Top 2026 NHL Draft prospects scout each other
For 2026 NHL Draft eligible prospects, the season is over. No more games, no more tournaments. That’s it.
Now, teams will catch up to have their final scouting meetings prior to the selection process in Buffalo from June 26-27.
Between the combine and other events throughout the year, I asked some of the top prospects for the 2026 NHL Draft to give scouting reports on their peers. Some talked about teammates, friends or the opponents they felt were the toughest to play against over the past few years.
They’re still teenagers, so don’t expect anything too deep. But it’s always interesting to see what players think about their peers and what traits stand out the most.
So, here’s what some of the top prospects had to say about their peers this year:
Gavin McKenna, LW (Penn State University, NCAA)
Keaton Verhoeff: “Playing with Gavin is pretty special. What he does with the puck, the way he kind of carries himself out there, it’s pretty incredible. You sit in there and watch him, you kind of find yourself in awe. You see yourself as a bit of a fan sometimes, watching him out on the ice.
Markus Ruck: “He always does so many special things on and off the ice. He’s a great leader. Obviously, if you’re that talented and that skilled, you’re kind of allowed to do whatever you want. But he was a team player and kind of bought into the team. That was a big reason why we won the (2025 WHL championship).”
Chase Reid, RHD (Soo Greyhounds, OHL)
Caleb Malhotra: “I think Chase proved himself as a pretty elite player and dominated in the OHL this year. I think he’s got a lot of great attributes. I think his skating is probably his biggest one. Really elusive, really fast, especially on the blueline, very dynamic.”
Ethan Belchetz: “I got to play him a lot. He’s an awesome dude… He’s so skilled, so smart. You always know when he’s on the ice.”
Victor Plante: “He’s such a smooth skater, and he takes up a lot of the ice.”
Caleb Malhotra, C (Brantford Bulldogs, OHL)
Chase Reid: “(As an opponent), you never know what he’s going to do. He’s a very unpredictable player. He does tremendous things with the puck. He’s got the goal-scoring mindset. He’s got the ability to make plays and set up his teammates and play in the defensive zone, as well.”
Keaton Verhoeff, RHD (University of North Dakota, NCAA)
Gavin McKenna: “He’s a very smart hockey player. Playing with him at the World Juniors was my first time and didn’t disappoint. The way he plays, he has an unbelievable shot, he doesn’t really seem to make mistakes.”
Carson Carels: “He’s a really creative player, he’s a big body and a right-shot defenseman… I think I’ll help his D-zone game a bit, and he’ll help my offensive game (at North Dakota next year).
Carson Carels, LHD (Prince George Cougars, WHL)
Keaton Verhoeff: “Being around Cars, he’s an unbelievable human, first and foremost, and obviously on the ice, his game speaks for itself… I think he’s just a smooth-skating, smart player, able to move the puck up the ice and also create offense while defending as well.”
Ryan Lin, LHD (Vancouver Giants, WHL)
Tyus Sparks: “He’s an unbelievable player. I’ve known him for five, seven years. A great friend of mine. He plays the game simple, plays it well, the hardest worker I know, and a great skater.”
Matias Vanhanen: “The way he can skate, it’s impressive. He can use his stick really well. He’s not the biggest guy, but he’s all over the place making plays.”
Ethan Belchetz, LW (Windsor Spitfires, OHL)
Colin Fitzgerald: “I played against him all the way out through minor hockey, so I’m used to him. He is huge. He’s VERY big. And he’s a skilled player, works hard, too.”
Malte Gustafsson, LHD (HV71, SHL)
Viggo Björck: “He’s underrated… He’s a tall guy, good on his feet, and annoying to play against.”
Rūdolfs Bērzkalns, C (Muskegon Lumberjacks, USHL)
Jayden Kurtz: “He’s got a lot of hard skill. He’s hard on the puck, but he’s also super skilled with the puck saw, and he’s probably the toughest guy I played against this year.”
Juho Piiparinen, RHD (Tappara, Liiga)
Matias Vanhanen: “He’s big guy. For his size, he can skate well. He can do it all, can move the park hard. It’s tough to play against him, and he’s just gonna be a good player, for sure… He can do whatever it takes, and he just plays hard.”
Parker Vaughan, RW (North Bay Battalion, OHL)
Ryder Cali: “I was on a line with him a lot this year and I got to see what he does on and off the ice. I don’t think he gets the credit he deserves. He’s got a bomb of a shot, and he’s a great guy, too.”
Daxon Rudolph, RHD (Prince Albert Raiders, WHL)
Kayden Lemire: “He knows what he’s doing out there. He knows his role. So, um, he’s also a bigger dude. He’s 6-foot-3, I think, and he’s got some good weight on him, so he’s pretty tough to get through to get to the net.”
Zac Olsen, RW (Saskatoon Blades, WHL)
Giorgos Pantelas: “He is such a hard worker. I think he’s one of the most underrated players in this draft class. He’s always given us hell when we were in Saskatoon. He’s always first on pucks, working as hard as he can. He gets that puck in the slot, and if you let him go, it’s in the back of the net. He’s one of those players that I’ve always tried to be aware of when he’s on the ice, because he’s gonna give you as much as he can.”
Liam (LW) and Markus (C) Ruck (Medicine Hat Tigers, WHL)
Jonah Sivertson: “They’re two really skilled players, and they have really good hockey IQ. It’s definitely tough playing against them together.”
Daxon Rudolph: “I played against them a lot in Medicine Hat. Good playoff series both years in (Prince Albert). Those guys are pretty high-end players and think the game at a very high level… they’re tough to defend.”
Victor Plante, LW (USNTDP)
Nick Bogas: “He works hard. He’s not the biggest, but seems to always have the puck. He never gets hit. I think I saw him get hit one time this year. He’s like a dog on the bone; super competitive, super concrete guy.”
Mikey Berchild, LW (USNTDP)
Nick Bogas: “He’s not the biggest but he seems to always have the pucks. He makes some great plays, and is a great guy, too.”
Wyatt Cullen, LW (USNTDP)
Nick Bogas: “He’s already super shifty, and his hands are super good. That did help me in practice that he got bigger and stronger, and I had to learn how to play against him.”
Nick Bogas, LHD (USNTDP)
Casey Mutryn: “He’s tough to go against. He has great feet and a great stick. He’s someone who just competes a lot, too. And can’t say enough as a teammate as well.”
Mathis Preston, RW (Vancouver Giants, WHL)
Ryan Lin: “He got traded (to Vancouver), and unfortunately, we both got injured about two games later. So we spent six weeks attached to the hip together. I got to know him as a friend and he’s one of my best friends now. But on the ice, game-breaker is the word I’d say. He’s got such good talent and ability that he can change a game just like that. It’s fun to play with him because he thinks on a high level, too.”
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