Blueshirt Banter 2026 NHL Mock Draft: Picks 1-10

Happy NHL Entry Draft week to all who celebrate!

The results of the first round are of special interest to New York Rangers fans this year as the team holds a pair of picks: one at the beginning of the round, and one closer to the end. To get ready for the main event, Chris and Roberto are back for their third annual full mock draft of the first round as they look to predict how each team's picks will unfold.

Kicking things off, let us walk you through our projected Top 1o picks.

1. Toronto Maple Leafs 

Chris:  Gavin McKenna - Left Wing, Penn State, NCAA

There’s no reason to galaxy brain this. The word generational has been thrown around in relation to this player in the past. The hype cooled down with him making the jump to the NCAA. If McKenna had stayed in juniors, there’s a good chance his numbers would have been insane, which would have people talking about him in the same vein as Connor Bedard and Macklin Celebrini. This kid is going to be a stud and he’s either going to save the Toronto Maple Leafs, or change the course of how the NHL operates when he inevitably walks to unrestricted free agency in three years. Either way, Gavin McKenna is not being passed up on with the first overall pick in this draft.

Roberto: Gavin McKenna - Forward, Penn State, NCAA

I would love nothing more than for John Chayka to galaxy brain this pick, but I don’t think even he has the gumption to try and do that. It’s going to be McKenna, and he is going to be a phenomenal forward in the NHL. How long his career with the Maple Leafs will be is another question entirely.

2. San Jose Sharks  

Chris: Ivar Stenberg - Left Wing, Frolunda HC, SHL

This is where it gets spicy but, again, I’m not going to overthink my final answer. Ivar Stenberg is the second best player in this draft. You could even argue he’s right up there with McKenna. His performance at the IIHF Worlds spoke volumes as to what he can bring to the NHL as early as next season, not to mention the fact that he was outpacing Leo Carlsson and hall-of-famers Peter Forsberg and Daniel Sedin in their draft seasons in Sweden. San Jose needs defense, sure. But they’re not going to make the wrong decision here. They’ll take the best available player in Stenberg and figure it out from there.  

Roberto: Chase Reid - Defense, Soo Greyhounds, OHL

Initially, I thought the Sharks’ trade for Michael Kesselring could alleviate their need to upgrade their defense, but I think the opportunity of drafting a partner for Sam Dickinson and taking what many consider to be the best defenseman in the draft is too good to pass up for the Sharks. Their offense, driven by the elite engine of Macklin Celebrini, has been dynamic and potent, but their defense is a weakness. After taking Reid, it won’t be anymore.

3. Vancouver Canucks  

Chris: Caleb Malhotra - Center, Brantford Bulldogs, OHL

As much as I would love for Malhotra to fall to the Rangers at five, some things are just meant to be, and it certainly seems like him being drafted by the team that just gave his dad his first NHL head coaching job is one of those things. Whether or not Manny wants to coach Caleb or vice versa, I don’t see Vancouver passing up on him. That’s not to say this wasn’t a difficult decision, as I could really see the Canucks going with Chase Reid here. But when push comes to shove, you take the best available player and, to me, that’s Caleb Malhotra.

Roberto: Caleb Malhotra - Center, Brantford Bulldogs, OHL

Stenberg, now available at third overall, is an enticing option for the Canucks, and it’ll make their management pause. However, I think the Malhotra connection and positional superiority will guide the Canucks’ hand, as it’s felt like Caleb Malhotra going to Vancouver has been written in stone.

4. Chicago Blackhawks 

Chris:  Chase Reid - Defense, Soo Greyhounds, OHL

I feel as though the Blackhawks are going to be hoping that Ivar Stenberg is still available here so he can ride shotgun with Connor Bedard, but if things go how I expect, Chase Reid won’t fall any further. The Blackhawks have lots of young talent but still need help in all areas. They have Artem Levshunov and Sam Rinzel on the right side, but Reid would immediately leap frog both of them and potentially become the face of their franchise on the blue line. 

Roberto: Ivar Stenberg - Left Wing, Djurgarden, SHL

The Blackhawks time on the clock will be historically low. Stenberg to Chicago is all but a guarantee if he falls to fourth overall. The Bedard and Stenberg connection will terrorize NHL defense corps for years.

5. New York Rangers

Chris: Carson Carels - Defense, Prince George Cougars, WHL

As I’ve mentioned in the past, Carels is among my top candidates for the Rangers. If none of the players I have going 1-3 fall to them, it’s between him, Chase Reid and Viggo Björck on who they should take. As much as I’d love to see them swing for the fences with Björck, they’re in desperate need of a top left-shot defenseman of the future, and Carels can not only be that but has the potential to be the best defenseman in this draft class. There's tons of hype surrounding Reid, but I truly see Carels turning into the best defenseman from this group, which is why if the pick is a defenseman, it needs to be Carels.

Roberto:  Viggo Björck - C/RW, Frolunda, SHL

To reiterate what Chris spelled out above, if any of the players slotted 1-3 fall to the Rangers, it’s all but a given Drury will call that player's name. But realistically it’s down to Carels vs. Björck. Carels would be a tremendous selection and I’d be genuinely happy if they draft the stud defensive prospect, but I’m swinging for the fences on Björck’s upside and think it’s high time the Rangers took a chance like this.

6. Calgary Flames 

Chris: Viggo Björck - Center, Djurgårdens IF, Swe

The Calgary Flames haven’t had a true franchise number one center since probably Craig Conroy, who is now their general manager. Is Björck a reach at sixth overall? Honestly, no. Look, we need to stop putting so much stock in a player’s size. We’ve talked about this in several different articles: you can still be “undersized” and be a really good hockey player. Logan Stankoven, Zach Benson, Cole Caufield. We don’t need to go through the whole list again. Viggo Björck is going to be an incredible hockey player and Calgary needs to take a swing. This is the one for them to make. We're talking about a player who put up more points in his U18 season than Elias Pettersson, Elias Lindholm, Leo Carlsson, and Anton Frundell combined. He's won on the international level, he's an exceptional all around player, and passing up on him because he's 5-9 is foolish.

Roberto: Carson Carels - Defense, Prince George Cougars, WHL

I could see Calgary going with one of the top forwards available, but if it plays out like this and multiple high end defensive prospects are left, it’d be tough to see them passing on someone like Carels who could play on the other side of their top prospect Zayne Parekh.

7. Seattle Kraken

Chris: Keaton Verhoeff - Defense, University of North Dakota, NCAA

While I'm not as high on Keaton Verhoeff as most, he would be a heck of a pick up at seventh overall. This is one of the top defensemen in the draft who has NHL-ready size, a well rounded game, and all the potential to be a top-pair solution for a team long term. Seattle can certainly use some help on the right side and I can see Verhoeff being a great fit for them.

Roberto: Alberts Smits - Defense, Jukurit, Liiga

I think Seattle does swing for defense but Smits, the more NHL ready prospect, is more enticing to them than the others available. Additionally, his skating ability and high floor is something that makes him a dependable and safe pick, regardless.

8. Winnipeg Jets

Chris: Tynan Lawrence- Center, Boston University, NCAA

Good centers are hard to come by, especially in this year’s draft class, and Winnipeg desperately needs help down the middle. I’m sure if Björck is still on the board, this is where he goes, but for the sake of my final picks here, I have them taking Tynan Lawrence. There is certainly a risk with a Canadian team, especially from Winnipeg, drafting a kid out of college as he could opt not to sign down the road, but the Jets can't operate with that mindset. They need to draft the best possible players and they need to do everything in their power to get back on a winning track. Lawrence would help them out big time and could be of help to them as early as next season.

Roberto: Keaton Verhoeff - Right Defense, University of North Dakota, NCAA

Chris is spot on with the Winnipeg assessment: they need centers. But similar to his response of Verhoeff being a steal at seventh overall, I think the Jets would have a hard time not drafting the player many initially thought would challenge McKenna for the top spot in the draft.

9. Ottawa Senators (via Florida)

Chris: Alberts Smits - Defenseman, Jukurit, Liiga

When the Panthers held this pick, Smits felt like the perfect get for them. If Ottawa holds onto this pick, they could end up reaching slightly for Ethan Belchetz to try and fill that power forward gap left by Brady Tkachuk. But, truth be told, I feel as though the Senators are going to look to flip this pick. That said, I'm sticking with Smits here, regardless of who picks, as there's no way a player of his caliber is going to fall any further.

Roberto: Ethan Belchetz - Left Wing, Windsor Spitfires, OHL

Man, what a mess. A Canadian Tire (fire) Center, I just feel bad for Senators’ fans at this point. I think Tkachuk and his physical brand of hockey leaving will inspire the Senators’ front office to look for a player who can inject the same type of play, and Becheltz’ combination of size, tenacity, and skill is something they will covet and take off the board a bit earlier than most anticipate.

10. Nashville Predators

Chris: Daxon Rudolph - Defense, Prince Albert Raiders, WHL

Nashville needs help all over but Daxon Rudolph feels like the best pick for them here. A smart, patient, two-way defenseman who skates well, moves the puck, and has size and speed in his favor, Rudolph can very well become a long term staple of their defensive pairs down the road. He's coming off a 78 point season in the WHL where he contributed the third highest point total for defensemen. He recently announced his commitment to Denver where his game will continue to grow. He's a fringe top-10 prospect, but I'd be willing to be this is exactly where he goes.

Roberto: Tynan Lawrence - Center, Boston University, NCAA

After the top three centers in the draft, there is a steep drop in the reliable quality of talent and stability. I think the Predators will happily take Lawrence, one of the younger players in the draft, and hope he develops into the top flight center many think he has the potential to be.