2026 NHL Entry Draft Thread

[Thorny]

11 minutes ago, LabattBlue said:

I didn’t see any of the draft this year, but anything is better than having 5-10 people from each team march to the stage for a photo with the draftee. 

You’d think so, wouldn’t you 

[shrader]

15 hours ago, Taro T said:

DURING the draft the league was saying this was just a 1 time thing.  Wonder what happened to change their minds to keep the format?

Was it the Wizard of Oz-esque going behind the curtains to watch the GMs and company welcome the player into their fold?  It had to be, right, that and watching the chick interviewing the players during that introduction grabbing every single one of the players she was talking to.

Just when you think the NHL can't say "you'll never see us look more like a league that should be less relevant than indoor soccer than we do NOW" they find another gear and make themselves look like they should be a league less relevant than synchronized swimming is.

Well at least the product can’t get any worse, right? I’d imagine the whole process was a lot easier for the teams, but now they need to fix things on the tv side. 

[LGR4GM]

https://thehockeywriters.com/philadelphia-flyers-should-set-sights-on-viggo-bjorck-not-gavin-mckenna-for-2026-nhl-draft/

Viggo Björck the center out of Sweden. He's good but he's short at only 5'9" so his true combine number will be important come June. 

[LGR4GM]

rankings this early are so you now some names, outside of McKenna you can ignore where everyone is ranked until January. 

 

[pi2000]

..so McKenna leaves the WHL to play for Penn State... at Pegula Ice Arena.

🤔 

Seems like an odd choice as there are better NCAA programs out there.

Maybe some Pegula bucks in play?

That said, the league screwed Buffalo out of McDavid in 2015, and have recently voiced concern over their last decade plus of failure.

I wouldn't be shocked if Buffalo somehow "wins" the lottery in 2026.

[Weave]

2 hours ago, pi2000 said:

..so McKenna leaves the WHL to play for Penn State... at Pegula Ice Arena.

🤔

Seems like an odd choice as there are better NCAA programs out there.

Maybe some Pegula bucks in play?

That said, the league screwed Buffalo out of McDavid in 2015, and have recently voiced concern over their last decade plus of failure.

I wouldn't be shocked if Buffalo somehow "wins" the lottery in 2026.

Are you predicting McKenna will be a greedy, selfish, no loyalty player because he is leaving the WHL for a paycheck like you did for Matthews?