Making The Case: Oscar Hemming
Oscar Hemming has the size, the shot, and the net-front game the Rangers sorely needs. So is he the right pick at fifth overall? Making The Case weighs his upside against deeper positional needs.
Among the youngest players in the 2026 NHL Draft class, Oscar Hemming is one of the best wingers available outside of the McKenna/Stenberg tier. The younger brother of Dallas Stars prospect Emil Hemming (drafted 29th overall in 2024), Oscar shares some similarities, but could pan out to have the better NHL career in the long term. Far from a sure thing, however, Hemming has the potential to be a top ten pick in this class, but that doesn't necessarily mean he's the right guy for the New York Rangers.
Player Information
The youngest player in the NCAA this year, Oscar Hemming joined the Boston College Eagles midway through their season. Following some contract stipulations back in Finland, Hemming was finally allowed to make the jump to North America, and in 19 games with the Eagles collected one goal and seven assists for a total of eight points.
Those numbers alone won’t blow you away, but you have to keep in mind the transition from Europe to NCAA in itself isn’t easy, let alone doing it midseason. The year prior, Hemming had 63 points in his final U18 season in Finland. Additionally, he appeared in 18 games at the U20 level, picking up ten points along the way. Hemming was also a standout in nearly every international tournament, namely Hlinka Gretzky Cup and the U18 World Championships. Ranked 11th on the NHL Central Scouting Rankings of North American Skaters, this is a player who has a ton of intriguing assets, but the one that stands out the most is his size and play style. At 6-4 and 200 pounds, Hemming has the makings of an impactful NHL forward and the skill set to back it up.
For a deeper analysis on his performance this season, you can revisit his feature in the April Edition of the Draft Radar Scouting Report Series.
