The 2026 National Hockey League Draft is on June 26 to 27. The Philadelphia Flyers currently hold four selections, including the 21st overall pick of the first round. As we do annually on Draft week, PhiladelphiaFlyers.com has conducted a mock first-round Draft.
1. Toronto Maple Leafs -- Gavin McKenna: LW Penn State (NCAA)
It's been a tumultuous year for McKenna. Nevertheless, he's still the consensus first overall selection of the 2026 Draft. The "once-in-a-generation" player hype lessened over the past year. Nevertheless, McKenna is considered a safe bet for NHL stardom.
2, San Jose Sharks -- Ivar Stenberg: W Frölunda HC (SHL)
Stenberg has top-three talent in this year's Draft class and has already demonstrated his abilities at Sweden's top professional level (SHL). He seems unlikely to slip beyond the top five picks.
3. Vancouver Canucks -- Chase Reid: D Soo Greyhounds (OHL)
Reid is headed for Michigan State in 2026-27. He's widely considered the top defenseman available in the 2026 Draft crop. Some pundits even rank the right shot defenseman first overall at any position.
4. Buffalo Sabres -- Carsen Carels: D Prince George (WHL)
Excellent tools and an assertive physical style of play make Carels a top-five candidate for this year's Draft. He had some risk to his game -- both in looking for big hits and making plays with the puck -- but his assertiveness is more often a positive.
5. New York Rangers -- Caleb Malhotra: C Branford (OHL)
Malhotra is headed for Boston University in 2026-27. A well-rounded center with fine playmaking skills. This year's Draft does not have a bumper crop of centers with top-six ceilings. However, Malhotra may ultimately approach that status as he continually trended upward in his Draft-eligible year.
6. Calgary Flames -- Keaton Verhoeff: D North Dakota (NCAA)
At the start of this year's Draft cycle, some considered Verhoeff the top defenseman -- and a possible top three pick -- in this year's Draft. Others have surpassed him a bit in the consensus public rankings. Nevertheless, he's still likely to land within the top quadrant of selections. Big-framed right-handed shot defensemen with a competitive streak and a heavy shot tend to go early in their Draft year.
7. Seattle Kraken -- Viggo Björck C/W: Djurgårdens IF (SHL)
The only thing Björck lacks is size. He's a dynamic offensive talent: smart, creative, and highly skilled. He may even be one of the relatively few small forwards capable of playing near the top of an NHL lineup as a center. If he doesn't play center, he could still make for a fine hybrid forward or a full-time winger. He makes good decisions and competes.
8. Winnipeg Jets -- Tynan Lawrence C: Boston University (NCAA)
One of the younger players in this year’s Draft, the Shattuck St. Mary’s product will not turn 18 until August 3. Lawrence, a natural center, is a somewhat divisive prospect. The pundit consensus places him in the top-10 to top 15 of the first round. A few even have him top-five. A very smooth skater who can use more first -stride explosiveness, Lawrence can use added strength on his 6-foot-1, 185-pound frame. He has good two-way awareness for such a young player and has playmaking upside.
9. San Jose Sharks -- Daxon Rudolph D: Prince Albert (WHL)
With their second selection in the top 10 of this year's Draft, the Sharks use the Florida Panthers' (via Ottawa) pick they acquired on Tuesday to select highly regarded Western Hockey League defenseman Daxon Rudolph. Rudolf has the 4S -- size, speed, skill, and smarts -- ceiling that teams covet in first-round candidates on defense. Rudolph is headed to Denver University in 2026-27.
10. Nashville Predators -- Wyatt Cullen LW: USNTDP (USHL)
The US National Team Development Program product is one of the youngest players in the entire Draft Class. Had Cullen (born Sept. 8, 2008) been born even a week later, he'd have had to wait until 2027 to be eligible for the NHL Draft. Cullen hit a major growth spurt over the last two years and is now listed ar 6-foot-1. He will need to significantly fill out his frame but this is a highly competitive hockey player with fleet feet and offensive upside (especially as a playmaker). He further boosted his Draft stock for Team USA at the Under-18 Worlds, including nine points in just five games. Come 2027-28, he will join the University of Minnesota hockey team.
11. St. Louis Blues -- Alberts Smits D: Jukerit/Munich (Liiga/DEL)
An Olympian for Team Latvia at age 18, the physically mature defenseman played well both in the Finnish and German top leagues this past season. He has all the tools of a potential NHL top three or top four defenseman
12. New Jersey Devils -- Ethan Belchetz LW : Windsor (OHL)
The big power winger (6-foot-5, 229 pounds) is often compared in physical profile and playing style to longtime New York Islanders standout Anders Lee. Belchetz is headed for Michigan State in 2026-27.
13. New York Islanders -- Malte Gustafsson D: HV71 (SHL)
The two-way Swedish defenseman may not have the highest offensive upside among blueliners in this Draft class but is both a fine puck mover and a savvy all-around player for such a young defenseman. Boasts size as well as athleticism.
14. Columbus Blue Jackets -- Oscarr Hemming LW: Boston College (NCAA)
The projected power winger already has a projectable pro frame (6-foot-4, listed at 195 pounds). He is a very "toolsy" player: heavy shot, above-average puck handler, competitive physically, good hockey sense.
15. St. Louis Blues -- Adam Novotny LW: Peterborough (OHL)
The big Czech winger made an immediate impact (34 goals, 65 points in 58 games) in his first season in North America. He also represented Czechia in the World Junior Championship. Brings some physical presence as well as good hands.Has projected middle-six upside. More of a finisher than a setup guy.
16. St. Louis Blues -- Ryan Lin D: Vancouver Giants (WHL)
Smallish defensemen are back out of vogue in NHL drafting circles -- but Lin's upside as an offensively skilled and cerebral defenseman can only be overlooked for so long. In this mock draft, the Blues have already taken a big-framed defenseman earlier in the round.
17. LA Kings -- Oliver Suvanto C: Tappara (Liiga)
Big frame, two-way game, puck protection and projected adaptability to NHL-style structure: these are the traits that make the Finn a potential middle-six forward in the future. Has some playmaking upside. He's not projected to be a big goal-scorer but a steady all-around piece for many years in an NHL lineup. Jack Hextall is a player in a similar mold who is a candidate for selection at some point in the latter half of the first round. So is Ilia Morozov.
18. Washington Capitals -- Alexander Command C: Örebro J20 (Swe. Jr)
The Swede garnered a lot of attention at the Under-18 Worlds. He also had an outstanding junior season in the top domestic junior circuit. He scores highly in hockey sense and potential to become a well-rounded pro with some offensive upside, too. His on-ice play has stood out more than his physical attributes. He isn't huge (or small) and doesn't overwhelm opponents with speed or power. He's just a fine young hockey player.
19. Utah Mammoth -- Ilya Morozov C: Miami of Ohio (NCAA)
In this mock Draft, the run of potential two-way, middle-six forwards continues with the big-framed Russian with a solid overall foundation to his game. Some question his offensive ceiling but Morozov has a high floor and is not devoid of skill.
20. Buffalo Sabres -- Elton Hermansson RW: Modo (Allsvenskan)
It's been a few years -- Adrian Kempe is arguably the most recent standout example -- since the famous Modo program of Örnsköldsvik, Sweden, produced an impact NHL forward. Hermansson could be the next one. The right-shot winger made an impact this season in Sweden's top professional minor league despite not turning 18 until Feb. 5.
21. FLYERS -- Maddox Dagenais LW/C: Quebec Remparts (QMJHL)
Dagenais will more likely play wing than center as a pro, which may push him into the Flyers' drafting window. He has the makings of a fine power winger, especially as a complementary piece to a strong playmaker. He took big steps this season in Quebec, where longtime Flyers star Simon Gagne is the general manager. In addition to his scoring touch, Dagenais is noted for his physical game (especially his propensity for reverse hits that send opponents sprawling).
In this mock draft, I also considered various defensemen: William Håkansson, Tommy Bleyl and Maksim Sokolovskii (a prime option in any trade-down scenario). These three defensemen fit very different physical profiles and playing styles.
Among forwards, I also considered Hextall (but there are already several centers with similar profiles in the system), winger J.P. Hurlbert, Russian winger Nikita Klepov, or one of the Ruck twins.
22. Pittsburgh Penguins --William Håkansson D: Luleå HF (SHL)
One of a number of potential first-round defensemen with impressive frames and strong athleticism. He's a fundamentally sound player with good defensive instincts. A high-floor player and an easily justifiable pick by this portion of the first round.
23.Boston Bruins -- Thomas Bleyl D: Moncton (QMJHL)
A smallish but highly skilled defenseman, Bleyl is an outstanding skater with very high offensive upside. As a puck mover, gets the puck ice-ice fast and decisively. After being named the top defenseman in the QMJHL, he'll spend one additional season in the league before heading to collegiate hockey (Michigan State). Bleyl is not a fast-track NHL prospect but carries a lot of potential reward if he hits.
24. Vancouver Canucks -- Nikita Klepov RW: Saginaw (OHL)
Klepov led the OHL in scoring as a rookie this season (37 goals, 60 assists in 67 games). A clever player with good offensive anticipation, Klepov is a potential future NHL power play forward. He's headed for Michigan State.
25. Ottawa Senators -- Xavier Villeneuve D: Blaiville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)
Another smaillish defenseman, drafting Villeneuve would entail higher risk but potentially yield higher reward than many of the defensemen listed above him in the mock draft. A very skilled playmaker from the back end, the question marks about the player center around his defensive awareness and decision making once he faces higher levels of competition.
26. New York Rangers -- Egor Shilov C: Victoriaville (QMJHL)
Excellent and elusive with the puck on his stick, Shilov's quick hands are one of his best assets. Postes 82 points this season as a rookie in the Q. Needs to add considerable strength and develop his all-around game to compete successfully at higher levels.
27. San Jose Sharks -- Liam Ruck RW: Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
Unsurprisingly, it's been trendy for mock drafts to present scenarios where NHL teams find a way to select both Liam and Markus Ruck in the first or second round of this year's draft (for example, St. Louis channeling what the Vancouver Canucks did in taking Daniel and Henrik Sedin back in 1999). It's not a prerequisite, of course, that one organization ends up Drafting both twins. In this mock, Liam (the somewhat more highly rated consensus player of the Ruck brothers) goes late in the first round. Markus would go early in round 2.
28. Montreal Canadiens -- Casey Mutryn W: USNTDP (USHL)
Heading for Boston College next season, the large-framed power forward is tenacious around the puck and is willing to go to the "greasy" areas and compete. Saw power play time this season and has top-nine upside at five-on-five as a pro, along with a relatively high floor.
29. St. Louis Blues -- Jack Hextall C: Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)
A distant cousin of Flyers Hall of Fame goaltender Ron Hextall, the American-born center brings a mature two-game and middle-six upside. He's headed for Michigan State next season.
30. Calgary Flames -- J.P. Hurlbert LW/C: Kamloops Blazers (WHL)
The smooth-skating Hurlbert led all WHL rookies with 97 points (42 goals, 55 assists) in 68 games. I also consider Mathis Preston in this spot because he seemed to alleviate some of the concerns raised by a serious knee injuy with his performance at the Under-18 Worlds and the NHL Draft Combine.
31. Carolina Hurricanes -- Mathis Preston RW: Vancouver Giants (WHL)
Now that the concerns over Preston's knee seem to be alleviated, it's hard to picture this quintessential "Hurricanes type" player slipping out of the first round. An outstanding natural athlete who plays with excellent pace.
32. Ottawa Senators -- Maksim Sokolovskii, D: London (OHL)
The gargantuan Kazakh defenseman plays an appropriately physical brand of hockey. He's often likened to Nikita Zadorov as a size and style comparison. Sokolovskii's puck skills need to improve. He's otherwise considered a potential true shutdown defenseman as he gains experience.
