Simon Katolický is a player I’ve been pretty underwhelmed with in terms of progression this
year; he feels a bit snake-bitten offensively, and that’s clearly impacted his confidence and
ice time. He’s still very raw, but the foundation is there, great size at 6’4”, skates well for that
frame, and shows a decent motor with flashes of understanding how to use his length
effectively. That said, his stride lacks power for someone his size, he takes smaller, less
explosive strides and almost skates like a smaller player, which limits his physical impact.
His IQ is still a work in progress, especially with the puck, where he tends to default to safer,
simpler plays and doesn’t always show the poise you’d want to see to hold onto possession
and create. He competes, but not consistently, he’ll have shifts where he’s engaged and
others where he fades a bit. Off the puck, though, he brings value with an active stick and
physical presence, and offensively, he leans more as a shooter than a playmaker, you’re not
relying on him to thread passes or consistently find seams. There’s a lot of raw ability here,
and based on what he showed last year, I still have confidence he can bounce back, but at
this point, he’s not a first-rounder for me, more in that mid-to-late second range. If things
click, you’re looking at a powerful middle-six winger, but there’s definite boom-or-bust risk,
and I wouldn’t touch him in the first round right now; I liked him a lot more last year, but
there’s still something to work with.
Author: Jonathan Cottone
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2026 NHL Draft Prospect Report – Simon Katolicky (LW)
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2026 NHL Draft Prospect Report – Maddox Dagenais (C)
Dagenais is a poised, detail-oriented forward who plays a simple but very effective game built around strong puck control and smart, calculated decisions. He consistently slows the play down, especially on zone entries, showing patience and awareness to let plays develop instead of forcing anything, while still having the ability to slip passes through sticks when lanes open up. He is a really fluid skater with good edgework, and while he can beat defenders with speed, he more often uses that skating base with his poise to control the pace and maintain possession. His puck control stands out even more with how well he uses his body in battles, protecting pucks and coming out of contested areas with control. In the offensive zone he shows good movement within the cycle, staying connected to plays and supporting effectively to extend possession. Defensively, he is poised with the puck and makes clean, composed decisions, which really shows on breakouts as he moves pucks up ice seamlessly and keeps transition play under control. He keeps things simple, plays within structure, and doesn’t try to do too much, which makes him very reliable shift to shift. He is also a good shooter who looks to shoot, with a strong release that is most dangerous off the wrist shot in space rather than in tight, but he will still get inside when needed. On the power play, he fits naturally on the right flank, where he can attack off the catch or distribute. In the faceoff circle, he sits around 50 percent right now, but it feels like there is more there
and that should improve as he gets stronger and refines his technique. With his combination of skating, intelligence, puck management, and overall reliability, I could see him pushing for the top-three center spot in this draft, but at worst, he looks comfortably like a top-five center and a mid-first-round type who projects as a strong two-way 2C with legit defensive value, in my opinion. -
2026 NHL Draft Prospect Report – Tynan Lawrence (C)
Tynan Lawrence is a tremendously smooth, finesse-driven skater whose pace and nonstop
motor make him a constant factor in all three zones, projecting clearly as a top-line center in
this draft class. He forechecks and backchecks with purpose, generating a high volume of
touches in the offensive zone through his ability to stay in motion and attack both the
perimeter and interior, consistently working into the slot. His offensive game is driven by skill
and poise, he’s a slick puck-handler who can separate the puck from pressure, manipulate
defenders, and create his own chances before finding teammates off the advantage, though
he leans more toward self-generated offense. Around the net, he’s a finesse finisher who
beats goalies with patience and touch rather than power, and while his shot is effective,
adding more strength and explosiveness to his wrist shot and one-timer would elevate his
ceiling further. He competes well in puck battles, doesn’t rely solely on his skating, and
shows strong positional awareness, making him a player who can be trusted in all areas of
the ice. He reminds me a lot of Oliver Moore in his draft year but with more offensive upside,
and in my opinion, profiles as a definite top-6 player and one of the top centers available in
this class. -
2026 NHL Draft Prospect Report – Marcus Nordmark (LW)
Marcus Nordmark is a player I go back and forth on because the skill level is genuinely
sensational, but there are a lot of red flags in his overall game. He has elite hands and is a
high-end passer, one of the most naturally gifted playmakers in this class, able to manipulate
defenders and find seams with ease, and when he does get moving, he has good quickness.
He is a pass-first winger who can slow the game down and create off his vision, often finding
space in the offensive zone despite tending to operate more on the perimeter. That said, the
compete level is a major concern. He does not engage physically, goes into puck battles
softly without much intent to win them, and rarely uses his frame, which leads to him losing a
lot of those situations. His motor is inconsistent and he can look nonchalant both with and
without the puck, at times relying too heavily on his skill and passing ability instead of
continuing to move his feet. Defensively, he is a liability right now, with poor habits like
skating away from puck races and lacking urgency in coverage. There are shifts where he
looks like a top-end offensive talent, and others where he is barely involved. I am still a
believer because the skill is top notch, but it is frustrating to watch at times, and the
inconsistency raises real questions. For me, the projection comes with risk, likely a little past
the mid-first round at this stage, with top-six winger potential if it all clicks, a stylistic profile
closer to a modern-day Jonathan Drouin, but with a ceiling that could resemble Jonathan
Huberdeau in my opinion. -
2026 NHL Draft Prospect Report – Keaton Verhoeff (RD)
Keaton Verhoeff is a right-handed two-way defenseman who brings a steady, reliable presence with strong instincts on both sides of the ice, backed by a good motor and good compete to match, and he also likes to push up the ice to stay involved in transition, but he lacks creativity and higher-end offensive touch. He has the base of a solid puck mover with a good first pass, though his puck control can be loose at times, especially under pressure, where he will cough it up more than you would like. Offensively, he shows some habits like cutting to his backhand, but struggles to make plays after that, often throwing pucks on net without much conviction. His skating is decent overall, not overly powerful or fast, and his edges are not a major strength, but he can still angle off opposing threats effectively and hold his own defensively. With his frame, you would like to see him use his body more consistently both with and without the puck to elevate his impact. I think there is a path for him to become a good puck-moving defenseman, and while the ceiling could look something like Noah Dobson, I am not convinced he reaches that level. For me, he sits more in the mid-first round range and likely rounds out as a top five defenseman in this draft class.