, the Capitals have an opportunity to walk away with an excellent center prospect, and I expect they will take Command, Suvanto, Ilia Morozov or Maddox Dagenais at either 16 or 18.

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Patrik Uhlir / CTK via AP Images

The Kings roll the dice on the very toolsy Dagenais. He’s big, fast and physical with good hands, who has been inconsistent but has all the traits to be a middle-six forward, potentially at center, in the NHL.

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Dale Preston / Getty Images

Washington may be hard-pressed to take another small defenseman here, given it already has Cole Hutson, but as one scout put it regarding Lin, “He’s a great defender who happens to be small.” He projects as a two-way player and would be a top defense prospect for the Capitals.

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Steven Ellis / Daily Faceoff

There will be a lot of players at or around Utah’s pick that will fit its typical criteria between Dagenais, Morozov, Brooks Rogowski and Gleb Pugachyov, but the likely center in Morozov checks the most boxes in terms of being a big, physical and competitive player.

Courtesy USHL

Sabres GM Jarmo Kekäläinen has never been afraid to draft Russians and at 20, Buffalo rolls the dice on the highly talented and physical Pugachyov. He projects as a legit power winger and adds some size and bite to the forward group.

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Vladimir Astapkovich / AP

Håkansson reminds a lot of scouts of Stars defender Lian Bichsel at the same age, and this is the range he went in. The Flyers add a big, physical, mobile defenseman to a system which currently lacks that player type.

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Petter Arvidson / Sipa via AP Images

The Penguins select the dynamic Hurlbert, one of the most purely talented players left in the draft. He was excellent in the WHL this season, although his pure athleticism is just OK.

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Rena Laverty / USA Hockey’s NTDP

Hermansson goes to the Bruins, who, after selecting James Hagens last year, continue to add talent and scoring to their farm system. Hermansson is extremely skilled, but his effort level can waver.

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Steven Ellis / Daily Faceoff

Bleyl is generating a lot of intrigue following his monster QMJHL season, and he could go right around this range. Bleyl would give the Canucks a potential future power-play QB they don’t have in their system with his great combination of mobility and IQ.

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Moncton Wildcats / QMJHL

Klepov is a highly skilled winger and has the traits that Seattle tends to target with his hockey sense and scoring ability. He was the top scorer in the OHL and likely won’t last much longer than right around this spot.

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Emma Miller / Saginaw Spirit

The Rangers don’t get a center at 5, so they end up adding a very good two-way pivot here in Hextall, although he projects more as a 3C in the NHL.

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Scott Galvin / USHL

Rogowski is expected to be a late first-round pick. He’s a premium athlete and a great skater for his size. He adds to a very skilled Sharks pipeline as a potential third-line center of the future.

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Terry Wilson / OHL Images

Montreal has drafted a lot of skill in recent years. Mutryn would give the Canadiens a highly physical two-way forward who can be used in a variety of situations.

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Michael Miller / Getty Images

As we’ve gotten closer to the draft, I’ve had a hard time finding teams passionate about Novotný, who was once thought of as a no-doubt lottery pick. I still think he goes in the late first because he’s so fast and has a great track record. With their third pick, the Blues roll the dice on his potential and hope he bounces back next season.

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Steven Ellis / Daily Faceoff

Calgary has a lot of picks, and not only does Liam Ruck fit in this slot, but the Flames have second-round picks to select Markus Ruck while addressing other needs high in the draft.

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Cherie Morgan / WHL

Lagerberg’s medicals have been positive for teams following knee surgery that knocked him out for the year. The buzz out of the combine is that he could sneak into the late first. Carolina would make sense as a team to target the highly talented and productive winger, as it will have to lean heavily on video to evaluate him.

Gudmundsson is a player I think teams are trying to hide. He’s a super physical, big defenseman who was very good at the U18s. He’s a classic profile that Ottawa tends to target.

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Steven Ellis / Daily Faceoff

Team

Blainville-Boisbriand

The Vegas Golden Knights were stripped of the No. 63 pick for violating the NHL’s media access policy.

Team

Blainville-Boisbriand

Team

SKA St. Petersburg Jr.

The Athletic and FloHockey have partnered to bring fans a live 2026 NHL Draft show. Hosted by Max Bultman and featuring experts Corey Pronman, Scott Wheeler and Chris Peters, The Athletic x FloHockey NHL Draft Live will livestream during the entire first round. Tune in June 26 at 7 p.m. ET on The Athletic Hockey Show’s YouTube channel, across FloHockey’s platforms, and on Amazon Prime (U.S.) and Fubo (Canada).

Jun 18, 2026