DRAFT PROSPECTS HOCKEY

Category: Reports

  • 2026 NHL Draft Prospect Report – Yuri Ivanov (G)

    Yuri Ivanov:

    There is a lot to like in Ivanov’s game, starting with his skating and overall quickness. His
    pushes are strong and crisp, allowing him to cover space faster than many goalies in this class.
    What separates him is his ability to stay balanced and controlled despite that speed. Many
    goalies with similar quickness tend to lose structure, but Ivanov remains composed, limiting his

    movements to what is necessary. His footwork is efficient and purposeful, keeping him
    consistently in position. He also brings a lot of twitch in his lower body, transitioning quickly
    between his feet and his knees depending on the situation. I also liked his use of the stick to
    manage low shots and direct rebounds. The main concern remains his puck tracking. It was
    inconsistent throughout the game, leading to goals against and poor rebound control. That issue
    alone will impact his draft positioning. Given how clean the rest of his game is, there is still a
    strong case for him to be selected in the later rounds.

  • 2026 NHL Draft Prospect Report – Tomas Chrenko (C)

    Tomas Chrenko:
    Projection: Middle 6 Center
    Strengths: Sneaky release, Compete, Offensively versatile
    Weaknesses: Size, Lack of handles

    Analysis:
    Tomas Chrenko is a competitive, disciplined, scoring centerman.
    Chrenko is one of the hardest-working players in this draft. He never
    takes a shift off, always puts in effort supporting his teammates in
    his own end or on back checks, and makes an effort to create turnovers
    with his defensive stick. For all the work he puts in, he gets
    rewarded by nearly never taking a bad penalty and is constantly
    noticeably impacting the game. On top of his competitiveness and
    discipline, he can be very dangerous in the offensive zone. He has a
    very sneaky release that he can fire through traffic or beat goalies
    one-on-one clean. If he gets enough space in tight, he has fast hands
    to make quick moves around goalies. Although he’s not the most
    creative playmaker, he is great at finding open ice and taking
    advantage with his agility and foot speed.

    His biggest weaknesses, like most other skilled forwards, are because
    of his size. He’s on the smaller side, especially in terms of
    centermen, which could be a big problem when it comes to translating
    into the NA pro game. His lack of size inhibits him from being an
    effective force along the boards if the opponent has body position on
    him. It also makes him struggle a bit in the faceoff dot, but I have
    noticed an improvement as the season has progressed. He also gets
    knocked off pucks more often than most, but he doesn’t wait to hustle
    to get it back. His puck-handling skills are also slightly subpar in
    my eyes.

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

    Caleb Malhotra #27, F 

    Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)

    6’2”, 182 lbs, DOB 2008-06-02

    Malhotra once again demonstrated why he is one of the OHL’s most productive young forwards, while scoring the eventual game-winning goal in his team’s victory. His offensive instincts stood out throughout the game, particularly his ability to find space in coverage and position himself as a scoring threat when the puck moved into dangerous areas. He processed plays quickly, supported puck movement effectively, and consistently made himself available as an outlet. His goal reflected his goalscorer mindset with strong anticipation and composure. Malhotra competed well off puck, tracked responsibly through the neutral zone, and showed strong awareness in transition. While Malhotra’s offensive contributions were evident, his defensive play was equally impressive. He showed a strong understanding of positioning, consistently staying above the puck and supporting the defensemen low in the zone. His routes through the neutral zone were efficient, allowing him to disrupt passing lanes and limit Guelph’s ability to generate speed through transition. Despite not being an overly physical player, he competed hard in battles and consistently stayed engaged in play. His active stick helped break up plays and force opponents into less dangerous areas. His combination of hockey sense, offensive creativity, and reliability makes him a player capable of impacting games in many ways. The performance reinforced his projections as a top draft pick whose intelligence and consistency allow his offensive talent to translate to meaningful results. 

    Skater Category Summarization:

    Skating: 7

    Puck Skill: 7

    Scoring Ability: 8

    Hockey IQ: 8

    Character: 8

    Physicality: 6

    Defensive Play: 7

  • 2026 NHL Draft Prospect Report – Alexander Bilecki (LD)

    Alexander Bilecki:

    Description: Offensive defenseman


    Strengths: Bilecki is a mobile, offensively inclined defenseman who plays with pace and confidence. His skating ability stands out, allowing him to close space quickly, recover efficiently, and contribute effectively in transition. A crafty puck mover, he shows strong instincts jumping into the play and times his pinches well to sustain offensive zone pressure. Defensively, he utilizes an active stick to disrupt passing lanes and break up plays before they develop.


    Opportunities: Improving the consistency and accuracy of his first pass will help elevate his puck management and transition game. Adding more physical engagement and assertiveness in the defensive zone would also strengthen his overall effectiveness, particularly in net front battles and board play.

    Skating: 6/10

    Shooting: 5/10

    Playmaking: 6/10

    Defense: 5/10

    Compete: 6/10

    Hockey IQ: 6/10

    Projection: Projects as a middle four defenseman with offensive upside and is currently viewed as a potential 3rd round selection, around 84th overall.

  • 2026 NHL Draft Prospect Report – Niklas Aaram-Olsen (LW)

    Niklas Aaram-Olsen:
    Projection: Middle 6 Winger
    Strengths: Release, Explosive skating, Confidence along the boards
    Weaknesses: Effort and consistency, Execution in his playmaking

    Analysis:
    Niklas Aaram-Olsen could be another late first-round steal in this
    draft. He’s a very confident and intelligent player, dictating plays
    and making use of open ice. He has an exceptional release that can
    find its way through traffic or beat goalies clean. He sees the ice
    very well and positions himself in places to make an impact. Along the
    boards, he is strong and agile, creating and taking advantage of any
    open space given the opportunity. He also has a very good
    stick-handling ability for someone of his size and stature.

    My concern is his consistency and effort. He can take shifts off or
    over analyze plays, effectively taking him out of the play and
    becoming ineffective. There are times when he gets caught floating
    around waiting for the puck to come to him, or he doesn’t back-check
    when needed. He also lacks consistency in his playmaking. His passes
    aren’t always crisp or reach their intended destination. He sees the
    ice really well, but struggles to translate that into his passing and
    playmaking.

  • 2026 NHL Draft Prospect Report – Elton Hermansson (RW)

    Elton Hermansson:
    Projection: Second-line winger
    Strengths: Excellent anticipation and play reading, 200-foot game,
    Hockey IQ, Power play
    Weaknesses: Physical game, top speed, wrist shot release

    Analysis:
    Elton Hermansson is an excellent pass-first, defensive-minded winger.
    He understands the intricacies of the game very well, often being one
    step ahead of the play and dictating how the play should develop with
    the puck on his stick. He uses above-average footwork to open up lanes
    to or from his stick, sliding passes through seams, or looking for the
    open man back door. He’s also excellent on the defensive side of the
    puck, defending off the rush well through a strong back check and good
    stick work. He also has a slapshot he can let rip on the power play if
    he’s found wide open with time to let it fly.

    My biggest absence in his game is his physicality. He often is smart
    enough to get ahead of the play, so he doesn’t have to use his body,
    but when the time comes to use his body to defend the puck or push off
    an opponent, he struggles to generate enough strength to win the puck
    back frequently. I find he doesn’t have the highest top speed either,
    which is a minor setback. Lastly, I wouldn’t consider his wrist shot
    to be a major asset of his either.

  • 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 – Wyatt Cullen (LW)

    Wyatt Cullen (Ranked #24 on my list):
    Projection: Middle 6 Winger
    Strengths: Edge work, Release, Stick skills, Very young
    Weaknesses: Size and physicality, Absence of engagement, Defensive attributes

    Analysis:
    Wyatt Cullen is a high-octane offensive play driver. When he has the
    puck, he utilizes confidence, strong edge control, and impressive
    stick skills to outmaneuver defenders and generate offense. He has a
    special ability to use his edges to deke around defenders, protect the
    puck, or grant him enough mobility to get open in the offensive zone.
    He has a snappy release and a strong one-timer that make him even more
    threatening on the power play. With the puck on his stick, Cullen can
    be the most dangerous player in the game and completely take over.

    However, when he doesn’t have the puck on his stick, I think he can be
    completely absent from the game. I find him waiting for the game to
    come to him, puck watching, and floating around until his teammates
    can get him the puck. He lacks a sense of urgency without the puck,
    which is the best way I could describe it. I don’t think he is the
    best in the defensive zone either. Along the wall, he doesn’t have
    enough strength to push opponents off pucks and retrieve them cleanly.
    The bright side about his weaknesses is that he is such a late
    birthday, he is only a week from being eligible next year. That gives
    him up to an extra few months to grow and develop over some other
    players in this class, which could be a huge advantage for his draft
    stock.

  • The Final Weekly 2026 Draft Eligible Three Stars

    By Stuart Miller-Davis

    The 2025-26 season has officially come to a close for NHL Draft prospects around the world. The Kitchener Rangers capped off an undefeated run at the Memorial Cup by capturing the franchise’s third title, while Finland closed out the World Championship in Switzerland by defeating the host nation for gold.

    With the season now complete, scouts and NHL front offices will spend the coming weeks relying on video review for final evaluations ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft. With only a limited number of draft-eligible players still active over the past week, this edition of the three stars serves as a season-ending look at the prospects who made the biggest impact in this column throughout the year.

    Here are Draft Prospects Hockey’s 2026 Draft-Eligible Three Stars for the 2025-26 season.

    Gavin McKenna | LW | Penn State (NCAA)

    The top-ranked prospect on Draft Prospects Hockey’s 2026 NHL Draft Rankings also claims the top spot in the season-ending three stars.

    After taking some time to adjust to the college game, Gavin McKenna quickly established himself as one of the most dangerous offensive players in the NCAA. The Whitehorse, Yukon native finished his freshman campaign at Penn State with 51 points (15 goals, 36 assists) in 35 games, ranking fourth in NCAA scoring as an 18-year-old freshman.

    McKenna also played a major role for Team Canada at the World Junior Championship in Minnesota. Following a limited role in his first tournament appearance in 2024-25, where he recorded just one point in five games, the former Medicine Hat Tigers star returned with a dominant showing. He produced 14 points (four goals, 10 assists) in seven games to help Canada capture the bronze medal.

    Ivar Stenberg | LW/RW | Frölunda HC (SHL)

    Ivar Stenberg’s remarkable draft season earns him the second star of the year.

    The Swedish winger produced near-historic numbers in the SHL, recording 33 points (11 goals, 22 assists) in 43 games. Since 1990, only Daniel Sedin, Markus Näslund, and Henrik Sedin have produced more points in their 18-year-old season in Sweden’s top professional league.

    The second-ranked prospect on Draft Prospects Hockey’s 2026 NHL Draft Rankings also excelled internationally. The Stenungsund native recorded 10 points (four goals, six assists) in seven games at the World Junior Championship, helping Sweden capture gold.

    Stenberg later debuted with Sweden’s senior national team during the European Hockey Tour, where he averaged a point per game across five contests before earning a roster spot at the World Championship.

    At the tournament in Switzerland, the younger brother of St. Louis Blues forward Otto Stenberg continued to impress against elite competition. His eight points in eight games ranked behind only Patrik Laine, Auston Matthews, Juraj Slafkovský, and Paul Kariya among draft-eligible players in tournament history.

    Viggo Björck | C | Djurgårdens IF (SHL)

    While Viggo Björck did not produce the same offensive totals as fellow Swede Ivar Stenberg in the SHL, his overall body of work cemented him as one of the premier prospects in the 2026 class.

    The Stockholm native recorded 15 points (six goals, nine assists) in 42 SHL games during his draft season, but his progression throughout the year was equally notable. Björck earned increased responsibility as the season progressed and eventually rose into Djurgårdens’ top-line center role late in the campaign.

    After the club’s professional season ended in the opening round of the playoffs, Björck joined Djurgårdens’ U20 squad and immediately dominated. The undersized center recorded 20 points (eight goals, 12 assists) in nine playoff games while helping lead the team to a U20 championship.

    Björck also enjoyed a standout international season. Skating alongside Stenberg on Sweden’s second line at the World Junior Championship, he contributed nine points (three goals, six assists) in seven games during the gold-medal run.

    Like Stenberg, Björck also earned his first call-up to Sweden’s senior national team. He recorded two goals in five European Hockey Tour games before adding six points (one goal, five assists) in eight appearances at the World Championship.

    Daxon Rudolph | RHD | Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)

    Few draft-eligible defensemen were more entertaining or productive during the 2025-26 season than Daxon Rudolph.

    The Prince Albert Raiders blueliner finished third among WHL defensemen in scoring with 78 points (28 goals, 50 assists) in 68 games. Wearing an “A” in his second season with the club, the Lacombe, Alberta native helped lead Prince Albert to first place in the WHL’s Eastern Conference.

    The 6-foot-2, 203-pound defender carried that offensive production into the postseason. Rudolph tied Seattle Kraken prospect Julius Miettinen for the WHL playoff scoring lead with 27 points in 19 games.

    Behind the leadership of Rudolph and Vancouver Canucks prospect Braeden Cootes, the Raiders advanced all the way to the WHL Final before falling to the Everett Silvertips in five games.

    Honorable Mentions

    Caleb Malhotra | C | Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)

    Carson Carels | LHD | Prince George Cougars (WHL)

    Liam Ruck | RW | Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)

  • Weekly 2026 Draft Eligible Three Stars

    Weekly 2026 Draft Eligible Three Stars

    Draft-eligible talent across junior and professional leagues continued to deliver in high-pressure situations this week, with playoff hockey and international competition providing the perfect stage for prospects to elevate their stock. As the 2026 NHL Draft approaches, consistent production and timely performances remain key separators among the class.

    This week’s three stars feature a towering Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) center finding his stride in a crucial push for a game 7, a Swedish pivot dominating at the U20 level following his SHL season, and a well-traveled Latvian defender who has found his offensive touch in the DEL playoffs.

    Here are the draft-eligible three stars for the week of March 30 to April 6.

    Maddox Dagenais | C | Quebec Remparts (QMJHL)

    Quebec Remparts center Maddox Dagenais put together an impressive draft season, positioning himself as a potential late first-round or early second-round selection. The 37th-ranked skater on Draft Prospects Hockey’s 2026 NHL Draft Rankings finished tied for third among QMJHL draft eligibles with 30 goals, while his 62 points (30 goals, 32 assists) ranked fifth in the group. The 6-foot-4 pivot also represented Team CHL at the second annual CHL USA Prospects Challenge, recording an assist across the three-game series.

    Dagenais has elevated his play as the stakes have increased in the postseason. Despite being held off the scoresheet in Games 1 and 2 against the Charlottetown Islanders — registering 11 shots on goal over that span — the Montreal native has responded with six points (three goals, three assists) in the following four games, helping the Remparts push their series to a decisive Game 7.

    In Game 3, with the score tied late in regulation, Dagenais helped initiate the sequence that led to a dramatic, last-second power-play goal as Quebec secured a crucial victory. He followed that up with a standout performance in Game 4, opening the scoring with a strong end-to-end rush capped by a precise wrist shot over the glove. Later in the game, with under a minute remaining, he added another goal to bring the Remparts within one, though the comeback ultimately fell short in a 3-2 loss.

    Dagenais recorded an assist in Game 5, continuing to generate offense despite another narrow 3-2 defeat. Facing elimination in Game 6, he delivered one of his most impactful performances of the series. He helped open the scoring by moving the puck to the point for a goal by defenseman Charlie Morrison. In the third period he moved the puck down low before finding space on a 4-on-3 power play, where he buried a one-timer over the glove to extend the lead and help force a winner-take-all Game 7.

    Viggo Björck | C | Djurgårdens IF (SHL)

    Swedish center Viggo Björck continues to reinforce his status as one of the top prospects in the 2026 NHL Draft class. Following the conclusion of Djurgårdens’ SHL season, the Stockholm native joined the club’s U20 side for the playoffs and has been a dominant offensive presence. His 12 points (six goals, six assists) in five postseason games for 2.40 points per game ranks as the best point-per-game mark for draft eligibles in the U20 Nationell. He has been playing a key role in pushing his team to the semifinals.

    Björck made an immediate impact in the series opener against Leksands. He evened the score at one midway through the second period, jumping into open space off the bench and finishing quickly with a wrist shot. The 2026 World Junior gold medalist struck again in the third period, breaking a 3-3 tie with a power-play goal after finding himself uncovered in the slot. He later added an assist on the empty-net goal to seal a 5-3 victory.

    The skilled forward followed that up with another strong showing in Game 2. Björck opened the scoring with an impressive individual effort, taking a pass through the neutral zone, driving wide while protecting the puck, and finishing with a smooth backhand-to-forehand move to lift the puck over the goaltender. He added a power-play assist later in the game as Djurgårdens secured a 2-0 win and took a two-game series lead.

    Albert Smits | LHD | EHC München (DEL)

    Latvian defender Albert Smits has taken an unconventional path in his draft year, gaining experience across multiple leagues and international stages. The December-born blueliner began the season in Finland with Jukurit, recording 13 points (six goals, seven assists) in 38 games. He later logged significant minutes for Latvia at the 2026 World Junior Championship and represented his country at the Olympic Games, where he contributed two assists in four contests.

    Following the Olympics, Smits joined EHC München on a loan for the stretch run and postseason. After a limited role in the regular season, the 6-foot-3, 205-pound defender has found another level offensively in the playoffs.

    In a back-and-forth contested series against ERC Ingolstadt, Smits broke through in Game 5, extending his team’s lead in the third period with a heavy point shot that beat the goaltender cleanly. He followed that performance with a three-point effort in Game 6, recording two secondary assists before adding an empty-net goal to help seal a 7-3 victory.

    Smits’ recent surge highlights his ability to adapt quickly and contribute in key moments, further strengthening his case as one of the more intriguing defensive prospects in the 2026 class.