DRAFT PROSPECTS HOCKEY

Category: Reports

  • 2026 NHL Draft Prospect Report – Beckham Edwards (C)

    Beckham Edwards #81, F 

    Sarnia Sting

    6’2”, 184 lbs, DOB 2008-01-06

    From the opening puck drop, Edwards showed strong pace and engagement. He was consistently involved in transition play, using quick acceleration to push defenders back and create space for his linemates. A key element of his performance came at the face-off dot, where Edwards won 70% of his draws, consistently giving his team first possession. His technique was clean and decisive, showing good timing and hand speed. This strength directly contributed to the tying goal when Edwards won a neutral zone face-off cleanly back to his defenseman, who then dumped it off the stanchion, and a teammate was there to put the puck in. It was a strong example of how his work in the face-off circle can translate into immediate offensive opportunities. Offensively, Edwards demonstrated a knack for finding soft spots in coverage. Throughout the game, he positioned himself well in the offensive zone, supporting puck carriers and presenting as a passing option. His awareness without the puck was a key driver of his effectiveness, particularly on extended possessions. With the puck, Edwards played a smart, controlled game. He didn’t force high-risk plays but showed the ability to make quick, accurate decisions under pressure. His passing was crisp, and he displayed good vision, especially on cross-ice sequences and in cycling situations. On the game-winning goal, Edwards read the play developing on the power play, timing his route to exploit a gap in the defense. He received the puck and executed a confident finish, showing his patience in a high-pressure moment. The goal itself reflected his hockey IQ as much as his technical skill. Defensively, Edwards was responsible and engaged. He tracked back effectively and showed a willingness to support low in the zone, even saving a goal on the line. While not overly physical, he competed along the boards and used positioning to disrupt plays.

    Edwards projects as a reliable, intelligent forward who can contribute to key moments. His strengths lie in his awareness, decision-making, and ability to execute under pressure. His strong face-off ability adds tangible value, as seen on the tying goal. Continued development in physicality and explosiveness would further elevate his ceiling.

    Skater Category Summarization:

    Skating: 6

    Puck Skill: 6

    Scoring Ability: 6

    Hockey IQ: 6

    Character: 6

    Physicality: 4

    Defensive Play: 5

  • 2026 NHL Draft Prospect Report – Alessandro Di Iorio (C) 

    Alessandro Di Iorio’s sophomore season was interrupted by a serious preseason arm injury that caused him to miss two months and halted his momentum coming into the year. What followed was a slightly underwhelming draft season, failing to improve upon his strong rookie season and missing the playoffs with a young and rebuilding Sarnia team.

    Di Iorio is a strong two-way forward, using his sturdy frame to make an impact at both ends of the ice and make his presence felt in puck battles. He’s very smart and consistently makes good decisions with the puck, allowing him to play at a high pace and slot in anywhere up and down the lineup. He’s diligent and hardworking at both ends, forechecking with energy while also staying disciplined with his positioning in the defensive zone. His production may not have popped like some anticipated this season, but he played a key depth role for Canada at both the Hlinka Gretzky and U18 World Championship tournaments, highlighting his versatility and ability to endear himself to coaches. He likely didn’t prove enough offensively to lock himself in as a first-round prospect, but his two-way acumen and hockey smarts should still land him inside the top two rounds. 

  • 2026 NHL Draft Prospect Report – Oscar Holmertz (C)

    Oscar Holmertz:
    Projection: Middle 6 Forward
    Strengths: Stick skills, Foot speed and fluidity, Versatility and reliability
    Weaknesses: Physicality, Release

    Analysis:
    Oscar Holmertz might be the most underrated player in this entire
    class. In my viewings of him, he has been nothing short of dominant.
    He has very impressive stick skills, blocking passing lanes, lifting
    sticks to steal pucks, or knocking down cross-ice passes. If he
    creates a turnover, he has incredible speed and edge work to make it
    up ice in a hurry. His fluid stride is something you cannot teach. He
    is so good in every zone of the ice that he plays in every situation
    and is capable of taking faceoffs. His vision is extraordinary, too,
    making passes that shouldn’t be possible and staying one step ahead of
    the play constantly. He is so smart and patient, sometimes it can look
    like he’s not getting involved just to have the puck appear on his
    stick.

    My faults with his game are that he isn’t nearly as physical as I wish
    he were. If he wants to have an easier time transitioning to the NA
    game, he needs to develop a bit of physicality in his game. I’m also
    not that fond of his release, not that it’s inherently bad, I just
    think it’s very telegraphed and not snappy enough to deceive more
    talented goalies.

  • 2026 NHL Draft Prospect Report – Matvei Karbainov (G)

    Karbainov showed both high-end flashes and inconsistency in this game, reinforcing the idea
    that he is still developing into a reliable draftable prospect. On the positive side, his game
    showed purpose. His movements were calculated, and his positioning was generally strong. He
    managed his aggressiveness well, challenging shooters when appropriate while staying
    composed on lower-danger plays. His skating stood out, especially his shuffles, which looked
    effortless and efficient. He adjusted quickly while maintaining a stance that allowed him to stay
    aggressive. The downside lies in his situational reads. There were sequences where he failed to
    recognize threats in the slot, leading to preventable goals. On other plays, he showed the
    awareness and execution to make high-end saves. That inconsistency is the main concern. The
    tools are clearly there, which should make him draftable, but likely later in the draft due to the
    lack of consistency.

  • 2026 NHL Draft Prospect Report – Gavin Betts (G)

    Gavin Betts #43, G

    Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)

    6’0”, 174 lbs, DOB 2008-04-03

    Gavin Betts delivered a composed, technically mature performance in Kingston’s 1-0 win over the Erie Otters, earning his first career shutout with a 27 save effort. He showed strong positional habits and played with controlled depth, rarely overcommitting above the crease. A noticeable strength was his rebound management as he absorbed pucks cleanly into his chest or directed them to low-danger areas instead of feeding second chance opportunities for the slot. Betts looked comfortable through traffic and did not lose visual on pucks during broken plays. He showed patience on rush attacks and did not bite early on shot fakes or dekes. His reads on penalty kills were encouraging as Erie pushed late with the special teams’ pressure, including a 5-on-3. This game highlighted strong emotional maturity as Betts had to stayed locked in for all 60 minutes in a low scoring game where one mistake decides the outcome. There was no visible frustration during extended defensive zone stretches and no panic after scrambles around the crease. 

    Betts still needs to continue adding strength and explosiveness to maximize recovery speed on east-west plays. There are also moments where he relies heavily on blocking structure rather than attacking shooters aggressively at the top of the crease. As the pace of play increases against elite offenses, improving puck-handling confidence and accelerating post-to-post recoveries could become important development points. 

    Betts projects as a technically sound, mentally steady goaltender with legitimate upside heading into his draft year. His game leans more toward controlled efficiency than acrobatic athleticism, which can translate better at higher levels. This shutout was significant not just statistically, but showed how he is calm under pressure, detail-oriented, and structurally reliable. 

    Goaltender Category Summarization: 

    Skating: 6

    Net Coverage: 6

    Quickness: 5

    Rebound Control: 7

    Play Reading/Anticipation: 7

    Technique: 7

    Poise: 8

    Puck Handling: 5 

  • 2026 NHL Draft Prospect Report – Simon Katolicky (LW)

    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.

  • 2026 NHL Draft Prospect Report – Gleb Peshkov (G)

    Peshkov is one of the most entertaining prospects in this class, but also one of the toughest to
    evaluate due to his unique style. If one word defines him, it is electric. He is highly dynamic and
    flexible, making highlight-reel saves look routine. His compete level is elite, and he never gives
    up on plays. His physical tools allow him to contort his body in ways that very few goalies
    can. What was interesting in this game was his intentional positioning. Even within his
    aggressive style, he adjusted his body subtly to maintain angles on both the shooter and
    passing threats. That said, this style comes with flaws. His aggressiveness can push him out of
    position, requiring additional movement to recover. Rebound control is also inconsistent, with
    pucks often leaking through him. Overall, Peshkov is difficult to project, but the upside and
    uniqueness of his toolkit give him a legitimate case to be drafted.

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

    Ethan Belchetz #61, F 

    Windsor Spitfires (OHL)

    6’5”, 227 lbs, DOB 2008-03-30

    Belchetz’s goal in this game was a strong example of his identity as an effort-driven forward. The play stemmed from his eagerness to attack inside ice rather than staying to the perimeter. He drove to the net with purpose, establishing body position to get the deflection. He consistently supported pucks well in the offensive zone, staying involved in cycles and presenting himself as a passing option. Belchetz’s fight in this game showed his willingness to engage physically and stand up in emotionally charged moments. He showed no hesitation dropping the gloves, which speaks to both toughness and a team-first mentality. Importantly, he maintained balance and composure during the exchange rather than throwing himself out of control. Beyond the fight, his overall physical engagement was consistent. He finished checks, applied pressure on the forecheck, and made life difficult for opposing defenders. Belchetz’s skating was reflective of his size in the sense that his stride is functional rather than explosive, however, it’s supported by a high motor that allows him to stay involved shift after shift. His pace was most effective when combined with his physicality, where he closed spaces quickly on the forecheck and forced rushed decisions. This game highlighted Belchetz’s competitive identity clearly. Scoring a hard-area goal and then engaging in a fight in the same game points to a player who is emotionally invested and willing to influence the game in different ways. 

    Overall, Belchetz projects as a high-energy forward with a physical edge and scoring ability. His game is built around compete level, net-front presence, and a willingness to engage physically. Games like this, where he contributes both on the scoresheet and emotionally, reinforce his value as a momentum player. If he continues refining his skating explosiveness, he has the foundation to fill a reliable bottom-six role at the NHL level. 

    Skater Category Summarization:

    Skating: 6

    Puck Skill: 6

    Scoring Ability: 7

    Hockey IQ: 7

    Character: 8

    Physicality: 7

    Defensive Play: 6

  • 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.