DRAFT PROSPECTS HOCKEY

Author: Karson McArthur

  • 2026 NHL Draft Prospect Report – Ryan Roobroeck (C)

    Ryan Roobroeck
    Projection: Middle 6 Center
    Strengths: One-touch release, Maturity, Situational Versatility
    Weaknesses: Off-puck play, Consistency, one-dimensional worries

    Analysis:
    Ryan Roobroeck is the best offensively minded center in this draft.
    His instant release when the puck reaches his stick makes him one of
    the best pure goal scorers in this draft. Pairing that with his super
    high hockey IQ provides him with the ability to read the play and take
    advantage of open ice to be in a position to utilize that lethal shot.
    He is also one of the more mature and disciplined players in this
    draft. He uses his body and stick properly when defending and has a
    long stride that helps him stick to attackers, so he rarely resorts to
    taking any “dumb” penalties. With this maturity, too, his coaches can
    rely on him in all situations. With his offensive mind, he is a given
    for their power play, but he can also be plugged into the penalty kill
    due to his reliability and great understanding of the game.

    What I find Roobroeck to lack is in terms of his consistent drive to
    be the best on the ice. He can cause analyzing the play instead of
    engaging in it, which can leave him in an awkward spot to catch up to
    the play or miss being a part of it entirely. I would classify this as
    a consistency issue, where he just isn’t on his “A game” every shift.
    He shows with his offensive talents and maturity how good he is when
    he is on his game, but not being on it every shift really brings him
    down my list. Because of this consistency issue, I would be worried
    about how he would translate his game to the pro level. If he doesn’t
    become more consistent as a whole, he might fall to becoming a
    one-dimensional scorer at the pro level, which obviously isn’t the
    worst thing in the world, but not something you’re looking for in a
    top-tier talent.

  • 2026 NHL Draft Prospect Report – Jack Hextall (C)

    Jack Hextall:
    Projection: Middle 6 Forward
    Strengths: Compete, Playmaking, Puck control
    Weaknesses: Strength of competition, Physicality

    Analysis:
    Jack Hextall doesn’t know what it means to quit. He is relentless and
    consistently giving it his all on the ice. He plays with a level of
    care and competitiveness that not many players have. Without the puck,
    he does whatever it takes to regain possession or provide his
    teammates with another option to pass to. With the puck, he has
    exceptional stickhandling, vision, and passing, which makes him a
    lethal power play or transition player. He is also a great skater, so
    chasing after opponents or barreling towards loose pucks comes easily
    to him. In all honesty, I really like his game and see him as an
    excellent, well-rounded, versatile middle 6 forward.

    My concern for Jack has nothing to do with his play at all, but more
    with the players he plays against. Playing in the USHL, the
    competition isn’t as high as the CHL or NCAA, so to do what he is
    doing in the USHL is still impressive, but it would be much more
    impressive in a harder league. That gives me worries that if he isn’t
    extremely dominant in the USHL, how easily would it be for him to
    translate his game and style to a harder or even professional league?
    Next year, when he is playing for Michigan State, if he has very good
    numbers and plays well there, whatever team picks him could have a
    very promising player on their hands. I also wish he could be more
    physical and have better body positioning along the walls, but again,
    that’s something to work more on in harder leagues.

  • 2026 NHL Draft Prospect Report – Alexander Command (C)

    Alexander Command:
    Projection: Middle 6 Center
    Strengths: Hockey IQ, Faceoff prowess, Vision
    Weaknesses: Stick handling, Physicality, Top speed

    Analysis:
    Alexander Command is a very controlling and patient centerman. It’s
    funny that his last name is Command because that’s exactly how he
    plays. He takes control of the play without the puck, often directing
    traffic and commanding the play to help his teammates make decisions
    and create chaos in the offensive zone. He has a super high hockey IQ,
    being able to see plays develop and react accordingly in real time,
    helping him be in the right place at the right time. His vision helps
    him take advantage of being one step ahead of the play, often finding
    one-touch passes or moving to the open ice before it’s even considered
    to be open ice. Another attribute of his I love is his faceoff
    prowess. He has such a strong stick and stance to outmuscle opponents
    in the circle, which is something he could easily translate to a pro
    level.

    Where Command may fall flat for me is in the details of his game. He
    doesn’t have the best stick handling, especially one-on-one or in
    transition. He has a big frame for someone of his size, but he doesn’t
    utilize it to its fullest potential. He has a very fluid stride, but
    struggles to reach a very high top speed with it. If he could iron out
    the details in his game, he could become an excellent mid-first-round
    steal.

  • 2026 NHL Draft Prospect Report – Chase Reid (RD)

    Chase Reid:
    Projection: Top 4 Defenceman
    Strengths: Offensive instincts, Vision and playmaking, Release and
    shot placement, Skating
    Weaknesses: Defensive aspects of the game, Positioning/Decision making

    Analysis:
    Chase Reid is an offensively gifted defenceman. He is never afraid to
    jump up on the play and use his strong skating to help generate an
    odd-man rush. He also uses his speed to blow by defenders along the
    boards and threaten to drive the net if given the opportunity. Once he
    is given the puck in the offensive zone, he tends to use his skating
    and mobility to create seams and gaps within the defenders so that he
    can use his great vision and passing abilities to find the wide-open
    player. If the defenders don’t offer up an opportunity for a pass, he
    isn’t afraid to shoot the puck through screens with his lethal and
    precise release.

    Reid struggles when it comes to the defensive aspects of the game. He
    often gets caught up ice when he decides to jump up on the rush at a
    bad time, which typically ends up in a scoring opportunity against.
    Within his own zone, he’s not afraid to use his body to get the puck
    back. He isn’t always in the proper position to retrieve the puck once
    he knocks his player off it, but at least he disrupts his opponent.
    Additionally, I would be slightly worried about his work ethic, as
    when I watch him, he isn’t always giving it one hundred percent.

  • 2026 NHL Draft Prospect Report – Alberts Smits (LD)

    Projection: Top 4 Defenceman
    Strengths: Strong puck protection skills, Linear skating speed,
    Defensive Reliability
    Weaknesses: Very basic/telegraphed when it comes to his decision
    making, inability to make creative passes, lack of a dangerous shot

    Analysis:
    Alberts Smits is hands down the best defensive defenceman in this
    class. He makes use of his filled-out frame to gain position of
    players in his own zone, which helps him break up the cycle and knock
    players off the puck. He often uses his size on the rush to force his
    way down the wall and deep into the offensive zone, protecting the
    puck and waiting for an opportunity to make a play. Additionally, he
    has an excellent ability to use his stick to knock the puck loose when
    challenged one-on-one on the zone entry while maintaining his body
    positioning by locking onto the opponent’s chest. He also has some of
    the fastest north-to-south skating I’ve seen from a player his age,
    and he uses it to its full potential. He can chase a dump in either
    offensively or defensively to beat the opponent to the puck to make a
    play.

    Where Alberts falls short is his offensive instincts and creativity.
    The plays he tries to make are very telegraphed, allowing his
    opponents to read his play and attempt to break up the play.
    Additionally, he is not a power play threat, as he lacks the ability
    to make creative passes through seams and a powerful seeing eye shot
    that doesn’t threaten going straight to the back of the net, but
    rather threatens making it to the net for a tip/rebound. If he learns
    to get more creative and make more unique plays and passes, he’ll
    become a very strong two-way defender.

  • 2026 NHL Draft Prospect Report – Ethan Belchetz (LW)

    Ethan Belchetz:
    Projection: Middle 6 Winger
    Strengths: Physically mature game, Ability to drive the play, Strong shot
    Weaknesses: Needs to grow into his skates, Lack of creativity and
    adaptability, Weak transition game

    Analysis:
    Ethan Belchetz is another big power forward in this draft class. He
    has a very physically mature game for being 6’5 230lbs and isn’t
    afraid to use it to his advantage. He likes to lean on defenders along
    the boards, forcing the puck to his stick before driving the net.
    Through the use of his size, he is also a force when planted in front
    of the goalie for rebounds, deflections, or backdoor passes. Where he
    is the most dangerous is inside the circle without the puck, where he
    can make use of his very powerful shot.

    That’s kind of where I see his strengths begin to fall off. Apart from
    his size and heavy shot, he lacks anything that is super outstanding
    or noteworthy. I find that he still hasn’t found his stride due to his
    size, so he lacks any monumental speed or dangerous explosiveness. He
    doesn’t have any special stickhandling or vision abilities, so the
    only way I find he beats defenders is by making use of his body to
    protect the puck and drive wide or cut to the middle before releasing
    his shot. He also has a very weak transition game in my eyes. He
    struggles to make pinpoint passes on the rush, and when he decides on
    what he’s going to do, he has a hard time adapting and deviating from
    that plan based on how the play develops. With some extra time and a
    good development path, he has the potential to be a solid middle-six
    play driver.

  • 2026 NHL Draft Prospect Report – Oliver Suvanto (C)

    Projection: Middle 6 Forward
    Note: He has played on the wing this year in the Liiga, but can play
    center pretty effectively, too
    Strengths: Size, Two-way play, Compete
    Weaknesses: Skating, creativity, and playmaking

    Analysis:
    Oliver Suvanto is a very good two-way forward. He makes use of his
    incredible size to hold his own against the men of the Finnish Liiga.
    Defending pucks, board battles, and getting pucks back, he uses his
    body to properly box out defenders and use his size to his advantage.
    This, paired with his above-average defensive instincts, helping the
    defenseman below the hash marks when needed, great use of his long
    reach to disrupt passing lanes, and his ability and willingness to
    block shots, makes him an excellent candidate to translate his game to
    the next level. He also plays with heart. He doesn’t take a shift for
    granted, playing at one hundred percent and truly giving it his all
    whenever he steps on the ice.

    His main drawback for me is his skating and playmaking abilities. For
    being the size that he is, he obviously won’t be the fastest skater in
    the world, but his stride isn’t that fine-tuned either. I find it
    clunky and choppy, obviously something that can be worked on, but as a
    current asset, it’s something that falls short. I also find he lacks
    any creative spark and play-making abilities. He may be really smart
    and think the game well, but he struggles to translate that to his
    stick. His passes aren’t always crisp or go where they’re intended, he
    might hold on to the puck a second too long and have the lane close on
    him, or he might just not see the right play entirely. Nevertheless,
    his playmaking attributes really need some work in my eyes.

  • 2026 NHL Draft Prospect Report – Caleb Malhotra (C)

    Caleb Malhotra (Ranked #8 on my list):
    Projection: Top 6 Center
    Strengths: NHL Release, Physicality, 200-foot game, Deceptive
    playmaking, Skating
    Weaknesses: Faceoff ability, Defensive lapses

    Analysis:
    Caleb Malhotra is a very strong two-way center man who has elements of
    offensive creativity and prowess in his game. He is one of the most
    physically fit players in this draft, which allows him to outmaneuver
    and muscle opponents when driving the net or battling out front. He
    uses his size to generate chaos out front, which often leads to
    scoring opportunities for his teammates. When not planted in front, he
    has an NHL-calibre release to rifle the puck past goalies with power
    and precision or a talented amount of vision to see open teammates for
    easy backdoor tap-ins. Additionally, he is excellent at defending the
    rush and tying up open players, making him very well off in his own
    zone. Lastly, he has an excellent stride, which helps him generate
    speed down the wing and blow by or catch up to opponents.

    His biggest weaknesses to me are his faceoff abilities and the
    occasional defensive positioning lapse. He has one of the weaker
    faceoff numbers for centermen in this draft, which doesn’t mean he
    can’t improve upon it, but you’d want him to have more success in the
    circle considering his draft position. He also can get puck watching
    in his own zone from time to time, leading to a high danger chance
    against. Both of these can be improved upon, and being one of the
    younger players in this draft, he has a little extra time to improve
    upon them than others.

  • 2026 NHL Draft Prospect Report – Gavin McKenna (LW)

    Gavin McKenna (Ranked #2 on my list):
    Projection: First Liner
    Strengths: Handles and playmaking, Hockey IQ and vision, Skating and footwork
    Weaknesses: Defensive aspects of the game, Physicality

    Analysis:
    The best way I could describe McKenna’s game would be using the
    analogy that he has the NHL’s EDGE goal visualizer implanted in his
    brain. The way he has a sixth sense of knowing wherever everyone is on
    the ice at all times allows him to anticipate the play before it
    happens, find passing lanes and open players unlike any other, and
    dictate or control the game to his liking. If the puck is on his
    stick, he will find a way to create a play, not just any play, the
    correct play. His stick handling and puck control are through the
    roof, he has a dangerous shot he can take from anywhere on the ice,
    his skating and stride are almost elite, and he is reliable
    defensively. He played center when he was in Medicine Hat, so he’s
    capable of taking a faceoff, which just adds to his versatility. He
    honestly has it all, with the only flaw being that he needs to “grow
    up”, putting on some extra muscle and becoming a formidable physical
    threat.