{"id":33771,"date":"2026-05-06T04:30:13","date_gmt":"2026-05-06T04:30:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/33771\/"},"modified":"2026-05-06T04:30:13","modified_gmt":"2026-05-06T04:30:13","slug":"nhl-mock-draft-2026-gavin-mckenna-to-the-toronto-maple-leafs-as-we-pick-for-every-lottery-team","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/33771\/","title":{"rendered":"NHL Mock Draft 2026: Gavin McKenna to the Toronto Maple Leafs as we pick for every lottery team"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Toronto Maple Leafs won the No. 1 pick<\/a> in the 2026 NHL Draft after entering the lottery with an 8.5 percent chance to land the top selection. The San Jose Sharks jumped from No. 9 to No. 2, winning the second draw.<\/p>\n

Immediately after the conclusion of Tuesday night\u2019s lottery, a collection of our NHL reporters combined for a mock draft of the first 16 picks. This is their best attempt to predict what will happen on draft day based on their knowledge of the teams they cover and what those teams covet in players.<\/p>\n

The 2026 NHL Draft will take place in Buffalo, N.Y., on June 26 and 27.<\/p>\n

1. Toronto Maple Leafs: Gavin McKenna, LW, Penn State (NCAA)<\/p>\n

A franchise-altering talent ticks so many boxes for the Leafs: Drafting McKenna is the silver lining after a miserable season, it gives the Leafs a winger to play alongside Auston Matthews for years \u2014 and potentially helps convince him to stay long-term \u2014 and it could help the team get new buy-in from a beleaguered fanbase.<\/p>\n

Oh, McKenna could also make the Leafs way better next season, which was undoubtedly a priority for the organization. \u2014 Joshua Kloke<\/p>\n

2. San Jose Sharks: Ivar Stenberg, LW, Fr\u00f6lunda (SHL)<\/p>\n

Had the Sharks settled with the No. 9 pick or one or two spots lower than that, it would make sense to target one of the multiple right-shot defenseman options. But at No. 2 and GM Mike Grier stating that the \u201cbest player available\u201d is still the direction to go, it\u2019s hard to pass up on the high-end talent that is Stenberg. With a surplus of skilled forwards, could they use William Eklund as a trade asset to address their suspect defense? \u2014 Eric Stephens<\/p>\n

3. Vancouver Canucks: Caleb Malhotra, C, Brantford (OHL)<\/p>\n

This most likely comes down to a decision between a pair of OHL standouts in Chase Reid and Malhotra. Reid is an impressive mover at 6-foot-2 and was a solid point producer as a late birthday in his age-18 season. Malhotra, however, has been on a rocket ship trajectory late in his draft year, morphing into a top offensive producer for Brantford down the stretch and into the OHL playoffs. He\u2019s 6-2, he has plus wheels, he\u2019s a conscientious, physically assertive two-way centre, and his production down the stretch has begun to draw comparisons to Jonathan Toews from his biggest admirers in the scouting community. It won\u2019t be an easy decision for Vancouver, but my gut is that it\u2019ll settle on Malhotra by the time draft day rolls around. \u2014 Thomas Drance<\/p>\n

4. Chicago Blackhawks: Carson Carels, LHD, Prince George (WHL)<\/p>\n

The Blackhawks would love to add another elite forward to their roster pool, but they\u2019d be left with little choice if the draft played out this way. In a draft with a lot of high-end defensemen, this would present the Blackhawks with the opportunity to draft whomever they see as the best defenseman. Carels would check a lot of boxes for them as a left-handed defenseman who is big, physical, competitive and possesses a hard shot. He could be an ideal defensive partner for Artyom Levshunov or Sam Rinzel, the Blackhawks\u2019 two defenseman first-round picks. I do think the Blackhawks would listen to trade offers for this pick. \u2014 Scott Powers<\/p>\n

5. New York Rangers: Chase Reid, RHD, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)<\/p>\n

The Rangers need play-driving forwards to truly turn their fortunes around, which is why McKenna, Stenberg or Malhotra would have been fairly obvious choices. But with all three off the board, it feels wiser to go with the best player available, as opposed to reaching for a center like Viggo Bj\u00f6rck or Tynan Lawrence. Reid is considered the best defenseman in the draft by many (including our own Corey Pronman and Scott Wheeler) and could transform a back end that coach Mike Sullivan has openly said needs better puck-movers. Sure, he\u2019d be a little redundant with Adam Fox as a righty who needs power-play time to maximize his potential, but his upside is too tantalizing to pass up in this spot. \u2014 Vincent Z. Mercogliano\u00a0<\/p>\n

6. Calgary Flames: Keaton Verhoeff, RHD, North Dakota (NCAA)<\/p>\n

There was a time when Verhoeff looked like he could be the No. 2 pick in this year\u2019s draft after McKenna. Things have changed since the fall, but Verhoeff\u2019s size and physical attributes make him an enticing right-shot defense prospect. Maybe you want to see more offense, skating and possibly better decision-making. But he still fared well in the NCAA, and the Flames already have some offensive-minded defenders in their system. Having a big-body, minute-munching defenseman fall to your lap at No. 6 is still good business for the rebuilding Flames. \u2014 Julian McKenzie<\/p>\n

7. Seattle Kraken: Daxon Rudolph, RHD, Prince Albert (WHL)<\/p>\n

The Kraken need elite talent more than anything, and while they\u2019d probably be tempted to consider one of the high-end centers \u2014 like Lawrence and Bj\u00f6rk \u2014 it\u2019s not at all clear that Rudolph isn\u2019t a prospect of the same calibre as Reid, Verhoeff and Carels.<\/p>\n

Not only is Rudolph 6-2, with plus puck skills, plus shooting tools and a high-end skater, he\u2019s also right-handed and plays a premium position. He\u2019s scored at an elite clip for a 17-year-old at the WHL level, has been a pedigree guy all the way (he was invited to the U18s last season as an underager) and checks just about every box you\u2019d be looking for in an elite NHL prospect. \u2014 Drance<\/p>\n

8. Winnipeg Jets: Alberts Smits, LHD, Munich (DEL)<\/p>\n

The Jets need a center more than they need a player at any other position, but Smits is too impressive to overlook. The Jets appear to be set at left defence, but Josh Morrissey (31) and Dylan Samberg (27) each have two years left on their contracts. Smits\u2019 performance in professional men\u2019s leagues, first for Jukurit in Liiga and then for Munich in the DEL, plus for Latvia at the 2026 Olympics, indicates a future top-pairing defenceman with good mobility, intelligence and a booming shot. The Jets don\u2019t have that in the system.<\/p>\n

Smits, who is expected to play at the men\u2019s World Championship, pairs those attributes with a good first pass and plenty of battle-winning compete level. Our Scott Wheeler writes<\/a>, \u201cHe has legitimate first-pairing upside and belongs in the best-D-in-the-class conversation.\u201d \u2014 Murat Ates<\/p>\n

9. Florida Panthers: Ethan Belchetz, LW, Windsor (OHL)<\/p>\n

A young, building-block defenseman would have been ideal for Florida, but with the top tier of D all going in a run right before their pick, it\u2019s easy enough to pivot to a player who fits their profile like a glove. Belchetz is a big, powerful winger with legit offense in his game, particularly his shot. He\u2019s not the fastest, but his heaviness will fit right in for Florida \u2014 that is, if the Panthers don\u2019t trade this pick. \u2014 Max Bultman<\/p>\n

10. Nashville Predators: Tynan Lawrence, C, Boston University (NCAA)<\/p>\n

The Predators have gravitated to competitive, hardworking, two-way players, and Lawrence fits what they\u2019re attracted to to the letter while giving them a legit future top-six center to build around. Bj\u00f6rck belongs in the conversation for some of the same reasons here, but with the top D all gone, Lawrence fits the bill. \u2014 Scott Wheeler<\/p>\n

11. St. Louis Blues: Viggo Bj\u00f6rck, C, Djurg\u00e5rden (SHL)<\/p>\n

The Blues are ushering in new general manager Alexander Steen, who is Swedish, and reporters have already joked with him about the club adding several of his countrymen to the roster. But all kidding aside, the Blues wouldn\u2019t have to justify taking Bj\u00f6rck with the No. 11 pick. Yes, he\u2019s on the smaller side (5-9, 177 pounds), but he\u2019s a fast, competitive and intelligent playmaking center who can win faceoffs and help on both ends of special teams. The Blues need more high-end talent up the middle in their prospect pool, and colleague Scott Wheeler believes Bj\u00f6rck is the second-best option behind Malhotra. \u2014 Jeremy Rutherford<\/p>\n

12. New Jersey Devils: Wyatt Cullen, LW, U.S. NTDP (USHL)<\/p>\n

Cullen, the son of former NHLer Matt Cullen, is projected anywhere from lottery range to later in the first round. He was better than a point-per-game player at the U.S. National Team Development Program this season. He\u2019ll be at Minnesota next year and is Scott Wheeler\u2019s No. 12 prospect. According to Wheeler, he \u201chad some of the best games from an offensive standpoint that I watched in this class this season when healthy.\u201d It feels like a good swing for the Devils, who don\u2019t necessarily need to worry about adding a center, given Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier are already on the team. \u2014 Peter Baugh<\/p>\n

13. New York Islanders: Ryan Lin, RHD, Vancouver (WHL)<\/p>\n

The Islanders already have Matthew Schaefer, and Lin would give them another young defenseman to build around. Committed to the University of Denver, he had 57 points in 53 WHL games this season. Pronman says he has above-average compete and hockey sense. The Islanders would likely hope he develops into more than what Pronman projects: a No. 4 or 5 defenseman. Wheeler is higher on him, calling him an \u201cexcellent all-around modern defenseman.\u201d \u2014 Baugh<\/p>\n

14. Columbus Blue Jackets: Oscar Hemming, LW, Boston College (NCAA)<\/p>\n

The Blue Jackets will certainly listen to offers for this pick, but a player like Hemming \u2014 big frame, powerful skater, nose for the net \u2014 has attributes that any club would like to add to its mix. And with a diminutive set of wingers on the roster, assuming Kent Johnson and Conor Garland remain in Columbus long-term, a boost of size on either side of center will be necessary.<\/p>\n

Hemming, as a 17-year-old freshman at Boston College, scored only one goal in 19 games despite drawing nearly 16 and a half minutes per game. But the offense is expected to follow if Hemming keeps playing his style and hanging around the net.<\/p>\n

The 6-4, 195-pound winger (he turns 18 in mid-August) has been a point-per-game scorer for Finland in international play and was an explosive offensive player as a young junior back home. \u2014 Aaron Portzline<\/p>\n

15. St. Louis Blues: Malte Gustafsson, LHD, HV71 (SHL)<\/p>\n

The hope was that Lin or Cullen would fall to No. 15 when the Blues made their second of three first-round picks. But Gustafsson \u2014 Steen will like this, another Swede \u2014 is still a solid pick. The 6-4, 200-pound blueliner moves well and plays physical, according to Wheeler, and can be a two-way D-man in the NHL. The Blues are loaded up with young blueliners in their system, with Logan Mailloux, Theo Lindstein and Adam Jiricek (all under 23) potentially in the top six next season. Mailloux brings some toughness on the right side, and Gustafsson could bring that on the left side in the future. \u2014 Rutherford<\/p>\n

16. Washington Capitals: Oliver Suvanto, C, Tappara (Liiga)<\/p>\n

Washington hasn\u2019t picked a center in the first round since Hendrix Lapierre, and by selecting Suvanto, it gets a player who can project to play center in a middle six. He\u2019s a 6-3 pivot who can make plays and plays both ways. \u2014 Corey Pronman<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Toronto Maple Leafs won the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft after entering the lottery…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":33772,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[1611,4799,15056,2971,4794,72,63,2498,271,1563,1759,1928,48,954,1239,15055,277],"class_list":{"0":"post-33771","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-toronto","8":"tag-calgary-flames","9":"tag-chicago-blackhawks","10":"tag-columbus-blue-jackets","11":"tag-florida-panthers","12":"tag-nashville-predators","13":"tag-new-jersey-devils","14":"tag-new-york-islanders","15":"tag-new-york-rangers","16":"tag-nhl","17":"tag-san-jose-sharks","18":"tag-seattle-kraken","19":"tag-st-louis-blues","20":"tag-toronto","21":"tag-toronto-maple-leafs","22":"tag-vancouver-canucks","23":"tag-washington-capitals","24":"tag-winnipeg-jets"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33771","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33771"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33771\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/33772"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33771"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33771"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33771"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}