Bold Predictions for the 2026 NHL Draft – Hockey Writers – NHL Entry Draft

The 2026 NHL Entry Draft is less than two weeks away, and the next wave of youngsters wants to hear their names called and begin their NHL journey. I think it’s time for me to jump back into the guessing game, with some bold predictions for what might happen on draft day.

There are always surprises on draft day, like the 2025 Draft not featuring a single defenseman under 6 feet tall or Shane Wright going fourth overall in the 2022 Draft. The whole point of this exercise is to predict unlikely outcomes so if I get them all right, then I wasn’t brave enough. And if I get it all wrong, that stays between us, okay?

Let’s dive into my seven predictions, going from the least to the boldest.

We’ll Find the Tried and True “Amazing First Round Pick for Someone From the London Knights”

This happens regularly, as the industry has a great level of respect for the London Knights program. My choice of them is easy, as you love Jaxon Cover with an incredibly unique hockey story and an interesting development road ahead.

Cover was born and raised in the Cayman Islands, where there is no ice hockey rink. He grew up playing roller hockey and only switched to ice hockey in North America four years ago. Cover is a raw prospect, with a lot of individual skill and a lot of habits from roller hockey that he still needs to iron out if he wants to be an NHL player. That being said, he wouldn’t have been picked to help the poor in the first round. Cover scored 20 goals and 52 points in the OHL this season and has more room to improve than most of his peers.

Adam Valentini Falls to, you guessed it, the Carolina Hurricanes

Does it count as a bold prediction to say that the Hurricanes will select their true type of player during the draft? Maybe it’s more of a shot. Carolina doesn’t have second or third rounders in this year’s draft, but they won’t worry, selecting hard-working center Adam Valentini with their 4th round pick. San Jose.

Wyatt Cullen was selected in the top 10

Over the past two years, Wyatt Cullen has gone from being a talented underdog to an exciting prospect with an excellent combination of skill and work ethic. The main reason for his sharp upward trajectory is that he gained nearly 5 inches in height during that time, shooting from 5-foot-8 at the start of the 2024-25 season to now standing at 6-foot-1. Two years ago there was a zero percent chance he could make the NHL, but he looks like a legitimate top 10 pick now.

Cullen’s season has been cut short by injuries, and he will need more time to adjust his game to the bigger frame he has now. Despite this, Cullen is an excellent wing prospect who looks like a future six winger. I think he’ll be in the top 10 even though he was a relative unknown to most of the public until a few weeks ago.

Vancouver Canucks Make at least 3 Picks in the First Round

The Vancouver Canucks look like they’re finally embracing a rebuild that’s been a long time coming, and as a result, they currently have two first-round picks in the 2026 Draft and two in the second round. They will pick 3rd, 24th, 33rd, and 41st, making their new management team well-rounded to create a foundation of young talent on which to build their next big team.

My prediction here is that they will pick three in the first round. That would mean they’d move up using the first pick of the second round, but my prediction​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ Front of which it is up to me, they will draft more NHL talent (Jake DeBrusk/Filip Hronek/Elias Pettersson?) to move back into the first round and make five picks total in the top 41. I don’t think they’re done selling, even though many of their best players are out of contract.

Ivar Stenberg goes 1st Overall

Ivar Stenberg was fantastic at the World Championships in Sweden, and I think it’s fair to say he’s more NHL ready than anyone else at the top of the draft class. Stenberg looks like a star of the future, the kind of player who just makes it. He gets to the bottom of the ice, is tough on the puck, and scores in clutch moments. I can see the logic of the Toronto Maple Leafs picking Gavin McKenna first (in part because of public opinion), but they’re not a team that’s ready to be patient. They need help soon and I think Stenberg is a better bet to be a strong contributor next season than anyone else out there.

Two Centers Will Be Drafted Before Two Defenders

For much of this year, it felt like there was going to be a big run at defensive linemen after the top two players in Gavin McKenna and Ivar Stenberg were used. Chase Reid is the favorite to be the first defenseman selected, but Carson Cares, Keaton Verhoeff, and Albert Šmits are all very good defensive prospects in their own right.

Caleb Malhotra is likely to be the first center taken in the 2026 Draft, but I think one of Viggo Bjorck or Tynan Lawrence will be selected before there is a second quarterback. Centers are the most valuable asset in the NHL, and the long-term value they can represent will be too tempting for teams to pass up.

Ryan Lin is a Big Faller on Draft Day

Ryan Lin is an impressive defender who is unfairly labeled as a man on offense only because he is under 6 feet tall. While I don’t think he’s top offensively (and his defense/framing is probably not the issue), I think Lin will be this year’s Lane Hutson. Lin has long been among the top 10 picks in this year’s draft, but I think he will fall at least in the 20s, but I will call my shot with him being drafted by the Buffalo Sabers with the 27th overall pick.