NHL Draft grades 2026: Live results and analysis for every pick in Round 1 originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The day is finally here, the first round of the 2026 NHL draft commences tonight.
The NHL draft begins at 7 p.m. ET and can be viewed on Sportsnet and TVA Sports.
Plenty of fireworks are expected tonight, as the days leading up to the draft have been filled with trades, rumors, and plenty of different implications. Tonight will be a night for players to begin new journeys as they fulfill a lifelong dream.
The 2026 class is headlined by players like Gavin McKenna, Ivar Stenberg, and Chase Reid, all of whom could change a franchise overnight.
Throughout the days leading up to the NHL draft, we’ve completed multiple mock drafts, one completed by Eric Cruikshank and Frank Zawrazky, ranked players by position, starting with goaltenders, defenseman, wingers, and centers, and analyzed player fits for several teams.
As each pick is revealed, we will provide a grade and an analysis of who the player is and what he can provide the team.
Follow along to stay informed of all 32 picks of the NHL draft.
NHL Draft grades 2026: Live results and analysis for every pick
Round 1
1. Toronto Maple Leafs: Gavin McKenna, LW, Penn State (NCAA)
- Grade: A+
Not much needs to be said about this selection. No player in the draft has a higher ceiling than Gavin McKenna. The 18-year-old is the best playmaker in the draft, and the fit with the Toronto Maple Leafs is perfect. Auston Matthews is arguably the best goal scorer in the league, and pairing him with a playmaker like McKenna should work wonderfully.
MORE: Drafting Gavin McKenna is the only option for the Maple Leafs at the 2026 NHL draft
2. San Jose Sharks: Ivar Stenberg, LW, Frolunda (Swe.)
- Grade: A+
The second-best player in this draft is Ivar Stenberg, and now he’ll join a young and skilled top six. Stenberg doesn’t have the offensive ceiling that McKenna possesses, but his all-around game is very polished at 18 years old. Whether he plays alongside Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith on the top line or with Michael Misa, Stenberg will elevate his line and will contribute at a high level from Day 1.
3. Vancouver Canucks: Caleb Malhotra, C, Brantford (OHL)
- Grade: A-
Caleb Malhotra will now be paired with his father, Manny, in Vancouver. Malhotra is a two-way center whose playmaking ability took a huge step in the OHL this season. Malhotra is a competitor, and although there might be players with a higher offensive ceiling, he’s the best center in the draft class, and the Vancouver Canucks need to upgrade every position as they continue their rebuild.
4. Buffalo Sabres (from Chicago): Daxon Rudolph, D, Prince Albert (WHL)
- Grade: B-
The first shock in the draft comes from the Buffalo Sabres. Daxon Rudolph is the first defenseman selected in the draft, although many scouts had him ranked as the fifth-best defenseman. Rudolph is a strong offensive defenseman who improved defensively as the WHL season went along. Rudolph’s biggest knock is his skating. If that element improves, Rudolph can become a top-pairing defender.
5. New York Rangers: Alberts Smits, D, Jukurit (Fin.)
- Grade: B+
Alberts Smits is the most NHL-ready defenseman in this draft and likely has the highest floor among defensemen. His ceiling may not be as high as some other defenders’, but he plays a physical two-way style and doesn’t really have any holes in his game. The fit with the New York Rangers should work great. He can be Adam Fox’s future partner, but he also has time to develop behind Vladislav Gavrikov.
6. Calgary Flames: Carson Carels, D, Prince George (WHL)
- Grade: A
Carson Carels is a do-it-all defenseman. His skating makes him a dominant transition player, both offensively and defensively. Drawing comparisons to the likes of Miro Heiskanen and Jake Sanderson, Carels is the prototypical modern-day defenseman and should work well with Calgary Flames young defenders like Zayne Parekh or Simon Nemec.
7. Seattle Kraken: Chase Reid, D, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)
- Grade: A+
The Seattle Kraken need highly skilled players, and that is exactly what Chase Reid is. Many believed he could have been the first defenseman off the board and taken as high as second overall. It’s great value for the Kraken to land Reid at seventh overall. Reid projects to be an offensive No. 1 defenseman who can run a power play. With his 6-foot-2 frame, if Reid can improve defensively, he can become a great NHL defenseman.
8. Winnipeg Jets: Viggo Bjorck, C, Djurgarden (Swe.)
- Grade: A
Viggo Bjorck is the second-best center in this draft, and despite his small frame, he’s shown no problem competing with men in the SHL or at the World Championship. Bjorck is a fantastic skater who thrives in transition. Drawing comparisons to Brayden Point and Logan Stankoven, Bjorck is a big-time competitor who doesn’t back down from any puck battle.
9. San Jose Sharks (from Florida via Ottawa): Keaton Verhoeff, D, North Dakota (NCAA)
- Grade: A+
At this point in the draft, Keaton Verhoeff to the Sharks might be the best value pick. Heading into the 2025-26 season, Verhoeff was considered the best defenseman, but there were some growing pains in the NCAA. Playing in college at just 17 years old, Verhoeff took strides defensively, but it came at the cost of his offensive production. If Verhoeff’s skating improves, there is real No. 1 defenseman upside alongside Sam Dickinson. His booming shot should work well on the Sharks’ top power play unit.
10. Nashville Predators: Wyatt Cullen, LW, U.S. NTDP (USHL)
- Grade: A-
Wyatt Cullen is a smooth-skating forward with plenty of skill. Cullen hit a massive growth spurt in the last two years, and his game continued to improve as he grew. His performance at the U-18s was phenomenal, and he’ll become one of, if not the Nashville Predators’ most skilled prospect, instantly.
11. St. Louis Blues: Tynan Lawrence, C, Boston University (NCAA)
- Grade: A
Entering the season, Tynan Lawrence was widely considered the No. 1 center in the draft class. An injury delayed the start of his season, and a switch to Boston University hampered his stock, but Lawrence is still a great skater, with strong playmaking instincts and a sound two-way game. Lawrence is a very projectable prospect and a candidate for a bounce-back season this year. With Robert Thomas and Dalibor Dvorsky in St. Louis, the fit is great, and the Blues have a balanced center group going forward.
12. New Jersey Devils: Alexander Command, C, Orebro (Swe.)
- Grade: B
Alexander Command is one of the fastest and most recent risers in the draft. Command is a left-handed center with a very refined defensive game. Patience will be needed for Command as he needs time to develop his offensive game. The New Jersey Devils can afford to be patient with Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier as the top two centers. Command’s floor is a third-line center, but with the correct development, he can become a top-six center.
13. New York Islanders: Malte Gustafsson, D, HV71 (Swe.)
- Grade: A-
Malte Gustafsson isn’t known for his offensive game, but it’s an area that has improved throughout the season. Gustafsson is known for his defensive game. At 6-foot-4, Gustafsson plays a physical game and shuts down his opponents. Whether he plays alongside Matthew Schaefer or on the second pairing, Gustafsson will take on the difficult matchups while allowing Schaefer to play freely.
14. Columbus Blue Jackets: Oscar Hemming, LW, Boston College (NCAA)
- Grade: B+
Oscar Hemming doesn’t wow people with his skill, but he is an effective winger and could become a true power forward in the NHL. His season was very odd, as some politics delayed the start of his campaign. The Columbus Blue Jackets need winger depth, and he showed in college that he can play alongside skilled players like James Hagens. Hemming could be a future winger for Adam Fantilli.
15. Anaheim Ducks (from St. Louis via Detroit): Nikita Klepov, RW, Saginaw (OHL)
St. Louis trades the 15th and 29th overall picks to Anaheim in exchange for Mason McTavish
- Grade: B+
Instead of making their second first-round pick of the night, the Blues elected to trade picks 15 and 29 in exchange for Mason McTavish. With their new selection, the Anaheim Ducks used the pick on Nikita Klepov. The Russian winger led the OHL in scoring this year as a rookie, becoming the first player to do so since Patrick Kane. Klpeov dominated on the power play with his lethal one-timer. Klepov could be a great fit on the wing with any of the skilled Ducks forwards.
16. St. Louis Blues (from Washington): Maddox Dagenais, C, Quebec (QMJHL)
- Grade: C
Maddox Dagenais is a 6-foot-4 center who plays physically. His QMJHL season saw him notch 62 points in 62 games, but he showed out with Team Canada at the U-18s. Most draft boards saw Dagenais land late in the first round, so the Blues taking him at 16 is a bit of a reach. Dagenais is also the second center the Blues have drafted in the first round.
17. Utah Mammoth (from Los Angeles): Ethan Belchetz, LW, Windsor (OHL)
Los Angeles trades the 17th overall pick to Utah in exchange for the 19th and 83rd overall picks
- Grade: A-
There are some valid concerns about Ethan Belchetz’s game, but the Utah Mammoth landing the 6-foot-5 winger at 17th overall is great value. His skating needs improvement, and he needs to utilize his size more efficiently, but Belchetz is a solid playmaker for a player his size, and he joins a Utah group that has plenty of skill and size on its roster.
18. Washington Capitals (from Anaheim)
19. Los Angeles Kings (from Utah)
20. Buffalo Sabres (from Edmonton via San Jose)
21. Philadelphia Flyers
22. Pittsburgh Penguins
23. Boston Bruins
Boston trades the 23rd overall pick and a top-10 protected 2028 first-round pick to Utah in exchange for JJ Peterka
24. Vancouver Canucks (from Minnesota)
25. Ottawa Senators (from Tampa Bay via Seattle and Florida)
26. Vegas Golden Knights (from New York Rangers via Dallas and Carolina)
NY Rangers trade the 26th and 92nd overall picks and a top-10 protected 2028 first-round pick to Vegas in exchange for Pavel Dorofeyev
27. San Jose Sharks (from Buffalo)
28. Montreal Canadiens
29. Anaheim Ducks (from St. Louis via New York Islanders and Colorado)
30. Calgary Flames (from Vegas)
31. Carolina Hurricanes
32. Ottawa Senators
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