TIRPAK: FINAL NHL DRAFT RANKING

Compiling views, both in-person and on video, through the last two years with this draft class leads me to this - the Final NHL Draft Rankings for the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.

Between the end of the U18 World Championships and post-combine, I have been going over the entirety of my Draft Ranking. This is a list based on player projections into the NHL. What kind of role the player is most likely to play, what kind of upside offensively/defensively that player has, etc.

It has been a super busy year at The Pro Hockey Group, with myself leading the charge on the European side under Jason Bukala’s leadership. Learned incredible amount from him as we debated on players all year long. Working with him and some of the best people in this business is fun and seeing them at the rinks is truly the best.

One big thank you to hard-working people from the NHL Central Scouting Bureau for providing key information on the players themselves from the combine as well as providing measurements used in this piece.

Official 2026 NHL Entry Draft Logo | Source: NHL

My rankings are always a bit different and I keep honing down the style I aim for with my final list. I tend to be lower on the smaller defensemen and forwards alike, unless they show me either an elite skillset or high-end compete. I adjusted to that bias as much as I could without being hypocritical. I only have five defensemen in my 111 players listed who are below 6’1 and 3/5 are within the first 23 ranked skaters, indicating highest levels of talent level and projection in the class. One is in the sixth tier and fifth one is in the honorable mentions.

Positional Breakdown:
- 56 forwards ranked, 6 in honorable mentions
- 34 defensemen ranked, 3 in honorable mentions
- 10 goaltenders ranked, 2 in honorable mentions

NHLCS-Listed Height Breakdown:
- 5’9-to-5’9.75 - 3 forwards, 0 defensemen, 0 goaltenders (2.7% of listed players)
- 5’10-to-5’10.75 - 7 forwards, 1 defenseman, 0 goaltenders (7.2% of listed players)
- 5’11-to-5’11.75 - 11 forwards, 3 defensemen, 1 goaltender (13.5% of listed players)
- 6’0-to-6’0.75 - 14 forwards, 1 defenseman, 1 goaltender (14.4% of listed players)
- 6’1-to-6’1.75 - 10 forwards, 13 defensemen, 2 goaltenders (22.5% of listed players)
- 6’2-to-6’2.75 - 4 forwards, 11 defensemen, 2 goaltenders (15.3% of listed players)
- 6’3-to-6’3.75 - 7 forwards, 2 defensemen, 3 goaltenders (10.8% of listed players)
- 6’4-to-6’4.75 - 4 forwards, 4 defensemen, 1 goaltender (8.1% of listed players)
- 6’5-and-above - 2 forwards, 2 defensemen, 2 goaltenders (5.4% of listed players)

Tier-list Breakdown:
- Tier 1 / 1-5 / Top-Line F, Number-1 D
- Tier 2 / 6-12 / Top-6 F, Number-2 D, Star G
- Tier 3 / 13-23 / Line-2 F, Number-3 D, Starter G
- Tier 4 / 24-42 / Middle-6 F, Number-4 D, Tandem Starter G
- Tier 5 / 43-71 / Line-3 F, Number-5 D, Tandem G
- Tier 6 / 72-100 / Bottom-6 F, Number-6 D, Tandem Backup G
- Tier 7 / HM / Honorable Mentions

My number one is Ivar Stenberg. I see people gravitating towards Gavin McKenna late in the year and for me, I trust my process over the last two full seasons of coverage, which led me to a decision to put Ivar at number 1. Gavin is right there as close second. It was super tight all the way through, but I like Stenberg’s game that tiny bit more. For me, a more projectable player with similar upside.

With that being said, grab a snack, drink and enjoy this piece of my work this year.

1. STENBERG, Ivar - LW / LS / 5’11 / 183 lbs / Frolunda / SHL
   - An incredible playmaker who is the most NHL-ready player in the class while having a very similar offensive upside to his rival McKenna. A reliable player with a really strong support game. One of the best analytical players on a pro level in SHL for a year and a half now. Plays with a ton of pace, protects the puck incredibly well. A 30-goal, 90-point NHL upside.
   - NHL role: 1st line playmaking W

2. McKENNA, Gavin - LW / LS / 5’11.25 / 170 lbs / Penn State / NCAA
   - The highest upside in the draft class offensively, a 100-point upside. His support game is not there fully and he would have to be used in a highly offensive role to be the most productive version of himself. His incredible skillset could make him a threat to conquer scoring on his future team long-term.
   - NHL role: 1st line playmaking W

3. CARELS, Carson - D / LS / 6’1.75 / 198 lbs / Prince George / WHL
   - Most complete player of this draft class. Hockey IQ, physicality, offensive game, defensive capability, smarts all over the ice - Carels has it all. This is a prime example of a shut-down, number-one defenseman in the NHL. I love the player, I love the idea of having this player on my blueline if I was building a contending team - best D in the class.
   - NHL role: #1 all-situation, physical D

4. REID, Chase - D / RS / 6’2.5 / 190 lbs / Sault Ste. Marie / OHL
   - Puck-moving specialist who excels at rush offense. He plays a calculated game overall and I think with that size and skating combination, it’s a matter of when and not if when it comes to developing adequate defensive game to support a top pair NHL player. I see a kind of John Carlson type of player.
   - NHL role: #1 offense-leaning, two-way D

5. VERHOEFF, Keaton - D / RS / 6’4 / 215 lbs / North Dakota / NCAA
   - Between Reid and Verhoeff, I went back-and-forth for months on end in terms of who I prefer and would want to select if that choice was to be made. Verhoeff’s a safer player to project, but he certainly has his own flaws. Physicality is non-existent and yes, he improved defensively in the second half, but he is still at best average in it. Strong offensive instincts, excellent shot. Ton of potential.
   - NHL role: #1 offense-leaning two-way D

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6. MALHOTRA, Caleb - C / LS / 6’1.75 / 185 lbs / Brantford / OHL
   - A projectable two-way center with impressive speed, hands and offensive tools who supports the defensive play rather well. Huge probability that his IQ and skating translate well and would be interesting to see whether or not he can be a number one center in the NHL long-term. Likely a 2C on a contending team.
   - NHL role: Top-6 all-situation C

7. BJÖRCK, Viggo - C / RS / 5’9 / 180 lbs / Djurgardens / SHL
   - A highly competitive top-six center who can play all situations and will only need more seasoning in the pro environment to fully grow into a player I believe he can be. Smaller guys often tend to end up on the wing, not Viggo, he is build to be a prolific, competitive, pain-in-the-butt-to-play-against type of player.
   - NHL role: Top-6 all-situation C

8. LAWRENCE, Tynan - C / LS / 6’0.5 / 183 lbs / Boston Univ. / NCAA
   - Lowest upside of the three centermen, but Tynan is a winner. He was the USHL playoff MVP last year, was BU Terriers best player in the playoff game and his style of play deserves attention. I know the point totals haven’t been impressive after mid-season move to NCAA, but he has been impressive over the last 2 years. A likely 2nd line center projection with some 1C probability depending on team.
   - NHL role: Top-6 all-situation C

9. BELCHETZ, Ethan - LW / LS / 6’5 / 230 lbs / Windsor / OHL
   - Excellent on-puck skillset, good creativity, great shot, very good hand-eye co-ordination and a very good skater for his size already. A very polished player who has a ton of projectability as a potential 60-65 point top-six winger who can play all situations if necessary.
   - NHL role: Top-6 dual-threat F

10. HEMMING, Oscar - RW / LS / 6’4 / 204 lbs / Boston Col. / NCAA
    - Hemming is such a smart support winger who, in my opinion, deserves a top-ten spot in my ranking. Incredible positional game, he is exactly where he needs to be in order to be his best self, which tells me there is a ton of hockey IQ in that player. He is physical, he is aggressive, drives the net. Probably not a playdriver, but potentially one of future’s best support wingers in the league.
    - NHL role: Top-6 support F

11. LIN, Ryan - D / RS / 5’11.25 / 180 lbs / Vancouver / WHL
    - Lin’s an offense-leaning two-way defenseman who has the hockey IQ to become a complete defender at some point in his career. I like his upside a ton despite the size element being questioned. Can direct a powerplay, can play on the penalty kill and he has a developing physical game, which will help. I project him as a #2 NHL defenseman long-term.
    - NHL role: #2 two-way, puck-moving D

12. VILLENEUVE, Xavier - D / LS / 5’10.75 / 164 lbs / BB Armada / QMJHL
    - One of the highest offensive upsides on the defensive end this season. Incredible skater, super shifty, amazing playmaker on the offensive blueline and he has had a more responsible and defensive role this season with his team in the QMJHL. His offensive potential is insane and I have had a harsher outlook on the smaller defenders in the past and learning from experiences, I had to adjust my scope a little bit. Projects as a number-two NHL defenseman who can run a PP1.
    - NHL role: #2 offensive, PP1 D

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13. HERMANSSON, Elton - RW / RS / 6’0.5 / 182 lbs / MoDo / SWE2
    - A skilled winger who plays a straight-forward game. Not a physical player, but he is very assertive with his offense, drives the middle lane without any hesitation. Has a great shot and good details in his game. A projectable L2 scorer.
    - NHL role: 2nd line scorer

14. NOVOTNÝ, Adam - RW / LS / 6’1 / 200 lbs / Petersborough / OHL
    - A hard-working, power-forward type of winger. His details stood out even last year in Czech extraliga, where his offense was limited due to opportunities, but his offense translated well into the OHL. Projectable support piece.
    - NHL role: 2nd line support winger

15. HÅKANSSON, William - D / LS / 6’4.5 / 217 lbs / Lulea / SHL
    - Hakansson’s been one of my favourite defenders to watch this year. Physical, smart, positionally great and a great gap control. Strong first pass. He projects as a second-pair, key-situation type of a shut-down defender who can play both sides.
    - NHL role: #3 shut-down D

16. PIIPARINEN, Juho - D / RS / 6’1.75 / 204 lbs / Tappara / Liiga
    - A shut-down potential on Piiparinen is huge. He plays a smart game with good gap control and defensive positioning. There is a solid puck-moving aspect to his game as well, which makes him an intriguing option down the line.
    - NHL role: #3 shut-down D

17. RUDOLPH, Daxon - D / RS / 6’2.5 / 205 lbs / CAN / Prince Albert / WHL
    - Rudolph’s potential is huge, but to me, he lacks hockey IQ for that potential to fully come through on the next level. He is a super raw prospect with a lot of development left to do. Potential is sky-high, but his realistic potential is a 2nd pair D who plays a more offensive role.
    - NHL role #3 offensive D

18. ŠMITS, Alberts - D / LS / 6’2.75 / 209 lbs / LAT / Jukurit / Liiga
    - Šmits leans offensive D, from my viewings. He wanders defensively all over the place. And while the tools are amazing with that skating of his, his shot and offensive involvement, his hockey IQ is rather limited. I get the intrigue, but his limitations are big and I worry about asking too much of him.
    - NHL role: #3 offense-leaning, two-way D

19. IGNATAVICIUS, Simas - RW / RS / 6’2.5 / 201 lbs / LTU / Geneve / NL
    - A well-rounded support winger who plays a competitive game, finishes all his checks and has a great shot that he uses off the rush. Wins battles and supports the offensive side rather well on a consistent basis.
    - NHL role: 2nd line support winger

20. COMMAND, Alexander - C / LS / 6’0.75 / 187 lbs / SWE / Orebro-J / SWE-J
    - A high-pace center who competes extremely well. He was a bit of a rat in my viewings, always involved in post-whistle activities. Good skater, creative, great on the puck and aggressive off the puck.
    - NHL role: 2nd line playmaking center

21. GUSTAFSSON, Malte - D / LS / 6’4.5 / 203 lbs / SWE / HV71 / SHL
    - A solid puck-mover who’s developing into a well-rounded, two-way defenseman. Great size, lots of room for growth, good skater, good first pass. He needs to clean up those inconsistencies with the puck, but his all-around progress was highly visible throughout the year.
    - NHL role: #3 puck-moving, two-way D

22. CULLEN, Wyatt - LW / LS / 6’1 / 183 lbs / USA / NTDP
    - Cullen’s an offensive winger who creates a ton of offense through his skating and transitional play. Lacks important details, which makes him a longer-term project, but his potential is excellent despite those lacking.
    - NHL role: 2nd line playmaking W

23. BLEYL, Tommy - D / RS / 5’11.25 / 170 lbs / USA / Moncton / QMJHL
    - A true riser in the class this season. From an unknown name to a potential first-round-selection, Bleyl displays all the qualities you want from a 2nd pair offensive playdriver from the back-end. His skating highlights his game and his on-puck play supports that really well. Defensively, improvement would be beneficial.
    - NHL role: #3 offensive, PP1 D

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24. SUVANTO, Oliver - C / LS / 6’3 / 213 lbs / FIN / Tappara / Liiga
    - Suvanto’s a true middle-six center in all it’s glory. He might not have the highest of upsides, but I find his game refined and pro-like. Excellent all-around piece with a shut-down potential.
    - NHL role: Middle-6 shut-down, all-situation C

25. ANDERSSON, Adam - C / LS / 6’4 / 218 lbs / SWE / Leksands-J / SWE-J
    - Andersson’s an under-the-radar name this season, partly due to his production not being up to what expectations for a higly-rated euro prospect are, but his details are top-notch, he plays all situations and I find him to have an underlying aggression that a wise NHL team can develop further.
    - NHL role: Middle-6 shut-down, all-situation C

26. SHCHERBAKOV, Nikita - D / LS / 6’5 / 181 lbs / RUS / Toros (Ufa) / VHL
    - A rangy, shut-down style of a defenseman who has a strong first pass, great gap control and a great positional game in the DZ. All-situation usage on the VHL and MHL levels. Lots of size to add to his lanky frame.
    - NHL role: #4 shut-down D

27. HEXTALL, Jack - C / RS / 6’0.5 / 195 lbs / USA / Youngstown / USHL
    - All-situation center who creates a lot offense through the middle and with smart passes. Has a really good shot. Can potentially be a shut-down guy, but with his toolset and hockey IQ, I trust him to develop into a reliable, all-situations guy.
    - NHL role: Middle-6 all-situation C

28. MOROZOV, Ilia - C, LW / LS / 6’2.75 / 205 lbs / RUS / Miami (Ohio) / NCAA
    - All-around support piece with a detailed approach to the game. Great size, reach and all-around ability. Can play in all situations. Limited playdriving abilities.
    - NHL role: Middle-6 all-situation F

29. MUTRYN, Casey - RW, C / RS / 6’3 / 206 lbs / USA / NTDP
    - A physical support player with a ton of swagger in his game. His overall game is very simple, yet effective. His main assets are his physical play, skating and two-way smarts, which he utilizes in all situations to support player.
    - NHL role: Middle-6 all-situation F

30. LISKE, Brek - D / RS / 6’1.25 / 190 lbs / CAN / Everett / WHL
    - A defense-first defenseman who moves the puck very efficiently and despite starting off the season as a depth piece on the WHL-championship Everett, he worked himself up to the top pair by the time playoffs came along and was one of their top players in playoffs.
    - NHL role: #4 defense-leaning, two-way D

31. MacBEATH, Ben - D / LS / 6’2.25 / 196 lbs / CAN / Calgary / WHL
    - A smooth-skating, puck-moving defenseman who can play all situations well and has a great frame to build on long-term. Excellent first pass ability.
    - NHL role: #4 puck-moving, two-way D

32. VANDENBERG, Thomas - C / LS / 5’11.75 / 180 lbs / CAN / Ottawa / OHL
    - An all-around center who plays all situations. Excellent motor, great on the face-off dot and was excellent in supporting more skilled wingers at the U18s.
    - NHL role: Middle-6 all-around C

33. PRESTON, Mathis - RW / RS / 5’10.75 / 172 lbs / CAN / Vancouver / WHL
    - A speedy, creative winger who developed an edge to his game throughout the season and has showcased so at the U18s. Exciting player to watch, always plays at a really high tempo and creates tons of pressure.
    - NHL role: Middle-6 playmaking W

34. VALENTINI, Adam - LW / LS / 5’9.75 / 183 lbs / CAN / Michigan / NCAA
    - Chippy, aggressive, creative winger with a great all-around offensive toolset and while I have question-marks regarding his size, he shut those down at the U18s.
    - NHL role: Middle-6 playmaking W

35. BORICHEV, Dmitri - G / LC / 6’3 / 196 lbs / RUS / Yaroslavl / MHL
    - Great movement and within the ideal size range. Has had a great year in MHL, but I want to see him play more games next season. Great talent here.
    - NHL role: Tandem Starter G

36. SHILOV, Yegor - C / LS / 6’0.5 / 177 lbs / RUS / Victoriaville / QMJHL
    - Is he skilled? Absolutely. Does he want IT? I have no idea. Great offensive brain and speed, which he uses in transition and creates a lot of his chances off the rush.
    - NHL role: Middle-6 playmaking C

37. DAGENAIS, Maddox - C, LW / LS / 6’3.75 / 198 lbs / CAN / Quebec / QMJHL
    - Dagenais has a great frame and toolset to work with. He is an effortless skater with a well-rounded offensive skillset. He tends to lean into being a little lazier than I would like, but he projects as a middle-six winger in NHL, not a center.
    - NHL role: Middle-6 dual-threat W

38. KLEPOV, Nikita - RW / LS / 6’0 / 180 lbs / USA / Saginaw / OHL
    - Klepov’s individual skill is incredible and he has, arguably, top-ten hands in the entire draft class. Great in tight and a dual-threat piece. I don’t like his work ethic, but he improved in the second half of the season.
    - NHL role: Middle-6 offensive W

39. AARAM-OLSEN, Niklas - RW / LS / 6’0.25 / 185 lbs / NOR / Orebro-J / SWE-J
    - He’s a rather smart player who plays a heavy game with a heavy shot that he relies on quite a bit and rightfully so. Has a developing playmaking game.
    - NHL role: Middle-6 offensive W

40. MBUYI, Pierce - LW / LS / 5’10.25 / 160 lbs / CAN / Owen Sound / OHL
    - A speedy, smallish wing who creates well off the rush and in tight spaces. Has a chippy edge in his game. I believe his offense will translate into a middle-six role.
    - NHL role: Middle-6 offensive W

41. HURLBERT, J.P. - C, RW / RS / 6’0 / 180 lbs / USA / Kamloops / WHL
    - Hurlbert is an interesting option as he is really creative and on top of that creativity often drives the net right after the entry. His off-the-puck game, however, needs to improve for him to be a useful NHL piece.
    - NHL role: Middle-6 offensive F

42. TREJBAL, Tobias - G / RC / 6’4.25 / 198 lbs / CZE / Youngstown / USHL
    - Big goalie who is right on the edge of what I like height-wise on the taller end of the spectrum, but he moves well for the size, I really like his positional game and his steady nature.
    - NHL role: Tandem Starter G

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43. FEDOSEYEV, Yaroslav - D / RS / 6’2 / 181 lbs / RUS / Chelyabinsk / MHL
    - Fedoseyev’s a two-way defender who moves the puck well. Has a great deal of defensive smarts, in particular has an excellent gap control. Underrated physicality in his game also, averaging 2.83 hits/GP in MHL this season.
    - NHL role: #5 two-way, puck-moving D

44. NYCZ, Landon - D / LS / 6’2.5 / 210 lbs / USA / UMass / NCAA
    - An amazing skater who needs to work on all the aspects in his game more. Excellent production history suggests a long-term success, but definitely a bit more of a raw player here. Excellent long-term project with size/skating combo.
    - NHL role: #5 two-way, puck-moving D

45. FYODOROV, Viktor - C / LS / 5’10 / 1 lbs / RUS / Nizhny Novgorod / VHL
    - A chippy centerman who plays a heavy game despite his smaller size. Aggressive on the forecheck, always drives the net, creates offense off the rush. Had a down year production-wise, but a solid base to get right back at it next season.
    - NHL role: 3rd line, all-situation C

46. ROGOWSKI, Brooks - C / RS / 6’7.25 / 235 lbs / USA / Oshawa / OHL
    - Rogowski’s size and skating combination is bewildering sometimes. He is an all-around player with good hand-eye co-ordination. His upside is limited due to his average hockey IQ, but his tools allow him to be a useful, long-term piece.
    - NHL role: 3rd line, shut-down C

47. MURNIEKS, Olivers - C / LS / 6’0.25 / 200 lbs / LAT / Saint John / QMJHL
    - With his frame being filled out and his hockey IQ being where it is, there is no doubts in my mind that Murnieks is a pro player. Annoying to play against. Excellent defensively, good offensive instincts and all-around smarts. Offensive upside is limited, but could be a heavily-used, third-line, shut-down center.
    - NHL role: 3rd line, shut-down C

48. SYSOYEV, Danil - C / LS / 6’0 / 170 lbs / RUS / Magnitogorsk-J / MHL
    - A smart center who plays a great two-way game. Excellent in the neutral zone defensively, stealing pucks consistently. Creates offense off the rush and finding open space to allow teammates to find him. Plays all situations.
    - NHL role: 3rd line, support C

49. GUDMUNDSSON, Mans - D / RS / 6’2.75 / 185 lbs / SWE / Farjestad-J / SWE-J
    - A physical player who has been developing his all-around game all season long. At the beginning, he was kind of rough defensively, but he turned into a monster. His upside is I think limited to a third-pair playdriver, but I like his skillset a ton.
    - NHL role: #5 physical, two-way D

50. RYABYKIN, Yelisei - D / LS / 6’1 / 181 lbs / RUS / Dynamo Moscow / MHL
    - A great puck-moving depth piece in the defensive group, who can play all situations, carry possession and play a physical game as well, although, he needs to keep working on it. Defensive improvements necessary, but easy fixes.
    - NHL role: #5 puck-moving D

51. CALI, Ryder - C, LW / LS / 6’1.5 / 214 lbs / CAN / North Bay / OHL
    - His size and stick-work details make him an intriguing long-term bottom-six option for a team looking for a higher-upside depth pieces. He can work well in transition and drives the net well. Very projectable skillset.
    - NHL role: 3rd line two-way F

52. PUGACHYOV, Gleb - LW / LS / 6’3 / 196 lbs / RUS / Nizhny Novgorod / MHL
    - A physical menace that plays all situations. He is more of a support piece than a playdriving one, but he stands out on first look. Big, strong, physically imposing. A great third-line support piece long-term. Simple offensive game that works.
    - NHL role: 3rd line two-way W

53. ROUSSEAU, Thomas - C / RS / 5’10.25 / 174 lbs / CAN / Sherbrooke / QMJHL
    - An absolute menace on the forechecking side. Still listed as a winger for most people and he likely becomes one, however he has roughly 57% on the dot with over a thousand draws and plays a ton of shut-down hockey. I love this player, but I understand the potential limitation. Potential steal in later rounds.
    - NHL role: 3rd line two-way F

54. ANDERSSON, Ludvig - RW / RS / 5’11 / 192 lbs / SWE / Orebro-J / SWE-J
    - An aggressive, two-way, all-situations winger who plays a high-tempo game, contributes in all situations and has all the tools necessary to become a third line checking winger who is trusted in shut-down situations.
    - NHL role: 3rd line two-way W

55. HAMILTON, Beckett - RW, C / RS / 5’11.25 / 174 lbs / CAN / Red Deer / WHL
    - A skilled support winger who creates most of his offense capitalizing on opposition’s mistakes. Strong passing base, good shot and great skating paired up with determination make him an intriguing long-term wing piece.
    - NHL role: 3rd line support F

56. L’ITALIEN, Romain - C / RS / 6’1 / 196 lbs / CAN / Cape Breton / QMJHL
    - A glue type of center, you can mold him into whatever you want going forward. He’s not getting much love from the public scouting community this year, and my viewings on him were limited, but I like looking at the data to find under-the-radar guys and he led Cape Breton in CF%, net-XG and other sub-categories on his team while playing all situations, producing and being a key face-off guy.
    - NHL role: 3rd line support C

57. PROSKURIN, Vladimir - G / LC / 6’1 / 170 lbs / RUS / Atlant / MHL
    - I always tend to look for goalies with great stats and a bad record who stand out in the MHL as that is a good indicator of a future success on a good team to me and he was the one this year. Within the ideal size range, good athleticism.
    - NHL role: Tandem G

58. LACELLE, William - G / LC / 6’0.5 / 176 lbs / CAN / BB Armada / QMJHL
    - Smallish goalie who plays a quick style in the net, great movement as well. Consistency is incredible already and has a history of elevating in the big games.
    - NHL role: Tandem G

59. GOLJER, Adam - D / RS / 6’1 / 200 lbs / SVK / Trencin / SVK
    - Goljer’s hockey sense stands out. He is smart, great with the puck and thinks the game on a high level. He is not as physical as I would like him to be and he is really raw defensively, which is where most of his issues lay. He always played well above his age group. Incredible puck-moving base, but lots of long-term work to do. Projected puck-mover on a third-pair level.
    - NHL role: #5 puck-moving D

60. DENISOV, Pavel - D / LS / 6’1.5 / 172 lbs / RUS / Omsk-J / MHL
    - Smooth-skating, calculated defensive defender who moves the puck efficiently. Able to play a variety of defensive roles. Strong details in DZ. Needs to strengthen up in his frame to handle contact better than he currently does, which will come with development time.
    - NHL role: #5 defense-leaning, two-way D

61. RUCK, Liam - LW / RS / 5’11.5 / 174 lbs / CAN / Medicine Hat / WHL
    - A dual-threat part of the brotherly duo. He has a great shot and most of his goals come from that high-danger area of the ice, which is great. Despite high production from both twins, I am unsure on the upside of either. I prefer Liam due to his dual-threat nature of his game, but I understand the intrigue. They work really hard, but I have my doubts that revolve around skating.
    - NHL role: 3rd line shooting W

62. RUCK, Markus - RW, C / LS / 5’11.75 / 164 lbs / CAN / Medicine Hat / WHL
    - A creative part of the brotherly duo. He has an incredible playmaking ability that is very hard to match, he plays a hard-working style of game as well and just like his brother, I question the skating aspect of his game. I’m unsure of how projectable that offense is. I think, frankly, I don’t think they are more than 3rd line calibre players in the NHL even with their skill level.
    - NHL role: 3rd line playmaking F

63. NORDMARK, Marcus - LW / LS / 6’1.75 / 190 lbs / SWE / Djurgardens-J / SWE-J
    - Elite skill level that not many players in this draft can match. Problem is whatever he does off the puck. He can create chances well due to his great positional play, but from my viewings, he plays with no pace, no engagement, his body language has consistently been awful and lashes out when it gets tough with his conduct as evidenced with his U18 performance. I am doubtful of his ability to make the NHL as a regular, if not given the role. If he makes it, it will likely be in a middle-six, offense-heavy usage type of role.
    - NHL role: 3rd line playmaking W

64. COVER, Jaxon - LW / LS / 6’1.5 / 180 lbs / CAN / London / OHL
    - A creative winger who likes to play from the perimeter. Great skillset, great hands and a lot of upside given how late he began playing hockey. Skating is going to have to come along longer-term and he has to slowly realize NHL hockey is played on the inside and not on the outside, but the skillset would be too big to pass on at certain point.
    - NHL role: 3rd line playmaking W

65. JARDINE, Evan - RW / LS / 6’0 / 185 lbs / USA / Youngstown / USHL
    - A creative winger who plays a high-IQ game and has been an under-the-radar player out of USHL. He creates a ton off of small plays, simple passes and attacking the middle lane. Has the IQ necessary to figure out the support game.
    - NHL role: 3rd line playmaking W

66. POLUKEYEV, Lukyan - G / LC / 6’2 / 198 lbs / RUS / Dynamo St. Pete. / MHL
    - One of the youngest goalies in the class, he has already proven to be a starter on the MHL level with a great year. Ideal size, so much room for growth long-term.
    - NHL role: Tandem G

67. RUNTSO, Timofei - D / RS / 6’2.25 / 186 lbs / USA / Victoria / WHL
    - Offense-leaning defenseman who moves the puck well and plays all situations. One of the limited number of overage candidates for me this season. Has been trusted heavily in the WHL and I see a number-five NHL puck-mover who can play secondary PK role and a PP2 role as well.
    - NHL role: #5 offense-leaning, two-way D

68. BILECKI, Alexander - D / LS / 6’1.25 / 180 lbs / CAN / Kitchener / OHL
    - Great puck-mover, who has a ton of potential for growth long-term. Great frame to build upon physically and he can elevate offensively with more ice time in the coming two seasons. Lots of potential for a bigger long-term growth.
    - NHL role: #5 puck-moving D

69. BARTHOLDSSON, Nils - RW / RS / 5’10 / 175 lbs / SWE / Rogle-J / SWE-J
    - A competitive, two-way winger who will likely translate as a third-line winger who can play all situations and contribute some offense and goal-scoring off the rush. His competitiveness will translate well.
    - NHL role: 3rd line offensive W

70. BERCHILD, Mikey - LW / LS / 5’9.75 / 180 lbs / USA / NTDP
    - Another competitive winger, who creates offense through battling hard, winning loose pucks and driving the net. Always brings it for Team USA on the international level. Size is a question-mark, but he is super competitive.
    - NHL role: 3rd line offensive W

71. PLUMINS, Patriks - G / LC / 6’3 / 203 lbs / LAT / Zemgale / LAT
    - Efficient positionally, Plumins just looks like a future pro goalie. He has a very projectable game.
    - NHL role: Tandem G

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72. SOKOLOVSKII, Maksim - D / LS / 6’7.25 / 240 lbs / KAZ / London / OHL
    - Sokolovskii is an absolute unit out there. Physical, mean, co-ordinated for how huge he is. Very good first pass and a solid defensive game. I just don’t see the upside beyond a depth D, but he will be a highly valued asset in the NHL for a long time, given his size, physicality and simple on-puck play.
    - NHL role: #6 defensive D

73. ALALAURI, Samu - D / RS / 6’1.75 / 221 lbs / FIN / Pelicans-J / FIN-J
    - A toolsy player who has a lot of exciting elements in his game, but I think his upside is limited to his hockey IQ, which is questionable at best. Very hard-working and when he is on his game, he is an exciting watch. Has a mean streak.
    - NHL role: #6 two-way D

74. FITZGERALD, Colin - C / RS / 6’2.5 / 197 lbs / CAN / Sault Ste. Marie / OHL
    - Hard-working, two-way center who has a rather limited upside. Plays all situations, good on the dot. Had an excellent Hlinka and a decent OHL year. Most likely won’t be more than a bottom-six center who plays a reliable, high-tempo game. I anticipate a long career as an important fourth-line center league-wide.
    - NHL role: Bottom-6 reliable C

75. DI IORIO, Alessandro - C / RS / 6’0.25 / 195 lbs / CAN / Sarnia / OHL
    - A reliable, two-way center who has been tasked with playing hard minutes in Sarnia. He plays all situations, had a lower production level than I anticipated before the season started, but he took on more responsibility and looked great as a shut-down center internationally and in the OHL. Likely a highly-reliable 4C.
    - NHL role: Bottom-6 reliable C

76. FROLO, Jakub - C, RW / RS / 6’1 / 194 lbs / CZE / Ilves-J / FIN-J
    - A highly-competitive, two-way forward who can play both center or wing, checks really well and has a creative side to him. Had a very productive year in U20 SM-sarja and I loved his game on an international level. Excellent habits, excellent checker and sometimes unhinged in pursuit, which I like about him.
    - NHL role: Bottom-6 two-way F

77. OLSEN, Zachery - RW / RS / 6’1.25 / 207 lbs / CAN / Saskatoon / WHL
    - Hard-working, all-situation winger who will likely play in a lot of defensive assignments from the wing position. Hard checker, who has his details down already. Needs to improve his offensive side, but that bottom-six projection works.
    - NHL role: Bottom-6 checking W

78. HARRINGTON, Chase - LW / LS / 6’0.75 / 202 lbs / CAN / Spokane / WHL
    - An agitator who plays a projectable, high-tempo game. His physical side comes through often in big moments. He has a well-rounded offensive toolset to support that style of play long-term. Not much upside, but a really high-floor piece.
    - NHL role: Bottom-6 checking W

79. FETTEROLF, Ryder - G / LC / 5’11.5 / 184 lbs / USA / Ottawa / OHL
    - A smallish goalie with great movement, great reflexes and history of being the top goalie on different competitive levels throughout his teenage years.
    - NHL role: Tandem Backup G

80. HRENÁK, Samuel - G / LC / 6’3 / 190 lbs / SVK / Fargo / USHL
    - Hrenák is an athletic goalie with a ton of potential to work with. Very talented, almost ideal size/frame and historical data. Had excellent U18 Worlds. Best goalie of his age group in Slovakia for years .
    - NHL role: Tandem Backup G

81. TUKIO, Ossi - D / LS / 6’1.75 / 186 lbs / FIN / Ilves-J / FIN-J
    - A puck-moving defenseman with solid size, frame and on-puck abilities. His progression throughout the year was steady and consistent. Needs to work on his decision-making process, hence a limited projection. Tough to teach that.
    - NHL role: #6 puck-moving D

82. SCHAIRER, Luke - D / RS / 6’2.75 / 194 lbs / USA / NTDP
    - Solid size, great skater and a solid first pass make him an intriguing depth option, who will likely go higher than I would be comfortable taking him, frankly. His upside is limited due to his hockey IQ, but tools are really good!
    - NHL role: #6 puck-moving D

83. LUNDQVIST, William - D / LS / 6’4 / 192 lbs / SWE / Leksands-J / SWE-J
    - Excellent skater with a great defensive game. The frame is excellent and you can build a lot on it. Plays both sides on a pair. Projects as a good defensive/PK depth piece on the third pair.
    - NHL role: #6 defensive D

84. IVANOV, Alexander - D / LS / 6’2 / 181 lbs / RUS / Bars Kazan / VHL
    - Defensive defenseman eith excellent off-puck details who has a strong first pass, but a limited offensive upside. Very simple on-puck game. Under-the-radar player due to him playing inbetween a junior and a top league in Russia.
    - NHL role: #6 defensive D

85. OLSSON, Oscar - LW / LS / 6’4 / 187 lbs / SWE / Orebro-J / SWE-J
    - Excellent net-front player who is often forgotten from that excellent Orebro junior squad. He wins battles and competes. I don’t see much impact beyond a bottom-six scoring role, but his size/frame and scoring touch are intriguing assets.
    - NHL role: Bottom-6 scoring W

86. SIVERTSON, Jonah - RW / RS / 6’3 / 198 lbs / CAN / Prince Albert / WHL
    - Similarly to Olsson, Sivertson is a player who has that scoring touch that bigger guys his age don’t usually have. With Jonah, there is a historical scoring record that goes way back to age 13 and with his size, there is a ton of potential. He has an excellent shot.
    - NHL role: Bottom-6 scoring W

87. PSOHLAVEC, Martin - G / LC / 6’5 / 185 lbs / CZE / Karlovy Vary-J / CZE-J
    - Raw goalie with a ton of potential for growth and a history of consistency.
    - NHL role: Tandem Backup G

88. KNIGHTS, Theodor - D / LS / 6’3.75 / 194 lbs / SWE / MoDo-J / SWE-J
    - A lower-upside, high-floor defensive D who started off the year extremely well, playing a top pairing role on the Swedish under-18 team, but he dropped off significantly throughout the year. Now, he shown flashes of being a physical, shut-down type of a defender, but my viewings of him this year in Swedish junior league have been iffy.
    - NHL role: #6 defensive D

89. COSSETTE-AYOTTE, Ben - D / RS / 6’0.5 / 185 lbs / CAN / Val-d’Or / QMJHL
    - A puck-moving D who has a lot of good tools, decent size and plays a reliable type of game. Good in the DZ, positionally. Will likely become a solid depth piece because I am not sure how much he can push role-specific defenders higher on the depth chart for spots, but a rock solid depth piece who will give you games.
    - NHL role: #6 two-way D

90. McLAUGHLIN, Will - D / LS / 6’2 / 168 lbs / USA / Portland / WHL
    - Similarly to Cossette-Ayotte, McLaughlin is just a solid, all-around piece who will likely get stuck behind a more role-specific players on higher pairs. Solid puck-moving base to his game, good reads defensively. Steady piece overall.
    - NHL role: #6 two-way D

91. KRÁLOVIČ, Tomáš - D / RS / 6’3 / 203 lbs / SVK / Slovan / SVK
    - One of only few over-agers this year for me. This time a triple-overager from Slovakia. Now, I don’t expect him to get drafted, but I love his game. He was mostly a defense-first D for most of his life and added offensive side due to his skating being excellent and I think there is something there with him. Just so steady, was a key part of one of the best teams in the league and has the size.
    - NHL role: #6 two-way D

92. SARKENOV, Alisher - LW / LS / 5’10 / 191 lbs / KAZ / Prince Albert / WHL
    - Aggressive winger who drives the middle lane. Great hands in tight and always attacks the net off the rush. A player with a very good shot with a dog-on-the-bone mentality. Could be a sneaky late-round selection.
    - NHL role: Bottom-6 scoring W

93. SOUCH, Brock - C, LW / LS / 5’10.75 / 175 lbs / CAN / Prince George / WHL
    - Speedy forward who can play both C/W positions, but has been a great offensive presence on the Prince George Cougars team as one of their top centermen on their run. Excellent reads in NZ. Great offense off the rush.
    - NHL role: Bottom-6 scoring F

94. TRYGG, Linus Loob - LW / LS / 6’0.75 / 167 lbs / NOR / Farjestad-J / SWE-J
    - Chippy, creative winger who plays a hard-working style of hockey off the wing side. Drives the net, has good habits and despite a heavy offensive role in Swedish junior league, I think there is more to uncover from a two-way standpoint.
    - NHL role: Bottom-6 scoring W

95. BOETTIGER, Harrison - G / LC / 6’1.75 / 181 lbs / USA / Kelowna / WHL
    - Positional goalie who doesn’t overthink his movements. Very steady & efficient.
    - NHL role: Tandem Backup G

96. KUEHNE, Lincoln - D / RS / 6’1.5 / 210 lbs / USA / Arizona State / NCAA
    - A steady defender who moves the puck well, has good size and plays a mature, reliable game. His move to NCAA was probably a bit too rushed, which is why he hasn’t looked that good and might drop in the draft. Projectable defensive piece.
    - NHL role: #6 two-way D

97. TA’AMU, Noa - D / LS / 6’1.75 / 228 lbs / USA / Edmonton / WHL
    - Another steady defensive piece who has a very good first pass, but where he stands out to me is his defensive brain. A bit of an overlooked player given his point totals in WHL were not good, but he could easily become an NHL contributor on the bottom pair and on the penalty kill.
    - NHL role: #6 defensive D

98. BERZKALNS, Rudolfs - C, LW / LS / 6’3.75 / 205 lbs / LAT / Muskegon / USHL
    - Great size, good puck-handling and a sneaky, efficient skillset make him an intriguing option to pick up in later rounds. Very good reads, strong special teams usage between levels and a good offensive skillset. His projection is limited to a 4th line forward, but can be both C/W as a good support piece.
    - NHL role: Bottom-6 support F

99. MISHIN, Vladislav - C / LS / 6’4 / 203 lbs / RUS / Nizhny Novgorod / MHL
    - Strong, wins battles, reliable defensively and despite lack of production, has shown pro habits all over the ice. One of the best face-off guys in this draft class with near 60% success rate. Given his size, there is a lot to build on defensively.
    - NHL role: Bottom-6 support C

100. HAFELE, Landon - C / LS / 5’11.75 / 179 lbs / USA / Green Bay / USHL
     - A high-floor center who plays a good support game overall. All-situation usage in USHL and despite a possible longer-term development necessary, I think he has all the tools to be a reliable fourth-line center in the NHL after college.
     - NHL role: Bottom-6 support F

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HM. NOVÁK, Filip - LW / LS / 6’1.5 / 206 lbs / CZE / Sparta-J / CZE-J
- Support forward who works hard, has a good shot, but a limited upside.

HM. JENNERSJÖ, Torkel - LW, C / LS / 5’10 / 183 lbs / BB Armada / QMJHL
- A chippy, hard-to-play-against forward who can be utilized as an agitator.

HM. CHRENKO, Tomáš - C / RS / 5’11 / 172 lbs / SVK / Nitra / SVK
- Creative, smallish center who plays a soft game. Needs to work on details.

HM. GASHILOV, Lavr - C / LS / 6’2.5 / 170 lbs / RUS / Yekaterinburg-J / MHL
- A productive center who drives the play, but plays with no competitiveness.

HM. ROOBROECK, Ryan - RW, LW / LS / 6’3 / 210 lbs / CAN / Niagara / OHL
- Top-50 skill, decent skater at his size, but the competitiveness is just not there.

HM. ZIELINSKI, Blake - RW / RS / 5’11 / 190 lbs / USA / Des Moines / USHL
- Skilled, speedy, creative, but no B game. I don’t think he can find an NHL role.

HM. KLIMPKE, Brayden - D / LS / 5’11.5 / 174 lbs / CAN / Saskatoon / WHL
- Smallish, but competitive D who plays a complete game. Potential depth piece.

HM. VANĚČEK, Jakub - D / LS / 6’2 / 203 lbs / CZE / Tri-City / WHL
- An athletic, two-way defenseman who plays a high-event hockey. Good skill.

HM. PALME, Ola - D / LS / 6’1 / 188 lbs / SWE / Vaxjo-J / SWE-J
- A two-way defender with a strong first pass and great skating. Low upside.

HM. KNOWLING, Brady - G / LC / 6’5 / 208 lbs / USA / NTDP
- Good mobility for the size, and I really liked his tournament play, but I prefer others.

HM. IVANOV, Yuri - G / LC / 6’2 / 165 lbs / RUS / Spartak-J / MHL
- One of the youngest goalies in the class with big potential. Preference lays with rest.

Graphic Recap:

That’s it for this season. I appreciate the read, obviously this work is free to read for everybody. I don’t want to put it behind a paywall, because this is just an accumulation of year’s worth of work. The only thing I really seek from this is that you guys get a more realistic view

on the players available and learn a thing or two about how I see the game. Lots of resources, time, travel is spent on scouting and I truly, truly love it. See you in Edmonton for the Hlinka to start the next season!

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