DRAFT PROSPECTS HOCKEY

Tag: Cooper Dennis

  • Weekly 2026 Draft Eligible Three Stars

    Playoff races across the hockey world continued to intensify this week, offering draft-eligible prospects another opportunity to separate themselves through timely production and impactful performances. With each round raising the stakes, consistency and the ability to deliver in key moments remain critical factors in shaping the 2026 NHL Draft landscape.

    This week’s three stars feature a top OHL center continuing to drive one of the league’s most dangerous contenders, a high-scoring WHL defenseman leading from the back end, and a Slovakian pivot finding ways to contribute as his club pushes deeper into the postseason.

    Here are the draft-eligible three stars for the week of April 6 to April 13.

    Caleb Malhotra | C | Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)

    Brantford Bulldogs center Caleb Malhotra continues to be a driving force behind one of the OHL’s top contenders. The Toronto native sits fifth in playoff scoring with 13 points (eight goals, five assists), making him the only draft-eligible player among the league’s top five scorers this postseason. A finalist for the OHL Rookie of the Year award after posting 84 points (29 goals, 55 assists) in the regular season, Malhotra continues to solidify his standing as one of the premier centers in the 2026 draft class.

    The fourth-ranked skater on Draft Prospects Hockey’s 2026 NHL Draft Rankings remained productive as Brantford opened its second-round series against the North Bay Battalion. He wasted little time making an impact in Game 1, scoring a power-play goal just over two minutes into the contest by capitalizing on a rebound. Later in the period, he added a primary assist, feathering a pass to Cooper Dennis for a clean finish, before striking again by intercepting a clearing attempt and wiring the puck into the back of the net.

    Malhotra stayed active in Game 2, delivering another timely play late in the opening period. With under 10 seconds remaining, he forced a turnover on the forecheck and flipped a backhand on goal that found its way through the goaltender to beat the buzzer.

    While he was held off the scoresheet in Game 3, Malhotra continued to play a key role in a tightly contested matchup. He logged significant minutes, including extended ice time in double overtime, as the Bulldogs rallied to tie the game late before eventually securing a 3-0 series lead.

    Daxon Rudolph | RHD | Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)

    Daxon Rudolph’s emergence as one of the top offensive defensemen in the 2026 class has continued into the postseason. The Lacombe, Alberta native leads all WHL blueliners in playoff scoring with 11 points (four goals, seven assists) through seven games, building on a dominant regular season in which he paced draft-eligible CHL defensemen in production.

    The 6-foot-2, 203-pound defender played a central role in Prince Albert’s strong start to its series against the Saskatoon Blades. In Game 1, Rudolph extended his team’s lead early, stepping in from the point and beating the goaltender with a well-placed wrist shot. He added a second-period assist with a precise stretch pass that sprung Brandon Gorzynski for a clean finish before picking up another helper on the power play in a 6-1 victory.

    Rudolph followed that performance with another impactful showing in Game 2. Activating off the rush to create a numerical advantage, he directed a shot toward the net that resulted in a rebound goal, helping the Raiders secure a 3-0 win and take early control of the series.

    Tomas Chrenko | C | HK Nitra (Slovakia)

    Tomas Chrenko has continued to build on an impressive draft year that has included strong international and professional experience. The Slovakian center recorded eight points (five goals, three assists) in five games at the 2026 World Junior Championship, showcasing his ability to produce against top competition. He also contributed 31 points (nine goals, 22 assists) in 44 games in Slovakia’s top professional league during the regular season.

    Skating for his hometown club HK Nitra in the postseason, Chrenko has found ways to contribute despite limited ice time. After recording four assists in a seven-game second-round series win, he began to make a greater impact in the semifinals against Poprad.

    In Game 3, Chrenko helped open the scoring by creating a two-on-one opportunity, recovering a loose puck and setting up a teammate for a clean finish. He followed that up with a key contribution in a comeback effort, driving play off the forecheck before feeding a teammate for a one-timer that gave Nitra the lead in an eventual 5-4 victory.

    Chrenko remained involved in Game 5, helping his team respond after an early deficit. Carrying the puck into the offensive zone, he evaded pressure and waited for support before setting up a teammate at the doorstep to tie the game. Nitra went on to rally for a 4-2 win, continuing its push deeper into the postseason.

    Chrenko’s ability to contribute in different situations and against older competition continues to underline his value as an intriguing option in the 2026 draft.

  • Weekly 2026 Draft Eligible Three Stars

    The playoffs for prospects across the hockey world are now underway, marking a critical stretch where players can separate themselves from the rest of the draft class with standout performances in high-pressure games. This week’s draft-eligible three stars feature a Swedish center on fire in his junior club’s postseason after his pro season ended; a Western Hockey League (WHL) defender who piled up goals in the regular season and continues to do so in the playoffs; and a dynamic Ontario Hockey League (OHL) center who continues to drive one of the most dangerous teams in Canadian major junior hockey.

    Here are the draft-eligible three stars for the week of March 23 to 30.

    Viggo Björck | C | Djurgårdens IF (SHL)

    Swedish center Viggo Björck wrapped up his first full professional season with respectable totals for an 18-year-old with a March birthday. While his stat line — 15 points (six goals, nine assists) in 42 SHL games — doesn’t jump off the page, the Stockholm native was a force at the World Junior Championships, recording nine points (three goals, six assists) for the gold medal-winning squad. Björck also earned increased ice time as the season progressed and was playing a top-line role by the playoffs.

    Despite producing at a point-per-game pace in Djurgårdens’ three-game first-round series against Malmö, Björck and his team were eliminated. That allowed the eighth-ranked skater on the Draft Prospects Hockey 2026 NHL Draft Rankings to join the club’s U20 team, which remained in the playoff hunt. The 5-foot-10 center made an immediate impact in the quarterfinals, helping the team advance to the semifinals.

    In Game 1, Björck recorded a power-play assist midway through the second period as Djurgårdens cruised to a 3-0 win. In Game 2, the IFK Täby product added a secondary assist on the opening goal before sealing a 4-1 victory with an empty-net tally. With a chance to clinch the series in Game 3, Björck delivered his best performance.

    The 2025 U-18 IIHF World Championship silver medalist opened the scoring just over three minutes into the game with a deft backhand finish. He added an assist in the second period as his team built a 3-1 lead, then capped off the win with a power-play one-timer into a nearly empty net. Despite appearing in just three games, Björck leads the league in postseason points per game.

    Daxon Rudolph | RHD | Prince Albert Raiders

    Daxon Rudolph’s calling card in his draft season has been his goal-scoring ability. The WHL sophomore led Canadian major junior defensemen eligible for the draft with 28 goals—eight more than Carson Carels of the Prince George Cougars. The 6-foot-2, 203-pound blueliner also added 50 assists, finishing second in CHL scoring among draft-eligible players behind Tommy Bleyl of the Moncton Wildcats.

    The 10th-ranked skater on the Draft Prospects Hockey 2026 NHL Draft Rankings has carried that production into the postseason, facing the Red Deer Rebels in the opening round.

    In Game 1, Rudolph helped facilitate strong puck movement on the power play, earning a secondary assist on a goal by Vancouver Canucks prospect Braeden Cootes. Early in the second period, Rudolph jumped into the play, initially firing a shot for a potential tip before circling the net and burying the rebound into a nearly empty net. The goal stood as the game-winner in a 4-1 victory.

    Rudolph stayed hot in Game 2 as the Raiders defended home ice. After a scoreless first period, he helped spark the offense in the second, holding the line to keep a play alive before setting up Ben Harvey for a goal.

    Later in the period, while killing a penalty, Cootes intercepted a pass and spotted Rudolph streaking through the neutral zone. The defender took the pass in stride and wired a wrist shot over the goaltender’s glove. He later added another power-play assist, bringing his total to five points through two games.

    Caleb Malhotra | C | Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)

    Caleb Malhotra played a key role in helping the Brantford Bulldogs finish atop the OHL standings this season. He ranked second on the team in scoring behind Seattle Kraken prospect Jake O’Brien, posting 84 points (29 goals, 55 assists). That total also placed him second among draft-eligible OHL players, trailing only Saginaw Spirit forward Nikita Kelpov. The son of longtime NHLer and current AHL coach Manny Malhotra has firmly established himself as one of the top centers in the 2026 draft class.

    Malhotra has carried that momentum into the playoffs, recording four points through two games in the opening round.

    In Game 1, the former Chilliwack Chief extended his team’s lead to 3-0 in the second period, capitalizing on a rebound during a power play. He struck again later in the frame, picking off a clearing attempt and wiring a wrist shot from the left faceoff circle to make it 5-2. The Bulldogs went on to win 6-2.

    Malhotra remained a difference-maker in Game 2. On an early power play, Marek Vanacker recovered a broken play and found Malhotra alone at the backdoor for an easy tap-in to open the scoring. Later, with under five minutes remaining in the second period, Malhotra led the rush and threaded a pass across the zone to Cooper Dennis, who quickly set up a teammate in front to restore the lead. The Bulldogs added an empty-net goal late to secure a 2-0 series advantage.