Top 10 ‘big guy’ prospects for the 2026 NHL Draft

May 31, 2026, 09:00 EDTUpdated: May 29, 2026, 10:48 EDT

Credit: Brooks Rogowski (Natalie Shaver/OHL Images)

Yesterday, we took a look at 10 of the better “small guy” prospects in the 2026 NHL Draft.

Today, we’re going the opposite direction, looking at the true big dawgs of the draft class. To narrow the search, we’re focusing on players standing 6-foot-5 or taller. The real big dudes – the ones you’d hate to see coming at you at full speed.

This year will likely see the tallest player ever selected – 7-foot-1 Moldovan defender Alexander Karmanov. The North Bay Battalion defender won’t impress you with his speed or skill. But with a frame like that, even Zdeno Chara would have nightmares having to deal with him. Look for him to go late in the draft, though.

Here’s a look at 10 of the better large players at this year’s draft. All heights are taken from NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings before their updated measurements at the draft combine:

1. Ethan Belchetz, LW (Windsor Spitfires, OHL)

NHL Central Scouting Measurements: 6-foot-5, 228 pounds

Belchetz is the only player on this list with a realistic shot at going in the top 10 – and, perhaps, could be the only player taken in the first round. His season ended back in March after breaking his left clavicle. Still, it didn’t do much to hurt his draft stock (other than maybe falling a spot or two as others ended the year on a hot note). Belchetz has never lacked confidence – and you have to have loads of it when you’re the Tasmanian Devil on skates. He plays with so much power, which allows him to carve through the middle of the ice with little regard for human life. Some scouts worry that he doesn’t have any high-end traits beyond his size. Personally, I’d hate to have to deal with him in a playoff game – Belchetz is INTENSE, and it’s why I call him the Chaos Conductor.

2. Brooks Rogowski, C (Oshawa Generals, OHL)

NHL Central Scouting Measurements: 6-foot-7, 235 pounds

Is Rogowski good because he’s good, or good because he’s big? I’m still not 100 percent sure, but I’ve liked many of my viewings. Primarily, I thought he was great at the U-18s in a fourth-line role – I feel like he was enough of a pain in the rear end doing that. At 6-foot-7, he’s obviously got size. But I also appreciated how well he hustled at both ends, chasing pucks and breaking up plays. He’s a smart forward who uses his big frame to win battles, but he also has a good shot and isn’t afraid to launch it from anywhere in an attempt to surprise the goaltender. Rogowski won’t be a big-time offensive threat. But as a supporting player, he has a ton of tools to make himself useful.

3. Maksim Sokolovskii, D (London Knights, OHL)

NHL Central Scouting Measurements: 6-foot-7, 238 pounds

Sokolovskii is absolutely massive. Nobody will mistake him for an offensive demon – he had eight points between 49 regular-season and playoff games. But he’s truly a terrifying human being when it comes to 1-on-1 situations – he makes it his life mission to kill you. I loved his play against the Soo Greyhounds because he repeatedly had to go up against top forward Brady Martin and, for the most part, succeeded. I really like Sokolovskii as a shutdown option. His lack of offense won’t make him attractive to every team, but the fact that he, as a defenseman, makes it his mission to stop guys at any cost should allow him to get to the NHL.

4. Brady Knowling, G (USNTDP)

NHL Central Scouting Measurements: 6-foot-5, 205 pounds

Knowling had a good season with the USNTDP this year, and even made his World Junior debut (which was a bit of a surprise). The Boston University goaltender has a big 6-foot-5 frame, but he’s quick for his size, too. The Toronto-born goaltender is the No. 1-ranked North American goaltender according to NHL Central Scouting, with scouts noting that he commands the crease without giving up too many costly rebounds. Not every scout is fully sold on him, especially with passive hands that often lag behind when he moves crease-to-crease. He allows too many weak goals for my liking, too, and he didn’t do himself many favors at the U-18s. Still, I’m intrigued, and I’d take a chance on him in the third or fourth round if I needed goaltending depth.

5. Yegor Rybkin, G (Nizhny Novgorod, MHL)

NHL Central Scouting Measurements: 6-foot-7, 207 pounds

If you’re a fan of large goaltenders – and most NHL teams are – then Rybkin is for you. At 6-foot-7, he’s absolutely massive. For all the talk about small goalies in the NHL, there are just two – Toronto’s Dennis Hildeby and Ottawa’s Mads Sogaard – who have played at least one NHL game this year standing 6-foot-7 or taller. Fortunately for Rybkin, he’s having a good season in the MHL, even if games have been hard to come by. Rybkin is as athletic as you’ll find out of a huge goaltender, and he does an excellent job of sealing the posts and handling shots down low. But he can get caught falling for fake moves way too often, and he tends to overcommit to shots more than a goalie his size should. Regardless, a team is going to take him – and they’ll need him to start playing much, much more if he’s going to flourish.

6. Filip Růžička, G (Brandon Wheat Kings, WHL)

NHL Central Scouting Measurements: 6-foot-7, 230 pounds

Teams love big goalies – and Růžička could be one of the largest of all-time. Růžička proved on many, many occasions that he’s capable of some absolutely unbelievable performances. Most notably, he made 64 saves on 65 shots in Game 1 against Calgary in the playoffs this year, and followed it up with 48 stops two games later. Růžička is extremely competitive and does a good job of keeping himself square to shooters. You won’t find many shots trickling in slowly past the Czech keeper – he seals holes as well as anyone. But the one thing that concerns me is that he can be a bit too slow, both in his skating and in his general movement. An NHL team can work with him on that, though.

7. Jonas Kemps, D (Chicago Steel, USHL)

NHL Central Scouting Measurements: 6-foot-6, 195 pounds

Kemps left the USA Hockey National Team Development Program after his U-17 team to chase a new opportunity with the Steel. He had a strong campaign, showing some promise as a solid skater with a big frame. With every new viewing, it felt like he became more confident carrying the puck. I’m not saying he’s going to put up a ton of points at the next level, but it showed he was willing to play outside his typical shutdown defender comfort zone to make plays happen. I think he has the raw talent to put himself in the conversation to make it as a third-pairing defender, especially if he adds a bit more speed to his strong edgework.

8. Sean Burick, RHD (Penticton Vees, WHL)

NHL Central Scouting Measurements: 6-foot-8, 214 pounds

The Vees built a reputation of unrelenting pressure and physical dominance. Burick was one of the biggest reasons for that thanks to his massive 6-foot-8 frame. As expected, his reach is incredible, so you’d better find a way to chip the puck past him if you’re going to have any chance. The University of Denver commit also started to impress scouts with his puck-handling and decision-making down the stretch, too. I don’t expect that to be a major part of his game once he turns pro, but I like him as a prototypical, big, defensive defender who won’t make many stupid mistakes in his own zone.

9. Eric Frossard, D (Guelph Storm, OHL)

NHL Central Scouting Measurements: 6-foot-6, 206 pounds

I remember the first time I saw Frossard play at the 2024 OHL Cup – he was built like a tank. He has only gotten stronger over time and is coming off a solid second year with Guelph, where he showcased how much better of a skater he has become. Frossard never looks frazzled in his own zone – he’s typically in control. I really like how he kills plays on the rush and uses his reach in sort of a ricochet move whenever someone tries to beat him. Frossard needs to improve his straight-line speed, but he has the mobility and massive frame to be an interesting late-round pick.

10. David Vermiřovský, G (Pardubice, Czechia U-20)

NHL Central Scouting Measurements: 6-foot-5, 181 pounds

The Czechs have built quite the goaltending pipeline in recent years. Vermiřovský is coming off a decent year in the Czech U-20 team on a Pardubice squad that left a lot to be desired, defensively. I really liked some of his national team starts, though. He has quick hands and is very, very flexible. It’s hard to beat him on a shot when he’s stretched out to the max. It just feels like he struggles with deflections and last-second change-ups, and that’s something an NHL shooter would expose him on. A few scouts I’ve talked to like the raw potential, but it’ll take some work to mold him into a legitimate NHL prospect. But with a frame like his, it’s worth the patience.

SPONSORED BY bet365

Recent Articles by Steven Ellis

MORE FACEOFF.IN YOUR INBOX.

CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR DAILY NEWSLETTER