It’s an exciting time of year in the hockey industry. 

With the Stanley Cup Playoffs well into the second round, Carolina has already dispatched the Philadelphia Flyers in a four-game sweep, Colorado has moved past Minnesota in five games, and NHL scouting staffs have their sights set on June’s NHL Draft in Buffalo. 

Ahead of the draft, the annual combine will also take place in Buffalo from May 31 to June 6. The combine provides an opportunity for teams to meet with top prospects in person and gain more information in relation to their overall fitness and coordination. 

I’m inching closer to my final draft list for the 2026 class, but for now I’m here to present what my first-round rankings look like, as well as some players in consideration to have their names called in the early stages of Day 2. 

Without further ado, here are my May rankings for the 2026 NHL Draft:

No. 1: Ivar Stenberg, LW, 5-foot-11, 183 pounds, Frolunda (SHL)

Stenberg is the most complete winger in the draft class. His combination of skill, three-zone detail and overall compete stands out. Stenberg is equal parts play driver/shooter and a future first-line NHL forward who can be deployed in all situations if required. He produced 11 goals and 22 assists playing pro in Sweden’s top league, the SHL, this year and is currently part of Sweden’s men’s national team for the World Championship in Switzerland.

No. 2: Gavin McKenna, LW, 6-foot, 170 pounds, Penn State (NCAA)

McKenna’s second half of the season at the NCAA level produced fantastic results offensively. He ended his freshman season at Penn State with 15 goals and 36 assists in 35 games, but he contributed 11 goals and 22 assists over his final 18 games. He averaged over 22 minutes per game of ice time, with the bulk of his shifts coming at even strength and the power play. McKenna’s defensive detail improved over the course of the season, but he still has work to do off the puck. His minus-7, in relation to his offence and number of games played, is something that stands out for me compared to Stenberg. 

No. 3: Caleb Malhotra, C, 6-foot-1, 182 pounds, Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)

Malhotra has been a riser throughout the season and he’s the top centre in the draft class. After producing 29 goals and 55 assists in 67 regular season games, he elevated further in the playoffs, contributing 13 goals and 13 assists in 15 games. He’s the kind of player who can be trusted in a variety of roles. When he isn’t producing offence, he can be counted on defensively. Malhotra finished his season with a plus-43.

No. 4: Keaton Verhoeff, RD, 6-foot-4, 212 pounds, North Dakota (NCAA)

Verhoeff is a rangy, right-shot defenceman who provides a combination of size and skill. He’s a trustworthy prospect who can be deployed in all situations. Verhoeff transitioned nicely from the WHL’s Victoria Royals to North Dakota this year. Verhoeff contributed 21 goals and 24 assists with Victoria in his underage season, and followed it with six goals and 14 assists as an NCAA freshman against older competition. He captained Team Canada at the U18 world championship in Slovakia recently and averaged over 24 minutes per game of ice time. A lot of his game reminds me of Florida Panthers defenceman Aaron Ekblad at the same age. 

No. 5: Carson Carels, LD, 6-foot-2, 194 pounds, Prince George Cougars (WHL)

I wouldn’t be surprised to see Carels selected above this spot, but I’m comfortable slotting him at No. 5 on my list. Carels is a big, strong, agile two-way defenceman who can also be used in all situations. He pushes back physically on the defensive side of the ledger while also providing high-end offence. Carels is detailed and very competitive. The team that selects him will be adding a left-shot defender who can easily play 25 minutes per night. Carels produced 20 goals and 53 assists in the regular season with Prince George this season. He was plus-23 and added 66 penalty minutes. 

No. 6: Chase Reid, RD, 6-foot-2, 195 pounds, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)

Reid, like Carels, could easily be selected ahead of this slot. He’s an outstanding skater who averaged over 26 minutes per game of ice time with the Hounds and contributed 18 goals and 30 assists in 48 regular-season games. He provides a transitional element and a heavy/accurate shot from distance. Reid is active and hard to defend in the offensive zone, but agile and quick enough to retreat and defend on time when pucks are turned over. Reid is committed to Michigan State starting in the fall. 

NHL Projection: Top-pairing defenceman

No. 7: Viggo Bjorck, C, 5-foot-9, 177 pounds, Djurgardens (SHL)

Bjorck is a highly skilled, darting, competitive centre. He’s the second-ranked centre prospect in the draft for me. It’s not wise for teams to sleep on him because of his size. Bjorck isn’t an easy out. He’s always around the puck, doesn’t shy away from working plays off the wall and is a responsible defender. Bjorck can be deployed in all situations. He produced six goals and nine assists at the pro level, but was dynamic in the playoffs playing at the J20 level. Bjorck contributed eight goals and 12 assists in nine J20 playoff games. 

NHL Projection: Top-six forward. Ability to play centre or the wing

No. 8: Daxon Rudolph, RD, 6-foot-3, 206 pounds, Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)

If Rudolph drops to this slot, the team selecting him will be adding an elite right-shot defenceman to its prospect pool. His combination of size and skill is obvious. Rudolph uses his size, and reach, to his advantage in the defensive zone and sacrifices his body to block shots. Offensively, his numbers also stand out. Rudolph is deployed in all situations and produced 28 goals and 50 assists in the regular season. He’s contributed nine goals and 17 assists in the playoffs. Other stats that stand out include his plus-44, and the fact his physical pushback has resulted in 96 penalty minutes is also intriguing. Rudolph provides a combination of skill and will. 

NHL Projection: Potential top-pairing defenceman, high-end 3D at worst

No. 9: Alexander Command, C, 6-foot-1, 186 pounds, Orebro (Sweden J20)

When I scout prospects, part of my process includes certain benchmarks. Ideally, the player presents a skill set that includes playing fast, thinking the game on time and with relentless overall compete. If they tick off these boxes, the rest of their game has a better chance of maximizing at the NHL level. Command is a two-way centre who produced 17 goals and 27 assists in 30 regular-season games. At the recently completed U18 world championship, he was arguably Team Sweden’s most valuable player. His competitive approach led to physical engagement, defensive zone detail, and three goals and four assists in seven games. 

NHL Projection: Second-line centre 

No. 10: Tynan Lawrence, C, 6-foot-1, 185 pounds, Boston University (NCAA)

Lawrence endured an up and down year, but ended on a relatively high note at the U18 worlds representing Canada. He started the season in the USHL with the Muskegon Lumberjacks before making the move to the NCAA mid-year. It’s a difficult transition for any prospect to jump into the college game at the midway point of a season. It took Lawrence time to find his offence at BU, but he ended with two goals and five assists in 18 games. At the U18s, he contributed two goals and four assists in six games. I appreciate how fast Lawrence is playing the game and the fact he tracked the entire 200 feet at the college level when he was struggling to find offence. 

NHL Projection: Second-line centre 

No. 11: Alberts Smits, LD, 6-foot-3, 205 pounds Jukurit (Liiga)

It’s difficult to describe Smits’ journey this year from a single team perspective. He suited up at the pro level in Finland (Jukurit) and Germany (Munchen) as well as the world juniors (Latvia), Olympics (Latvia) and U20 level in Finland (Jurkurit). The much-travelled youngster had an impact with all of his teams. Some of Smits’ most impressive results came when he was playing in Finland. He contributed six goals and seven assists in 38 pro games (Liiga) and even more impressively produced six goals and four assists in five U20 games at Jukurit. Smits was deployed in all situations representing Latvia on the world stage. He projects as a two-way defenceman who could produce secondary offence. 

NHL Projection: Second-pairing defenceman

No. 12: Ryan Lin, RD, 5-foot-11, 178 pounds, Vancouver Giants (WHL)  

Lin is a transitional defenceman and power-play quarterback. His ability to defend and escape pressure in small areas borders on elite. Lin is comfortable leading the rush on his own or joining as an extra layer. His shot volume increased this year and produced an uptick in goal scoring. Lin produced five goals in his rookie season in the WHL, but increased to 14 this past season. Overall, Line contributed 14 goals and 43 assists this season for the Giants. His defending detail is evolving, but his effort was clear at the U18s. Lin played with more of a physical presence, as well as contributing his usual offence. He ended the tournament with one goal and five assists and an impressive plus-7. Lin will be taking his game to the college level next fall at Denver University. 

NHL Projection: Second-pairing defenceman/power-play quarterback

No. 13: Nikita Klepov, LW, 6-foot, 180 pounds, Saginaw Spirit (OHL)

Klepov had an outstanding year in Saginaw. The offensive winger produced 37goals and 60 assists in 67 regular season games. He was whistled for 43 penalty minutes and finished the season at plus-9. Klepov isn’t a pure burner. He isn’t slow, but his approach to creating offence is calculating and speaks to his overall hockey sense. Klepov is as much a shooter as he is a distributor and he’s difficult to defend on the power play. He was deployed in a variety of roles at the OHL level, but his off-puck detail has another level to go to. He will get the opportunity to further his growth as a prospect at Michigan State next season. 

NHL Projection: Second-line winger 

No. 14: Ethan Belchetz, LW, 6-foot-5, 228 pounds, Windsor Spitfires (OHL)

The first thing that stands out about Belchetz is his stature. He’s a hulking winger who’s especially difficult to defend when he handles the puck. His long reach, and ability to extend plays is unique compared to some of the names ahead of him on this list. Belchetz suffered a season-ending injury (broken collarbone) at the end of the regular schedule. The Spitfires missed his services in the playoffs, not surprising considering the power forward accounted for 34G-25A in 57 regular season games. Belchetz has historically been a goal scorer. He’s aggressive driving to the net and has a quick catch and release from the flank. He too is committed to Michigan State starting in the fall. 

NHL Projection: Second-line winger

No. 15: Oscar Hemming, LW, 6-foot-4, 193 pounds, Boston College (NCAA)

Hemming, like Tynan Lawrence, arrived at the college level midway through the season. He previously competed for Finland at the U18 level, producing 5G-2A. Hemming is a power forward who imposes his size on opponents by finishing checks and boxing out defenders around the crease. He’s a solid skater on straight lines with room to improve his edges and explosiveness. In time, as he adds even more strength to his frame, he should have no issues skating at NHL pace. Hemming produced one goal and seven assists in 19 games at BC. He averaged around 16 minutes of ice time, with the bulk of his shifts coming at even strength and on the power play. 

NHL Projection: Second-line winger

No. 16: Adam Novotny, LW, 6-foot-1, 205 pounds, Peterborough Petes (OHL)

Novotny is another intriguing power-style forward who produced 34G-31A for the Petes this season. He also represented Czechia at the world juniors and contributed three assists in seven games. Novotny’s game is evolving defensively, but I recognized his effort to block shots and use his strength as an advantage in the second-half of the season, after he adjusted to the game in North America. He’s historically leaned shooter more than playmaker and I don’t envision his approach changing as he tracks toward the pro game. 

NHL Projection: Second-line winger

No. 17: J.P. Hurlbert, C, 5-foot-11, 183 pounds, Kamloops Blazers (WHL)

Hurlbert made the decision to leave the USNTDP last summer to compete in the WHL. The decision certainly agreed with him and he is now better prepared for his freshman season next fall when he starts school at the University of Michigan. Hurlbert was one of the top scorers in the WHL, producing 42G-55A in 68 regular season games. Hurlbert was deployed in all situations. He’s reliable on and off the puck and could be a steal at this stage of the first round. 

NHL Projection: Second-line centre

No. 18: Liam Ruck, RW, 6-foot, 177 pounds, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)

Liam is the first of the Ruck twins to land on my list. His brother Markus appears at the tail end of my first-round. Liam is a goal scorer who finished with 45 goals in 68 WHL games, and finished second behind his brother in WHL points with 104. Liam cooled off somewhat in the playoffs, where he contributed 8G-4A in 14 playoff contests. I appreciate Liam’s ability to find pucks in the middle of the ice and/or drive to the net off the edge. Almost all of his goals have come from between the face-off dots in the offensive zone. He isn’t the biggest forward in the draft, but he has a historical knack for scoring goals in big moments. 

NHL Projection: Second-line forward 

No. 19: Elton Hermansson, RW, 6-foot-1, 181 pounds, MoDo (Allsvenskan)

Hermansson is a skilled, play-driving winger who has the ability and vision to make plays in small areas. He spent the majority of his season playing at the pro level in Sweden’s second division, producing 11G-10A in 38 regular season games. He shone at the recently completed U18 worlds competing against his peer group. Hermansson contributed 4G-8A in seven games at the worlds. The bulk of Hermansson’s shifts come at even strength and on the power play. Although his statistical profile provides the picture of a shooter, Hermansson has sneaky playmaking upside as well. 

NHL Projection: Second-line forward

No. 20: Maddox Dagenais, C, 6-foot-3, 196 pounds, Quebec Remparts (QMJHL)

At this time of season in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, forwards with Dagenais’ profile are extremely valuable. The Toronto Maple Leafs were able to fetch a first-round pick in exchange for a similar player in Nicolas Roy at this year’s deadline, for example. Dagenais provides a power-style in the middle of the ice and the ability to move to the wing if required. All of his ice time came at even strength and the power play in Quebec this year, but he has the commitment and hockey sense to be used on the penalty kill as well. Dagenais is a hard out along the boards and in front of the net. He’s a solid skater who produced 30G-32A in the regular season this year, followed by 3G-3A in 11 playoff games. Dagenais also represented Canada at the U18 worlds and ended the tournament with 1G-1A and a plus-5 rating. 

NHL Projection: Middle-six forward. Spot 2C/high-end 3C

No. 21: Wyatt Cullen, LW, 6-foot-1, 180 pounds, USNTDP (USHL)

Cullen was the most dynamic offensive player at the USNTDP this season. He produced 16G-29A in 40 games. Cullen is a unique talent who has the skill to beat opponents off the rush, make plays in small areas in the offensive zone, and manage the puck on the power play. His off-puck defensive detail and consistent effort in all three zones fell off for me at the worlds, but his offence wins out at this stage of the draft.

Defensive detail is a choice. I’m banking on Cullen improving defensively. I also have to consider the fact he has grown significantly this year and his Sept. 8 birthday is very late for this draft class. He’s very young and just getting started developing his overall game. 

NHL Projection: Has to land in a top-six forward group. Three-zone detail will determine ceiling

No. 22: William Hakansson, LD, 6-foot-4, 207 pounds, Lulea (SHL)   

Hakansson is easily defined as a big, strong, reliable, shutdown defender who matches up against top forwards and rolls over the boards to kill penalties. He’s the kind of defenceman who complements a more active offensive partner. For example, pairing Hakansson with a player like No. 12-ranked Ryan Lin from my list makes sense. Hakansson is plenty mobile, makes a solid first pass and occasionally contributes some depth offence. 

NHL Projection: Second-pairing, shutdown defenceman

No. 23: Juho Piiparinen, RD, 6-foot-2, 201 pounds, Tappara (Liiga)

Piiparinen spent most of his season competing at the pro level in Finland. He didn’t produce much offence there (three assists in 29 games) but when he dropped down to compete against his peer group at the U20 level he contributed 1G-12A in 15 games. I’m a bit conflicted when projecting what Piiparinen will become at the NHL level. His combination of size and skating, paired with the fact he generally moves pucks efficiently, makes me feel like he will mature into a reliable two-way defenceman. On the other hand, he might simply end up slotting in a shutdown role similar to Hakansson if his offence doesn’t evolve. Either way, Piiparinen is an attractive target at this stage of the draft and a safe pick. He has the skill and hockey sense to be deployed in a variety of roles.  

NHL Projection: Second-pairing, two-way defenceman 

No. 24: Ilia Morozov, C, 6-foot-3, 205 pounds, Miami-Ohio (NCAA)

Morozov is the youngest NCAA draft eligible prospect in this class. His Aug. 3 birthday is just over a month away from being eligible for next year’s draft instead of the one. Morozov played heavy minutes for the Red Hawks and contributed 8G-12A in 36 games. I’m not sure Morozov has elite high-end offensive upside, but his combination of size and generally consistent detail in all three zones provides me with confidence that he will defend with purpose when he isn’t producing offence. It’s impossible to teach size. Morozov is a big body in the middle of the ice and fully capable of landing on a power play unit at the NHL level. 

NHL Projection: Middle-six centre 

No. 25: Malte Gustafsson, LD, 6-foot-4, 201 pounds, HV71 (Sweden)

Gustafsson is an interesting prospect. The left-shot defender is an excellent skater who appears capable of producing more offence as he matures. He competed in Sweden’s top pro league for most of the year, but his time on ice ranged wildly. There were nights he was deployed for less than five minutes, but also games that saw him skate over 15 total minutes. When he competed with the U18 national team Gustafsson was deployed in all situations and averaged over 24 minutes per game. I see a path forward where Gustafsson becomes a more defined two-way defenceman who will contribute some secondary/depth offence. The majority of his ice time will always come at even strength and on the power play. 

NHL Projection: No. 4 two-way defenceman

No. 26: Oliver Suvanto, C, 6-foot-3, 207 pounds, Tappara (Liiga)

Suvanto claims to pattern his game after Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov. He definitely has similar physical qualities, willingness to battle along the boards and create space for his linemates with his size, but Suvanto doesn’t project to have the same offensive upside. Having said that, a player like Suvanto contributes to the overall team success. He moves well for his size, is committed defensively and has enough skill to play the bumper or net front position on the power play. Suvanto contributed 2G-9A in 48 regular season games. At the U18 worlds Suvanto was deployed in all situations, averaged nearly 21 minutes per game of ice time and finished the tournament with 1G-2A in five games. It’s worth noting Suvanto is also very young for this draft class, with a Sept. 3 birthday.

NHL Projection: Middle-six centre 

No. 27: Nikita Shcherbakov, LD, 6-foot-5, 187 pounds, Ufa (Russia)

Shcherbakov suited up at several different levels this season in Russia. In a lot of ways he reminds me of Alexander Nikishin from the Carolina Hurricanes. Nikishin took time to find his offence and the same might hold true for Shcherbakov. He produced 4G-6A at the VHL — second division pro — level and 10 assists in 15 games at the MHL junior level. Shcherbakov is an outstanding skater. He tracks down pucks ahead of opponents defensively and has the ability to skate up ice on his own or outlet and join as an extra layer. His combination of size, agility and potential offence are all attractive attributes. 

NHL Projection: No. 4/second-pairing defenceman 

No. 28: Simas Ignatavicius, C, 6-foot-3, 198 pounds, Geneva Swiss (NLA)

Ignatavicius is an interesting prospect. He was born in Memphis, TN., but also holds Lithuanian citizenship. He played pro in Switzerland this year and competed for Lithuania on the international stage. Ignatavicius plays a hard, straight-forward, straight-line game. He’s active on the forecheck and battles physically to extend plays. His approach to the game compares as a distant cousin to my No. 9-ranked prospect, Alexander Command. Ignatavicius contributed 7G-6A in 52 pro games in Switzerland’s NLA. His 43 penalty minutes and plus-7 rating speak to his overall game. 

NHL Projection: Middle-six centre 

No. 29: Adam Valentini, F, 5-foot-10, 184 pounds, University of Michigan (NCAA)

For reasons I don’t understand, Valentini has flown under the radar for much of the season. The freshman forward produced 11G-16A in 40 games for the Wolverines. Contributing 27 points on a very deep Michigan roster is something I can’t overlook. Valentini competes up and down the ice. His overall game has evolved to the point where he can be trusted in a variety of roles. I don’t envision Valentini killing penalties at the pro level, but he plays quick and has solid offensive upside. Valentini represented Canada at the U18s in Slovakia and contributed 3G-2A in five games. He was also a plus-3.

NHL Projection: Middle-six forward who can play both centre and wing

No. 30: Markus Ruck, C, 5-foot-11, 167 pounds, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)

Markus is a different player than his brother Liam, who I have ranked No. 18. Markus is a playmaker/distributor compared to Liam who is a goal scorer. Much of Liam’s success has come off primary assists from Markus. Some players see how plays are developing one or two sequences ahead of time and Markus is one of those players. He saw between 18 and 22 minutes of ice time on a nightly basis and was used in all situations. Like his brother, Markus needs time to add strength to his frame. I would also like to see his skating go to another level as he develops. Markus won the WHL scoring title with 21G-87A and followed up with 4G-9A in the playoffs. 

NHL Projection: Middle-six centre

No. 31: Xavier Villeneuve, LD, 5-foot-11, 162 pounds, Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (QMJHL)

I was excited to track Villeneuve this season after he contributed 12G-50A in his rookie season. This year didn’t exactly go as planned as Villeneuve fought through injury and ended up only playing 37 regular season games for Blainville. The transitional defenceman and power-play quarterback ended up producing 6G-32A in those contests and followed up his regular season with 6G-8A in 17 playoff games. Villeneuve is obviously light. He will need to add a significant amount of strength to his frame before he arrives at the pro level. Having said that, Villeneuve isn’t a wilting violet when it comes to engaging physically. He never shies away from battling for pucks to create turnovers or extend plays in the offensive zone. 

NHL Projection: Middle-pairing defenceman

No. 32: Tommy Bleyl, RD, 5-foot-11, 165 pounds, Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL)

Bleyl exploded on to the scene in Moncton this season and has taken full advantage of the opportunities he has been provided. Bleyl has been deployed in all situations for the Wildcats and averaged nearly 24 minutes of ice time per game. In 82 games between the regular season and playoffs so far, Bleyl has registered 19G-87A. He’s similar to Villeneuve in stature, but he’s a right shot. I have the two transitional defenders side by side in my rankings for a reason. If one of these names goes off the board a team searching for a Lane Hutson type of prospect will have another name in the hat to choose from. 

NHL Projection: Middle-pairing defenceman

Early second-round targets to watch