Roberto's 2026 Mock Draft: First Edition
The 2026 NHL Draft class is loaded with intrigue beyond the top two. Here's a full first-round projection, including the defenseman with the highest upside, the center whose playoff run silenced the skeptics, and a few sliding names worth watching at the end of the round.
The NHL playoffs are an electric time of year. But when your team is on the outside looking in, you’re often left with little to be excited about. That all changes the night of the NHL Draft Lottery.
The New York Rangers, in particular, have a lot to be excited about now, even despite dropping two spots. As we all know, they’re currently slotted to pick fifth overall, the highest draft position they’ve had since taking Alexis Lafrenière first overall in 2020. With this high pick, and the surplus of draft capital the Rangers have accumulated this season, our draft coverage will be ramping up as we march toward that big day in late June.
My fellow Blueshirt Banter contributor Chris set the stage yesterday with his mock draft. He outlined our general plan and the draft coverage we’ll be providing over the next month. Both of our initial mock drafts are intended as a general foundation from our perspectives. While Chris and I share many opinions, we differ slightly in what we value and prioritize in a player.
So, without further ado, here is my first official list of where I feel prospects should be drafted.
1) Gavin McKenna - Left Wing, Penn State University, NCAA
2) Ivar Stenberg - LW/RW, Frolunda HC, SHL
It should be no surprise these two are atop the class. However, the combination of Ivar Stenberg’s historic scoring run as a draft-eligible prospect in the Swedish Hockey League and Gavin McKenna’s faltering in the NCAA momentarily made many scouts ponder who was actually the top-ranked prospect. But McKenna’s production picked up throughout the year, and his 51-point season as a 17-year-old playing college hockey was enough to solidify his number one status.
At the end of the day, it was McKenna himself who chose to go to the NCAA, opting for an opportunity to grow his game instead of scoring at will and obliterating the competition in the WHL for another year. Had he stayed with the Medicine Hat Tigers, I feel fairly confident saying McKenna’s status as a draft prospect would have been compared to NHL royalty.
