26 Thoughts on the 2026 NHL Draft: Dominating Questions, Overall Takes and More – Hockey Writers – NHL Entry Draft

The 2026 NHL draft has come and gone. To say it was an interesting week in Buffalo would be a gross understatement.

Considering all the major trade deals that happened and were about to happen, this week will be remembered for how big the move was. There could have been a lot more. However, the commercial action is far from over.

In this space, we will share 26 thoughts on the 2026 NHL Draft. This will include everything from the two-day teams to various ongoing talks and some analysis of the draft as a whole.

All we can say is, don’t go too far with your devices. The power of great movement can appear at any time. Since Zach Werenski’s status is unclear, that’s where we’ll start.

26 Thoughts on the 2026 NHL Draft

1. The trade league is believed to be a little cooler on Saturday because of the uncertainty surrounding Werenski. Interested parties know they will have to pay a premium to have a real shot at landing him. They won’t get involved in other things until they know they are in or out of winning the Norris Trophy. It’s still early in the process of handicapping the favorites as a meeting between Werenski and the Blue Jackets is still needed. There is a chance Werenski is a Blue Jacket to start 2026-27. The teams know they will have to put their best foot forward.
2. The team most often linked to Werenski that we’ve heard about in the past few days: The Tampa Bay Lightning. They will be far from each other though.
3. Don’t discount the Auston Matthews factor in Toronto with any potential interest in Werenski. They are really good friends. What the Maple Leafs should weigh is the chances of the defenseman staying after two years. That is dangerous.
4. GM Don Waddell spoke to the media about Kirill Marchenko’s report and said he did not think the circumstances involving him and Werenski were related. Montreal is definitely interested in Marchenko. They will not be alone. The Blue Jackets want to keep the star if possible.
5. At some point, the Blue Jackets will have to take a stand. The narrative surrounding them about star players who might leave is moving forward. It’s the last thing anyone needs. The mood within the group is already sour as it is. They have to decide who wants to be part of the solution where you are not there and make a move on the players who don’t want to be there. The Blue Jackets want to compete and give their fans something to look forward to. If that means trading two of their stars, that’s what needs to happen. The team needs to draw a line in the sand and dig in.
6. Say goodbye to the San Jose Sharks from the long draft lottery. If you’re an NHL veteran looking for a place to play that will reach for the sky with power, the SAP Center is where it’s at. Ivar Stenberg, Keaton Verhoeff and Ryan Lin added to an already strong pipeline? It’s one of the best first round plays by a team in recent memory. Those Sharks/Ducks games for the next decade are going to be something.

7. The Sharks weren’t done making news. They drafted Alexander Karmanov in the seventh round. He is the longest-tenured player in NHL history. At 7-foot-1, he is four inches taller than Zdeno Chara. That would be a sight to behold, eh?
8. Liam and Markus Ruck became the fifth set of twins to be drafted to the same team in NHL history. Others? Peter and Chris Ferraro for the New York Rangers in 1992, Daniel and Henrik Sedin for the Vancouver Canucks in 1999, Matt and Mark McRae for the Atlanta Thrashers in 2000, Justin and Drew Daniels for the San Jose Sharks in 2008.
9. Latvia saw four players on the same list for the first time in their history. Alberts Smits fifth overall, Rudolfs Berzkalns 58th overall, Patriks Plumins 114th overall, Olivers Murnieks 124th overall. It is indeed a proud day for Latvians to celebrate.
10. There were 33 trades between Friday (13) and Saturday (20) in the NHL Draft. Nine of those 13 were announced in this draft. Saturday’s big two? John Carlson’s rights were traded to the Carolina Hurricanes for Kyle Masters and pick 192. And Brandon Carlo was traded to the St. Louis Blues with picks 73 and 76 on Saturday.
11. Top five picks by country of birth: Canada 68, United States 58, Sweden 25, Russia 23, Czechia 12 (including six goals!). Finland was in sixth place with 11 prospects.
12. The OHL led the league in number of first round picks (7) and total number of players selected by the league (45). The CHL saw 98 players drafted in total. Teams will now be more willing to draft CHL players under the current system as they will have longer prospect rights.
13. Most active in the NHL draft? The LA Kings welcomed 11 new prospects. The Toronto Maple Leafs received 10. Meanwhile on the other side, the Minnesota Wild welcomed just three new prospects while the Washington Capitals had four.
14. In the first round, 22 forwards and 10 defensemen were selected. No goals were taken in the first round. Tobias Trejbal was the first goalkeeper taken. The Calgary Flames took him 42nd overall.
15. Was Daxon Rudolph being the first defenseman taken in the draft a surprise? In asking around, there was no consensus. “A bugger” was how one source put it when describing Rudolph’s game.
16. The Seattle Kraken need some good news after being rejected by Jason Robertson. The arrival of Chase Reid and Casey Mutryn in Round 2 helped ease some of the pain. Both are excellent choices.
17. After being considered a top 10 pick, Ethan Belchetz dropped to 17th. The Utah Mammoth traded up to that spot to get him. If he gets skating in order, that’s a steal.
18. Montreal took Gleb Pugachyov 26th overall. Never underestimate the power of Dan Milstein’s Gold Star Camp in Florida. Pugachyov was a prospect who got a late bump as a result. He is a 6-foot-3, 224-pound power forward who is in a position to exceed his slot in the draft. In total, 22 Milstein clients were taken into the frame including at least one player in every cycle.
19. The prospect with the biggest chip on his shoulder? Xavier Villeneuve. He was eliminated in the first round. The Chicago Blackhawks took him with the second pick (34th overall) on Saturday. There are those who believe that he was very talented in the first round. Can he overcome the limited narrative?

20. Matthew Schaefer and Malte Gustafsson on the same blue line for the Islanders for years to come? Don’t say we didn’t warn you.
21. Let’s wrap this up with some general draft thoughts. Since I was there live, the first night seemed good. The second day went slowly. The commercial value had a part of it. Other teams took all of three minutes to make their selections on Saturday. The first pick on Saturday was after 11:15 AM eastern. Round seven wrapped up just after 4:00 PM eastern. That’s too long.
22. It will be interesting to see how the NHL handles the introduction of no center in the future. From our media perspective, it was great. We were well positioned to see the stage and could get to the interview room in no time. But for fans who were watching on television, there was a mixed reaction with some saying that the league has distanced itself from the stars it chooses.
23. If we talk about a reduced frame, some groups like this way. But there are others and most of us media types who want to return to the central framework. Teams will have to talk to the commissioner to do that. I will say this. Don’t underestimate the power of bringing people together. That’s always the most exciting part of these events is seeing and discovering ones you wouldn’t otherwise see. Money finally talks, but here’s hoping this changes back to the way things were.
24. There’s a reason Buffalo hosts NHL events. Proximity and amenities. The NHL Combine takes place every year. Having Maple Leafs fans en masse in Buffalo cheering for Gavin McKenna’s pick while Sabers fans yelling at them in response to the fact that the building spirit will start on Friday night. Buffalo is not Las Vegas or Nashville, but it has its own set of advantages that the league loves.
25. In development camps and then free agency. Dylan Larkin. Darnell Nurse. The Blue Jackets’ situation. Jason Robertson. There are enough big unresolved issues to look at slowly. Will someone leave an offer sheet? This free phase is as small as it has been since July 1. It will be signed. There will be trade-offs, some of which may happen later in the summer. Stay tuned.
26. And finally, just thank you. Thank you to everyone who follows us, who reads our stories. We don’t take even one second for granted. You, fan, are lifeblood. He made the NHL what it is today. The draft is on the books. What other craziness awaits us next?