Who: The 2026 NHL Draft at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY; What: a live pick tracker reporting all selections and Day Two coverage; When: first round concluded June 26, Day Two begins June 27 at 10:00 am CT; Result: 32 players selected in Round One with the tracker updated in real time as picks landed. This story summarizes first-round results, catalogs selections through seven rounds as reported, and previews the second day of selections.
Key takeaways
- June 26 first round: 32 picks were made at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY; selections span NCAA, CHL, European leagues and U.S. development programs.
- Positional mix in Round One: 10 defensemen, 8 centers, 8 left wings and 6 right wings were chosen from 32 picks.
- Top overall and early picks include Gavin McKenna (Toronto, LW, Penn State) and Ivar Stenberg (San Jose, LW, Frölunda) among other notable prospects.
- Day Two schedule: Round Two begins June 27 at 10:00 am CT and the tracker will follow every pick live through Round Seven.
- Several teams used acquired or conditional picks—examples include Buffalo selecting via Blackhawks and San Jose via Panthers—affecting pick ownership across rounds.
- Pick forfeiture: Round Two, pick 63 (Vegas Golden Knights) is listed as forfeited.
- Tracker note: PHR’s live feed and related mock drafts (Gabriel Foley) are referenced for context and player evaluation.
Background
The 2026 NHL Draft is staged at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, a traditional host city for NHL events. The draft is the league’s primary entry point for amateur players from North American junior leagues, U.S. college programs and European clubs. Teams use the draft to replenish prospect pools, address organizational needs and acquire trade assets.
Leading into the event, NHL franchises completed regular-season assessments and prospect rankings; several clubs entered draft day with clear positional priorities while others targeted value regardless of position. Trades and previous off-season moves changed the ordering for a handful of selections, producing multiple “via” notations throughout the pick list where teams select with acquired draft slots.
Pro Hockey Rumors provided a live pick tracker during the event and continues monitoring Day Two. That live feed is meant to be read alongside team announcements, league confirmation and independent scouting reports for a full evaluation of each selection’s long-term impact.
Main event
June 26 hosted the first of two draft days. Thirty-two names were announced in the first round, with selections representing a mix of NCAA programs (e.g., Gavin McKenna, Ilia Morozov), CHL clubs across the OHL/QMJHL/WHL, USHL/NTDP prospects and European junior and pro teams. Several organizations addressed defensive depth early; defensemen comprised a plurality of first-round picks.
Notable early picks: Toronto used its selection on LW Gavin McKenna (Penn State), while San Jose took LW Ivar Stenberg (Frölunda). Other clubs prioritized draft-and-develop center prospects such as Caleb Malhotra (Vancouver) and Alexander Command (New Jersey). International players like Alberts Smits (Jukurit, Finland) and Malte Gustafsson (HV71, Sweden) were among the European selections.
Trades altered the pick map: Buffalo selected Daxon Rudolph with a pick acquired via Chicago, while San Jose exercised multiple selections (including via Florida and Philadelphia) to add Ivar Stenberg and Keaton Verhoeff. The list records many “via” notations reflecting prior trades or conditional exchanges that changed ownership of mid- and late-first-round slots.
June 27 is designated for Day Two, starting at 10:00 am CT. The second through seventh rounds will be conducted across the day, and teams will finalize many late-round gambles on sleepers, goaltenders and overseas prospects. The tracker will continue to update as teams make selections, confirm signings and report immediate reaction from scouts and front offices.
Analysis & implications
The positional breakdown—10 defensemen among 32 first-rounders—indicates a continued league emphasis on mobile, two-way blueliners. Teams appear to prize puck-moving defensemen who can contribute transitional offense, consistent with the NHL’s sustained tilt toward speed and possession play. That trend may accelerate development timelines for collegiate defense prospects who typically need more time to adapt physically.
Centers and left wings each accounted for eight first-round selections, which reflects organizations seeking both playmaking and net-front scoring options. The mix suggests teams balanced immediate organizational needs with best-player-available decisions, a common approach when late lottery and mid-first-round value overlap.
European development pathways remain well represented, with several Swedes, Finns and Russians selected in the first two rounds. This diversification underscores the global reach of NHL scouting and the increasing parity between North American and European junior-pro programs when evaluating draft-age talent.
For franchises, early-round choices will shape internal depth charts and trade leverage. High-upside picks who remain unsigned or return to non-NHL programs can delay impact but preserve contractual flexibility. Meanwhile, teams that took immediate-ready prospects may expect contribution within 1–3 seasons, altering cap and roster planning.
Comparison & data
| Position | First-Round Count |
|---|---|
| Defensemen (D) | 10 |
| Centers (C) | 8 |
| Left Wings (LW) | 8 |
| Right Wings (RW) | 6 |
The table above summarizes positional distribution in Round One. Defensemen led the group with 10 selections, followed by centers and left wings at eight apiece and six right wings. This distribution highlights team preferences for defensive reinforcements and versatile forwards in the early portion of the draft.
Full pick-by-pick tracker (as reported)
First Round
- Toronto Maple Leafs – LW Gavin McKenna (Penn State, NCAA)
- San Jose Sharks – LW Ivar Stenberg (Frölunda, Sweden)
- Vancouver Canucks – C Caleb Malhotra (Brantford, OHL)
- Buffalo Sabres (via Blackhawks) – D Daxon Rudolph (Prince Albert, WHL)
- New York Rangers – D Alberts Smits (Jukurit, Finland)
- Calgary Flames – D Carson Carels (Prince George, WHL)
- Seattle Kraken – D Chase Reid (Sault Ste. Marie, OHL)
- Winnipeg Jets – C Viggo Björck (Djurgården, SHL)
- San Jose Sharks (via Panthers) – D Keaton Verhoeff (North Dakota, NCAA)
- Nashville Predators – RW Wyatt Cullen (USA U-18, NTDP)
- St. Louis Blues – C Tynan Lawrence (Boston Univ., NCAA)
- New Jersey Devils – C Alexander Command (Örebro-Jr., Sweden)
- New York Islanders – D Malte Gustafsson (HV71, Sweden)
- Columbus Blue Jackets – LW Oscar Hemming (Boston College, NCAA)
- Anaheim Ducks (via Red Wings) – RW Nikita Klepov (Saginaw, OHL)
- St. Louis Blues (via Capitals) – C Maddox Dagenais (Quebec, QMJHL)
- Utah Mammoth (via Kings) – LW Ethan Belchetz (Windsor, OHL)
- Washington Capitals (via Ducks) – C Oliver Suvanto (Tappara, Finland)
- Los Angeles Kings (via Mammoth) – RW Elton Hermansson (MoDo, Sweden-2)
- Buffalo Sabres (via Oilers) – C Ilia Morozov (Miami-Ohio, NCAA)
- San Jose Sharks (via Flyers) – D Ryan Lin (Vancouver, WHL)
- Pittsburgh Penguins – RW Liam Ruck (Medicine Hat, WHL)
- Detroit Red Wings (via Bruins) – LW J.P. Hurlbert (Kamloops, WHL)
- Vancouver Canucks (via Wild) – LW Adam Novotný (Peterborough, OHL)
- Ottawa Senators (via Lightning) – RW Jonas Lagerberg Hoen (Leksands-Jr., Sweden)
- Montreal Canadiens (via Stars) – RW Gleb Pugachyov (Nizhny Novgorod-Jr., Russia)
- Philadelphia Flyers (via Sabres) – D Maksim Sokolovskii (London, OHL)
- Anaheim Ducks (via Canadiens) – LW Marcus Nordmark (Djurgården-Jr., Sweden)
- Vegas Golden Knights (via Avalanche) – D Juha Piiparinen (Tappara, Finland)
- Calgary Flames (via Golden Knights) – C Jack Hextall (Youngstown, USHL)
- Nashville Predators (via Hurricanes) – D Tommy Bleyl (Moncton, QMJHL)
- Ottawa Senators – LW Jaxon Cover (London, OHL)
Second Round
- Vancouver Canucks – C Brooks Rogowski (Oshawa, OHL)
- Chicago Blackhawks – D Xavier Villeneuve (Blainville-Boisbriand, QMJHL)
- Chicago Blackhawks (via Rangers) – LW Ryan Roobroeck (Niagara, OHL)
- Calgary Flames – LW Chase Harrington (Spokane, WHL)
- New Jersey Devils (via Maple Leafs) – LW Matias Vanhanen (Everett, WHL)
- Seattle Kraken – RW Casey Mutryn (USA U-18, NTDP)
- Pittsburgh Penguins (via Jets) – C Markus Ruck (Medicine Hat, WHL)
- Florida Panthers – RW Simas Ignatavicius (Genève-Servette, Swiss)
- Vancouver Canucks (via Sharks) – LW Niklas Aaram-Olsen (Örebro-Jr., Sweden)
- Calgary Flames (via Predators) – G Tobias Trejbal (Youngstown, USHL)
- Colorado Avalanche (via Blues) – C Egor Shilov (Victoriaville, QMJHL)
- New Jersey Devils – D Nikita Shcherbakov (Ufa-Jr., Russia)
- Anaheim Ducks (via Islanders) – D Jayden Kurtz (Rogers, USHS-MN)
- Los Angeles Kings (via Blue Jackets) – C Liam Lefebvre (Chicoutimi, QMJHL)
- Detroit Red Wings – LW Victor Plante (USA U-18, NTDP)
- Florida Panthers (via Capitals) – C Ryder Cali (North Bay, OHL)
- Los Angeles Kings – D Adam Goljer (Trencin, Slovakia)
- Anaheim Ducks – RW Mathis Preston (Vancouver, WHL)
- Carolina Hurricanes (via Mammoth) – D William Håkansson (Luleå, Sweden)
- Tampa Bay Lightning (via Oilers) – LW Oleg Kulebiakin (Halifax, QMJHL)
- Philadelphia Flyers – D Brek Liske (Everett, WHL)
- Pittsburgh Penguins – D Tomas Galvas (Liberec, Czechia)
- Calgary Flames (via Senators) – RW Alan Shaikhlislamov (Ufa-Jr., Russia)
- Boston Bruins – G Yuri Ivanov (Spartak-Jr., Russia)
- Montreal Canadiens (via Wild) – D Timofei Runtso (Victoria, WHL)
- Edmonton Oilers (via Lightning) – C Rudolfs Berzkalns (Muskegon, USHL)
- Dallas Stars – D Jakub Vaněček (Tri-City, WHL)
- Toronto Maple Leafs (via Sabres) – D Alexander Bilecki (Kitchener, OHL)
- Carolina Hurricanes (via Canadiens) – C Wiggo Sörensson (Boro/Vetlanda, Sweden-4)
- Philadelphia Flyers (via Avalanche) – G Martin Psohlavec (Karlovy Vary-Jr., Czechia)
- Vegas Golden Knights – PICK FORFEITED
- New York Rangers (via Hurricanes) – D Benjamin MacBeath (Calgary, WHL)
Third Round
- Calgary Flames (via Canucks) – RW Joe Iginla (Vancouver, WHL)
- Chicago Blackhawks – D Samu Alalauri (Pelicans-Jr., Finland)
- New York Rangers – G Danai Shaiikov (Gatineau, QMJHL)
- Carolina Hurricanes (via Flames) – RW Zachary Lansard (Regina, WHL)
- Toronto Maple Leafs – D Ethan MacKenzie (Edmonton, WHL)
- Nashville Predators (via Kraken) – G Dmitri Borichev (Loko-76 Yaroslavl-Jr., Russia)
- Winnipeg Jets – G Samuel Hrenak (Fargo, USHL)
- Ottawa Senators (via Panthers) – LW Adam Nemec (Sudbury, OHL)
- Toronto Maple Leafs (via Sharks) – RW Zach Olsen (Saskatoon, WHL)
- Colorado Avalanche (via Predators) – C Beckett Hamilton (Red Deer, WHL)
- St. Louis Blues – D Luke Schairer (USA U-18, NTDP)
- Toronto Maple Leafs (via Devils) – D Måns Gudmundsson (Färjestad-Jr., Sweden)
- New York Rangers (via Islanders) – D Charlie Morrison (Quebec, QMJHL)
- Vancouver Canucks (via Blue Jackets) – G Dmitri Ivchenko (Omsk-Jr., Russia)
- Detroit Red Wings – G Michal Orsulak (Prince Albert, WHL)
- Los Angeles Kings (via Capitals) – C Blake Zielinski (Des Moines, USHL)
- New York Rangers (via Kings) – C Tomas Chrenko (Nitra, Slovakia)
- Anaheim Ducks – RW Rian Chudzinski (Moncton, QMJHL)
- Minnesota Wild (via Mammoth) – C Adam Andersson (Leksand-Jr., Sweden)
- Edmonton Oilers – LW Malcom Gästrin (MoDo-Jr., Sweden)
- Toronto Maple Leafs (via Flyers) – G Juuso Ainasto (Jokerit-Jr., Finland)
- Pittsburgh Penguins – LW Pierce Mbuyi (Owen Sound, OHL)
- Ottawa Senators – C Oscar Holmertz (Linköping-Jr., Sweden)
- Boston Bruins – RW Nils Bartholdsson (Rögle-Jr., Sweden)
- Los Angeles Kings (via Wild) – G Yegor Rybkin (Nizhny Novgorod-Jr., Russia)
- Tampa Bay Lightning – D Tomas Kralovic (Bratislava, Slovakia)
- Ottawa Senators (via Stars) – RW Louis Felix Bourque (Drummondville, QMJHL)
- Vegas Golden Knights (via Sabres) – C Benjamin Wilmott (Barrie, OHL)
- Montreal Canadiens – D Cooper Cleaves (Dartmouth, NCAA)
- Columbus Blue Jackets (via Avalanche) – C Alessandro Di Iorio (Sarnia, OHL)
- Vegas Golden Knights – D Sean Burick (Penticton, WHL)
- Utah Mammoth (via Hurricanes) – C Adam Valentini (Michigan, NCAA)
Fourth Round
- Vancouver Canucks – C Yaroslav Bryzgalov (Medicine Hat, WHL)
- Florida Panthers (via Blackhawks) – D Jonas Kemps (Chicago, USHL)
- Seattle Kraken (via Rangers) – C Viktor Fedorov (Torpedo-Gorky, Russia-2)
- Calgary Flames – C Egor Barabanov (Saginaw, OHL)
- Washington Capitals (via Maple Leafs) – RW Tyus Sparks (Spokane, WHL)
- New York Rangers (via Kraken) – LW Spencer Bowes (Ottawa, OHL)
- Los Angeles Kings (via Jets) – C Thomas Vandenberg (Ottawa, OHL)
- Boston Bruins (via Panthers) – LW Matvei Kotkov (Yaroslavl-Jr., Russia)
- Carolina Hurricanes (via Sharks) – LW Michael Berchild (USA U18, NTDP)
- Nashville Predators – D Jakub Floris (Lukko-Jr., Finland)
- St. Louis Blues – D Landon Nycz (UMass, NCAA)
- Detroit Red Wings (via Devils) – C Adam Levac (Peterborough, OHL)
- New York Islanders – D Lincoln Kuehne (Arizona State, NCAA)
- Ottawa Senators (via Blue Jackets) – G Elliot Lennon (Deerfield, USHS-MA)
- Pittsburgh Penguins (via Red Wings) – D Parker Von Richter (Barrie, OHL)
- Columbus Blue Jackets (via Capitals)
- Montreal Canadiens (via Kings)
- Toronto Maple Leafs (via Ducks)
- Utah Mammoth
- Winnipeg Jets (via Oilers)
- Vegas Golden Knights (via Flyers)
- Nashville Predators (via Penguins)
- New Jersey Devils (via Senators)
- Philadelphia Flyers (via Bruins)
- Minnesota Wild
- Boston Bruins (via Lightning)
- St. Louis Blues (via Stars)
- Buffalo Sabres
- Carolina Hurricanes (via Canadiens)
- Colorado Avalanche
- San Jose Sharks (via Golden Knights)
- Colorado Avalanche (via Hurricanes)
Fifth Round
- Vancouver Canucks
- Utah Mammoth (via Blackhawks)
- Seattle Kraken (via Rangers)
- Calgary Flames
- Edmonton Oilers (via Maple Leafs)
- Tampa Bay Lightning (via Kraken)
- Winnipeg Jets
- Philadelphia Flyers (via Panthers)
- Minnesota Wild (via Sharks)
- Nashville Predators
- St. Louis Blues
- New Jersey Devils
- New York Islanders
- Columbus Blue Jackets
- Detroit Red Wings
- Washington Capitals
- Los Angeles Kings
- Anaheim Ducks
- Utah Mammoth
- New York Rangers (via Oilers)
- Colorado Avalanche (via Flyers)
- St. Louis Blues (via Penguins)
- Ottawa Senators
- Colorado Avalanche (via Bruins)
- Los Angeles Kings (via Wild)
- Tampa Bay Lightning
- Dallas Stars
- Buffalo Sabres
- Boston Bruins (via Canadiens)
- Toronto Maple Leafs (via Avalanche)
- Vegas Golden Knights
- Nashville Predators (via Hurricanes)
Sixth Round
- Vancouver Canucks
- New York Rangers (via Blackhawks)
- New York Rangers
- Calgary Flames
- Carolina Hurricanes (via Maple Leafs)
- Seattle Kraken
- Winnipeg Jets
- Florida Panthers
- Toronto Maple Leafs (via Sharks)
- Boston Bruins (via Predators)
- St. Louis Blues
- New Jersey Devils
- New York Islanders
- San Jose Sharks (via Blue Jackets)
- Detroit Red Wings
- Vancouver Canucks (via Capitals)
- Los Angeles Kings
- Anaheim Ducks
- Nashville Predators (via Mammoth)
- Edmonton Oilers
- Philadelphia Flyers
- Columbus Blue Jackets (via Penguins)
- Ottawa Senators
- Vancouver Canucks (via Bruins)
- Minnesota Wild
- Tampa Bay Lightning
- Dallas Stars
- Buffalo Sabres
- Montreal Canadiens
- Montreal Canadiens (via Avalanche)
- Vegas Golden Knights
- Carolina Hurricanes
Seventh Round
- New York Rangers (via Canucks)
- Chicago Blackhawks
- Colorado Avalanche (via Rangers)
- Detroit Red Wings (via Flames)
- Dallas Stars (via Maple Leafs)
- Seattle Kraken
- Winnipeg Jets
- Chicago Blackhawks (via Panthers)
- San Jose Sharks
- Nashville Predators
- St. Louis Blues
- Seattle Kraken (via Devils)
- New York Islanders
- Columbus Blue Jackets
- Detroit Red Wings
- Washington Capitals
- Los Angeles Kings
- Anaheim Ducks
- Utah Mammoth
- Edmonton Oilers
- Philadelphia Flyers
- Colorado Avalanche (via Penguins)
- Colorado Avalanche (via Senators)
- Boston Bruins
- Florida Panthers (via Wild)
- Tampa Bay Lightning
- Dallas Stars
- Winnipeg Jets (via Sabres)
- Montreal Canadiens
- Colorado Avalanche
- Vegas Golden Knights
- Montreal Canadiens (via Hurricanes)
Reactions & quotes
“A busy first day with positional value and some international names rising into the first round,” noted the live tracker summary during the event.
Pro Hockey Rumors (live tracker)
Team spokespeople and scouts emphasized development timelines over immediate NHL readiness for many selections made outside the top ten.
Team releases / scouting comments (reported)
Analysts highlighted the defensive-heavy first round as consistent with league-wide demand for puck-moving blueliners.
Independent scouting analysis (summarized)
Unconfirmed
- Contract status and signing timelines for many drafted NCAA and European players are pending and will be confirmed by teams in the coming weeks.
- Some conditional trades that affected pick ownership require final league paperwork; a small number of “via” annotations remain subject to league confirmation.
Bottom line
The 2026 NHL Draft’s first day produced a mix of defense-oriented and forward-focused selections, with 32 players taken in Round One across North American and European development systems. The distribution suggests teams valued defensive mobility and center-depth early, while still selecting skilled wingers in the top 32.
Day Two (June 27, 10:00 am CT) will be decisive for organizations hunting depth and late-round upside. Observers should watch which prospects sign entry-level contracts, which return to junior/college rosters, and how teams adjust prospect pipelines based on these picks.
Sources
- Pro Hockey Rumors — 2026 NHL Draft pick tracker (sports news / live tracker)