DRAFT PROSPECTS HOCKEY

Tag: SHL

  • Weekly 2026 Draft Eligible Three Stars

    As playoff races near their conclusion across North America and international play ramps up ahead of the World Championship, draft-eligible prospects continue to deliver defining performances. With championships within reach and national team opportunities on the line, this stage of the season offers a clear look at which players can elevate their game in high-pressure moments.

    This week’s three stars feature a Western Hockey League defenseman leading the postseason in scoring while driving his team toward a title, an Ontario Hockey League center continuing to anchor one of the league’s top contenders, and a Swedish winger transitioning seamlessly from junior and professional success to the international stage.

    Daxon Rudolph | RHD | Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)

    Prince Albert Raiders defenseman Daxon Rudolph is putting together a dominant postseason. The 12th-ranked skater on Draft Prospects Hockey’s 2026 NHL Draft Rankings leads the WHL in playoff scoring with 23 points (nine goals, 14 assists) in 15 games, continuing to assert himself as one of the top offensive threats in the draft class.

    The Lacombe, Alberta native has built on a strong regular season in which he led all draft-eligible WHL defensemen in scoring, serving as a primary driver for Prince Albert’s push toward a championship.

    Rudolph opened the scoring in Game 3 of the WHL Eastern Conference Final against the Medicine Hat Tigers. After collecting the puck off an offensive zone draw, he worked his way into the slot, flipped a backhand on goal, and followed up to tip in the rebound. He finished with a game-high eight shots on goal in a 2-1 overtime loss.

    He delivered his most productive outing of the postseason in Game 4, setting a new career high for points in a playoff game. Rudolph struck on the power play from the point midway through the first period, then added another goal early in the second, slipping into the offensive zone and wiring a wrist shot over the glove. He later recorded two assists in the same frame as the Raiders built a 5-2 lead.

    Rudolph added an assist in Game 5 before closing the series with another impactful performance. He recorded a secondary power-play assist on a goal by Vancouver Canucks prospect Braeden Cootes, then created the go-ahead tally by cutting off a clearing attempt and directing the puck toward the net, where it took a fortunate bounce past the goaltender. He added another assist to help secure the series win.

    Caleb Malhotra | C | Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)

    Caleb Malhotra has continued to build on an outstanding rookie season, reinforcing his position as one of the top centers in the 2026 NHL Draft class. The Brantford Bulldogs forward finished the regular season with 84 points (29 goals, 55 assists), trailing only Seattle Kraken first-round pick Jake O’Brien in team scoring.

    The Toronto native has elevated his play in the postseason, sitting second in OHL playoff scoring with 26 points (13 goals, 13 assists). His ability to consistently generate offense has been a key factor in Brantford’s deep playoff run.

    Malhotra recorded three assists in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Barrie Colts before adding a power-play goal in the third period to cap a 6-1 victory.

    He opened the scoring in Game 5 with an individual effort, taking a breakout pass into the offensive zone and beating the goaltender with a slapshot through the five-hole. Later in the game, he responded to a Colts goal by driving the net and converting a rebound off a shot from Montreal Canadiens prospect Owen Protz. Despite his efforts, Brantford fell in overtime.

    In Game 6, Malhotra helped set the tone early once again. He intercepted a clearing attempt and quickly moved the puck to the front of the net, where draft-eligible Cooper Dennis converted. That stood as his lone point in a tightly contested game that extended to four periods, with Barrie ultimately securing the win.

    Ivar Stenberg | RW/LW | Sweden

    Ivar Stenberg continues to strengthen his case as one of the premier prospects in the 2026 NHL Draft class. The Stenungsund native enjoyed an outstanding SHL season, recording 33 points (11 goals, 22 assists) in 43 games — the fifth-highest total by an 18-year-old in league history, behind Daniel Sedin, Markus Näslund, Tomas Sandström, and Henrik Sedin.

    Stenberg also played a significant role in Sweden’s gold medal run at the World Junior Championship, finishing tied for fifth in tournament scoring.

    The second-ranked skater on Draft Prospects Hockey’s 2026 NHL Draft Rankings transitioned to the international stage once again following his club season. After recording four assists in six playoff games, he joined Sweden’s pre-tournament roster for the World Championship and suited up for three Euro Hockey Tour games in Czechia.

    He made an immediate impact in his first appearance against Switzerland, recording his first senior international point by setting up fellow draft-eligible Viggo Björck on a play from the offensive zone. He added another assist by moving the puck back to the point before scoring a power-play goal late in the third, stepping in and placing a precise wrist shot past the goaltender.

    Stenberg followed that performance by opening the scoring against Czechia, beating the goaltender cleanly with a wrist shot from the offensive zone. He added a secondary assist later in the game, continuing to drive play.

    He was held off the scoresheet in the final game against Finland but remained an active presence throughout the contest.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Weekly 2026 Draft Eligible Three Stars

    2026 is now a month old, with the calendar turning from January to February. As the 2026 NHL Draft continues to inch closer, here’s how some of the top scoring draft eligibles fared this week. This week’s three stars include two players who were passed over in previous drafts and are hoping to find NHL homes this time around, as well as a Swede who appears to be a potential late first-round pick.

    Lukas Sawchyn | RW | Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)

    Edmonton Oil Kings winger Lukas Sawchyn has taken a big leap forward in his second season with the club. The younger brother of Florida Panthers 2023 second-round pick Gracyn, has 69 points (20 goals, 49 assists) in 48 games in 2025-26 after having 55 points (15 goals, 40 assists) in 66 games in 2024-25.

    The crafty winger’s impressive sophomore campaign in the WHL has made scouts take notice as he found himself ranked 168 on the NHL Central Scouting Mid-Term Rankings for North American Skaters. Bound for Arizona State in 2026, the 18-year-old, who turns 19 in February, is putting together a season that should get him more attention this time around.

    The 5-foot-10, 174-pound Grand Prairie, AB, native has been incredibly hot recently with 10 points (one goal, nine assists) in his last five games, eight of those in three games this past week. The Oil Kings started the week by dropping a 5-2 decision to the Calgary Hitmen, with Sawchyn chipping in a secondary assist. Traveling to Moose Jaw for its second game of the week, Edmonton got a four-assist performance from the Shattuck St. Mary’s alum, but it wasn’t enough to topple the Warriors as the Oil Kings fell 7-5. In the final contest of the week for the Oil Kings, Sawchyn chipped in a goal and a pair of assists in a 6-3 victory over the Swift Current Broncos.

    Ethan MacKenzie | LHD | Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)

    Sawchyn’s junior teammate Ethan MacKenzie surprised a lot of people by being named to Team Canada for the 2025-26 World Junior Championships and played in all seven games for the bronze medal squad. The 19-year-old has found a new gear offensively in his fourth year in the WHL, with a career-high 44 points (16 goals, 28 assists) in 40 games.

    The 6-foot, 174-pound two-way defender is finding the back of the net at a much higher rate than ever before with six goals in his last ten games. He scored five goals in 54 games in the 2024-25 season. His rise this season has brought his name into focus as a re-entry for the 2026 NHL Draft, with NHL Central Scouting ranking him 74 among North American skaters in its Mid-Term Rankings.

    The West Kelowna, BC, native was the second-highest-scoring draft-eligible defenseman this past week with five points (three goals, two assists) in three games, while firing 12 shots on goal. His biggest game of the week was a two-goal, one-assist performance in a 6-3 win over the Swift Current Broncos. MacKenzie rifled a power play goal up over the Broncos goaltender for an early 2-0 lead. He potted an assist on the man advantage, firing a shot that was tipped in to give the Oil Kings a 3-0 cushion. He later added his second marker by walking in from the point and firing a wrist shot that beat the goalie cleanly on the glove side.

    Marcus Nordmark | RW | Djurgärdens IF (U20 Nationell)

    Swedish winger Marcus Nordmark has been one of the top draft-eligible players in Sweden’s top U20 junior league. With 37 points (14 goals, 23 assists) in 23 games, he trails only Alexander Command (38 points in 25 games) in scoring among players eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft. Nordmark has failed to really make an impact at the SHL level this season, with just one assist in four games. However, he’s only played very limited minutes, with 10:45 as his season high.

    Against his peers on the international stage, the 17-year-old has been dominant with 26 points (12 goals, 14 assists). His exploits have certainly got the hockey scouting community intrigued. He earned the number seven ranking on NHL Central Scouting’s Mid-Term Ranking for International Skaters and is the 22nd-ranked skater on the Draft Prospects Hockey 2026 NHL Draft Prospects Ranking.

    Nordmark trailed only Sawchyn this week in points by draft eligibles, with seven in two games. Nordmark was called up to the SHL for a game against Roglë but didn’t end up playing. He returned to the U20 team and torched Skellefteå AIK with a three-goal, three-assist night. He polished off his week with a goal to tie the game at one in a 3-2 overtime win for his team.

  • Weekly 2026 Draft Eligible Three Stars

    Another week of hockey is in the books, and a new group of young players are making a name for themselves this week. Niklas Aaram-Olsen helped his country dominate and earn a place at the next World Junior Championship. Ryan Roobroeck continues to find his game with a big week in the Ontario Hockey League. Finally, Sarnia Sting centerman Alessandro Di Iorio is picking up after an injury kept him sidelined for the first two months of the season.

    Check out what these players got up to in the last week of play.

    Niklas Aaram-Olsen | RW | Obero HK (SHL)

    Norwegian winger Niklas Aaram-Olsen helped his country earn promotion to the 2027 World Junior Championships and potentially boosted his draft stock in the process. The 19th-ranked skater on Draft Prospects Hockey’s 2026 NHL Draft Rankings had 10 points (six goals, four assists) while guiding the Norwegians to five straight victories.

    The Norwegians thumped France 8-2 in the tournament opener, with Aaram-Olsen picking up a goal and an assist. In the second game, the team faced its stiffest competition with Ukraine taking them to overtime. In the extra frame, the speedy winger stole a puck and sped in on the Ukraine goal. During his dash down the wing, he dealt with some harassment from the Ukraine defender and was knocked down. The referee awarded him a penalty shot, and he made no mistake putting it into the back of the net. He waited patiently for the goalie to make a move and then slipped it coolly into the open cage.

    Aaram-Olsen posted back-to-back three-point (one goal, two assists) performances against Austria and Kazakhstan before adding an assist in a meaningless game against Slovenia in the final game.

    Ryan Roobroeck | C | Niagara IceDogs (OHL)

    Niagara IceDogs center Ryan Roobroeck is a hard-to-miss prospect for the 2026 NHL Draft simply because of his size and skill package. When the 6-foot-4, 216 pound force is on, it makes for some very exciting hockey.

    The 7th-ranked player on DraftProspects Hockey’s 2026 NHL Draft Rankings is continuing to show off his offensive prowess in 2026 after scoring 41 goals for the IceDogs in 2024-25. With seven points in three games over the past week, the London, ON native is trending in the right direction.

    Roobroeck’s big week got rolling against his hometown London Knights. He opened the scoring on the power play with a hard shot through traffic that found its way past the keeper. The second overall pick in the 2023 OHL Priority Selection kept things rolling for the IceDogs with his second goal of the period to give his team a 2-1 lead. After skating out of the corner with the puck, Roobroeck picked the corner with a perfectly placed wrist shot. He added a pair of assists later in the contest to pick up points on all four Niagara goals in a 4-3 win.

    Alessandro Di Iorio | C | Sarnia Sting (OHL)

    Sarnia Sting center Alessandro Di Iorio battled injuries for the first two months of his draft year. The Vaughn, ON native has returned to the lineup and is ready to vault himself into first-round consideration for the 2026 NHL Draft. The 6-foot-1, 190 pound pivot has 10 points (five goals, five assists) in 14 games since his return to the lineup.

    The 26th-ranked skater on Draft Prospect Hockey’s 2026 NHL Draft Rankings had a slow start to the week with no points in a shootout win over Guelph and a single assist in an overtime victory against Flint. He exploded for three points (two goals, one assist) against Guelph in a second meeting that the Sting took home 6-4.

    Seeing an opening to create an odd-man rush, Di Iorio sped into the offensive zone. He took a pass and quickly fired a wrist shot into the empty side of the goal to open the scoring. Defending a 5-4 lead in the last two minutes of the third, Di Iorio jumped on a loose puck that had squirted out of the Sarnia end. He slipped it calmly into the empty net to give his team an insurance marker.