2016 NHL Redraft: Matthews remains No. 1, Thompson leaps to 3rd pick

The 2026 Upper Deck NHL Draft will be held June 26-27 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo. The first round will be June 26 (7 p.m. ET; ESPN, ESPN+, SN, TVAS) and rounds 2-7 on June 27 (11 a.m. ET; NHLN, ESPN+, SN). NHL.com is counting down to the draft with in-depth profiles on top prospects, podcasts and other features. Today, a look back at the 2016 NHL Draft, the last time it was held in Buffalo. NHL.com's full draft coverage can be found here.

Auston Matthews was the top player on the Toronto Maple Leafs scouting board for the 2016 NHL Draft long before it was time for them to make the first selection.

"The reports go back a year or two before that, when he was with the (USA Hockey National Team Development Program)," said John Lilley, at the time an amateur scout for the Maple Leafs. "He was the consensus No. 1 from the day we saw him until the day we picked him."

Lilley, who has been the director of amateur scouting for the New York Rangers since 2021, had seen Matthews with the NTDP Under-17 and Under-18 teams. And as part of his role with the Maple Leafs at the time, he travelled to Switzerland to see Matthews play with ZSC in National League, the nation's top professional league, in 2015-16.

He said there was one game against Lugano that further cemented Matthews' status atop the draft board.

"Maxim Lapierre, who was a former NHL player, he was a good NHL veteran, and he's checking a 17-, 18-year-old Auston Matthews and Auston still managed to score," Lilley said. "He did it at that pro level in his draft year, which usually is not the case for a North American guy. He took that next step very easily and it was obvious to us.

"He started as the top guy when we first saw him and he finished off there. He excelled in every level he moved up to."

The Maple Leafs chose Matthews with the No. 1 pick and in his 10 NHL seasons he's become one of the game's top goal-scorers. But not every player picked at the 2016 draft has reached that lofty status. So with a decade of hindsight, how would the first round of that draft go if the same players were made available today?

Note: Players listed with teams that drafted them; original draft position in parenthesis.

1. Auston Matthews, C, Toronto Maple Leafs (1)

Matthews announced himself by becoming the first player in the NHL modern era (since 1943-44) to score four goals in his first game, and he hasn't slowed much since then. He scored his 421st goal against the New York Islanders on Jan. 3, passing Mats Sundin for the Maple Leafs all-time mark. Matthews scored at least 30 goals in each of his first nine seasons before finishing with 27 goals in 60 games this season. He's one of nine players with multiple 60-goal seasons, and his 69 goals in 2023-24 are the most since Mario Lemieux scored 69 in 1995-96. His 428 goals are the most of any player selected in the 2016 draft, and more than any NHL player since the 2016-17 season. He's won the Rocket Richard Trophy as the NHL goals leader three times, and in 2022 became the second United States-born player to win the Hart Trophy as NHL most valuable player. Matthews was captain for Team USA as it won at the 2026 Winter Olympics, tying for second on the team with seven points (three goals, four assists) in six games.

2. Matthew Tkachuk, LW, Calgary Flames (6)

Tkachuk's trade to the Florida Panthers on July 22, 2022, was a transformative moment for the franchise. The Panthers reached the Stanley Cup Final each of his first three seasons, winning championships in 2024 and 2025. He's one of three players since 2005-06 to have 20 points in the Stanley Cup Playoffs three straight seasons (Connor McDavid, four straight, 2022-25; Nikita Kucherov, three straight, 2020-22), and he's the only active player to have 100-point seasons for two franchises (104 points, Flames, 2021-22; 109 points, Panthers, 2022-23). His 670 points are second among players selected in the 2016 draft after Matthews (780), and his 253 goals are third. He also was part of Team USA's Olympic gold medal run.

3. Tage Thompson, C, St. Louis Blues (26)

Thompson has become the centerpiece of the Buffalo Sabres' resurgence, with three 40-goal seasons in the past four, including a team-best 40 goals in 81 games this season. His 47 goals in 2022-23 were the most for the Sabres since Alexander Mogilny (76) and Pat LaFontaine (53) in 1992-93, and his 160 goals since 2022-23 are sixth among all players. His 216 goals are sixth among players in his draft class, and his 406 points are ninth. He also tied for second on Team USA with three goals in six games at the Olympics. He was one of the Blues' top forward prospects when he was traded to the Sabres on July 1, 2018, as part of deal for forward Ryan O'Reilly.​

4. Clayton Keller RW, Arizona Coyotes (7)

Keller has four straight seasons with at least 75 points, including a team-best 88 points (26 goals, 62 assists) in 82 games this season to help the Utah Mammoth reach the playoffs for the first time. Now in his 10th NHL season, Keller has played in the NHL All-Star Game four times and won the gold medal with Team USA at the 2026 Winter Olympics. His 596 points are third among players in his draft class, and his 222 goals are fifth.

5. Alex DeBrincat, LW, Chicago Blackhawks (39)

Falling to the second round in part because of his size -- he measured 5-foot-7, 165 pounds at the 2016 NHL Scouting Combine -- DeBrincat has developed into one of the best goal-scorers in the NHL during his nine seasons with the Blackhawks, Ottawa Senators and Detroit Red Wings. He matched his NHL best with 41 goals this season with the Red Wings, the third time he's scored at least 40, and he has five seasons of at least 30 goals. His 294 goals are second among players selected in the 2016 draft, and his 102 power-play goals are second after Matthews' 109. He also has played 696 games, more than any player selected in 2016.

6. Brandon Hagel, LW, Buffalo Sabres (159)

Hagel has emerged as a key piece for the Tampa Bay Lightning since being traded there March 18, 2022, scoring at least 30 goals three times in four seasons. His 36 goals this season were an NHL career-best, and he also helped Canada win the 4 Nations Face-Off in 2025 and take the silver medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics. His 161 goals are 10th among players selected in 2016 and his 371 points are 11th, but his average of 0.83 points per game is sixth (minimum 50 games) among players from his draft class. After being selected by the Sabres in the sixth round, he never was offered a contract and signed with the Chicago Blackhawks, spending four seasons in their organization before being traded to the Lightning.

7. Adam Fox, D, Calgary Flames (66)

Injuries limited Fox to 53 points (nine goals, 44 assists) in 55 games with the New York Rangers this season, but his average of 0.96 points per game was fifth among NHL defensemen to play at least 20 games. It was his fifth straight 50-point season, joining Rasmus Dahlin, Quinn Hughes and Cale Makar as the only NHL defensemen to reach that level. Fox's best season came in 2021-22, when he had 74 points (11 goals, 63 assists) in 78 games and was voted the Norris Trophy winner as the League's best defenseman. Fox leads defensemen selected in 2016 with 422 points (72 goals, 350 assists) in 486 games. Selected by the Flames in the third round, he was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes on June 23, 2018, and the Hurricanes traded him to the Rangers on April 30, 2019.

8. Charlie McAvoy, D, Boston Bruins (14)

McAvoy had a personal-best 61 points (11 goals, 50 assists) in 69 games this season, the most by a Bruins defenseman since Ray Bourque had 82 points in 1995-96. His 361 points are third among defensemen drafted in 2016 and his 71 goals are fourth. He also has a plus-157 rating that leads all players in his draft class, and is seventh among NHL defensemen since 2017-18, his first NHL regular season. McAvoy averaged 19:29 of ice time in six games with Team USA at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

9. Mikhail Sergachev, D, Montreal Canadiens (9)

Sergachev played a significant role in the Utah Mammoth reaching the playoffs for the first time this season, with 59 points (10 goals, 49 assists) in 78 games. It was his second straight season with at least 50 points and his fourth with at least 40 points in 10 NHL seasons with the Canadiens, Tampa Bay Lightning and Utah. His 73 goals and 369 points are second among defensemen in his draft class. Sergachev played one season with Montreal, then was traded to Tampa Bay on June 15, 2017, where he helped the Lightning win the Stanley Cup twice (2020, 2021) during seven seasons there. He was traded to Utah on June 29, 2024.

10. Jakob Chychrun, D, Arizona Coyotes (16)

Chychrun led NHL defensemen with 26 goals this season, and his 46 the past two seasons with the Washington Capitals are second among NHL defensemen to Cale Makar (50). It's the third time in 10 NHL seasons with the Coyotes, Ottawa Senators and Capitals he's scored at least 18 goals in a season. Chychrun's 122 goals are the most among defensemen in his draft class and 11th among all players selected in 2016.

11. Filip Gustavsson, G, Pittsburgh Penguins (55)

Gustavsson was chosen in the second round by the Penguins but traded to the Ottawa Senators on Feb. 23, 2018. Then after 27 games across two seasons, he was sent to the Minnesota Wild on July 12, 2022. It was during 2022-23, at age 24, that Gustavsson emerged as a top-flight goalie, with his 2.10 goals-against average and .931 save percentage ranking second in the NHL among goalies to play at least 30 games. He's remained at that high level; in the past four seasons he's one of 12 goalies with at least 100 wins (101), and he ranks in the top 10 in GAA (2.61, tied for ninth) and save percentage (.912, tied for fifth) among goalies to play at least 100 games. He leads goalies selected in 2016 in wins (111), shutouts (15) and GAA (2.67).

12. Jesper Bratt, LW, New Jersey Devils (162)

The sixth-round pick has become a piece of the Devils' core with five straight seasons of at least 20 goals and 70 points. He had back-to-back 80-point seasons in 2023-24 and 2024-25. The only other player to do that since the franchise moved to New Jersey in 1982 is Zach Parise (2008-10), and he's one of five players in franchise history with multiple 80-point seasons. He ranks among the top seven in his draft class in games (634, fifth), goals (172, seventh), assists (346, fifth) and points (518, fifth).

13. Jordan Kyrou, C, St. Louis Blues (35)

Kyrou was the first Blues player to score 30 goals in three straight seasons (2022-25) since Vladimir Tarasenko did it five straight (2014-19), and his 37 goals in 2022-23 were the most by a St. Louis player since Tarasenko scored 39 in 2016-17. Kyrou also had four straight seasons with at least 65 points (2021-25), and he ranks in the top 10 for his draft class in goals (168, ninth) and points (378, 10th).

14. Carter Hart, G, Philadelphia Flyers (48)

Hart won his NHL debut on Dec. 18, 2018, at age 20 years, 127 days, making him the youngest Flyers goalie ever to win his first game and the youngest in the NHL since Carey Price (20 years, 55 days) on Oct. 10, 2007. He signed with the Vegas Golden Knights on Oct. 24 and stabilized their goaltending, going 11-3-3 with a 2.71 goals-against average and .891 save percentage in 18 games to help them win the Pacific Division. His 245 games in seven seasons with the Flyers and Golden Knights are more than any goalie selected in 2016, and his 107 wins are second.

15. Pierre-Luc Dubois, LW, Columbus Blue Jackets (3)

Dubois scored at least 20 goals four times in his first six NHL seasons, including a high of 28 with the Winnipeg Jets in 2021-22, followed by 27 goals in 2022-23. He reached 20 goals for the fifth time in 2024-25 with the Washington Capitals, when he also was a career-best plus-27 to help them finish with the best record in the Eastern Conference. His 427 points with the Blue Jackets, Jets, Los Angeles Kings and Capitals are sixth among players in his draft class, and his 170 goals are eighth.

16. Patrik Laine, LW, Winnipeg Jets (2)

Laine was second to Matthews among NHL rookies in goals (36) and points (64) in 2016-17, and then was second in the NHL with 44 goals in 2017-18. In November 2018, he scored 18 goals in 12 games, the most by any NHL player in a single month since Pavel Bure scored 19 in March 1994, and at age 20 years, 224 days, Laine became the fourth-youngest player in League history to score 100 goals, after Wayne Gretzky (20 years, 40 days), Jimmy Carson (20 years, 116 days) and Brian Bellows (20 years, 179 days). Injuries have taken a toll on him recently, and he played five games with the Montreal Canadiens this season following surgery in October for a core muscle injury. However, his 224 goals rank fourth among players in his draft class, and his average of 0.79 points per game is eighth among players selected in 2016 to play at least 50 games.

17. Ross Colton, C, Tampa Bay Lightning (118)

Colton scored the game-winning goal in his first NHL game, Feb. 24, 2021, and finished his first season by scoring the Stanley Cup-clinching goal for the Lightning in a 1-0 win in Game 5 of the Final against the Montreal Canadiens. He's been a dependable middle-six forward during his six NHL seasons with the Lightning and Colorado Avalanche, who acquired him in a trade June 28, 2023. Of his 89 career goals, 18 have been game-winners.

18. Filip Hronek, D, Detroit Red Wings (53)

Hronek became a dependable partner for Quinn Hughes during their four seasons as Vancouver Canucks teammates, but Hronek has shown he can do pretty well on his own. He had a personal-high 49 points (eight goals, 41 assists) in 82 games this season, the second time in three seasons he's had at least 40 points and his fifth straight 30-point season. Hronek is fifth among defensemen in his draft class in goals (48), points (287) and games played (533) in eight seasons with the Red Wings and Canucks, who acquired him in a trade March 1, 2023. He also tied for the Team Czechia lead with five assists in five games at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

19. Samuel Girard, D, Nashville Predators (47)

Girard had played five games for the Predators when he was traded to the Colorado Avalanche on Nov. 5, 2017, as part of a three-team trade that included the Ottawa Senators. In Colorado, Girard became a key piece of a team that won the Stanley Cup in 2022, despite injuries limiting him to seven games during that postseason. He had six straight 20-point seasons from 2017-23, and his 37 goals and 242 points with the Predators, Avalanche and Pittsburgh Penguins are sixth among players in his draft class.

20. Brett Howden, C, Tampa Bay Lightning (27)

Howden was playing junior hockey when the Lightning traded him to the New York Rangers in 2018. The Rangers sent him to the Golden Knights in 2021, and he became a valuable top-nine forward on the Vegas team that won the Stanley Cup in 2023. He scored the overtime goal against the Dallas Stars in Game 1 of the Western Conference Final, and had 10 points (five goals, five assists) in 22 playoff games during the Cup run. He set personal bests of 23 goals and 40 points in 2024-25, and remains a physical presence with 666 hits (11th) and 345 blocked shots (fourth) that rank in the top 15 among forwards selected in 2016.

21. Luke Kunin, C, Minnesota Wild (15)

Kunin has reached double figures in goals five times during his nine NHL seasons with five teams, and set personal bests in goals (15), assists (16) and points (31) in 63 games with the Wild 2019-20. He filled a fourth-line role with the Florida Panthers this season, and despite averaging 9:41 of ice time per game, he was fourth on the team with 123 hits and second among Panthers forwards with 47 blocked shots. He leads forwards in his draft class with 1,010 hits and is second with 378 blocked shots.

22. Sam Steel, C, Anaheim Ducks (30)

Steel set NHL career highs in goals (12), assists (21), points (33) and average ice time (16:04) in 73 games to help the Dallas Stars finish second in the Western Conference (50-20-12) this season. Steel is in his third season with the Stars after playing four seasons with the Ducks and one with the Minnesota Wild. His 175 points (61 goals, 114 assists) are 12th among forwards in his draft class. He's also won 50.2 percent of his face-offs, fourth in his draft class (minimum 1,000 face-offs).

23. Ryan Lindgren, D, Boston Bruins (49)

Lindgren was in his second season at the University of Minnesota when he was traded to the Rangers as part of the Rick Nash deal Feb. 25, 2018, and has matured into a dependable top-four defenseman during his eight NHL seasons with the Rangers, Colorado Avalanche and Seattle Kraken. His 111 points (16 goals, 95 assists) are seventh among defensemen selected in 2016, but his impact mostly has come in the details of the game, including ranking sixth among defensemen in his draft class in hits (641) and eighth in blocked shots (711).

24. Trent Frederic, C, Boston Bruins (29)

Frederic reached double digits in goals twice during seven seasons with the Bruins, topped by 18 goals and 40 points in 82 games in 2023-24. Now in his second season with the Edmonton Oilers, Frederic has developed into a physical, bottom-six presence. His 865 hits are fifth among forwards in his draft class, and he ranks in the top 20 in goals (59, 16th) and points (116, 19th).

25. Brandon Duhaime, LW, Minnesota Wild (106)

Duhaime has carved out a role as a physical bottom-six forward who can contribute on the penalty kill during his five seasons with the Wild, Colorado Avalanche and Washington Capitals. He's also been durable, having missed two games the past three seasons. His 410 penalty minutes rank fourth among forwards in his draft class, and he's also third with 879 hits.

26. Tyson Jost, C, Colorado Avalanche (10)

Jost has provided solid secondary scoring during his 10 NHL seasons with five teams, topped by 26 points (11 goals, 15 assists) in 70 games with Colorado in 2018-19. It was one of five seasons he has had at least 20 points, and his 165 points are 13th among forwards in his draft class.

27. Connor Ingram, G, Tampa Bay Lightning (88)

It took Ingram time to find his footing but his play this season with the Edmonton Oilers helped stabilize their goaltending situation. He went 16-10-3 with a 2.60 GAA, .899 save percentage and two shutouts in 32 games after being recalled from Bakersfield of the American Hockey League on Dec. 19. The Oilers allowed 3.15 goals per game after Ingram arrived, down from 3.34 before. Ingram won the Masterton Trophy for perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey in 2023-24. His nine shutouts are second among goalies in his draft class, while his 134 games with four teams are third.

28. Andrew Peeke, D, Columbus Blue Jackets (34)

Peeke's five goals in 77 games with the Boston Bruins were the second most of his seven NHL seasons, and his 14 points and 19:23 average ice time were the third most. He's also one of three defensemen in his draft class with more than 700 hits (729) and 700 blocked shots (741), while his 386 games with the Blue Jackets and Bruins are ninth among defensemen.

29. Dante Fabbro, D, Nashville Predators (17)

Fabbro has become a key piece of the defense corps the past two seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets, including NHL career-bests in goals (nine), points (26) and average ice time (21:39) in 62 games in 2024-25. He ranks among the top 10 defensemen in his draft class in games played (451, eighth), goals (30, seventh) and points (109, eighth).

30. Logan Stanley, D, Winnipeg Jets (18)

Stanley had the best of his six NHL seasons in 2025-26, with nine goals and 26 points in 76 games with the Jets and Buffalo Sabres; the nine goals were more than the five he totaled in his previous five seasons. He still maintained the physical presence he's known for, with 110 hits, the second most of his career.

Missing first-round picks: Jesse Puljujarvi, F, Edmonton Oilers (4); Olli Juolevi, D, Vancouver Canucks (5); Alex Nylander, F, Buffalo Sabres (8); Logan Brown, C, Ottawa Senators (11); Michael McLeod, C, New Jersey Devils (12); Jake Bean, D, Carolina Hurricanes (13); Kieffer Bellows, LW, New York Islanders (19); Dennis Cholowski, D, Detroit Red Wings (20); Julien Gauthier, RW, Carolina Hurricanes (21); German Rubtsov, C, Philadelphia Flyers (22); Henrik Borgstrom, C, Florida Panthers (23); Max Jones, LW, Anaheim Ducks (24); Riley Tufte, LW, Dallas Stars (25); Lucas Johansen, D, Washington Capitals (28).