2026 NHL Draft: Day 1 notebook
BUFFALO – One of the longest first rounds in recent NHL Draft history has finally come to a close.
In a day full of wild speculation, we saw some very interesting picks throughout the first half. The first three picks were easy to predict – Gavin McKenna to Toronto, Ivar Stenberg to San Jose and Caleb Malhotra to Vancouver.
After that? Buffalo shocked everyone by selecting Daxon Rudolph at No. 4. It shook everything else after that, with some teams even adjusting their draft plans on the fly.
With Day 1 done and dusted, here are some thoughts from Friday night:
* The event felt like it was run better this year. Much more fan-friendly overall. But, seriously? Can we shorten this by an hour and a half?
* The San Jose Sharks were the obvious winners. Imagine telling the Sharks back in the fall that they’d end up with Ivar Stenberg and Keaton Verhoeff – the two top challengers to overtake Gavin McKenna for first overall back at the time. That’s two foundational pieces within a half hour for one of the most exciting fanbases in hockey. And then to get Ryan Lin… truly remarkable, given he’s one of the most skilled forwards in the draft class.
* We look at Dallas’ 2017 draft as one of the best in modern-day NHL history. I think San Jose’s 2026 class will match that.
* I really liked Buffalo’s draft, too. I know Daxon Rudolph wasn’t the popular choice, but he was the most underrated defenseman taken in the top 10 and has high-end offensive potential. Ilia Morozov was also an excellent pick – he’s big, strong, smart and a reliable two-way player. I think he’ll be a really good third-line center in the NHL.
* I was surprised to see Ethan Belchetz fall to Utah at 19th. That was a name rumored to go as high as eighth overall to Winnipeg thanks to his massive power-forward presence. I know his skating isn’t great and he can avoid contact a bit too much. But when he’s at full force, he’s terrifying. I think Utah got a steal here, especially since he’s fully healthy.
* Big day for St. Louis. Mason McTavish, Tynan Lawrence and Maddox Dagenais? That’s a lot of physical power joining the club in one day.
* I think the Pittsburgh Penguins will be able to take Markus Ruck at No. 39 to complete the duo. I don’t think they’d make the pick without the belief it was possible.
* The most interesting draft? Ottawa. Jonas Lagerberg Hoen to Ottawa at No. 25. I had him lower at 75 – the biggest “reach” off my board. But I know a few teams saw him as a clear first-round talent. JLH is a good shooter who skates well and has a big 6-foot-3 frame. He missed most of the season due to a season-ending injury… in October. But scouts really believe in him because the raw fundamentals are there. He was one that I questioned due to the lack of actual playing time, but scouts really got me interested in the Swede in the latter stages of the season after pointing out just how often he dominated shifts in various ways. The raw talent is still very intriguing. Thinking out loud: I wonder if Carolina traded the 31st pick after seeing JLH get selected.
* And then there’s Jaxon Cover, who I had at No. 60. It feels like they could have easily gotten him later – he’s still so raw. It feels like they’re banking high on upside, which I get, but I’m not sure this was their best use of their two first-round picks.
* Least favorite pick: Marcus Nordmark to Anaheim. Felt like none of the scouts I talked to liked his game enough. He has undeniable skill and has routinely dominated his own age group. But he can be lazy and struggle defensively way too often for my liking. He’s a risky pick, but one I really hope pans out for Anaheim because he’s definitely fun to watch in the offensive zone.
* Best value pick: Tommy Bleyl at No. 31 to Nashville. One of the most skilled defenders available – smart, talented, great hands, strong skater. Undersized and struggles physically, but he had such a huge year in the QMJHL this year and has earned some serious love from the public scouting community. I think this will pay off.
* Seven Swedish players were taken in the first round today, tying their record set back in 2009. Thanks to HockeySvergie’s Martin Jansson for that.
* No goalie drafted. It’s not entirely surprising, but I had multiple scouts whisper the idea of Tobias Trejbal going late in the first round.