• 6th Overall: Carson Carels (D, Prince George Cougars - WHL)

• 30th Overall: Jack Hextall (C, Youngstown Phantoms - USHL)

We had him as 8th best compete level and 10th best playmaker in the draft in our Upside Draft Guide.

• 36th Overall: Chase Harrington (LW, Spokane Chiefs - WHL)

• 42nd Overall: Tobias Trejbal (G, Youngstown Phantoms - USHL)

• 55th Overall: Alan Shaikhlislamov (RW, Tolpar Ufa - Russia)

• 65th Overall (Round 3): Joe Iginla (RW, Vancouver Giants - WHL)

Upon hearing explanations from Flames brass, we certainly see the upside of this pick.

• 100th Overall (Round 4): Egor Barabanov (C, Saginaw Spirit - OHL)

• 132nd Overall (Round 5): Simon Katolicky (LW, Tappara Jr. - Finland)

• 164th Overall (Round 6): Bode Laylin (D, Tri-City Storm - USHL)

How do you rate the Flames 2026 Draft Class?

Revisit the 2026 NHL Draft Class and where they landed on Draft Day.

Exactly as it states, here’s Upside’s version of the 2026 NHL Draft Results in our super cool tool spreadsheet after the spectacular draft in Buffalo, New York.

SUPER FEATURES: The Besties Awards - E-Mac breaks down Top 10s in all your favourite categories. See the various sheet options at the bottom of the spreadsheet.

NOT TO BE MISSED: In the latter column, we’ve added links to YouTube videos of the respective prospects. This is your one-stop shop for getting to know this draft class.

The key features of the spreadsheet are highlighted in various tabs:

• The first tab is the 2026 NHL Draft Results by pick (Note: Rank column is Upside’s Final Ranking of the prospect)

• The second tab is the 2026 NHL Draft Results sorted by team

• NOTE: The “UH” column is a link to our in-depth prospect profile here at Upside Hockey.

• TIP: Click the icon in the upper right corner to open up the spreadsheet fully in Google Sheet format

• The “Rank“ column is our final ranking for the respective prospect

• The subsequent tabs are sorted as noted - explore them all, including by CHL leage (OHL, WHL, QMJHL), by goalie, etc.

Visit Upside Hockey for free full access to this comprehensive spreadsheet highlighting the 2026 NHL Draft Results:

2026 NHL Draft Results Review

Some snapshots of the various tabs within the spreadsheet:

But as you know here at Upside Hockey, we don’t just care about where a player was drafted—we care about what they will ultimately become after development beyond the draft.

To give you the clearest picture of this year’s first-rounders, we are pairing every pick below with their official Quantum Upside Player Card.

If you are new to the Quantum Upside Tool, this is our proprietary evaluation system designed to cut through the noise and project a player’s true NHL ceiling, as premiered in our Upside 2026 NHL Draft Guide (still available!). Rather than just relying on the scout’s eye test alone, our Quantum Upside system breaks down a prospect’s individual tools mathematically—analyzing elite traits, developmental runway, and pure talent to generate an overall Quantum Upside Score.

It is the clearest metric for visualizing exactly how much game-breaking potential a prospect possesses.

Here is how the first round played out, complete with the data behind the upside for all 32 selections. The Quantum Upside Player Card also notes where we had the prospect ranked.

Note: Players’ names all hyperlinked to our full Upside profile on our website.

1. Toronto Maple Leafs: Gavin McKenna, LW

2025-26 Team: Penn State (NCAA)

2. San Jose Sharks: Ivar Stenberg, LW

2025-26 Team: Frölunda HC (SHL)

3. Vancouver Canucks: Caleb Malhotra, C

2025-26 Team: Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)

4. Buffalo Sabres: Daxon Rudolph, D

2025-26 Team: Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)

5. New York Rangers: Alberts Smits, D

2025-26 Team: EHC Red Bull Munchen (DEL)

6. Calgary Flames: Carson Carels, D

2025-26 Team: Prince George Cougars (WHL)

7. Seattle Kraken: Chase Reid, D

2025-26 Team: Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)

8. Winnipeg Jets: Viggo Bjorck, C

2025-26 Team: Djurgårdens IF (SHL)

9. San Jose Sharks: Keaton Verhoeff, D

2025-26 Team: North Dakota (NCHC)

10. Nashville Predators: Wyatt Cullen, LW

2025-26 Team: USNTDP (USHL)

11. St. Louis Blues: Tynan Lawrence, C

2025-26 Team: Boston University (NCAA)

12. New Jersey Devils: Alexander Command, C

2025-26 Team: Orebro HK (SHL)

13. New York Islanders: Malte Gustafsson, D 2

025-26 Team: HV71 (SHL)

14. Columbus Blue Jackets: Oscar Hemming, LW

2025-26 Team: Boston College (NCAA)

15. Anaheim Ducks: Nikita Klepov, RW

2025-26 Team: Saginaw Spirit (OHL)

16. St. Louis Blues: Maddox Dagenais, C

2025-26 Team: Quebec Remparts (QMJHL)

17. Utah Mammoth: Ethan Belchetz, LW

2025-26 Team: Windsor Spitfires (OHL)

18. Washington Capitals: Oliver Suvanto, C

2025-26 Team: Tappara (Liiga)

19. Los Angeles Kings: Elton Hermansson, RW

2025-26 Team: Modo Hockey (Allsvenskan)

20. Buffalo Sabres: Ilia Morozov, C

2025-26 Team: Miami RedHawks (NCHC)

21. San Jose Sharks: Ryan Lin, D

2025-26 Team: Vancouver Giants (WHL)

22. Pittsburgh Penguins: Liam Ruck, RW

2025-26 Team: Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)

23. Detroit Red Wings: JP Hurlbert, LW

2025-26 Team: Kamloops Blazers (WHL)

24. Vancouver Canucks: Adam Novotny, LW

2025-26 Team: Peterborough Petes (OHL)

25. Ottawa Senators: Jonas Lagerberg Hoen, RW

2025-26 Team: Leksands IF (SHL)

26. Montreal Canadiens: Gleb Pugachyov, RW

2025-26 Team: Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)

27. Philadelphia Flyers: Maksim Sokolovsky, D

2025-26 Team: London Knights (OHL)

28. Anaheim Ducks: Marcus Nordmark, LW

2025-26 Team: Djurgårdens IF (SHL)

29. Vegas Golden Knights: Juho Piiparinen, D

2025-26 Team: Tappara (Liiga)

30. Calgary Flames: Jack Hextall, C

2025-26 Team: Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)

31. Nashville Predators: Tommy Bleyl, D

2025-26 Team: Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL)

32. Ottawa Senators: Jaxon Cover, LW

2025-26 Team: London Knights (OHL)

Available Now! The Upside Guide to the 2026 NHL Draft

To honour the ultimate second-round steal Patrice Bergeron, we are offering an exclusive 37% discount for our Substack community. For this week only, use the code upside37 at checkout to unlock the entire 500+ page guide for just $9.95 (regularly $15.79).

Upside Hockey.

Draft. Develop. Dominate.

• For exclusive rankings, in-depth prospect profiles, team prospect rankings, and mock drafts, visit: Upside Hockey

• Twitter/X/Bluesky: @ UpsideHockey

• Instagram: @ Upside.Hockey

So no, this is not a true mock draft…But you can use these profiles along with our Mock Draft Creator Tool which features our Consolidated Rankings to create your own.

Now back to the countdown…

[Part One (40 through 28) Link Here]

27. Simas Ignatavicius

Position: C-RW | Shoots: R | League: SUI 1 | Size: 6’3”, 201 lbs

“Mr. Bottom Six”

Simas Ignatavicius has that size, compete, motor, and physicality that all teams are looking for in their bottom six. Although he didn’t put up a prolific number of points in the top Swiss pro league and will not be a major scorer in the NHL, he did score well over a point a game in both the Swiss 2nd pro league and the Swiss U20 league. What sets him apart from most projected bottom-six players is his smarts and innate understanding of the game. The team that gets him is not going to be disappointed.

26. JP Hurlbert

Position: RW | Shoots: R | League: WHL | Size: 6’0”, 190 lbs

“Mr. Second Choice”

JP Hurlbert put up a monster year in the Dub with 42 goals and 97 points. This success can be attributed to his goal scorer’s mentality, his lethal shot, and his success in finding his teammates with his passes. However, he is not likely to be the first choice on many teams’ lists if they are looking for an offensive threat. That is because teams will be questioning whether his average skating and current lack of strength can translate his current success to the NHL. Still, after their first few choices are gone, Hurlbert starts to look like a viable option in a year devoid of many high-end scorers.

25. Thomas Bleyl

Position: D | Shoots: R | League: QMJHL | Size: 5’11”, 170 lbs

“Mr. Entertainment”

Go to a hockey game and stay for the ridiculously entertaining Tommy Bleyl show. This is an under-sized, relatively weak QMJHL d-man who stole the show in the QMJHL with his results (81 points in 63 games), skating, smarts, and active stick. If all goes as planned, he is likely to end up as an above-average NHL powerplay quarterback. While some teams will pass on him due to the size issue, smart teams will look at the case of Lane Hutson, who succeeded despite having similar issues because he was the smartest guy in the room and was a Sidney Crosby-like nerd in picking up and developing the finer points of the game. Tommy Bleyl has similar traits.

24. Marcus Ruck

Position: C-LW | Shoots: L | League: WHL | Size: 6’0”, 164 lbs

“The Passer”

OK. Most lists have Marcus Ruck lower than me due to his average skating—particularly his acceleration—and strength at 6’0” and only 164 lbs. However, we are looking at close to the best passer (I have him 2nd) in this draft, as well as one of the smartest, who has a high-end compete and can play defense. Also, as I mentioned with Tommy Bleyl, smart guys like Marcus and Lane Hutson find ways to mitigate their shortcomings. As for the skating, this is partially mitigated by the fact that the facets of his skating other than straight-ahead speed are actually quite good. I am betting on him being a success in the NHL.

23. Maksim Sokolovsky

Position: D | Shoots: L | League: OHL | Size: 6’7”, 240 lbs

“Mr. Thunder Clap”

Sokolovsky’s game rose from sitting in the stands repeatedly to being the team’s top shutdown guy in the playoffs against the No. 5 draftee from last year. He is a 6’7” monster who possesses high-end skating and a nastiness that makes players want to avoid his end of the ice. I call him Mr. Thunder Clap because that is the sound coming from the boards when Sokolovsky hits his man. OK, he will always be a shutdown d-man, but he is not devoid of puck skills, so he is likely to end up as at least a top-4 d-man. This is a guy that teams win a Cup with. For confirmation, ask Brady Martin.

22. Adam Novotny

Position: LW | Shoots: L | League: OHL | Size: 6’1”, 200 lbs

“The Heavy Gamer”

At first glance, Novotny looks like your ideal middle-six guy: decent size and skating, a good shot, and a possession driver with his strong forechecking and compete. However, look closer and his lack of vision and IQ, and lack of anything other than a strict North-South game, take some of the shine off his otherwise impressive skills. This was particularly true towards the end of the season and the playoffs where Novotny seemed to struggle. However, at the end of the day, the heaviness of his game likely lands him in the first round.

21. Ilia Morozov

Position: LW-C | League: NCAA | Size: 6’3”, 205 lbs

“Mr. Utility”

There is a divergence of opinion on Ilia Morozov. Most teams love his size, his compete, his physicality, and his ability to play the heavy game of a power forward. However, the divergence comes when it’s time to look at his offensive abilities. Some are convinced that his lack of distribution skills and creativity, together with his average skating—all of which were highlighted by his complete drop-off in scoring at the end of the year—are obstacles to him becoming more than a 4th liner, if that. However, I love listening to this kid. He seems to have thought everything out, so I am betting on him figuring out how to mitigate or even overcome his shortcomings.

20. Liam Ruck

Position: RW | Shoots: R | League: WHL | Size: 6’0”, 174 lbs

“The Goal Scorer”

Liam Ruck is the goal scorer of the Ruck twins. He has most of the usual goal scorer traits: a great shot, the ability to find the right spot, and he can do deflections with the best of them. The concern with both twins is their skating and strength. Liam is a slightly better skater than Marcus and has a slightly bigger body. However, both have the compete, grit, and determination to mitigate or overcome any limitations that they may have.

19. Oliver Suvanto

Position: C | Shoots: L | League: FIN 1 | Size: 6’3”, 213 lbs

“The Power Centre”

Oliver Suvanto is like your ultimate defensive power centre. He dominates the other team’s centre, overpowers their D, wins the board battles, and has the competitive edge to maintain that domination throughout the game. Coaches love this guy as he is the type of player you can win in the playoffs with and dare I say, even Cups. However, he does have his limitations. First, he needs to improve his acceleration, but secondly and more critically, he needs to provide some offense, any offense. Basically, he stopped scoring entirely in the second half of the season—that is simply not good enough and creates doubts about what his ceiling is.

18. Maddox Dagenais

Position: LW | Shoots: L | League: QMJHL | Size: 6’4”, 198 lbs

“The Big Game Hunter”

The first half of the year, Maddox Dagenais’ game was practically non-existent; you literally had to check the scoresheet to see if he was playing. However, to his credit, he transformed his game in the last half of the year. He started to develop into the power winger you wanted him to be. First, he has the size, skating, and shot that translates well to the potential as a goal scorer in the NHL. Second, he increased his physical presence on the ice, often dominating board battles and overwhelming on the forecheck and cycle. If you like this guy for your team, be sure not to tell anyone: “He shows up for the big games.”

17. Nikita Klepov

Position: LW | Shoots: L | League: OHL | Size: 6’0”, 180 lbs

“The Power Play Guy”

Nikita Klepov is a player that is hard not to like—he combines high-end physical and mental skills with a determination and compete that you might expect from the OHL scoring champion. His chief limitation is his skating, but his mental quickness gives him an edge on his opponents, so he is usually not the last guy to show up in puck battles. This is the type of guy you want on the power play in the NHL—skilled, creative, calm, opportunistic, and results-oriented.

16. Alexander Command

Position: C | Shoots: L | League: SWE U20 | Size: 6’1”, 187 lbs

“Mr. Two Way”

Alexander Command was the top centre in Sweden this year and was the first-line centre and captain who led Team Sweden to the gold medal at the IIHF U18s. This is your guy that shows up and competes hard in all facets and zones of the game. His skills are very good but not elite, and he could use a bit better acceleration and better hands. He profiles more as a third-line centre that you can trust to put out there in tough situations.

15. Elton Hermansson

Position: LW | Shoots: L | League: SWE 2 | Size: 6’1”, 182 lbs

“Mr. Electric”

Elton Hermansson was the top scorer at the IIHF U18s and was named the top forward of the tournament. He also produced some of the best all-time results of a 17-year-old draft-eligible in the Allsvenskan, the second Swedish pro league. He possesses some of the most elite and electrifying skills in this draft class. The main critiques of his game are his perceived lack of compete and his defensive game. Teams that view him as soft are likely to pass on him or to have him further down their lists. Teams that need offense will note the improvement in his compete and defense in the second half and consider drafting him even higher than my 15 slot.

14. Daxon Rudolph

Position: D | Shoots: R | League: WHL | Size: 6’3”, 205 lbs

“The Quarterback”

First, the good. Daxon Rudolph is a power play quarterback who excelled this year with results in the regular season (68GP, 28G, 78Pts) and the playoffs (19GP, 9G, 25Pts). Rudolph excels in his shot, puck handling, and exciting stretch passes. However, I have him lower than most at a still high fourteen because his defense causes me concern. He is way too passive, doesn’t move his feet enough, and lets the play come to him rather than actively try to prevent it. He is projected to go in the top ten, but I don’t feel his defensive game is safe enough to project him that high.

13. Oscar Hemming

Position: LW | Shoots: L | League: NCAA | Size: 6’4”, 204 lbs

“The Thinker”

Oscar Hemming delivers a heavy shot together with high-end handling. He shows promise as a power forward due to his 6’4” frame and willingness to use it. However, his true superpower may be his IQ and ability to outthink his opponent. Hemming is an intriguing player who missed half the season due to difficulties getting his contract release in Finland to come to North America.

12. Tynan Lawrence

Position: C | Shoots: L | League: NCAA | Size: 6’1”, 183 lbs

“Mr. Compete”

Tynan Lawrence was the lead centre on a team that won the Clark Cup in the USHL in 2025. He started this year as Captain of the same team with 17 points in 13 games. Then, he switched to the NCAA and the wheels seemed to come off. Lawrence’s defining cards are his compete, defensive game, shot, and straight-ahead acceleration and speed. However, his time in the NCAA exposed some of his limitations, such as his difficulty changing direction, plus his limited hands and passing ability. Some teams will still have him as a top-ten centre, while others will view him more as an energy winger that they see more as a second-rounder.

11. Ethan Belchetz

Position: LW | Shoots: L | League: OHL | Size: 6’5”, 230 lbs

“The Mystery Man”

Ethan Belchetz is the mystery man. He has the tools to be an elite power forward in the NHL—enormous size at 6’5”, 230 lbs, very good hands, a decent shot, a high level of creativity, and the ability to occasionally overwhelm his opponent physically. What’s not to like? OK, there are some issues which help to define why his results (59Pts in 57GP) do not match his enormous potential. These include his pace of play, the consistency of his engagement (particularly his physical play), his willingness to settle for low-end shots, as well as only average skating. The potential is sky-high, but the risks are sky-high as well.

10. Viggo Bjorck

Position: C-RW | Shoots: R | League: SWE 1 | Size: 5’9”, 180 lbs

“The Genius”

OK, he’s only a 5’9” centre, but he ticks off most of the boxes that a 5’9” centre needs to compete at an elite level in the NHL—first of all, his IQ and knowledge of the game, second his effort and compete, and also his handling (particularly at speed) and elite playmaking. Obviously, size and strength are an issue, and his skating, while very good, is not at the elite level associated with successful 5’9” centres.

Chris Ralph adds: It has been noted by Pro Hockey Group’s Jason Bukala that Viggo had an impressive wingspan measurement at the NHL Combine. Does he have another growth spurt in him!? His older brother Wilson experienced a significant growth spurt after turning 18 reaching 6’1, and his father Jesper is 6’2.

^Note: The Viggo Bjorck info above is a preview of our Quantum Upside Prospect Player “Cards” with their respective Quantum Upside Score produced by Upside’s JedAI Scouting Engine System. There are many more of these available in our the 2026 Upside Draft Guide and/or for our paid Substack subscribers.

[Part One (40 through 28) Link Here]

Available Now! The Upside Guide to the 2026 NHL Draft

To honour the ultimate second-round steal Patrice Bergeron, we are offering an exclusive 37% discount for our Substack community. For this week only, use the code upside37 at checkout to unlock the entire 500+ page guide for just $9.95 (regularly $15.79).

So no, this is not a true mock draft…But you can use these profiles along with our Mock Draft Creator Tool which features our Consolidated Rankings to create your own.

Now onto the countdown…

40. Jakub Vanecek

Position: D | Shoots: L | League: WHL | Size: 6’2”, 203 lbs “Mr. Safe Pick”

His size, skating, and defensive combo make for a pick that will likely work out in the NHL. OK, maybe not the most exciting prospect, but the type which is a mainstay on NHL defenses.

39. Casey Mutryn

Position: LW | Shoots: L | League: NTDP | Size: 6’3”, 206 lbs “The Disrupter”

Casey Mutryn is a power forward who uses his size and physicality to be a disrupter in the offensive zone and provides a welcome net-front presence when needed. Off the puck, he uses his size and compete to win battles, retrieve pucks, and solidly finish his checks. Although he doesn’t have more than average hands and feet, this type of player inevitably finds a way into an NHL lineup and his coach’s heart.

38. Jack Hextall

Position: C | Shoots: R | League: USHL | Size: 6’1”, 195 lbs “The Brain”

I fell in love with Jack Hextall at the Hlinka last August. Unfortunately, his play in the USHL this season, while good, was not as overwhelming. Offensively, he has elite vision and IQ together with high-end hands and a credible shot. Defensively, his compete and motor give him an effective defensive presence and the basis for being an effective penalty killer. The ability to add a little more speed is likely to define how high-end this prospect becomes. However, the basis of a decent bottom-six forward is there.

37. Alexander Bilecki

Position: D | Shoots: L | League: OHL | Size: 6’2”, 181 lbs “The Hidden Gem”

Buried behind four drafted prospects on the deep Memorial Cup-winning Kitchener Rangers squad, Bilecki is for me the hidden gem in this year’s draft. His year with the Rangers was defined by low or bottom-pairing minutes, but when he did get to play up, he rose to the occasion, particularly in the playoffs and Cup run. His game is punctuated by his skating and mobility, decent size, and a developing physical game. Next year, he is likely to be the power play guy and go-to d-man for Kitchener. A little added strength could push his physical game up to where it needs to be.

36. Nikita Shcherbakov

Position: D | Shoots: L | League: VHL | Size: 6’5”, 187 lbs “Mr. Potential”

Depending on how you view his potential, you could have Shcherbakov close to the top 10 or maybe in the 3rd round. He has the size, reach, and skating to be a high-end d-man. However, issues with consistency, compete, and physicality make you back away a bit. Additionally, he played in the VHL, the AHL of Russia, where he did not stand out nearly as much against his peers.

35. Brooks Rogowski

Position: C | Shoots: R | League: OHL | Size: 6’7”, 235 lbs “The Monster”

A 6’7” player is usually closer to the start of the development runway than a 5’10” player, and that is especially the case with Brooks Rogowski as he only recently committed to hockey after being mainly a baseball player. The high points to his game are his size (obviously), his decent top gear, his net-front game, and an attractive defensive presence. He needs to add some quickness and physicality to his overall game for me to be more confident in projecting him to be the monster that many believe he will become.

34. Gleb Pugachyov

Position: LW | Shoots: L | League: MHL | Size: 6’3”, 198 lbs “Mr. Intimidation”

OK, tell me what team doesn’t want a Tom Wilson-type player for their playoff run. Pugachyov, in addition to being maybe the toughest forward to play against in the draft, has decent top-end speed, reasonable hands, and good defensive ability. On the other side of the equation, he needs to improve his quickness, agility, and overall results. Is he a top-9 player or lower in the lineup? Still valuable, but lower in your rankings.

33. Adam Goljer

Position: D | Shoots: R | League: SVK 1 | Size: 6’1”, 200 lbs “Mon Capitaine”

Adam Goljer was the captain of Team Slovakia at the 2026 IIHF U18 tournament and was named the top defender and to the all-star team. He has the potential to be a shutdown defender and the skating ability to be a reliable puck carrier, as well as the leadership qualities to carry a letter on his sweater. His defensive details need to improve in order for him to be more of a sure thing.

32. Marcus Nordmark

Position: LW | Shoots: L | League: SWE U20 | Size: 6’2”, 190 lbs “The Dazzler”

Marcus Nordmark has taken a lot of criticism this year for his play, or lack thereof, without the puck—most of it justified. However, with the puck, he is the dazzler: elite results, elite passing, elite hands, a very good shot, and just the ability to create high-end scoring chances one after another. If you believe his compete and physicality will develop to even average, this guy is a first-round pick all the way; if not, he is probably closer to “Do Not Draft.”

31. Juho Piiparinen

Position: D | Shoots: R | League: FIN 1 | Size: 6’2”, 204 lbs “Mr. Reliable”

Juho Piiparinen possesses the size, physicality, passing ability, mental processing quickness, active stick, and defensive reliability that teams crave to have on their blueline for a long time.

30. Ryan Lin

Position: D | Shoots: R | League: WHL | Size: 5’11”, 180 lbs “The Chihuahua”

Ryan Lin is like the chihuahua who thinks he is a Great Pyrenees; he plays way above his weight class. Ryan is a slightly under-sized defenseman who does everything well but nothing elite, except for maybe his smarts. He plays well enough to have a chance to be a power play quarterback in the NHL. On the downside, he can get pushed around a bit even at the junior level. The question which will determine where he goes in the draft is: “Is his skill level—high-end but not necessarily elite—good enough that he will be an above-average power play quarterback that can compensate for any size-level concerns?”

^Note: The Ryan Lin info above is a preview of our Quantum Upside Prospect Player “Cards” with their respective Quantum Upside Score produced by Upside’s JedAI Scouting Engine System. There are many more of these available in our the 2026 Upside Draft Guide and/or for our paid Substack subscribers.

29. Mathis Preston

Position: RW | Shoots: R | League: WHL | Size: 5’11”, 172 lbs “Mr. Zoomie”

Hmm, this guy does more zoomies than my dog—boundless energy. The question is: Can the right coach take his elite skills, skating, stickhandling, and shot, and turn them into a complete hockey player? Right now, he is just an extremely skilled offensive player with top-10 traits who is flailing because of too much individuality, a lack of smarts and physicality, as well as defensive compete. I have bet on him as a first-rounder because I believe a team with multiple first-round picks will bet that he is that pot of gold at the end of the draft rainbow.

28. Niklas Aaram-Olsen

Position: LW | Shoots: L | League: SWE U20 | Size: 6’1”, 185 lbs “Mr. Underrated”

Niklas Aaram-Olsen is a Norwegian winger playing in the Swedish U20 league who improved his game considerably over the year and does seem to have benefited enough ranking-wise for those improvements. In short, Aaram-Olsen is a goal scorer because he has an elite shot which is complimented by high-end skating and stickhandling. He is also a decent playmaker. His off-puck game showed a noticeable improvement as the season wore on, and with some further improvements should be more than adequate. The question teams will be asking themselves is: “Can this guy make it to the top 6 on our team, a reasonable possibility, or is he more of a scoring bottom-six?” Teams that think the former are likely to take him way higher than the 28 I have him at.

We aim to release the rest leading up to Draft Day…

Available Now! The Upside Guide to the 2026 NHL Draft

To honour the ultimate second-round steal Patrice Bergeron, we are offering an exclusive 37% discount for our Substack community. For this week only, use the code upside37 at checkout to unlock the entire 500+ page guide for just $9.95 (regularly $15.79).

Upside. Unlocked. Unstoppable.

We’ve packed this year’s guide with more features, rankings, and deep scouting than ever before including this unique aforementioned fascinating feature:

• Quantum Upside Scores & Player Cards: Over 250 Quantum Upside Scores breaking down tools mathematically, paired with 40 individual player cards for top prospects.

Sample: Gavin McKenna info below is a preview of our forthcoming Quantum Upside Prospect Player “Cards” with their respective Quantum Upside Score produced by Upside’s JedAI Scouting Engine System. There will be many more of these available in our the 2026 Upside Draft Guide and/or for our paid Substack subscribers.

Available Now! The Upside Guide to the 2026 NHL Draft

To honour the ultimate second-round steal Patrice Bergeron, we are offering an exclusive 37% discount for our Substack community. For this week only, use the code upside37 at checkout to unlock the entire 500+ page guide for just $9.95 (regularly $15.79).

What’s in the Upside Guide to the 2026 NHL Draft you ask?

• 554 pages.

• 280+ prospect profiles.

• Top 224 Rankings.

• Top 116 Consolidated Rankings.

• Tier-based Rankings.

• Top 75 Fantasy Hockey Rankings.

• New Feature: 259 Quantum Upside Prospect Scores (& 40 Prospect Cards) powered by our proprietary JedAI Scouting Model

To see where they ranked in our Final Edition Top 224 Rankings, click here to cross-reference.

Zac Olsen (Photo: Steve Hiscock, Saskatoon Blades)

Zac Olsen

Position: RW | Size: 6’1”, 203lbs

The Calgary kid started off well, with 11 points in his first 15 contests, but faded offensively as the season wore on, finishing with 18 goals, 34 points, and 79 PIM in 57 games for the Saskatoon Blades. While he can play C, the team was using as a third-line winger for most of the year, and his contributions to defensive play earned him a spot on Team Canada in the U-18 Worlds (2 goals in 5 games). He’s a nice blend of power, speed, and skill, plays a violent and edgy physical style, and will not be outworked or outhustled- he doesn’t mind doing the dirty work for his line OR the heavy lifting, winning most of his puck-battles, and most of his races to loose pucks. This is the kind of player who could have been a top scorer in the WHL in the next few seasons with his underrated shot and finishing skills, but he’s attending Colorado College in the Fall.

Nathan Amidovski

Position: LHC | Size: 6’2”, 183lbs

Like Olsen, he started the season off well with 22 points in 34 games for the contending Ottawa 67’s (12 pts in the first 14), but he was traded mid-season to the rebuilding Brampton Steelheads, who missed the playoffs. The Steelheads were the lowest-scoring team in the OHL by far (only 164 tallies), and Amidovski’s already mediocre offensive numbers stagnated, only posting 8 points in 23 tilts with his new team. I was a fan of his brother Lirim last season, who was chosen in the 4th-round by Minny in 2025, after putting up 32 points in 67 matches- similar numbers to Nathan’s 30 points in 57 games. While he will likely never be a top-line player in the show, he owns tremendous speed, and is a gifted puckhandler- capable of deking and dangling his way through traffic, while solving problems on the fly. He isn’t much of a play-driver in the offensive zone, but is excellent in a support role, and flashes some crafty playmaking ability- but his shot and finishing skill are his most prominent assets on the attack. Amidovski is a fantastic defensive player with pro-style habits and acute attention to detail, but needs to play a more physical game (only 24 PIM). There’s more here than meets the eye.

Ludvig Andersson

Position: RW/C | Size: 5’11”, 203lbs

By my estimation, there are few players as overlooked as Ludvig Andersson, who was 11th in U20 scoring with 20 goals (tied for 5th), 42 points, and 34 PIM. In the playoffs, he was 7th in scoring, and led Orebro with 18 points in 14 contests. He’s not very tall, but he’s prolifically physical, wields sky-high motor, and hits like a Mack truck. He has a high floor because of his high-end defensive acumen and penalty-killing proficiency, but he flashes vision and creativity in the offensive zone, with a snappy wrister, and a nose for the net. He’s also skilled with the puck.

Rudolfs Berzkalns

Position: LHC | Size: 6’4”, 203lbs

The big Latvian just completed his second season with the Muskegon Lumberjacks, but he’s still quite raw and will need time to marinate. Injuries limited him to 48 games this year (he had 43 in 2024-25), with only 25 points, and he managed to contrbute 10 points in 16 Playoff games. Along the way, he competed in his second WJC for Latvia, picking up 1 goal in 5 games. “Rudy” is a big power-forward who leverages his size and stength well to dominate along the boards, and around the net. While he’s a capable passer, his main weapon is his cannon of a shot- but he could use a little work on his boots. Berzkalns is another player with a high floor, due to his high-end defensive impact, and his ferocity on the backcheck. He will be attending Boston College in the fall.

Alexander Bilecki

Position: LD | Size: 6’2”, 181lbs

Alexander Bilecki is a formidable defender in his own-zone, and one of the best transitional blueliners in this draft-class. He plies a solid, mistake-free puck-moving game with uncommon poise under pressure, and though he is devoid of much dynamism or flash, he exhibits intelligence in all zones, and displays a physical edge. Bilecki is remarkably well-rounded, and capable of playing in all situations, posting 29 points in 66 matches for the Memorial Cup Champions, the Kitchener Rangers. He skates very well, and uses his speed and agility to kill rushes, and eliminate time and space from attackers. He contributed 11 points in 18 OHL Playoff games, and 3 points in 4 tilts in Memorial Cup competition. Bilecki played the first half of the season on the third-pairing, but was given more ice-time and responsibility after a few deadline deals saw D-men Jacob Xu and Jakub Chromiak departing, with D Jared Woolley joining the team for the stretch-run. He could be picked in the second-round.

Ryan Brown

Position: LW | Size: 5’11”, 176lbs

Brown was in the midst of his third season with the Sarnia Sting, who were one of the worst teams in the OHL, when he was mercifully traded to the London Knights about a week and a half before the deadline. He went from 23 points in 34 matches with Sarnia, to 40 points in 33 games with the ‘Spits- for a total of 63 points in 67 contests. THN has him ranked #62 in their Draft Guide, and called him an “offensive dynamo” who was a threat to score every time he stepped on the ice with London. Few players have the motor or compete that Brown possesses; he pursues pucks doggedly, outworks larger opponents in puck-battles, gets to the dirty areas of the ice, and plays a gritty physical game. He wields difference-making speed to beat opponents wide, split defenses, push supreme pace, win races to loose pucks, and separate from pursuers. His puck-skills are well-developed, and compliment his skating. In Sarnia, he was known as more of a creative playmaker, but he has leaned into a high shot volume approach since going to Windsor, with a willingness to go to hard areas to score, and drive the net for chances.

Rian Chudzinski

Position: RW | Size: 6’1”, 190lbs

The American-born Chudzinski puts the “power” in “power-forward”, with his mean edge, his sky-high intensity and compete, and his prolific physicality. While he plays a rather violent checking game with acute attention to detail, and puts forth an impactful backcheck on the Moncton Wildcats’ third-line, he has the nose for the net and the dangerous shot to be a top-six goal-scorer on most teams. Problem is, the Wildcats were one of the CHL’s best teams, and they had a rather deep and talented roster, so he may have to wait until next season to show more of what he can do on the attack. Chudzinski finished with 21 goals, 38 points, and 71 PIM in 54 regular-season games, but cranked it up a notch in the Playoffs, sporting 17 points in 21 post-season tilts- though Moncton was eliminated in the Finals by Chicoutimi. Chudzinski is intimidating on the forecheck, but what makes him even more scary is that he’s an excellent skater with superb agility- which makes him nearly impossible to outrun, or beat to loose pucks. He can chase down virtually any puck-carrier on the ice, and suffocates opponents of space and time. Don’t be surprised if he’s taken as early as the second-round, and don’t be surprised if he’s a top goal-scorer in the Q as early as next season.

Callum Croskery

Position: LD | Size: 6’1”, 187lbs

Croskery suffered a broken wrist in training camp for the Soo Greyhounds that cost him the first few months of the season- which may have derailed his draft year (he was considered a possible first-rounder at the start of the campaign). Upon his return, he played second-fiddle to Chase Reid on the Greyhounds’ blueline, before a mid-season trade that brought in D Lukas Fischer pushed him further down the lineup. Croskery finished with a respectable 18 points in 43 games, and added 5 points in 10 post-season contests, but more was expected numbers-wise. Even still, he is extremely well-rounded, and can contribute effectively in all areas, and all situations; he does have a much better offensive game in his repertoire though, and was tied with Keaton Verhoeff for 2nd in scoring from the backend for Team Canada at the U-18 Worlds, with 4 points in 5 games. Croskery is an excellent skater, but displays even better agility and edgework that enables him to drive play through transition; he sees the ice well, and makes smart plays under pressure. Even without the offense, he has his own-zone game down pat, and is a virtual stalwart defender with proficiency against the rush using his well-timed stick and tight gaps. He moves quickly in all directions, exerts staunch positioning and heightened awareness, but could stand to be more physical.

Dylan Dean

Position: LW | Size: 6’1”, 185lbs

Minnesota-native Dylan Dean started the campaign well, with 13 points in his first 16 games for Edmonton of the WHL, before an injury in early-November put him out of action for a month-and-a half. Upon his return, he put up 5 points in 8 games, but a pre-deadline deal that saw the Oil Kings acquire forwards Aaron Obobaifo and Jaxon Fuder ate into his ice-time, and therefore his production, for the rest of his draft-year. He finished with 15 goals, 29 points, and 57 PIM in 52 matches, with 3 points in 7 playoff games. Dean is pacey, energetic, and physical, facilitated by his powerful stride, and he is a menace on the forecheck- dishing out big hits while forcing turnovers and uncontrolled play. A hard-nosed, gritty winger, he works the boards with intensity and power, goes to the net hard to clean up garbage in the crease, and wins battles in all the greasy areas. He plays with an edge, sometimes going over it, gets involved in every post-whistle scrum, and will drop the gloves when necessary. Dean isn’t without skill though, as he exhibits keen spatial awareness, high IQ, and owns sublime playmaking instincts. 15 of his 29 points were goals though, and he does most of his work in close proximity to the net, with most of his shots coming from below the hashmarks, and from directly in front of the crease, showing soft mitts in-tight. His floor is raised by his smart, detailed defensive game in all three zones.

Alessandro Di Iorio

Position: C | Size: 6’1”, 194lbs

The Sarnia Sting finished 17th in the Standings, with the 4th-worst goals-for in the OHL, which affected the production of most of their players- most notably draft-eligibles C Beckham Edwards and Di Iorio- the team’s top two centers. Di Iorio finished his draft year with 31 points in an injury-riddled 45-game campaign, after posting 38 in 58 the season prior. He is a conscientious two-way pivot who can play in all situations, and exerts a mature, reliable defensive game; he was named the youngest Captain in the history of the team at the beginning of the year, which says something about his character and leadership. He is also quite well-rounded skill-wise, with above-average tools across the board, and an underrated offensive game.

Beckham Edwards

Position: LHC | Size: 6’1”, 187lbs

Edwards’ output was hurt by playing for a poor team in the 17th-placed Sarnia Sting, much like his teammate, Alessandro Di Iorio. Edwards posted 45 points (19 goals) in 64 games this season, which is quite disappointing when considering that he produced 45 points in 62 games the year prior. Both players are vastly better than their stats indicate, in my opinion. Edwards is a hard-working, disruptive 200-ft buzzsaw, who plays a physical power game, and is a shoot-first sniper and finisher with a nose for the net, and soft hands in-tight. He owns a hard and heavy NHL-caliber shot, that he can unleash on the fly, with a stunning release that can fool goalies from distance.

Available Now! The Upside Guide to the 2026 NHL Draft

To honour the ultimate second-round steal Patrice Bergeron, we are offering an exclusive 37% discount for our Substack community. For this week only, use the code upside37 at checkout to unlock the entire 500+ page guide for just $9.95 (regularly $15.79).

What’s in the Upside Guide to the 2026 NHL Draft you ask?

• 554 pages.

• 280+ prospect profiles.

• Top 224 Rankings.

• Top 116 Consolidated Rankings.

• Tier-based Rankings.

• Top 75 Fantasy Hockey Rankings.

• New Feature: 259 Quantum Upside Prospect Scores (& 40 Prospect Cards) powered by our proprietary JedAI Scouting Model

Draft. Develop. Dominate.

• For exclusive rankings, in-depth prospect profiles, team prospect rankings, and mock drafts, visit: Upside Hockey

• Twitter/X/Bluesky: @ UpsideHockey

• Instagram: @ Upside.Hockey

No goalies here. While netminders are crucial to NHL success, their fantasy potential remains notoriously unpredictable, even more than a decade into the analytics revolution. Thus, we’ve left the masked men out entirely.

The philosophy here mirrors what my former THW colleague Josh Deitell articulated years ago about the fundamental difference between NHL and fantasy drafts:

Grit, work ethic, defensive-zone play, and character: all crucial factors that NHL teams weigh heavily on draft day but largely irrelevant for fantasy purposes.

Yes, you want players who’ll actually reach the NHL and produce, so bust potential matters—especially when evaluating European prospects who might take years to come over or never make the jump at all. But offensive ceiling is paramount.

You’ll notice smaller forwards and defensemen climbing higher here than in our official Rankings (May Edition). I’ve injected some real-world considerations—if I ranked purely on offensive talent in a vacuum, some of these undersized players would sit even higher. We’ve also factored in that certain well-rounded prospects may earn more ice time due to their complete games, which may translate to greater fantasy production.

For those playing simulation leagues where defensive metrics and goalie prospects carry significant weight, you may want to stick with the standard draft rankings, or reference both.

Note:

*The “FH” column below is our “Fantasy Hockey” ranking for the prospect. We’ve left in our final ranking in the, you guessed it, “Rank” column. The “UH” column was our direct link to our in-depth prospect profile - these are not hyperlinked below but can be found on our dedicated 2026 prospect profiles page at Upside Hockey.

• 20 Prospects display per page; simply scroll through pages via the upper right-hand corner indicator.

• *We present the Top 30 in this article; for the full Top 75 see our 2026 NHL Draft Guide - now available (more info below)!

• You might also enjoy: Mock Draft Creator Tool: Now updated with our patent pending chaos level slider.

  • Choose your team. Choose the chaos level (1-10). Make your selections from the Consensus Rankings for 3 rounds. Share you picks!

Available Now! The Upside Guide to the 2026 NHL Draft

To honour the ultimate second-round steal Patrice Bergeron, we are offering an exclusive 37% discount for our Substack community. For this week only, use the code upside37 at checkout to unlock the entire 500+ page guide for just $9.95 (regularly $15.79).

What’s in the Upside Guide to the 2026 NHL Draft you ask?

• 554 pages.

• 280+ prospect profiles.

• Top 224 Rankings.

• Top 116 Consolidated Rankings.

• Tier-based Rankings.

• Top 75 Fantasy Hockey Rankings.

• 259 Quantum Upside Prospect Scores (& 40 Prospect Cards) powered by our proprietary JedAI Scouting Model

Dreams. Draft. Destiny.

• For exclusive rankings, in-depth prospect profiles, team prospect rankings, and mock drafts, visit: Upside Hockey

• Twitter/X/Bluesky: @ UpsideHockey

• Instagram: @ Upside.Hockey

Available Now! The Upside Guide to the 2026 NHL Draft

To honour the ultimate second-round steal Patrice Bergeron, we are offering an exclusive 37% discount for our Substack community. For this week only, use the code upside37 at checkout to unlock the entire 500+ page guide for just $9.95 (regularly $15.79).

What’s in the Upside Guide to the 2026 NHL Draft you ask?

• 554 pages.

• 280+ prospect profiles.

• Top 224 Rankings.

• Top 116 Consolidated Rankings.

• Tier-based Rankings.

• Top 75 Fantasy Hockey Rankings.

• 259 Quantum Upside Prospect Scores (& 40 Prospect Cards) powered by our proprietary JedAI Scouting Model

Draft. Develop. Dominate.

• For exclusive rankings, in-depth prospect profiles, team prospect rankings, and mock drafts, visit: Upside Hockey

• Twitter/X/Bluesky: @ UpsideHockey

• Instagram: @ Upside.Hockey

While other publications locked their lists weeks ago, we held out to ensure every last piece of data was as current as possible. The result is an absolute monster of a resource: The Upside Guide to the 2026 NHL Draft, spanning over 500 pages of deep-dive data, analysis, and scouting insights.

There is a reason this is the Draft Guide actual NHL front offices reach for.

This year, we are bridging the gap between the “eye test” of traditional scouting and modern data science. We are thrilled to introduce the Upside Quantum Tool, powered by our proprietary JedAI Model. By translating the qualitative insights of our scouts into objective, standardized data, we’ve created a premium, weighted composite grade representing a prospect’s ultimate NHL ceiling. While this will be a constantly evolving tool, after many iterations, we are fascinated and exhilarated with the results to date.

Upside. Unlocked. Unstoppable.

We’ve packed this year’s guide with more features, rankings, and deep scouting than ever before. Here is a look at the massive slate of what to expect inside:

• 2026 NHL Draft Rankings: Our final board ranking the Top 224 players in the class by the incomparable rankings guru Eldon MacDonald.

• 2026 NHL Draft Consolidated Rankings Top 116: A clear look at where public and private industry consensus stands.

• NEW Quantum Upside Scores & Player Cards: Over 250 Quantum Upside Scores breaking down tools mathematically, paired with 40 individual player cards for the elite elite.

• Prospect Tiers-Based Top 100 Ranking: Grouped shelves showing you exactly where the talent drop-offs occur.

• Massive Prospect Profiles Section: Over 280 detailed prospect profiles packed with tape-to-tape scouting notes by our indefatigable prospect profiler Trevor Curtis.

• 2026 NHL Mock Draft: Our projectable look at how the draft board could fall.

• NHL Player Comps: Giving you a stylistic baseline for the next wave of NHL talent.

• Upside’s Best of the Best: Cutting through the noise to crown the top individual tools in the class, over 15 top 10 categories featured.

• Fantasy Hockey Based Top 75 Rankings: Built specifically for poolies looking to dominate their keeper and dynasty league drafts.

• Ridiculous Upside Awards: Giving out some hardware to the most unique profiles in the 2026 class.

• 2027 NHL Draft Rankings (Early Edition): A crucial, sneak-peek look at next year’s electrifying class.

The “Super Second-Rounder” Draft Week Special:

Greatness can be found anywhere on the draft board—just look at legendary Boston Bruins center Patrice Bergeron, who completely redefined a franchise after being taken 45th overall in the second round.

To honour the ultimate second-round steal, we are offering an exclusive 37% discount for our Substack community. For this week only, use the code upside37 at checkout to unlock the entire 500+ page guide for just $9.95 (regularly $15.79). The following two links take you to where you need to be: the guide is in a digital eBook PDF format sold through the dependable Gumroad platform.

Upside’s Guide to the NHL Draft

[LINK TO GUMROAD CHECKOUT]

Don’t get caught offside on the dark side; join us on the Upside.

Dreams. Draft. Destiny.

Chris Ralph

Founder, Editor and Chief Exploration Officer at Upside Hockey

• For exclusive rankings, in-depth prospect profiles, and mock drafts,

  visit: Upside Hockey

  Draft. Develop.Dominate.

• Twitter/X/Bluesky: @ UpsideHockey

• Instagram: @ Upside.Hockey

Note: Draft Rankings Completed June 11, 2026

Compare to:

• Our Top 107 Consolidated Draft Rankings (from all the top public rankings available from who deem the best sources are) - update coming soon

• Upside’s own April Rankings (our mammoth in-depth spreadsheet)

• Top 100 Final Rankings Big Board With Tiers by Trevor Curtis - our chief prospect profiler gives a different perspective on the draft class with a tier-based analysis

Key Trends & May-to-June Movement

• McKenna & Stenberg Hold Firm: Gavin McKenna (#1), after some turmoil, did indeed go coast to coast as the number one ranked prospect. Ivar Stenberg (#2) remain locked in tat number two. Carson Carels remains entrenched at #3 overall.

• Caleb Malhotra and Chase Reid: the OHLers continue to round out the top five.

The Risers:

Just to highlight some of the movement:

• Super Swedes Malte Gustafsson and Viggo Björck have climbed into the Top 10 after sitting just outside in our May Rankings.

• Maksim Sokolovsky: the behemoth physical blueliner had a meteoric rise up to #34 from #90 in our May Rankings and has now risen up to #23 in our Final Rankings.

• Alexander Command: the two-way Swedish centre continues to impress and is now up to #16 (previously #21)

The Fallers:

• Ryan Roobroeck: continues his slide from a potential top 10 pick at the start of the season, now down to #46.

• Nikita Shcherbakov: he fell victim to the numbers game falling out of the first round of our rankings (was #28 in May Rankings) and now slotted as an early 2nd rounder at #36; come Draft Day he could easily be picked in the first round though.

Our Top 224 with notes:

• Rank column is our current rank of the prospect (perhaps obvious, but to be clear)

• The table below displays 20 prospects at a time (i.e. per page); simply click through the various pages in top right corner to scroll through complete rankings.

• NHL column is our own combined version of NHL Central Scoutings’ Final Draft Rankings

• The UH column (for Upside Hockey) indicates we have completed an in-depth profile on the prospect. This can be accessed via our full massive rankings spreadsheet over at our Upside Hockey website: Link

• 68G Eq Pts column: to more easily compare point totals of prospects across leagues we’ve elected to use the CHL leagues games played for a full season (i.e. 68 games). Thus, it’s a prospects points totals pro-rated to 68 games played. We are also working on a Dynamic NHLe (NHL equivalent point totals), so stay tuned for that - it will be displayed in our Quantum Upside Scores and Upside Prospect Cards in development for our Upside Draft Guide (stay tuned; check back to this link.

Link to the full massive rankings spreadsheet with many features at Upside.

Draft. Develop. Dominate.

Dreams. Draft. Destiny.

Upside Hockey.

Coming Soon!

• 2026 Upside Draft Guide

• For exclusive rankings, in-depth prospect profiles, and mock drafts,

  visit: Upside Hockey

• Twitter/X/Bluesky: @ UpsideHockey

• Instagram: @ Upside.Hockey

The NHL draft lottery was pure chaos, but the order is finally set. Now that the order is locked in, the real work begin. We decided it was time to hand the keys to your favourite franchise’s future over to you…

Today, we are officially launching Upside’s Interactive 3-Round NHL Mock Draft Sim.

We took the finalized 2026 NHL Draft order (including every deadline trade, Top-10 protection, and forfeiture penalty) and wired it directly into our newly expanded Top-107 Consensus Board, which aggregates rankings from the best scouts in the industry.

The result is the ultimate armchair GM/Head Amateur Scout experience.

How to play GM:

1. Choose Your Team: Select your favourite franchise from the dropdown, or choose to control all 32 teams manually.

2. Set the Chaos Level: Do you want a strictly realistic, Best-Player-Available draft (Level 1)? Or do you want an unpredictable draft floor where AI GMs reach for sleepers and completely blow up the board (Level 10)? Test out the various levels.

3. Enter the War Room: The screen will split. The official draft board is on your left, and the Consensus Best Available pool is on your right.

4. Make Your Picks: When your team is on the clock, make your selection. When you aren’t on the clock, our custom JedAI Scouting System will automatically draft for the other 31 teams based on your chosen Chaos Level.

This tool is entirely free to use and works seamlessly on both desktop and mobile.

ENTER THE WAR ROOM & START YOUR DRAFT

The Challenge

I want to see your most chaotic, completely biased draft hauls.

Run your simulation, draft your board, and hit the “Copy Results to Clipboard” button at the end to show the hockey world how a real rebuild is done. Paste your results in the comments below, or drop them on social media and be sure to tag @ UpsideHockey/@Upside.Hockey so we can share the best ones!

See you on the draft floor, let the chaos begin.

— The Upside Hockey Team

Draft. Develop. Dominate.

• For exclusive rankings, in-depth prospect profiles, team prospect rankings, and mock drafts, visit: Upside Hockey

• Twitter/X/Bluesky: @ UpsideHockey

• Instagram: @ Upside.Hockey

Compare to:

• Upside’s own May Rankings (our mammoth in-depth spreadsheet)

  • Final June Rankings to come…

• Top 100 Final Rankings Big Board With Tiers by Trevor Curtis - our chief prospect profiler gives a different perspective on the draft class with a tier-based analysis

***

Upside’s Draft Lottery Mock Draft Creator Tool

Link - it uses our Consolidated Rankings

• Chose your team. Chaos level. Make your picks for 3 rounds.

• Check it out, play around, have fun, report back!

Draft. Develop. Dominate.

• For exclusive rankings, in-depth prospect profiles, team prospect rankings, and mock drafts, visit: Upside Hockey

• Twitter/X/Bluesky: @ UpsideHockey

• Instagram: @ Upside.Hockey

Compare to:

• Upside’s own May Rankings (our mammoth in-depth spreadsheet)

  • Final June Rankings to come…

• Top 100 Final Rankings Big Board With Tiers by Trevor Curtis - our chief prospect profiler gives a different perspective on the draft class with a tier-based analysis

***

Upside’s Draft Lottery Mock Draft Creator Tool

Link - it uses our Consolidated Rankings - check it out, play around, have fun, report back!

Draft. Develop. Dominate.

• For exclusive rankings, in-depth prospect profiles, team prospect rankings, and mock drafts, visit: Upside Hockey

• Twitter/X/Bluesky: @ UpsideHockey

• Instagram: @ Upside.Hockey

For those looking at the blueprints as to what talent might be infused into their team in future seasons, we’ve already launched the next season of prospect exploration.

Here's our way too early rankings for the 2027 NHL Draft from our Chief Rankings Officer, Eldon MacDonald.

Our Ridiculously Early Top 32 & Beyond:

For some of our recent 2026 NHL Draft Coverage, check out:

• Our Top 83 Consolidated Draft Rankings (from all the top public rankings available from who deem the best sources are) - update coming soon

• Upside’s own April Rankings (our mammoth in-depth spreadsheet) - May update coming soon

• Top 100 Final Rankings Big Board With Tiers by Trevor Curtis - our chief prospect profiler gives a different perspective on the draft class

Upside Hockey.

Draft. Develop. Dominate.

• For exclusive rankings, in-depth prospect profiles, team prospect rankings, and mock drafts, visit: Upside Hockey

• Twitter/X/Bluesky: @ UpsideHockey

• Instagram: @ Upside.Hockey

Note: Draft Rankings Completed May 8, 2026

Compare to:

• Our Top 83 Consolidated Draft Rankings (from all the top public rankings available from who deem the best sources are) - update coming soon

• Upside’s own April Rankings (our mammoth in-depth spreadsheet)

• Top 100 Final Rankings Big Board With Tiers by Trevor Curtis - our chief prospect profiler gives a different perspective on the draft class with a tier-based analysis

Key Trends & April-to-May Movement

• McKenna & Stenberg Hold Firm: Gavin McKenna (#1) and Ivar Stenberg (#2) remain locked into the top two spots on the board. Carson Carels remains entrenched at #3 overall.

• Caleb Malhotra Climbs to #4: Malhotra moves up to #4 overall (up from #6 in April) after an elite playmaking finish to his season with Brantford in the OHL.

The Risers:

Just to highlight some of the movement:

• The Ruck Twins Surge: Both brothers rocket into the Top 20:

  • Liam Ruck: Moves to #17 (up from #22)

  • Marcus Ruck: Moves to #18 (up from #27)

• Wyatt Cullen: impressed our Eldon MacDonald enough to launch him into our top 10 at #10, up all the way from #26 in April.

• Thomas Bleyl: vaulted up to #26 (up from #36 in April) with his elite offensive production (81 points) from the blue line in Moncton.

• Adam Goljer: after an impressive World U18s, the defenseman has leaped into first round territory to #31 from #48 back in April.

• Maksim Sokolovsky: the mammoth physical blueliner had a meteoric rise up to #34 from #90 in April.

The Fallers:

• William Hakansson: He fell 14 spots (From 18 down to 32) in April and now 14 more in May down to #46 from #32.

• Nikita Klepov: is down 7 slots from #13 to #20

• Oliver Suvanto: the centreman fell 5 more spots to #23 from #18 after trending the wrong way in April as well (down 8 spots from 10 down to 18). He still may very well go higher come Draft Day as teams covet centres.

Our Top 224 with notes:

• Rank column is our current rank of the prospect (perhaps obvious, but to be clear)

• NHL column is our own combined version of NHL Central Scoutings’ Final Draft Rankings

• The UH column (for Upside Hockey) indicates we have completed an in-depth profile on the prospect. This can be accessed via our full massive rankings spreadsheet over at our Upside Hockey website: Link

• 68G Eq Pts column: to more easily compare point totals of prospects across leagues we’ve elected to use the CHL leagues games played for a full season (i.e. 68 games). Thus, it’s a prospects points totals pro-rated to 68 games played. We are also working on a Dynamic NHLe (NHL equivalent point totals), so stay tuned for that.

Link to the full massive rankings spreadsheet with many features at Upside.

Draft. Develop. Dominate.

Dreams. Draft. Destiny.

Upside Hockey.

• For exclusive rankings, in-depth prospect profiles, and mock drafts,

  visit: Upside Hockey

• Twitter/X/Bluesky: @ UpsideHockey

• Instagram: @ Upside.Hockey

The lottery is in the books with the Toronto Maple Leafs jumping up to the coveted number one slot. Draft weekend is drawing near, being held at KeyBank Center in Buffalo on June 26-27th, 2026.

At Upside, we’ve been admittedly publishing plenty of rankings of late. This combined NHL CS rankings is yet another tool for readers and draft geeks alike. To clarify the rankings we do publish and with which you can compare NHL Central Scoutings to:

• Our Top 83 Consolidated Draft Rankings (from all the top public rankings available from who deem the best sources are) - update coming soon

• Upside’s own April Rankings (our mammoth in-depth spreadsheet) - May update coming soon

• Top 100 Final Rankings Big Board With Tiers by Trevor Curtis - our chief prospect profiler gives a different perspective on the draft class with a tier-based analysis

The Upside column below is from our May rankings which will be available separately shortly. How did Central Scouting do this year?

Dare to compare NHL Central Scoutings to:

• Our Top 83 Consolidated Draft Rankings (from all the top public rankings available from who deem the best sources are) - update coming soon

• Upside’s own April Rankings (our mammoth in-depth spreadsheet) - May update coming soon

• Top 100 Final Rankings Big Board With Tiers by Trevor Curtis - our chief prospect profiler gives a different perspective on the draft class

Upside Hockey.

Draft. Develop. Dominate.

• For exclusive rankings, in-depth prospect profiles, team prospect rankings, and mock drafts, visit: Upside Hockey

• Twitter/X/Bluesky: @ UpsideHockey

• Instagram: @ Upside.Hockey

In this Tier-Based Analysis, we move past the arbitrary cutoffs of first or second rounders to focus on talent clusters and organizational value. From the elite ceilings of Tier 1 to the developmental depth of Tier 21, this list identifies where the drop-offs occur and where the real value lies.

Here is the updated landscape of the Top 100. The NHL Draft Lottery is now in the books with the Toronto Maple Leafs currently slated to pick number one and soon to be on the clock. Which direction do they go?

Caleb Malhotra (Photo: Brandon Taylor, OHL Images)

Tier 1

1. LW Gavin McKenna

2. LW Ivar Stenberg

Tier 2

3. D Carson Carels

4. D Keaton Verhoeff

5. D Chase Reid

6. D Alberts Smits

Tier 3

7. C Caleb Malhotra

8. C Viggo Bjorck

9. D Daxon Rudolph

Tier 4

10. C Tynan Lawrence

11. D Ryan Lin

12. LW Ethan Belchetz

Tier 5

13. LW Nikita Klepov

14. D Malte Gustafsson

Tier 6

15. C Alexander Command

16. C Ilya Morozov

17. LW Oscar Hemming

Tier 7

18. LW Adam Novotny

19. LW Wyatt Cullen

20. LW Marcus Nordmark

21. RW Elton Hermansson

Tier 8

22. LW Ryan Roobroeck

23. C JP Hurlbert

Tier 9

24. C Oliver Suvanto

25. C Yegor Shilov

26. D Tommy Bleyl

27. RW Niklas Aaram-Olsen

Tier 10

28. LW Liam Ruck

29. D Juho Piiparainen

30. D William Hakansson

31. D Xavier Villeneuve

32. C Jack Hextall

Tier 11

33. D Adam Goljer

34. C Maddox Dagenais

35. D Nikita Scherbakov

36. C Thomas Vandenberg

37. C Simas Ignatavicius

38. RW Casey Mutryn

39. C Tomas Chrenko

40. LW Mathis Preston

41. C Brooks Rogowski

42. C Adam Valentini

Tier 12

43. C Lavr Gashilov

44. G Dimitri Borichev

45. C Ryder Cali

Tier 13

46. C Markus Ruck

47. G Brady Knowling

48. D Giorgios Pantelas

49. D Luke Schairer

50. RW Chase Harrington

51. RW Blake Zielinski

52. LW Jaxon Cover

Tier 14

53. D Ben MacBeath

54. D Jakub Vanecek

55. G Tobias Trejbal

56. LW Adam Nemec

57. D Landon Nycz

58. RW Gleb Pugachyov

Tier 15

59. D Vertti Svensk

60. C Beckham Edwards

61. C Alessandro Di Iorio

62. D Samu Alalauri

63. LW Cooper Williams

64. G Harrison Boettiger

Tier 16

65. D Mans Gudmundsson

66. RW Rian Chudzinski

67. C Ludvig Andersson

68. G William Lacelle

69. D Charlie Morrison

70. RW Jonah Sivertson

71. RW Lars Steiner

72. RW Cole Zurawski

73. LW Pierce Mbuyi

Tier 17

74. LW Landon Hafele

75. C Tyus Sparks

76. C Liam Lefebvre

77. LW Noel Pakarinen

78. G Tobias Tvrznik

79. LW Filip Novak

Tier 18

80. D Alexander Bilecki

81. RW Nils Bartholdsson

82. C Oscar Holmertz

83. LW Victor Plante

84. RW Beckett Hamilton

Tier 19

85. LW Landon Amrhein

86. D Callum Croskery

87. LW Jakub Frolo

88. C Rudolfs Berzkalns

89. D Jakub Floris

90. D Brek Liske

91. RW Zach Lansard

92. C Viktor Fyodorov

93. G Frantisek Poletin

94. D Vladimir Dravecky

Tier 20

95. G Yegor Rybkin

96. D Lucas Ambrosio

Tier 21

97. D Sean Burick

98. RW Vilho Vanhatalo

99. C JC Lemieux

100. D Maxim Sokolovskii

Dare to compare this Top 100 to:

• Our Top 83 Consolidated Draft Rankings (from all the top rankings available)

• Upside’s own April Rankings (our mammoth in-depth spreadsheet) - May update coming soon

Upside Hockey.

Draft. Develop. Dominate.

• For exclusive rankings, in-depth prospect profiles, team prospect rankings, and mock drafts, visit: Upside Hockey

• Twitter/X/Bluesky: @ UpsideHockey

• Instagram: @ Upside.Hockey

Just in time, we’ve completely updated our NHL Draft Lottery Simulator and Interactive Mock Draft Creator, featuring:

• Draft Lottery Simulator

• Pick you team (or pick for all teams) and draft for two complete rounds; our JedAI Draft Knight selects for the remaining teams.

• Incorporates our Top 83 Consolidated Draft Rankings

• Easily share your results

LINK: https://www.upsidehockey.com/mock-drafts

Upside’s Test Run:

Give it a go and report back your results!

Upside’s Draft Lottery and Mock Draft Creator Tool

Link - it uses our Consolidated Rankings - check it out, play around, have fun, report back!

Upside Hockey.

Draft. Develop. Dominate.

• For exclusive rankings, in-depth prospect profiles, team prospect rankings, and mock drafts, visit: Upside Hockey

• Twitter/X/Bluesky: @ UpsideHockey

• Instagram: @ Upside.Hockey

Upside’s Draft Lottery and Mock Draft Creator Tool

Link - it uses our Consolidated Rankings - check it out, play around, have fun, report back!

Upside Hockey.

Draft. Develop. Dominate.

• For exclusive rankings, in-depth prospect profiles, team prospect rankings, and mock drafts, visit: Upside Hockey

• Twitter/X/Bluesky: @ UpsideHockey

• Instagram: @ Upside.Hockey