Category: NHL

In the sixth round of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, the New York Islanders selected center Artyom Matyuk from Chaika Nizhny Novgorod of the MHL.

Matyuk scored 13 goals with 26 assists in 39 games in Russia’s premier junior hockey league. He was the third-leading scorer on a team headlined by other prospects, including Montreal Canadiens first-round pick Gleb Pugachyov.

Left-shot center out of Russia. Played in the MHL the last two seasons, their junior league.

Recorded 39 points (13G, 26A) in 54 games.

Looks to be staying there, at least for 2026-27. https://t.co/kTwdWoATVJ

— Stefen Rosner (@stefen_rosner) June 27, 2026

First and foremost, the Russian center is an agile skater with a high motor and compete level. Despite being listed at 6’0” and only 165 pounds, Matyuk logged 53 penalty minutes last season and has a reputation for outworking opponents in puck battles.

Matyuk has above-average offensive instincts, using his hockey sense and vision to whip up plays. He was ranked as the 58th-best EU skater by NHL Central Scouting before the draft.

Matyuk was ranked 58th amongst EU skaters by NHL Central Scouting. #Isles

— Stefen Rosner (@stefen_rosner) June 27, 2026

Matyuk is the first forward to be selected by the Islanders, who chose three defensemen prior to their sixth-round pick.

The Islanders are slated to select once more in round seven. Day 2 of the NHL Draft is available to watch on NHL Network, Sportsnet, and ESPN+.

Kai Russell wrote this story. 

The Vancouver Canucks have selected forward Lucian Bernat with the 176th-overall pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. 

A 6-foot-4 winger, Bernat's shot is one of the notable parts of his game, with the forward having scored 15 goals and 16 assists in 37 games with Tappara's U-20 team. He scored a goal and three assists in his team's 13-game playoff run. 

Internationally, Bernat represented Slovakia at the U-18 World Junior Championship this season, putting together a four-point effort in his team's seven games at the tournament.  

Bernat was selected by the Owen Sound Attack in the OHL import draft and is expected to play in Canada during the 2026-27 season. 

Vancouver has one more selection to make in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, with their final pick being 184th-overall. So far, the Canucks have selected Caleb Malhotra (3rd-overall), Adam Novotný (24th-overall), Brooks Rogowski (33rd-overall), Niklas Aaram-Olsen (41st-overall), Dmitri Ivchenko (78th-overall), Yaroslav Bryzgalov (97th-overall), and Connor Davis (129th-overall).  

Follow along with the Canucks’ 2026 NHL Entry Draft picks via our tracker: 

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.

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site:

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On Friday night, the Montreal Canadiens picked Gleb Pugachyov with the 26th overall pick, a third Russian in as many years and another Gold Star client. On Saturday, The Athletic’s Arpon Basu confirmed with his agent, Dan Milstein, that the prospect weighed 224 pounds, not 198 as listed on the Central Scouting final list and that he had two years left on his contract in the KHL.

Interestingly, Milstein also stated that there’s a chance the big forward could attend next week’s development camp, scheduled for June 30 to July 2 at the CN Sports Complex in Brossard, provided the visa process is efficient. The prospect is currently in Florida at the Gold Star camp, which could speed up the process.

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Given the fact that GM Kent Hughes has said that Pugachyov’s play is quite mature and that he may be near ready for NHL action, it would certainly be interesting to see how he measures up with the other prospects of the organization.

Given the Canadiens’ lineup needs at this stage, one has to wonder whether Pugachyov’s arrival in the organization might mean Montreal would be more willing to move Alexander Zharovsky for immediate help, provided it’s for a player who really moves the needle the right way. However, it’s worth remembering that when Hughes spoke to the media on Friday night, it was clear that he highly values the organization’s top prospects and won’t be talked into trading them unless he feels he is getting good value.

The 2025 draft product might have been a second-round pick, but most would agree he should have been selected in the first round, making him a bit of a steal for the Canadiens. Given the fact that Nick Bobrov has said the Canadiens would have picked him at 16 or 17 overall had they not traded the picks, they clearly think very highly of him.

As things stand, at least from an outside standpoint, it would make more sense to move Zharovsky than to move Michael Hage. While it’s far from guaranteed that Hage will turn out to be a center in the NHL, there are plenty of players who struggle filling that role at the highest level. The Canadiens would be ill-advised to trade him unless they are absolutely certain that he won’t turn into a real top-six center when he makes the jump in the NHL. Unless, of course, he’s part of a package to land an already established top-six pivot.

This weekend’s draft has marked a real shift in the Canadiens’ drafting strategy. While they are, of course, still mindful of taking the best prospect available, it certainly feels like they’ve made a conscious effort to get bigger after being physically dominated in the last two postseasons.

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With their second pick on Saturday, the San Jose Sharks selected San Jose native, and San Jose Jr. Sharks alumnus, center Jake Gustafson in the sixth round, 174th overall, in the 2026 NHL Draft.

Gustafson's father, Jon Gustafson, is currently the president of the Sharks' American Hockey League affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda and is also the senior vice president of the SAP Center and Sharks Ice. He previously served as the vice president of the Baracuda, joining the organization over a decade ago. 

Jake Gustafson left the Jr. Sharks to attend Shattuck St. Mary's during the 2024-25 season, and then later moved to the Portland Winterhawks of the Western Hockey League. During his first year with the Winterhawks, he scored 13 goals and totaled 25 points in 68 games. 

Gustafson brings a big frame to the Sharks' prospect pool, standing at 6-foot-4 and 185 pounds. 

"Jake Gustafsson can be a highly disruptive forward," Elite Prospects scout David St. Louis wrote in May. "He looked faster here, making some defensive interceptions, and he played his role in the defensive formation, staying connected with teammates and removing options from the opposition. Good routes defensively. A C-grade forward with a chance at a bottom-line role."

In the fifth round of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, the New York Islanders selected right-shot defenseman Vladimir Dravecky out of the Guelph Storm in the OHL.

Under a stacked Brantford Bulldogs team last year, Dravecky tallied nine goals with 19 assists for 28 points in 58 games, as well as three assists in 11 playoff games. Dravecky also scored five assists in 11 games with the Czechia U20 team in international competition, but was held scoreless at the 2026 World Junior Championship.

Dravecky was traded from Brantford Bulldogs (OHL) to Guelph Storm on June 9.

Played for recently appointed Hamilton Hammers head coach Jay McKee in Brantford. #Isleshttps://t.co/dvaYOQ1QF2

— Stefen Rosner (@stefen_rosner) June 27, 2026

Standing at 6’0” and 192 pounds, Dravecky has a well-rounded game, possessing strong mobility and hockey sense. The blueliner doesn’t have a standout trait, but he may have scored more on a less talented team; Dravecky was stuck behind other defensemen within the Brantford depth chart.

Dravecky was expected to be selected around the third round by some scouts, so the Islanders may have found some value by picking him in the fifth.

Islanders just picked up Vladimir Davecky who was a bit buried on an elite Brantford team, but you could see signs of the ability he has. He'll be featured more at Guelph next year as they build towards the Memorial Cup. Right shot, can move pucks and make some plays.

— Chris Peters (@chrismpeters) June 27, 2026

Dravecky is now the third defenseman selected by New York, and the second right-shot blueliner chosen by general manager Mathieu Darche, who is seeking to bolster the weak right side in his team’s prospect pool. 

The Islanders are slated to draft two more times, once each in rounds six and seven. Day 2 of the NHL Draft is available to watch on NHL Network, Sportsnet, and ESPN+.

Kai Russell wrote this story. 

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The Detroit Red Wings initially entered the 2026 NHL Draft without a first-round selection, but that was remedied on Friday evening with the acquisition of the No. 23 overall pick from the Utah Mammoth in return for goaltender Sebastian Cossa. 

With the selection, they drafted forward J.P. Hurlbert.

Heading into the second day of the NHL Draft on Saturday, the Red Wings selected a familiar name with the 47th overall pick, welcoming winger Victor Plante to the organization. 

Victor Plante 🤝 Max Plante 🤝 Drafted 47th overall to the Detroit Red Wings pic.twitter.com/CUWN0EMGKY

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) June 27, 2026

Victor is the brother of Red Wings prospect Max Plante, who was also taken with the 47th overall selection two years prior. 

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Plante's excitement was on full display, as he couldn't stop beaming throughout his first official NHL media availability session. 

"I mean, it's so awesome," Plante said about his initial reaction. "Going (in) the same spot as my brother, the same exact pick too, it's pretty funny. But a huge honor, going to the Detroit Red Wings, an Original 6 franchise, it's awesome." 

His family also includes brother Zam, taken by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2022, along with father Derek Plante, a former NHL player. 

"I wouldn't be there without them, they're so awesome and so supportive," he said of his family. "They pushed me so hard, which is awesome. Just to live in that house is a huge honor, and it's great." 

Meanwhile, knowing that he's now part of the Red Wings organization is nothing short of exciting for him. 

"Just the fact that I get to go to the same franchise as my brother, which is so awesome," he said. "And just the fact that it's Detroit. So much history there, such a great franchise. There's just not enough words to be said about it, it's awesome." 

Plante, who will be playing for the University of Minnesota-Duluth this fall, scored 21 goals with 27 assists for the U.S. National Development Team this past season in Plymouth. 

He even lived with former Red Wings goaltender Chris Osgood during the season and took in a few games at Little Caesars Arena.

"It was great, he's a fun guy to be around," Plante said of Osgood. "He took me to about four or five games. It was sick.

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The Vancouver Canucks have selected Connor Davis with the 129th-overall pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. 

Davis, a re-draft who is currently 19 years old, spent the 2025-26 season with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders of the USHL, scoring 26 goals and 29 assists in 59 games with the club. During the post-season, he scored two goals in two games. Prior to this season, he played for Salisbury School in USHS-Prep, putting together 21 goals and 23 assists in 31 games played. 

Davis is currently committed to the University of North Dakota in the NCAA for the 2026-27 season. 

As it stands, Davis is the sixth forward the Canucks have selected at the 2026 NHL Draft, with their only other non-forward selected being a goaltender. 

The Canucks now have three picks remaining at the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. Through the first four rounds of this year’s draft, Vancouver selected Caleb Malhotra (3rd-overall), Adam Novotný (24th-overall), Brooks Rogowski (33rd-overall), Niklas Aaram-Olsen (41st-overall), Dmitri Ivchenko (78th-overall), and Yaroslav Bryzgalov (97th-overall). Their next selection will take place in the sixth round, when they select 161st-overall. 

Follow along with the Canucks’ 2026 NHL Entry Draft picks via our tracker: 

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.

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site:

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After acquiring the 119th overall pick in the fourth round from the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft when they traded down from 35th to 37th in the second round, the New Jersey Devils selected Lavr Gashilov from Avto Yekaterinburg of the MHL. In the 2025-26 season, Gashilov scored 16 goals and had 53 assisst in 51 MHL games while also getting into two VHL games and three KHL games. Gashilov stands at 5’11” and 185 pounds (per Elite Propsects, though he is listed much taller elsewhere [as high as 6’3″, with the KHL having him at 6’2″]) and is a left-handed center. Per Byron Bader’s Hockey Prospecting, Gashilov may be the steal of the later rounds with first-round level production.

Gashilov is highly regarded as a playmaker with defensive deficiencies. However, he looks pretty good in the offensive zone! In HSD Prospects’ highlight package on him, you can see just how lethal a passer he is from anywhere on the ice.

In Smaht Scouting’s midseason rankings, Gashilov was ranked 38th. However, they did knock him for his skating. Here’s what Dan Haurin had to say about him there:

He plays with an above average motor, constantly keeping his feet moving and involving himself in the play. He also plays a strong physical game, putting bodies on opposition every chance he gets, while showing an ability to make quick plays to teammates while tangled up in battles. He’s got some soft hands and an ability to feather pucks through tight lanes to teammates in the offensive zone. The skating is a question at this point in his development however, with his strides being a bit too choppy and lacking an element of explosiveness and quickness on his edges.

This does contrast with NHL Network’s view of the player, where he was regarded as a plus skater who completely lacks physicality. I guess we will see. Watching him skate in his highlight package, I do tend towards the Smaht Scouting view of him. He seems like far less of a rush threat than the forwards the Devils have previously selected this draft, and his soft hands and high-level offensive IQ should be a boon to the Devils when they do establish possession. He looks like a PP1-type player who probably should not play on a shutdown line, which is fine. Player development should focus on maximizing strengths and minimizing weaknesses, rather than washing over what makes a player valuable in the first place.

Importantly, Gashilov is only under contract through the 2026-27 season. If he does not get established in the KHL by the end of this season, he could very easily be signed by Sunny Mehta to play in the AHL or NHL after the upcoming year. Since Gashilov is coming out of the MHL, I could very well see him going to the VHL to continue developing his skills in the second-tier Russian league. He certainly has little left to learn in Russian juniors.

In all, I am a fan of these picks. Our previous GM regime put little value on these kinds of high-scoring, low-risk picks in the later rounds, and that has seemed to reflect in the lack of prospect viability over the last few years. Gashilov has a lottery-level NHLe. And while I wish I could have the data to look at his microstats to evaluate his playdriving ability, what publicly available analytics we can see seem to like him as well.

But what do you think of this pick? Do you like it? Vote in our flash poll here.

The New Jersey Devils came into Day 2 of the 2026 NHL Draft with just four selections to make, and two of them were in the second round. However, they moved back two spots from 35 to 37 with the Chicago Blackhawks, and took on the 119th overall pick as a result. 

With the 119th pick in the draft, the Devils selected forward Lavr Gashilov of Russia. He played in the MHL, which is the minor league to the KHL, and had 16 goals and 53 assists for 69 points in 51 games played. 

He has the ability to score some goals, but the playmaking is where he has thrived so far in his young career. Having 50 assists is an incredible achievement, even with it being the lesser of the two prominent Russian leagues. 

Gashilov is the first player to lead the MHL in assists during a draft-eligible season. He did a lot of his great work on the power play, which is a major part of his game. 

If you're looking for areas of improvement within Gashilov, his play away from the puck stands out the most. That is an area of concern for a lot of prospects who prioritize offense, and it's something that the Devils must develop within his game if he is going to become an NHL forward. 

Usually, players with his set of skills only have a place in the top six of an NHL lineup. If he never reaches the potential to play in that role, he is unlikely to have the tools to be a bottom-six forward. 

Sunny Mehta, with a lot of his selections so far, has used his selections on players with high ceilings and low floors. The development staff has their work cut out for them, but the reward could be players who make a difference. 

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While the San Jose Sharks were awaiting their first pick on day two of the 2026 NHL Draft, Mike Grier got some other business taken care of. On Saturday, the Sharks announced that they had signed forward Zack Ostapchuk to a four-year contract extension with an average annual value of $2.35 million.

Ostapchuk, who was originally drafted by the Ottawa Senators in the second round of the 2021 NHL Draft, has quickly carved out a role for himself as a bottom-six center of the future for the Sharks since being acquired from the Senators as a part of the Fabian Zetterlund trade. 

During the 2025-26 season, Ostapchuk started the campaign with the Sharks' American Hockey League affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda. After 11 games with the Sharks' farm team, Ostapchuk earned a call up in the middle of November and never looked back.

In 59 games with the Sharks, Ostapchuk scored four goals and seven total points. With that being said, he's more regarded for his play on the defensive side of the puck and on the penalty kill. He's lining up to be the Sharks' long-term fourth-line center, a role that often goes under-appreciated, but makes a massive difference. 

The Pittsburgh Penguins traded up to the fourth round of the 2026 NHL Draft on Saturday.

They originally had a sixth-round pick but traded it, along with a 2027 fourth-round pick, to the Boston Bruins for the 111th overall pick. 

The Penguins have acquired the 111th overall pick from the Boston Bruins in exchange for the 170th overall pick and a 2027 fourth-round pick (originally Winnipeg's). pic.twitter.com/j75GIPlZek

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) June 27, 2026

The Penguins found a player that they liked and traded up to select 20-year-old defenseman Parker Von Richter of the OHL's Barrie Colts. He played in 28 games with the Colts this season, compiling eight goals and 24 points. He also finished the playoffs with two goals and 14 points in 21 games. 

Von Richter originally started the 2025-26 season with the Brampton Steelheads before they traded him to the Colts. He had four goals and 25 points in 38 games with the Steelheads before he was traded. 

Von Richter is committed to the University of New Hampshire for the 2026-27 season. 

He stands as the Penguins' last pick of the day unless they acquire another pick. 

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In the fourth round of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, the New York Islanders selected right-shot defenseman Lincoln Kuehne out of Arizona State University in the NCAA.

Kuehne scored one goal with one assist for two points in 30 games last season, logging limited minutes for the Arizona squad. The 6’2” defenseman previously played with the USNTDP.

The Fargo, North Dakota native is a steady, rangy blueliner with above-average skating and shutdown ability. His 205-pound frame enables him to play with physicality, and while he won’t produce many points, Kuehne can break the puck out and make the occasional play up ice.

Per @eliteprospects on #Isles RHD Lincoln Kuehne:

Active feet, quickness, and physical skills are Kuehne’s best elements. Combined with his tools, he pushes rushes wide, comes across, and secures pucks. Even against quick attackers, he instantly matches their moves, eliminates…

— Stefen Rosner (@stefen_rosner) June 27, 2026

Kuehne joins the shallowest area of the Islanders’ prospect pool: the right side. New York added yet another left-shot defenseman by drafting Malte Gustafsson yesterday, so the right-shot Kuehne will serve as a necessary supplement for the farm system. 

The Islanders have only one other right-shot defensive prospect inTomas Machu out of Providence College. Now, general manager Mathieu Darche has bolstered this positional weakness — at least in part.

The Islanders are slated to select three more times, once each in rounds five, six, and seven. Day 2 of the NHL Draft is available to watch on NHL Network, Sportsnet, and ESPN+.

Kai Russell wrote this story. 

The Pittsburgh Penguins have a knack for finding value in the middle rounds of the NHL Draft, as they have drafted talents such as Bryan Rust, Jake Guentzel, Harrison Brunicke, and Sergei Murashov beyond the first round.

And they may just have found more with their third-round pick Saturday.

With their 86th overall pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, the Penguins selected LW Pierce Mbuyi from the Owen Sound Attack of the OHL. Mbuyi, a 5-foot-10, 163-pound forward, had 32 goals and 75 points in 68 games last season, and he confirmed he will go back to the Sound for one more season before heading to Penn State for the 2027-28 season.

Although a bit undersized, Mbuyi has the scoring ability and the motor to generate quite a bit offensively. His speed is the hallmark of his game, but he excels around areas of the net-front despite his physical disadvantage and thrives off the rush, creating opportunity and forcing turnovers in the neutral zone. He is also strong on the forecheck and uses his skating to his advantage on that front. 

Mbuyi was an alternate captain for the Sound last season and was named the team's captain last spring.

The Penguins had one more selection in the draft, and they traded up to 111th overall to select defenseman Parker Von Ricther.

NHL Draft: Penguins Select Left Defenseman With Second-Round PickThe <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> continued to add to their defensive prospect pool during the second round of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft on Saturday.

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Hurricanes star Seth Jarvis is expected to miss at least the first part of next season. 

The newly minted Stanley Cup champion underwent shoulder surgery that will “probably” sideline him “4-6 months,” according to Carolina general manager Eric Tulsky. 

“Hopefully on the shorter end of that,” Tulsky said, per NHL.com. ”But that’s the range we were given.”

Jarvis dealt with issues on the same shoulder during the 2023-24 season, although he played 81 games through the injury.

“Shoulders are tough,” Tulsky said. “Once it goes, you can keep aggravating it and it can limit what you can do and it’s tough, and eventually it needs to be repaired. You can strengthen it and try to get through it, and he did that for a while.”

Tulsky said Jarvis, the Hurricanes’ leading goal scorer, likely would have had the procedure last summer if the team hadn’t made a deep playoff run, but opted against it to avoid missing a significant portion of the season.

“Then we got to this year and had another deep run, and at some point, you just need to do it,” he continued. “You can’t be limited for the rest of your career. You start thinking maybe we’re going to have deep runs every year and are just going to have to bite the bullet and get it done.”

Jarvis, who was taken No. 13 overall by the Hurricanes in the 2020 NHL Draft, had another excellent season for Carolina with 66 points (32 goals, 34 assists). 

It was his third straight season reaching each of those figures. 

During the Canes’ Stanley Cup run, Jarvis had 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in 19 games, including a pair of assists and goal during the Final against the Golden Knights.

The Nashville Predators have swung a draft day deal. They've announced that they have acquired forward Adam Edstrom from the New York Rangers.

In exchange, the Predators are sending forward Massimo Rizzo and pick No. 148 in this year's draft to the Rangers. 

Much like the Ross Colton and Jack Drury trades by newly hired GM Chris MacFarland, this deal is low-risk, high-reward. 

Edstrom, 25, is a huge player; he stands 6-foot-7 and weighs 232 pounds. This is a great addition to the Predators' bottom six, especially considering they have a lot of young, smaller forwards on their NHL team. 

Last season, in 35 games with the Rangers, he had three goals and two assists for five points. Over his career, he has played in 97 NHL games and scored 10 goals and six assists for 16 points.

By now, you can probably tell that Edstrom hasn't been an everyday NHL player at this point in his career. However, that is likely going to change with this new opportunity with the Predators. 

As a team, they are looking to get younger; Edstrom helps with that. Plus, when you add in his size, it's a great depth pick up for Nashville.