Dr. Tee’s 2026 First Round NHL Draft Grades
#1 Overall: Gavin McKenna, LW, Toronto Maple Leafs
Grade: A
Although McKenna wasn’t the number one overall player on my board, to say that Toronto made a bad pick would be blasphemous. However, with going first overall, many have the preconceived notion that McKenna will step right into the Leafs’ lineup and achieve stardom. Now, that wouldn’t be far-fetched, but in a perfect world, McKenna should probably return to Penn State, as many of his biggest weaknesses can be heavily improved upon with more time to develop physically before he gets thrown into the fire with sky-high expectations in Toronto.
#2 Overall: Ivar Stenberg, LW/RW, San Jose Sharks
Grade: A+
You might be asking yourself what warrants an A+ instead of the A that McKenna was given, and besides the fact that he was the best overall player in the Draft, Stenberg will be stepping onto one of the most promising rosters in the NHL right now. After a dominant draft year campaign for Frolunda in the Swedish men’s league, Stenberg’s mature and skillful play style will allow him to potentially step right onto the Sharks roster and serve as their immediate number one winger.
#3 Overall: Caleb Malhotra, C, Vancouver Canucks
Grade: B
In a draft that didn’t have many centers that were trending towards being picked high inside the top five of this year’s draft, Malhotra does have the potential to be a major part of the Canucks rebuild, however, I don’t think he’s the cornerstone prospect that the Canucks were looking for, and could’ve potentially gotten with someone like Chase Reid, Viggo Bjorck, or even Tynan Lawrence. Nonetheless, Malhotra had a great season for Brantford in the OHL, and his sudden progression over the last two seasons is something I’m very excited to see continue as he heads to Boston University next year.
#4 Overall: Daxon Rudolph, RHD, Buffalo Sabres
Grade: C-
It’s hard to support this pick when Buffalo had just traded Bo Byram, and could’ve picked the defenseman of their choice at fourth overall. Rudolph isn’t a bad player by any means, but there certainly are some question marks that arise when dissecting Buffalo’s intentions behind this pick, and how this aligns with the timeline of their team. Rudolph’s strong suits come in his passing and dink-and-dunk style of play in transition. A lot of the time, he’s able to anticipate the play and jump into the rush, creating scoring chances by passing the puck to open areas and moving into them. However, Rudolph needs to improve on his defensive game and decision-making before he is ready to make the jump to the NHL. With time, he can be an impactful middle-pairing defenseman for the Sabres, but what ultimately tarnishes this pick is passing on Chase Reid, who I believe could’ve served as Buffalo’s number two defender in as few as two seasons from now.
#5 Overall: Albert Smits, LHD, New York Rangers
Grade: B+
Did the Rangers draft the best player available? Absolutely not. But by drafting Smits, they have picked up the most NHL-ready defenseman who can step right onto the Rangers roster and play solid minutes. Bouncing around different pro leagues in Europe all year, Smits showed immense competitiveness in the defensive zone and a level of physicality that will be an anchor on the back end in New York for years to come.
#6 Overall: Carson Carels, LHD, Calgary Flames
Grade: B
Again, passing on the best defensemen in the draft won’t warrant you an A grade, but Carels is still a player worthy of picking at six. Carels’ speed and effectiveness with the puck on his stick make him a player with extreme potential, and alongside Zayne Parekh, bolsters the future of the Flames’ defense core into one of the brightest in the NHL, and now gives the Flames more of a direct path towards getting back to the playoffs in the upcoming seasons as they both make the jump to the NHL level.
#7 Overall: Chase Reid, RHD, Seattle Kraken
Grade: A+
The second A+ grade of the draft is awarded to Seattle, which finally broke through and selected their defensemen of the future, with Reid falling right into their lap. Now, when looking at the bigger picture, this pick gives Seattle more of a timeline in their rebuild centered around Reid’s development, and allows them to now operate with more intention in their trades and future draft picks. Heading to Michigan State next season, Reid will be able to continue his development and refine any potential traits that could’ve scared off teams from selecting him sooner.
#8 Overall: Viggo Bjorck, C/RW, Winnipeg Jets
Grade: A+
If Bjorck were 5’11”, he would’ve been in the running for the 1st overall pick in the draft, but he isn’t. Standing at 5’9”, Bjorck plays the game as if he were six inches taller - with playmaking, quick thinking, and a tenacity to hunt down the puck no matter where it is on the ice. Bjorck’s game is comparable to a birthday present: On the outside, the beautiful ribbon that catches your attention is his craftiness, constant scanning, and silky hands in tight. These parts of his game warm you up for the inside, which is the real gift: his non-stop motor and sound decision-making with the puck and away from it. At the end of the day, snagging a player of Bjorck’s caliber is a major boost to any team’s future, and the Jets now add him to headline a prospect pool that desperately needed a player who could reach NHL stardom.
#9 Overall: Keaton Verhoeff, RHD, San Jose Sharks
Grade: A
Verhoeff was one of a handful of players who made the jump to the NCAA early, and although his short-term draft stock might’ve taken a small hit due to some exposed weaknesses playing against stronger, more mature competition, there’s no doubt that his long-term development will greatly benefit from the challenge. The Sharks have a future at every position on their roster, and picking Verhoeff gives them an excellent chance at adding to their future number one pair, assuming he continues to improve his agility and excel at making strong plays with and without the puck.
#10 Overall: Wyatt Cullen, LW/C, Nashville Predators
Grade: A-
Cullen is a showman on skates, which will fit perfectly in the Music City, and will provide an offensive spark to an aging Predators roster that is in desperate need of one. Committed to the University of Minnesota, Cullen could spend up to two years playing in the Big Ten, and refusing to rush his development will be huge if Nashville wants to get everything out of Cullen that they can. Given this time, Cullen will be able to replace that flashy dimension to the Predators’ offense that they could be losing soon, as Filip Forsberg continues to age, which will be a fun combo to watch alongside the physicality and forceful play of Brady Martin.
#11 Overall: Tynan Lawrence, C, St. Louis Blues
Grade: A+
If Lawrence stayed in the USHL with Muskegon and continued on his 40-goal, 80+ point pace, he would’ve easily cracked the top three of many mainstream analysts’ rankings, and it’s a shame that right as he started to heat up, his season ended. Lawrence plays a fantastic two-way game, and improved upon his puck carrying in transition immensely once he made the jump to the NCAA. Drafted to a team that is flirting with a retooling period before pushing into becoming a perennial playoff contender, Lawrence possesses all the tools to explode into the Blues’ top six after another season with the Terriers.
#12 Overall: Alexander Command, C, New Jersey Devils
Grade: C+
I don’t have a problem with Alexander Command as a player, but I also don’t see the immediate fit on a Devils roster that already has two of the top fifteen centers in the league in Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier, who are currently in their primes. At the twelfth pick, it’s too early to be picking players to fill your bottom six. Beyond the roster fit, Command is extremely strong and aware on the defensive side of the puck, and has a sneaky shot that he can absolutely rip when given enough time and space.
#13 Overall: Malte Gustafsson, LHD, New York Islanders
Grade: B
The Islanders made the easy choice, adding another big, fast, mobile defensemen that loves to activate offensively, and has shot up draft boards over the course of this season. Adding more skill and scoring to help Mathew Barzal, who will be turning thirty next year, could’ve and maybe should’ve been a bigger priority, but adding more upside to this blue line that needs to continue to get younger with Schaefer, who already has a year of NHL experience, and Kashawn Aitcheson, who also continues to take strides in his game.
#14 Overall: Oscar Hemming, LW, Columbus Blue Jackets
Grade: B-
Hemming had an interesting season. After finally making it over from Finland to Boston College in the NCAA, he initially had a tough time carving out a consistent top-six role, but showed flashes of offensive skill as the season progressed. I do think that there were some players that the Blue Jackets could’ve selected that would’ve provided more reason for immediate excitement (Mathis Preston, JP Hurlbert, Adam Novotny, to name a few), and at fourteenth, I do think Hemming might’ve been a slight reach. However, I do think he has a ton of potential, and with a full season of College hockey under his belt, and improved skating (specifically work with his stride length and power at top speed), Hemming could end up being one of the better two-way players to come out of this Draft.
Initial thoughts on the McTavish trade:
I would have loved to have seen St. Louis keep their two picks back to back (fifteen and sixteen), rather than giving up a pretty high first-rounder for a player in McTavish that will definitely have to re-establish himself as a rising young star in the NHL. But all in all, I think this plays out fine for both sides. The Blues, at this point, have already picked up their center of the future in Tynan Lawrence, and now provide McTavish with a fresh start, which will be fun to see, especially given the fact that we’ve already seen some flashes of his potential in Anaheim. For the Ducks, I think the fifteenth pick was a fantastic return for McTavish, who clearly needed a change of scenery (my thoughts on Klepov are below).
#15 Overall: Nikita Klepov, LW, Anaheim Ducks
Grade: C+
I like the fact that Anaheim was swinging for the fences here, which is what I think you should do in the first round, and specifically with Draft picks such as these. To put it simply, Klepov was a reach here. His skating needs serious work, and his defensive game isn’t too good either, but I’d also be lying if I said that he doesn’t have the potential to be an absolute home run of a pick, especially with his level of skill and pure scoring ability, and given Anaheim’s track record of relying on and giving opportunities to their young talent.
#16 Overall: Maddox Dagenais, C, St. Louis Blues
Grade: B+
I am a big fan of Dagenais, especially after picking up possibly the steal of the Draft at eleventh with Lawrence. I think this was a warranted swing-for-the-fence type of pick (similar to Anaheim selecting Klepov). His combination of size, finesse, and playmaking is rare, and you can read all about it in my scouting report about him here.
#17 Overall: Ethan Belchetz, LW, Utah Mammoth
Grade: B-
Belchetz is a player that I am not too fond of, but definitely won’t end up being the worst pick of the first round. Obviously, the most intriguing thing with him is his combination of size and skill. For a power forward standing and weighing in at 6’5” and nearly 230 pounds, Belchetz has some silky mitts and can certainly put the puck in the net. The part of his game where I start to wonder about his true upside and potential in the NHL is with his skating and mobility. To become a key piece of Utah’s future, he’ll need to improve on his three-step acceleration and ability to evade defenders with the puck on his stick. His first major test will come at Michigan State next season, where he’ll be playing against competition that can challenge him physically.
#18 Overall: Oliver Suvanto, C, Washington Capitals
Grade: C
Suvanto is a solid player, and could excel in a bottom six, defensively-oriented role right away in the NHL, and there’s an argument to be made that the Capitals should be receiving a higher grade for drafting a player that fills their needs, but if that were the case, I believe they should’ve traded down. Suvanto is big, rangy, and will bully his way to the puck anywhere on the ice, and is the type of player that you need to play ten minutes a night to block shots, shut it down defensively, and forecheck defenders through a wall. But, with the imminent departure of Alex Ovechkin and an aging roster, Washington should’ve used this pick to give themselves a more promising future alongside Ryan Leonard, Cole Hutson and co.
#19 Overall: Elton Hermansson, LW/RW, Los Angeles Kings
Grade: B+
The Kings need to continue to add offensive upside all over their roster as the post-Kopitar era begins in LA, contract talks continue with Panarin and Kempe, and Doughty continues to get older. Hermansson certainly has physical holes in his game, whether that be his defensive awareness or his inconsistent engagement with the play, but there's no denying he’s a fun player to watch when he’s dialed in and the puck is on his stick. I could totally see Hermansson serving as LA’s spark plug in a couple of years, moving up and down the top nine according to wherever an offensive boost might be needed the most.
#20 Overall: Ilia Morozov, C, Buffalo Sabres
Grade: B-
After a wildcard pick at fourth overall with Rudolph, Morozov serves as the safer pick for Buffalo here, and as a Buffalonian myself, I’m fine with it. Do I wish the Sabres had stayed aggressive and swung at a more offensively explosive player? Yes, but there’s no problem drafting an extremely young and somewhat overlooked player like Morozov, who possesses all the tools of being an impactful middle-six player in the NHL. I like his motor and high compete level, and it will be fun to see how many goals his wicked quick release can earn him at Miami of Ohio over the next couple of seasons.
#21 Overall: Ryan Lin, RHD, San Jose Sharks
Grade: A-
At this point, San Jose is just picking players for fun, and with it being their third first-round pick of the night, why not trade up six spots for Ryan Lin? A smooth skater who is offensively talented, Lin is just another addition to the hodgepodge of Sharks prospects that will eventually be running their roster. I do worry slightly about his ceiling and how much opportunity he’ll get on a team like San Jose that already has so many good defensive prospects, but I do see a world in which he becomes one of the better middle-pairing defensemen in the NHL. With improved backwards skating and gap control, I can see Lin growing into a sneaky-good and reliable 30-point player.
#22 Overall: Liam Ruck, RW/LW, Pittsburgh Penguins
Grade: C+
I have to be careful to judge the pick and not the player here, but I’ll probably end up doing both. Simply put, Liam Ruck shouldn’t have been a first-round pick. That’s not me saying he’s a bad player, but I’d be lying if I said he and Markus both didn’t heavily benefit from playing on an offensive juggernaut in Medicine Hat this season. Liam, in particular, is a fantastic passer, has a creative mind with the puck on his stick, is an average skater, and in three to four years could be an amazing addition to a Sidney Crosby-less Penguins power play. I will admit, reuniting him with his twin brother, Markus, with the thirty-ninth overall pick was huge, and keeping together the chemistry that combined for over 200 points in the WHL this past season is something I’m sure any team in the Draft would’ve been satisfied walking away with.
#23 Overall: JP Hurlbert, RW, Detroit Red Wings
Grade: A
Trading up for Hurlbert was a great high-value pickup for the Red Wings, especially since Hurlbert was pushing inside the top ten of many NHL experts’ rankings before he cooled off his production during the second half of the season. He’s one of the smartest players in the Draft, and is one of the best finishers as well. His skating is what is holding him back from having true top-six potential in the NHL, and if he can improve in that area of his game, this could end up being one of the biggest steals of the 2026 Draft.
#24 Overall: Adam Novotny, LW/RW, Vancouver Canucks
Grade: A-
There’s definitely a little bit of boom-or-bust with Novotny, which is probably why he lasted until the twenty-fourth pick when he easily could’ve been drafted inside the top fifteen based on his skill alone. Novotny’s biggest concern is what goes on between his ears. He has a lot of skill, is a powerful skater, and has one of the best shots in the Draft class, but also has moments of idiocy. With that being said, when Novotny gets ahead of steam, there is absolutely no slowing him down, and that mean streak could provide an extra “umph” to the Canucks forward core.
#25 Overall: Jonas Lagerberg Hoen, RW, Ottawa Senators
Grade: B+
Weirdly, I like this pick by Ottawa more because Lagerberg Hoen is coming off an ACL injury. Here me out, with a small sample size, it’s very hard to determine how a player actually is in their Draft year, especially if that player is European. Lagerberg was producing at nearly two points per game through nine games in the Swedish U20 league before getting injured, and in the process produced some eye-popping game film. Hopefully, Lagerberg can continue his road to recovery away from the North American spotlight and continue to show flashes of pure dominance as we saw in October. The other intriguing part of this pick is that (whether they want to admit it or not) Ottawa has plenty of time, and can wait for another four to five seasons for Lagerberg to truly blossom into a first-round talent if need be.
#26 Overall: Gleb Pugachyov, RW, Montreal Canadiens
Grade: B-
Montreal gets another Russian in the late stages of the first round this season, this time picking up a player notorious for huge hits and hard play. With not many holes in the Canadiens roster, and already supporting a loaded group of young, skilled players, I see why Montreal would go this way with their pick. Bolstering their bottom six with a gritty, hard-working forward that will be a great addition for playoff hockey isn’t a bad idea, but the only question I have is whether or not they could’ve used this pick to trade for a player that already has the skillset of Pugachyov, and that they could plug into their lineup immediately.
#27 Overall: Maksim Sokolovskii, LHD, Philadelphia Flyers
Grade: D
The idea of Sokolovskii is exciting: a 6’8” 240-pound defenseman that is actually pretty mobile and can hit you into your grave. But what’s the real value here for Philly? Coming off a playoff campaign, I guess you could be looking for a player who could help play a bruising style of hockey, but in all honesty, it still makes no sense. The NHL playoffs have become more skill-based, penalties are becoming far more frequent than they used to be, and even then, the Flyers need a young number one defenseman who can produce offensively (because 30-points apiece from Travis Sanheim, Jamie Drysdale, and Cam York isn’t going to cut it).
#28 Overall: Marcus Nordmark, LW, Anaheim Ducks
Grade: B
Another swing for the fence pick from Anaheim, and again, I don’t mind it. It’s no secret that Nordmark has a ton of skill and a very high ceiling. His hands, vision, and shot are all amazing tools that fill his all-around great offensive skill set. What makes him so polarizing is how raw he is as a prospect. For how good of an offensive player he is, he isn’t too much of a factor defensively, and can be a non-factor in the D-zone. His skating can also use some work, as his lengthy frame causes him to railroad and lean too far forward on his turns, leading to a lack of power and acceleration when evading defenders. I do believe Nordmark can be an effective NHLer, given his offensive tools are all about a year or two away from being NHL-ready, but he’ll definitely be a bit of a project player that will need time in the SHL to learn how to play against men.
#29 Overall: Juho Piiparinen, RHD, Vegas Golden Knights
Grade: A-
Although this isn’t the flashy move by Vegas we’re used to seeing, this is a really good pickup for the Golden Knights, who add a very solid, physical, and power skater into their prospect pool. Piiparinen is similar to Carson Carels in the sense that he’s very effective with the puck on his stick, dishing out breakout passes, carrying it up in transition, and distributing it in smart ways all around the ice. Piiparinen isn’t a perfect player, and won’t be NHL-ready for most likely another two years, but is a player that can definitely be a major part of a Stanley Cup-caliber team.
#30 Overall: Jack Hextall, C, Calgary Flames
Grade: B
Hextall reminds me a lot of how Ryker Lee operated with the puck during his Draft year, as they both have near-elite hands, dangerous shots, and great vision, but struggled to create separation in one-on-one scenarios. Next year, he’ll be a teammate of Lee at Michigan State, and I’ll be interested to see how his game progresses, given that he’ll probably be somewhere on the third line, and what his role will be on the Spartans next season is really up for grabs. In my eyes, the pick doesn’t have much risk to it, and if he fixes his skating, he could turn into a high-end third liner that can create offense for himself while also setting up his teammates around him.
#31 Overall: Tommy Bleyl, RHD, Nashville Predators
Grade: A+
Another showman heading to Nashville, and just like Cullen, Bleyl can dance with the puck on his stick. After playing his ‘24-’25 season with Cushing Academy in the New England Prep school circuit, Bleyl exploded onto the scene in Moncton and never looked back. He’s one of the most mobile defensemen in the Draft alongside Ryan Lin and Carson Carels, and is great at initiating breakouts and carrying the puck up the ice. At his best, Bleyl could end up being one of the better power play quarterbacks in the league with his vision, poise, and smooth edges. I’ll be curious to see how many seasons he plays at Michigan State after his freshman year in ‘27-’28.
#32 Overall: Jaxon Cover, LW, Ottawa Senators
Grade: B
How can you not love Jaxon Cover? One of the best Draft stories ever, Cover will be entering his sixth season of hockey (ever!) next year, and will be doing so as a prospect of the Ottawa Senators. Cover plays with skill and tenacity, and is always around the puck. He has quick feet and plays freely with the puck on his stick. A Penn State commit, Cover will likely spend two-plus seasons with the Nittany Lions after spending this upcoming season with the OHL’s London Knights. If I’m being honest, I don’t really know how to judge a player that got drafted after only playing five seasons of organized ice hockey, and doing so after spending most of his life in the Cayman Islands, so when considering that, I find it fitting to end off my 2026 first round NHL Draft grades with the idea that Cover will go as far in his NHL career as he can take himself.
Thanks for reading!
Read more Dr. Tee Scouting articles here.