Ducks select Nikita Klepov No. 15 overall at the 2026 NHL Draft
The Anaheim Ducks have selected forward Nikita Klepov with the No. 15 overall selection of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.
The 15th pick originally belonged to the St. Louis Blues heading into draft night, but the spot was moved to the Ducks as part of the trade that sent Mason McTavish to St. Louis.
Klepov was projected to be selected around 22nd overall on average across all of the main draft rankings, going as high as 13th and as low as 33rd. He was also ranked 8th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting. Daily Faceoff prospect analyst Steven Ellis projected him to go in the higher end at 18th overall.
Ellis had this to say about Klepov in his most recent draft rankings:
“Teams love productive wingers, and Klepov meets every requirement. The projected first-round pick is a tremendous playmaker and maybe one of the best in the CHL. But he’s also a stout shooter and wasn’t far off from reaching the 40-goal barrier, too. It was surprising, given he only put up 31 points in the USHL the year prior. The Michigan State University commit plays with a ton of finesse, but he’s physically strong, too. He’s just an OK skater, but Klepov should still go high because magic tends to happen when he’s in control of the puck on the attack. I like him as a potential secondary scorer in the NHL.”
Klepov spent the entirety of his season with the Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League. He played 67 games in the regular season, where he accumulated 37 goals and 60 assists for 97 points, as the Spirit finished eighth in the Western Conference with a 26-34-4-4 record. The Deerfield Beach, Florida product led the OHL in scoring with those point totals, and was eighth in goals and fourth in assists. His performance also earned him rookie of the year honors.
Klepov also had one goal and four assists for five points in four playoff games, as the Spirit were swept in the first round by the eventual J. Ross Robertson Cup and Memorial Cup champions in the Kitchener Rangers. Despite the sweep, Klepov still managed to lead the Spirit in scoring in that series.
Klepov has dual nationality with the United States and Russia. He is committed to Michigan State University for the 2026-27 season.