2026 NHL Entry Draft Thread

[LGR4GM]

Draft season will kick off with the Hlinka tournament and yea... so here's the primer for the 2026 draft for those who are interested.

[French Collection]

All I’ve got is, no RHD needed.

[LGR4GM]

I like Šimon Katolický a 6'4" LW from Czechia who won't be 17 until the end of July. 

[The Jokeman]

6 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

I like Šimon Katolický a 6'4" LW from Czechia who won't be 17 until the end of July. 

Why not add the "local" kid in Ryan Roobroeck? He  plays for Niagara and wouldn't have to move far to come to Buffalo. 6'4" C. 

[LGR4GM]

2 minutes ago, The Jokeman said:

Why not add the "local" kid in Ryan Roobroeck? He  plays for Niagara and wouldn't have to move far to come to Buffalo. 6'4" C. 

I secretly hope we don't draft high enough but Roobroeck, right now, is my 2nd behind McKenna. 

[DarthEbriate]

The good thing is Roobroeck provides some of the vowels missing from Strbak and Mrtka.

[shrader]

2 hours ago, DarthEbriate said:

The good thing is Roobroeck provides some of the vowels missing from Strbak and Mrtka.

Storbak, Mertka, and Robrock? I could live with that. 

[PerreaultForever]

Yes, you might as well start this. We're going to be top 10. 

[Brawndo]

2 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

Yes, you might as well start this. We're going to be top 10. 

Looking forward to watching Norris play 50 games next year and Ottawa choosing one of Liger’s Favorite Draft Eligible Prospects at 37th Overall

[Gatorman0519]

2 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

Yes, you might as well start this. We're going to be top 10. 

Hopefully we go down and not up like this year. But yeah, this is a 75-85 point team next year.

[Taro T]

18 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

Looking forward to watching Norris play 50 games next year and Ottawa choosing one of Liger’s Favorite Draft Eligible Prospects at 37th Overall

Wonder who the Sabres will grab at 7 then?  (Yes, without losing the lottery, that would have the Sabres picking 5th, but c'mon this is the Sabres we're talkin' 'bout.  We all know they only win the lottery if they finish dead last (and only 50% of the time at even that.)

[Flashsabre]

5 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Wonder who the Sabres will grab at 7 then?  (Yes, without losing the lottery, that would have the Sabres picking 5th, but c'mon this is the Sabres we're talkin' 'bout.  We all know they only win the lottery if they finish dead last (and only 50% of the time at even that.)

Whoever Adams, fresh off signing a 5 year extension, feel like choosing at 7.😁

[LGR4GM]

30 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

Looking forward to watching Norris play 50 games next year and Ottawa choosing one of Liger’s Favorite Draft Eligible Prospects at 37th Overall

Pistols at dawn, sir!

[PerreaultForever]

3 hours ago, Brawndo said:

Looking forward to watching Norris play 50 games next year and Ottawa choosing one of Liger’s Favorite Draft Eligible Prospects at 37th Overall

You think he'll manage 50? I say 40 max. 

[Brawndo]

1 minute ago, PerreaultForever said:

You think he'll manage 50? I say 40 max. 

Trying to be optimistic, oh who the hell am I kidding 

[PerreaultForever]

3 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

Trying to be optimistic, oh who the hell am I kidding 

Oh I wish I could be but not any more. There's just nothing. They have botched this rebuild (if you start with Eichel, Reinhart, Risto trades as the starting point) so badly I don't see a fix. 

Now I think the only thing that can save this franchise is Terry giving up, handing the team over to his kid and retiring to Florida. She fires everybody and lets Jarmo start a new rebuild as GM with full authority to hire whoever and he cleans house and moves out the entire roster and we just start again like an expansion team. Clean slate. Actual NHL people running the thing. Can't be any worse.