The 2026 NHL Entry Draft is complete, with nine new prospects joining the Vancouver Canucks' organization. The common theme for this draft appeared to be size, as only two of the nine prospects are listed at 6'0" or shorter. Vancouver also added five prospects listed at 200 lbs or heavier, indicating a desire to build a stronger, heavier prospect pool.
This draft was the first under Ryan Johnson as GM. While there was a regime change, the scouting staff remained the same, including Todd Harvey, the Canucks' Director of Amateur Scouting. After the draft, Harvey spoke to the media and highlighted Vancouver's plan for the 2026 draft.
"Well, obviously we've got direction, and things have changed here, obviously," said Harvey. "And you know, our direction was we wanted to get quicker. We wanted to get bigger and harder to play against. We kind of went down, sat, we talked through the list. You guys don't want to know how many times we've gone through that list. We've done it over and over again. And we got it to where we thought everything aligned, and you never know what the draft, how it kind of plays out. But to get the guys we got and kind of targeted really fit the mould here."
The Canucks newest draft class also had an international feel as eight different countries were represented. Of the eight, the only country that featured multiple prospects was Canada, with players from Belarus, Czechia, Norway, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden and the US also hearing their names called. For Harvey and his staff, the main focus of the draft is picking the best prospect, regardless of nationality.
"It's kind of funny now. Everybody's coming over. You have (Niklas Aaram-Olsen) going to BU. It's all about their development path. And, you know, I don't think we look at it that way. There were players that were from the West that were on our board, and there was players from Quebec that were on our board. So we just kind of felt that in the late round, we had some size and some speed, and he's coming over here, and I thought that was a good way we should go."
Vancouver's new draft class also features a handful of players who have already committed to the NCAA for either this season or the 2027-28 campaign. This includes third overall pick Caleb Malhotra as well as Brooks Rogowski, who was selected 33rd overall. As Harvey explained, he and his staff want to have an idea of a prospect's timeline before potentially selecting them.
"We talk about it when we're sitting in our meetings. That's a big thing. Where's he going? What's his plan? You really like when, especially when you're in the interview process with the kids, you like to know that they have a plan and kind of know the path that they're on. It does make a bit of a difference. I think this whole new way of things has changed a lot of things. And I think it's good for the players, because a lot of them sometimes aren't ready physically, and this is another path that they can go on."
Harvey was asked about the contract status of Ian Clark, who is listed on the team site under Scout and Goalie Development. Clark has helped shape the Canucks' goaltending group for nearly a decade and is considered one of the best goalie coaches in the NHL. Harvey was unable to provide an update, but did say that the organization has been in contact with Clark.
Lastly, Harvey revealed that eight of the nine prospects drafted are expected to attend development camp this year. The only exception is Russian goaltender Dmitri Ivchenko. Development camp will take place in Abbotsford this year, with on-ice sessions open to the public.
Jun 26, 2026; Buffalo, New York, USA; Caleb Malhotra reacts with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman after being selected with the third pick in the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft by the Vancouver Canucks at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images
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DENVER, COLORADO - DECEMBER 22: Ivan Ivan #82 of the Colorado Avalanche looks up during a pause in the game Kraken at Ball Arena on December 22, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Ashley Potts/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
In the middle of all that Draft chaos, we almost forgot that a trade happened!
The Bruins acquired Lysell in the 2021 NHL Draft as a first round selection. While he is unquestionably talented, the AHL level seemed to be where his skillset was best utilized, as after his single season with the Vancouver Giants, he joined the Providence Bruins, and was one of their better forwards. He was, however, rarely utilized at the NHL level, only playing 12 games with the big boy club and all of it from last year. As it increasingly became clear this was not going to be a viable option for him, I think a trade like this became inevitable for the young Swede.
Ivan Ivan, on top of maybe being the best name in the NHL, was an undrafted signing for the Avalanche who has split time between the Colorado Eagles and the Avalanche. He has been a major part of the Eagles’ success through the last few years, and while he hasn’t been able to do much with last year’s Avalanche, this could be a much better opportunity for the young man to get some strong minutes, as Boston’s roster is notoriously in flux.
Analytically, Ivan Ivan is a solid depth guy who’s strength is in backchecking.
Given the team he just joined, I think he’ll do just fine.
BOSTON, MA - DECEMBER 28: Boston Bruins forward Fabian Lysell (23) looks on during a National Hockey League game. (Photo by Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Colorado Avalanche moved on from Ivan Ivan on Saturday—but the deal was about far more than just a name.
We have acquired Fabian Lysell from the Boston Bruins in exchange for Ivan Ivan. pic.twitter.com/Tt4kfsN6GJ
In a one-for-one trade with the Boston Bruins, Colorado acquired former 2021 first-round pick Fabian Lysell, a once-hyped offensive winger still trying to turn prospect pedigree into consistent NHL production. In return, the Avalanche parted ways with Ivan, a depth forward who carved out an NHL role after arriving to the organization as an undrafted free agent.
For Colorado, it’s a bet on untapped upside. For Boston, it’s a swap for reliability.
Lysell arrives in Denver after spending most of last season with the Providence Bruins, where he put together 17 goals and 25 assists for 42 points in 57 AHL games. He was a key contributor on a Providence team that finished with the league’s best regular-season record and claimed the Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy, finishing sixth on the roster in scoring and fifth in both goals and assists.
Across four seasons in the AHL, the 23-year-old Swedish winger has been productive, totaling 57 goals and 106 assists for 163 points in 219 games with Providence. At the NHL level, he has appeared in 12 games for Boston in the 2024-25 season, recording one goal and adding two assists.
His track record before turning pro reinforced the offensive projection. With the WHL’s Vancouver Giants in 2021–22, Lysell posted 62 points in 53 games and then elevated his game in the playoffs with 21 points in 12 contests, leading the league with 17 assists during that run.
Originally selected 21st overall in the 2021 NHL Draft, Lysell also developed through Luleå HF in Sweden’s SHL after coming up in Frölunda’s junior system. On the international stage, he has represented Sweden twice at major tournaments, earning bronze at both the 2021 IIHF Under-18 World Championship and the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship.
Ivan’s path looks very different.
Signed by Colorado in March 2024 after going undrafted, he worked his way into 49 NHL games with the Avalanche, producing five goals and four assists while establishing himself as a steady, energy-driven bottom-six presence. He also logged extensive time with the Colorado Eagles, recording 25 goals and 44 assists across 169 AHL appearances. That should have been enough to graduate to the NHL level but with his contract now complete the Avalanche were at a crossroads with him.
The move ultimately comes down to projection versus production. Colorado is wagering that Lysell’s offensive toolkit still hasn’t fully translated at the NHL level, while Boston adds a player whose role and identity are already defined. Both are Restricted Free Agents but with Lysell coming off his Entry Level Contract he does not hold arbitration rights like Ivan does. Clearly Colorado’s strategy is to hope one of these 2021 first round picks (along with Fyodor Svechkov and Zach L’Heureux) stick hoping another organization’s development will pay off for them.
Just when it appeared they were probably done selecting in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, Kyle Dubas and the Pittsburgh Penguins snuck in to snag one more player to complete their draft class.
The Penguins acquired the 160th overall pick from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for a 2027 fifth-round pick and used it to draft Russian goaltender Matvei Nikonovich. The Belarusian netminder posted impressive numbers last season in the MHL - Russia's junior league - including a 20-14-4 record with a .939 save percentage and a 1.96 goals-against average in 38 games.
He stands at 6-foot-2, 187 pounds, and, according to Elite Prospects, he is known for his strong tracking ability as well as his power.
Nikonovich was one of 31 goaltenders selected in this year's draft, which is an atypically high number. He was obviously what the Penguins deemed a "value pick" in the later rounds, where they've found some value before: top goaltending prospect Sergei Murashov - a fellow Russian - was a fourth-round selection (118th overall) in 2022, and he took a similar path as Nikonovich and had similar numbers in the MHL.
After a frantic Friday that featured two first-round picks, two trades and a contract extension, Saturday was a little quieter for the Ottawa Senators.
But while there wasn't nearly as much drama, day two of the NHL Draft revealed a lot about organizational need. When a team spends its first five picks on skilled forwards, it's difficult not to conclude that management believes the organization needs more skill up front.
The Senators had three picks in round three, then the standard single pick in rounds four, five, and six. Just as they did in round one with Jonas Lagerberg Hoen and Jaxon Cover, the Sens used all of their third-round picks on skilled forwards.
72 W Adam Nemec (OHL, Sudbury) 87 C Oscar Holmertz (SWE-Jr, Linkoping HC) 91 W Louis-Felix Bourque (QMJHL, Drummondville) 110 G Elliot Lennon (MA-HS, Deerfield) 151 D Harris Pangretitsch (OHL, Sault Ste. Marie) 183 D Alexander Grunin (RUS-MHL, Sibirskie Snaipery Novosibirsk)
72 W Adam Nemec (OHL, Sudbury)
The Sens opened day 2 of the draft at 72 with number 71 from the Sudbury Wolves, Adam Nemec. Nemec certainly comes from fine NHL bloodlines as his older brother, Simon, was the second overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft. Simon, an RFA, was just traded from New Jersey to Calgary.
The younger Nemec started his draft year in Slovakia, playing 28-games with HK Nitra. But being a men's league, he didn't get a ton of ice time, which wasn't ideal for his NHL draft year. So after putting up five points in five games at the World Juniors, he shifted to the OHL, right in the middle of the season, to play for the Sudbury Wolves.
If that proved to be a culture shock, it didn't show. Nemec, a 6-foot, 173 pound winger, put up 35 points in 31 games for the Wolves.
87 C Oscar Holmertz (SWE-Jr, Linkoping HC)
The Senators have suddenly developed a fondness for Swedish players.
In the last week, they've acquired winger William Eklund, goalie Samuel Ersson, winger Andre Burakovsky, and at the draft they made Jonas Lagerberg Hoen their first pick at 25th overall.
On Saturday, they went with another Swedish forward at 87, drafting Oscar Holmertz. The 6-foot, 187 pound centre had 34 points in 36 games with Linkoping HC Jr. He also got into 11 games with Linkoping's men's team.
91 W Louis-Felix Bourque (QMJHL, Drummondville)
The Senators stayed with their forward theme with their final third-round pick, taking Louis-Felix Bourque. Bourque had 24 goals and 49 points in 54 games for Drummondville in the Q this season. At just 17, he already possesses NHL size at 6-foot-2 and 214 pounds.
110 G Elliot Lennon (MA-HS, Deerfield)
In round four, the Senators decided to end the run of forwards by adding to their goaltending depth, drafting 6-foot-six high schooler, Elliot Lennon. As you might imagine, Lennon posted fantastic stats in his three years at Deerfield Academy. He's committed to Brown University for the 2027-28 season. He'll play this fall for the USHL's Madison Capitols. He suited up for two games with the Caps this season.
151 D Harris Pangretitsch (OHL, Sault Ste. Marie)
At this stage in the draft, the Senators turned their attention to shutdown defensemen with size, and at 6-foot-4, 219 pounds, the right-shot Pangretitsch certainly fits that bill. He won't drive offence, but his improvements through the season were obvious.
Pangretitsch also has a strong academic reputation, reportedly carrying a 95 average in school.
183 D Alexander Grunin (RUS-MHL, Sibirskie Snaipery Novosibirsk)
At 6-foot-4, 185 pounds, Grunin still has some filling out to do, but he's also seen as a shutdown defenseman with good mobility. He scored 15 points in 44 games with the wonderfully-named Sibirskie Snaipery Novosibirsk. (RUS-MHL).
Dylan Griffing from Elite Prospects mentioned on social media that Grunin is very raw, but hyper-mobile and one of the biggest wild cards in the draft, but also had a scary year-end, getting stretchered off the ice during the Russian U18 Finals. He played in the following game, but only for a few minutes.
The Sens' 2026 draft class paints a fairly clear picture.
The team prioritized offensive skill early, leaned heavily into European talent, and then rounded out the class with size on D. As with any draft, it will be years before we can properly evaluate these choices, but the organization's blueprint was hard to miss.
In the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft, the Kings selected Elton Hermansson with the 19th overall pick. This selection was crucial for Los Angeles, and it might be the best decision for the team’s future.
Hermansson is a young prospect from Modo Hockey, which is a team from the professional Swedish league, HockeyAllsvenskan. In this league, the 18-year-old winger showed immense promise as a goalscorer.
As the second-youngest player on the Modo Hockey roster in 2026, Hermansson recorded 11 goals. He had the fourth-highest goal total on the team and was the only player under 25 in the top five.
While Hermansson was a key contributor to Modo Hockey, he generated his production in fewer games. He only played 38 games, which ranked nineteenth in most games played on the team.
Despite having a smaller sample size, Hermansson generated 21 total points and a plus-nine in total net rating. Thus demonstrating the amount of impact Hermansson had when he was on the ice.
Only one year removed from Örebro U20, Hermansson managed to translate his production into a league against grown men. While the NHL is another level above HockeyAllsvenskan, it is still worth noting how well Hermansson can adjust to better leagues.
Early in his Modo Hockey tenure, Hermansson learned that he couldn’t live on the perimeter. This allowed Hermansson to adjust his game by becoming more physical and more drives to the net.
This allowed Hermansson to mature as a puck handler and overall playmaker within the offense. The maturation of a young player to adjust his game against more experienced players, is a valuable trait.
Maturing as a player is the reason why Hermanson improved in the HockeyAllsvenskan and why he was drafted in the first place. Hermanson will have to adapt and evolve his game once again when he suits up for the Kings.
Los Angeles selected Hermansson hoping that he could become the forward that could reshape this struggling offense. Last season, the Kings scored 2.68 goals per game, which ranked 29th in the NHL.
Along with other moves like hiring Peter Laviolette as the coach, the Kings are orchestrating moves to help in the future. The next few years are set for Los Angeles to build a culture around a stronger offense.
Hermansson is part of that piece in that process as a scoring wing for this team. There is plenty of excitement for Hermansson to eventually find his way on the Kings roster.
“The team is great. You know a lot of Swedes played there, like Kempe [and] Grundstrom, said Hermansson. “Great team, great history. Looking forward to visiting the city there and the facilities.”
Before Hermansson finally makes the NHL, there is a development process that will take place. This includes more time with Modo Hockey and most likely some time with the Ontario Reign.
So when the time comes for Hermansson to play his first game for the Kings, he is expected to be a valuable contributor on offense. This draft pick can help Los Angeles find that winger who delivers the firepower this team has desperately needed.
The Nashville Predators ended Friday with a bang at the NHL Draft in Buffalo, drafting forward Wyatt Cullen (10th overall) and defenseman Thomas Bleyl (31st overall) in the first round.
After dealing off both of their second-round picks for Carolina's 31st overall selection, the Predators had a slow start to Saturday, kicking off the day in the third round. However, they still had eight slots left to fill before the day was over
Here is every transaction the Predators made in rounds 3-7 of the NHL Draft.
PICK: 3rd Round, 70th Overall: Dmitri Borichev, G, Loko 76 Yaroslavl (Russia)
Nashville opened the day selecting its first goalie of this year's draft in Dmitri Borichev, a 6-foot-2, 188-pound goalie from Vologda, Russia, at 70th overall.
He played this past season with Loko 76 Yaroslavl, Russia's MHL junior league. In 24 games, Borichev posted a 12-8-3 record, with three shutouts. He had a .929 save percentage and a 2.25 goals against average.
Borichev was named the NHL Central Scouting's top-ranked international goaltender for this year's Draft.
Borichev is expected to return to the MHL next season.
TRADE: Massimo Rizzo, 148th Pick To Rangers For Forward Adam Edstrom
TRADE 🔄
We've acquired forward Adam Edstrom from the Rangers in exchange for forward Massimo Rizzo and pick no. 148 in this year's draft.
The first active player that the Predators have acquired in this draft, Nashville sent center Massimo Rizzo and the 148th overall pick to the New Rangers for forward Adam Edstrom.
He is a massive addition to the lineup, size-wise, with a 6-foot-7, 232-pound build. Edstrom played 35 games with the Rangers this season, recording five points off three goals and two assists.
Edstrom's time in New York was marred by injuries as he missed the majority of last season with a fractured ankle. Upon his return in March, he was scratched for the final 11 games of the season.
He's played in 97 NHL games from the 2023-24 season, recording 16 points off 10 goals and six assists.
Rizzo has not played a game in Nashville since his acquisition from the Boston Bruins in 2025 and has played 13 games with the Milwaukee Admirals, scoring 5 points.
PICK: 4th Round, 106th overall Jakub Floris, D, Lukko (Finland)
Nashville opened up the fourth round selecting Jakub Floris, a 6-foot-3, 183-pound right-shot defenseman from Bratislava, Slovakia, at 106th overall.
He played this past season with Lukko Jr. in Finland's U-20 league. There, he recorded 18 points in 38 games, with 10 goals and eight assists.
Floris also played for Slovakia at the IIHF U-18 World Championship, scoring four points off two goals and two assists in seven games. He is expected to make the jump to Liiga, Finland's top professional hockey league, this fall.
The second American selection by the Predators comes in the form of Justin Graf, a 6-foot-1, 174-pound left-shot center from Boston, Massachusetts, at 118th overall.
In his first season in the USHL with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, Graf had 55 points in 52 games, with 23 goals and 32 assists.
He won a Gold Medal with Team USA at the U19 World Junior A Challenge, recording an assist in five games. Graf will be playing at Harvard University starting this fall.
Graf also has some NHL roots in his family as his brother is Colin Graf, a forward with the San Jose Sharks.
PICK: 5th Round, 138th overall Philip Hemmyr, LW, Bjrokloven (Sweden)
The third lefty shot of this draft, the Predators selected Philip Hemmyr, a 6-foot-1, 170-pound left-winger from Umeå, Sweden, with the 138th overall pick.
He primarily played with Bjrokloven in Sweden's second-tier professional league, scoring 12 points in 36 games, with six goals and six assists.
Hemmyr was promoted to the league after a dominant 27-game stretch in Sweden's U-20 league, scoring 44 points off 19 goals and 25 assists.
He's expected to stay with Bjrokloven this coming season, but play in the Swedish Hockey League, the country's top league.
TRADE: 160th Overall Pick To Pittsburgh Penguins For 2028 Fifth Round Pick
The Predators now have 10 picks in the 2028 NHL Draft, two in the fifth round.
PICK: 6th Round, 179th Overall Benjamin Cossette-Ayotte, D, Val-D'Or (QMJHL)
Just two selections in this draft from the Canadian Hockey League as Benjamin Cossette-Ayotte comes in at 179th overall, a 6-foot-1, 185-pound right-shot defenseman from Trios-Rivières, Quebec.
He spent this past season with the Val-D'Or Foreurs in the QMJHL, scoring 38 points, with 4 goals and 34 assists, in 62 games. It was his second season in the league and first as an assistant captain.
PICK: 7th Round, 202nd Overall Charlie Puglisi, C, Winchendon School (HS-MA)
The Predators' final pick of the 2026 NHL Draft came in Charlie Puglisi at 202nd overall, a 6-foot, 162-pound right-shot center from Latham, New York.
Unlike his counterparts, he did not play junior or professional hockey this year, but high school hockey in Massachusetts. Puglisi played at Winchendon School, scoring 76 points off 26 goals and 50 assists in 35 games.
He also played in the Eastern Hockey Federation's U-18 league with the Islanders Hockey Club Prep East, scoring 31 points (10 goals and 21 assists) in 25 games.
Puglisi will play with the Kitchener Rangers this coming season and is committed to Cornell University for the 2027-28 season.
With the third-to-last pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, which was acquired from Colorado, the New Jersey Devils selected Quinn McKenzie from the Soo Greyhounds of the OHL. In 2026-27, McKenzie will be playing for the Penn State Nittany Lions. For such a late pick in the draft, there is actually a lot to like here! Quinn had 21 goals and 30 assists in 65 games for the Greyhounds this season, jumping from Shattuck St. Mary’s to the OHL and putting up a very good season in third-line minutes. I am actually surprised, looking at his profile, that he never got much scouting attention, especially with his five goals and seven points in 10 playoff games for Soo. However, he is a 5’10” and 176 pound right-handed center, so maybe the size factor made him slip through the cracks. The Maryland-native also grades out very well on Mitchell Brown’s CHL tracking project for a prospect this late in the draft, with solid passing and defensive skills.
You can see here that the areas McKenzie will have to work on the most are his turnovers. He has been a puck-dominant center in the OHL, and it does seem that he struggled a bit with puck protection at times. However, with an ability to get back and strong impact on getting the puck out of the defensive zone and past center ice, McKenzie has a strong base to establish himself as a third or fourth-line winger if he cannot quite drive the offense as a center. Brock Otten, the Director of Scouting for McKeen’s Hockey, liked this one quite a bit:
Great to see Quinn McKenzie go. Small, but quick and a high end playmaker. Really good in transition. If you're going to take a chance on a smaller player, this is the kind you roll the dice on like New Jersey did. #NHLDraft
He is a player that wants to be good for his team. Back in October, when the season was just getting underway, McKenzie was featured in the The Sault Star after scoring an overtime winner over the Kitchener Rangers. Despite having three points in a 5-4 win, McKenzie apologized to his team postgame, per head coach John Dean, for his play in the first period. You can see the highlights from that game below. On the overtime goal, McKenzie spins off a defender along the boards and goes right to the net, ending the game.
This might be the kind of player he is. When he scored his first OHL goal, he won a puck battle on the boards at a tough angle and then went around to the net, scoring on a rebound.
Unfortunately, as a largely unranked player, McKenzie lacks the usual highlight packages I could normally point to even though he had the statistical production to assemble such a video. Maybe one comes out eventually. Maybe he gets added to the NHLe databases. We’ll see. For now, feel free to vote in our flash poll and leave your thoughts in the comments below.
Andre Burakovsky’s career has turned into a steady loop of new stops and short stays. The latest came Friday, when the Chicago Blackhawks dealt him to the Ottawa Senators for a 2027 sixth-round pick.
He leaves Chicago after one season that felt functional more than anything else. Burakovsky posted 33 points (11 goals, 22 assists) in 75 games after arriving from the Seattle Kraken on June 21, 2025. Middle-six minutes, secondary scoring, dependable enough—but never really a defining piece of the lineup.
— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) June 26, 2026
He is entering the final year of a five-year, $27.5 million contract ($5.5 million AAV) signed with Seattle in July 2022 and will become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
Across 771 regular-season games, he has 420 points (164 goals, 256 assists). He also has 47 points in 93 playoff games and two Stanley Cup championships.
Drafted 23rd overall by the Washington Capitals in 2013, Burakovsky has now played for Washington, Colorado, Seattle, Chicago, and Ottawa. The production has been steady enough over time, but the role has shifted almost everywhere he’s gone.
The clearest version of his impact still traces back to Colorado.
He wasn’t a driver on that 2022 team, but he didn’t need to be on a roster that went on to win the Stanley Cup. Colorado was built to overwhelm teams with speed and skill. His job was simpler—finish plays when they opened up, and be ready for the moments that could swing a game.
Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final against Tampa Bay is still the reference point. The game went to overtime, tight and tense, and Burakovsky finished it—scoring the winner in a 4-3 Avalanche victory that set the tone for a series Colorado would close out in six games.
That’s still the moment people remember. Not because it defines his career, but because it shows what he’s always been: a player who can matter without ever being the center of it.
In Ottawa, that’s the bet again.
Senators general manager Steve Staios put it simply.
“Andre adds skill and playmaking ability to our forward group,” Staios said. “We are happy to add the pedigree of a two-time Stanley Cup champion.”
For Ottawa, it’s another depth move—an experienced winger who can slide into the middle six, chip in offense, and help stabilize shifts when games tighten.
The Senators also made another move Friday, acquiring goaltender Samuel Ersson from the Toronto Maple Leafs for a 2026 fifth-round pick, part of a broader stretch of roster reshaping.
Burakovsky’s career doesn’t come with permanence at this point. It hasn’t for a while. But he keeps finding teams that believe there’s still enough there to make a difference.
The Chicago Blackhawks went a long while without making a selection in the 2026 NHL Draft, but they came back on the clock twice during the seventh round.
With their first of two, they took Russian defenseman Alexander Ivanov with the 194th pick. Ivanov is more of a defensive defenseman with size, standing at 6'1" and 181 lbs.
There is not one part of Ivanov's game that sticks out as NHL caliber, which will have to change if he ever wants to make it, but he is a well-rounded player who knows how to play the position. He has pro experience under his belt already, so it's on him to work his way over to North America.
With the 200th overall pick, the Blackhawks selected William Sorbrand. This was a case of the Blackhawks adding a big forward with their last pick, as Sorbrand of Sweden comes in at 6'4" and 209 lbs.
During his draft year, he spent time with each level of the Swedish Elite League as a member of Timra IK.
That made it five total picks for the Blackhawks over the course of the entire draft, which is the least they've made in the Kyle Davidson era, including no first-round selections for the first time.
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The Anaheim Ducks made nine selections in the 2026 NHL Draft over the two-day event in Buffalo, NY on June 26 and 27.
They made two significant trades on Day 1 of the draft, parting with young center Mason McTavish (3rd overall in 2021) and young, budding defenseman Olen Zellweger (33rd in ’21). On the eve of the draft night, the Ducks didn’t have any first-round picks for the first time since 2017, but by trading McTavish, they acquired two: the 15th and 29th overall picks.
Due to the uncertain nature of evaluating draft picks, as they’re incredibly young and likely will take several years to reach the NHL, if at all, it’s difficult to dislike any selection made by any team at any point in the draft. With that said, for this exercise, instead of typical letter grades, I have graded the Ducks' selections in terms of “Cold Stone Creamery” ice cream sizes, which reflect varying degrees of enjoyment: “Like It,” Love It,” and “Gotta Have It.”
15. Nikita Klepov, LW, Saginaw Spirit (OHL)
6-Foot | 187 Pounds
Grade: Gotta Have It
Heading into the draft, Klepov was ranked around this position, with a range of 15 to 25. He led the OHL in scoring with 97 points (37-60=97) in 67 regular season games, and dictates every aspect of play with the puck on his stick. He’s calculating, deceptive, tenacious, and has some of the top pure skill in this entire draft class.
The reason this pick receives such a high grade from me is, in large part, the cost it took to make this selection. The Ducks had Klepov targeted, and general manager Pat Verbeek stated that if he weren’t available at 15, the Ducks wouldn’t have made the deal. Klepov will forever be tied to Mason McTavish for the duration of their careers, and the Ducks put their neck out by trading a former third-overall pick in a trade where he’s the centerpiece coming back.
Other players that Verbeek and Martin Madden, as a duo, have staked their reputation on whether it’s selecting them higher than they were projected or have traded up for in the first round include Leo Carlsson (2nd in ’23), Beckett Sennecke (3rd in ’24), and Stian Solberg (23rd in ’24).
“I think our scouts were super excited, but I was (also) super excited to get to him just because I think he provides what I call a 50-50 player in a sense,” Verbeek told media after the first round. “He's equal part goalscorer, equal part playmaker. He does have creativity, has really good hockey sense, and with an 18-year-old, they need to get stronger.
“And I believe over the next year or so, if we get him stronger, he's going to be in a place that's going to be really good to play in the NHL. We just like his compete level. We like the drive that he has to score goals. And right now, it's just a matter of getting him stronger because there's a lot of really top-notch athletic ability with this player as well.”
Beyond the top ten, for the most part, the Ducks have been relatively safe with the type of player they select in the late-first round and into the second round. They’ve preferred more projectable, potentially lower-ceiling players. However, with this pick and their second first-round pick, they gambled big on upside.
28. Marcus Nordmark, W, Djurgardens IF (U20 Sweden)
6-foot-2 | 187 Pounds
Grade: Like It
This pick was a significant bet on talent for the Ducks, looking to add dynamism to their forward pipeline. Nordmark has every imaginable physical tool aside from skating. His processing speed with the puck on his stick is high-level, his release is quick and heavy, and he’s a plus facilitator.
The question marks surrounding Nordmark’s game appear to be mostly between the ears. He lacks consistency, and with that, his compete level can appear lacking. He has good defensive instincts, but could stand to improve his forechecking and stride-to-stride involvement.
The Ducks clearly believe in their development staff to get the most out of the mental aspects of Nordmark’s game. This is a bet on upside that most followers crave their teams make at this position in the draft.
In an unusual tactic, the Ducks traded up one single spot from 29 to 28 to take Nordmark.
“That's the deal. When you start looking at your board, and you start looking at your list, you don't want to take a chance,” Verbeek said when asked about trading up so minimally. “I didn't feel like we had the chance to do it (at 29th overall versus 28th overall), and I don't like taking chances to hope that that player is going to be there. We like the player a lot, and we want to be aggressive to make sure that we got that player.”
45. Jayden Kurtz, RHD, Rogers High School (USHS-MN)
6-foot-3 | 194 Pounds
Grade: Like It
As has become tradition to an extent, the Ducks went a bit off the board with an early Day 2 pick when they selected Jayden Kurtz from the Minnesota high school hockey circuit. Kurtz is a long, responsible defender who could be classified as a “long-term project” for Anaheim.
Kurtz scored 38 points (13-25=38) in 26 high school games in 2025-26 and added three points (1-2=3) in 16 USHL games in a stint with the Chicago Steel to end the campaign. This selection is reminiscent of when they selected Jackson LaCombe with the 39th overall pick in the 2019 draft.
Kurtz will play his 2026-27 season at the University of Wisconsin in the NCAA.
50. Mathis Preston, RW, Vancouver Giants (WHL)
5-foot-11 | 176 Pounds
Grade: Gotta Have It
This is yet another bet on upside, as Preston is one of the more electric players in the 2026 Draft. He’s the shiftiest, fastest skater in the class with lightning hands and a lightning release. He’s more of a transition expert than a cycle play driver, but his instant offense is a tool that any team could use.
His length is roughly NHL average, but he’ll need to add to his 176-pound frame in the next couple of seasons to round out his toolkit. Preston’s lack of a “B Game” is what likely caused his drop into the second round, but the Ducks can afford to take a gamble on tremendous offensive upside, which is why this is my favorite pick of the draft.
Mathis finished his WHL season with 44 points (18-26=44) in 46 games, split between the Spokane Chiefs and Vancouver Giants, and ended his season playing for Canada at the U18 World Championships, where he scored six points (2-4=6) in five games.
“I think I’m a dynamic skater. I love to attack off the rush, play in-zone,” Preston said after he was drafted. “I think I make my teammates around me better, and I learn people’s games so that I can help them. I know their strengths and where they’re comfortable. I think that helps the team, overall.”
82. Rian Chudzinski, RW, Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL)
6-foot-1 | 191 Pounds
Grade: Like It
After four high-upside potential projects, the Ducks went back to the well of selecting a translatable, responsible, north/south forward in the third round with their selection of Rian Chudzinski.
Chudzinski plays a pacey “meat and potatoes” game, where he makes an impact on the forecheck, provides a physical presence, and gets to the hard areas of the ice. The production will likely never come around, and he projects to top out with a fourth-line toolkit.
He scored 38 points (21-17=38) in 54 games and added 17 (6-11=17) in 21 playoff games during Moncton’s run to the QMJHL final. It’s unclear where he’ll play his hockey in 2026-27.
146. Eric Frossard, LHD, Guelph Storm (OHL)
6-foot-6 | 206 Pounds
Grade: Love It
Frossard’s size, defensive fundamentals, and projectability render it somewhat of a surprise that he was available this late into the draft for the Ducks. His skills aren’t dazzling, but are good enough to retrieve a puck, make a first pass, and feed shots through from the point.
His expertise is defense, specifically eliminating angles and protecting the net front. He likely has bottom pair upside, and it will take him several years of development before he may even sniff NHL action, but certainly a worthwhile gamble in the fifth round.
He scored 14 points (5-9=14) in 51 games for Guelph in 2025-26. He’ll look to round out and develop more of a robust offensive game in 2026-27, again playing for Guelph, but he’ll make the jump to the NCAA in 2027-28 to play for the University of Notre Dame.
“I’m a big defenseman who skates really well, plays a really strong defensive game, use my stick, closes fast, but also has some offensive ability and more of a two-way style,” Frossard said after his selection. “I use my skating to join the rush and try to help the team score as well.”
178. Gleb Peshkov, G, Taifun Primorsky Krai (MHL Russia)
6-foot-3 | 212 Pounds
Grade: Love It
The Ducks rarely exit a draft without selecting a goaltender. This year, it was Peshkov in the sixth round. The Ducks will add him to their goalie pipeline that includes Tomas Suchanek, Damian Clara, Vyacheslav Buteyets, and Elijah Neuenschwander.
Peshkov is reported to be an athletic, but very raw goaltender who managed a .930 SV% in 47 MHL games in 2025-26. Positioning and puck tracking seem to be areas in need of improvement for Peshkov before he potentially makes the transition to North America.
192. Noah Kosick, C, Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)
6-foot | 160 Pounds
Grade: Like It
The Ducks acquired the 192nd pick in the 2026 NHL draft along with ECHL defenseman Kyle Masters (23) from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for the signing rights for veteran defenseman John Carlson. With the pick, the Ducks selected Kosick, a playmaking center from the WHL who has good vision, hockey sense, and puck skills, but needs to round out every other aspect of his game.
He scored 54 points (16-38=54) in 69 games in 2025-26, split between the Swift Current Broncos and Seattle Thunderbirds. He is reportedly heading to the University of Michigan in the NCAA for the 2026-27 season.
210. James Rieber, RHD, Waterloo Blackhawks (USHL)
6-foot-2 | 176 Pounds
Grade: Like It
With their final selection in the draft, the Ducks took a swing on Rieber, who scored 11 points (2-9=11) in 60 regular season USHL games. He’s committed to Miami University (Ohio) in the NCAA for the 2027-28 season and will presumably play another year in the USHL next season.
Ducks defenseman John Carlson speaks to the media during his 2025-26 exit interview.
The writing appeared to be on the wall when it came to John Carlson leaving the Ducks via free agency, but it was confirmed on Saturday afternoon after they traded Carlson’s rights to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for defenseman Kyle Masters and the 192nd overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. The Ducks used that pick to select forward Noah Kostick from the Seattle Thunderbirds in the WHL.
Carlson was acquired this past March from the Washington Capitals and after a delayed debut due to a lingering lower-body injury that he suffered prior to the trade, he played in 16 regular season games for the Ducks. He scored his first professional hat trick on Apr. 9 against the San Jose Sharks and arguably helped the Ducks reach the playoffs for the first time since 2018.
He helped solidify the right side of the Ducks’ defense behind Jacob Trouba and contributed well during their Round 1 series against the Edmonton Oilers. However, he did not fare as well in Round 2 against the Vegas Golden Knights’ suffocating forecheck and stingy penalty kill.
Following the conclusion of the Ducks 2025-26 season after their Round 2 loss to the Golden Knights, reports began to surface that Carlson was seeking a return to the East Coast. Eventually, Carlson’s agent, Rick Curran, confirmed that Carlson would not be returning to the Ducks.
Saturday’s trade helps Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek recoup a small amount of value for Carlson after initially trading a first-round pick and a third-round pick for him.
With their final pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, 201st overall, the San Jose Sharks selected 7-foot-1, 280-pound left-handed Moldovan defenseman Alexander Karmanov.
If Karmanov makes it to the NHL, which is seen as a long shot at this point, he'll surpass Zdeno Chara and Curtis Douglas as the tallest player in NHL history. On top of that, he is also the first Moldovan selected in the NHL Draft.
Last season, Karmanov split his time between the North Bay Battalion of the Ontario Hockey League and the Brantford Titans of the Greater Ontario Hockey League. In Brantford, Karmanov scored three goals and tallied a total of seven points in 15 games. Then, during his time with North Bay, he just two assists in 20 games, but was a +6 with 29 penalty minutes.
Karmanov is committed to Penn State University for the 2027-28 season, but he'll spend the 2026-27 season with North Bay once again.
Karmanov is seen as a massive project. His reach is certainly beneficial, but his size does have a number of disadvantages when it comes to skating. He often struggles to get back up to speed and as a result, forwards are able to blow past him.
The Colorado Avalanche lost two Ivans on Saturday.
Well, sort of.
Colorado traded forward Ivan Ivan to the Boston Bruins in exchange for former first-round pick Fabian Lysell, ending the brief Avalanche tenure of one of the NHL's most unforgettable names while taking a chance on a former top prospect still searching for his breakthrough.
It's a classic change-of-scenery trade.
Colorado parts with a reliable depth forward who exceeded expectations after signing as an undrafted free agent, while Boston sends away a skilled winger whose offensive potential has yet to translate consistently at the NHL level.
Fabian Lysell is the latest Avalanche reclamation project. Credit: Charles LeClaire - Imagn Images
The 23-year-old Lysell spent last season with the Providence Bruins, recording 17 goals and 25 assists for 42 points in 57 American Hockey League games. He helped Providence finish with the AHL's best regular-season record and capture the Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy, ranking sixth on the team in scoring while finishing fifth in both goals and assists.
The Swedish winger has quietly been one of the AHL's more productive young forwards since turning professional. Over four seasons with Providence, Lysell amassed 57 goals and 106 assists for 163 points in 219 regular-season games. He has also appeared in 12 NHL games with Boston, collecting one goal and two assists.
A change of scenery may be exactly what he needs.
Selected 21st overall by the Bruins in the 2021 NHL Draft, Lysell entered professional hockey carrying the reputation of a dynamic offensive talent. While that promise hasn't fully materialized in Boston, the Avalanche are betting there's still another level to his game.
Before turning pro, Lysell starred for the Western Hockey League's Vancouver Giants, tallying 22 goals and 40 assists for 62 points in 53 games during the 2021-22 season. He elevated his play in the postseason, recording four goals and 17 assists for 21 points in 12 playoff games, with his 17 assists leading the entire WHL.
Prior to arriving in North America, the Gothenburg, Sweden, native played professionally with Luleå HF in the Swedish Hockey League after developing in Frölunda's respected junior system.
Lysell has also represented Sweden on the international stage, earning bronze medals at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship and the 2021 IIHF Under-18 World Championship.
Ivan, meanwhile, leaves Colorado after three seasons. Signed by the Avalanche as an undrafted free agent in March 2024, he appeared in 49 games with the club, recording five goals and four assists while earning a reputation as a dependable, high-energy bottom-six forward.
He spent a majority of his time with the Colorado Eagles, where he produced 25 goals and 44 assists in 169 career AHL games.
Whether the trade ultimately pays off will depend on which player benefits more from his new surroundings. Colorado is betting Lysell's first-round pedigree still carries untapped potential, while Boston adds a player who has already shown he can carve out a role at the NHL level.
The Vancouver Canucks have selected Samuel Eriksson 184th overall in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. The left-shot defenceman played last season with Färjestad BK's program in the J20 Nationell. Listed at 6'6", 212 lbs, Eriksson scored three goals while recording nine points in 2025-26.
In addition to his play in the J20 Nationell, Eriksson also represented Sweden at multiple tournaments last year. He was part of Sweden's U18 team that captured Gold. Eriksson also played at the World Junior A Challenge, where he won a Bronze Medal.
Eriksson was the 31st-ranked European Skater by NHL Central Scouting. The 18-year-old is considered a defensive defenceman who plays a physical brand of hockey. Eriksson is the second-tallest player Vancouver selected in this draft, only behind 6'7" center Brooks Rogowski.
Jun 26, 2026; Buffalo, New York, USA; The logo for the NHL draft during the first round at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images
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Vancouver Canucks 2026 NHL Entry Draft Selection TrackerA list with articles on all prospects the Vancouver Canucks select at the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, updated throughout the draft. 
