2026 NHL Draft

[Megaterio Llamas]

Carels could be the top defenseman picked as well. I've read Werenski comparisons.

It's the damndest draft, there's a pack of six or seven at the top with no consensus.

[donlever]

Yeah Megs.

Maybe even a little meaner.

[Carl Yagro]

Shane Wright had 1 less point than Scooter two seasons ago. He wasn't their 1C.

Sushi shouldn't even be mentioned in the same breath as Shane Wright... either in the AHL or NHL.

[rockalt]

I just want to take BPA but it's certainly hard to know who that will be. There is so little consensus in this draft.

I get really nervous about Caleb Malhotra. I understand he's a highly coveted prospect but I don't want to see the Canucks draft him at third. I just think his rise has been too meteoric in this last season with little evidence in previous seasons that he could produce at an elite level. My gut tells me he maxes out at a decent 2C which is a valuable player but not what you hope for a #3.

I still think Mckenna or Stenberg will be drafted in the top 2. If they are gone, I'd go with one of the D above Malholtra. I am hoping for Stenberg to drop - if he's available at 3, the Canucks need to take him. I don't think this is likely but could see the Sharks passing on Stenberg to select Reid at 2. I really don't see Mckenna being available at 3. First I think the leaves are highly likely to pick him (marketing alone) but if they go for Stenberg, I just don't see the Sharks passing on him.

In any event, it should be an exciting draft even if the Canucks didn't land the top pick again!

[donlever]

Good post rockalt.

I see the Sharks taking Reid due to overall team need combined with the tightness of the draftable group with respect to talent so BPA becomes highly subjective.

With Celebrini Misa Smith Eklund in the NHL and Chernyshov up and coming combined with Dickinson (LSD) as their only legit D prospect they need to fill that stable and set themselves up (a la the Habs - keep in mind they also have Ravensburgen as a future #1 G in their system) for a decade of contention.

They need to load up that back end.

With no consensus must take at 2 I see them going RSD with the American Reid.

(.....which conveniently works for us as we end up with Stenberg or McKenna....)

....and 100% the Canucks should NOT take Malhotra at #3.

[Cousin Strawberry]

I'm pretty sure they are indeed taking Malhotra even if Stenberg is left. There seems to be plenty of noise on that one

[donlever]

I don't believe it considering where the noise is from and what else is available (Malhotra is a tier below the top group to me) but if you are correct and they do TNFG'S can...

Fuck.

Right.

Off.

.....and in record time as well.

[dangler]

I'm pretty sure they are indeed taking Malhotra even if Stenberg is left. There seems to be plenty of noise on that one

It wouldn't surprise me, but I think they'd be more inclined to take Stenberg or Reid. The 3rd OA should be simple.They'll get a good prospect no matter what. It's the Canucks next 3 picks after that that will be tricky for Harvey & crew.

[2Fingers]

Try this again but I fixed an error and simplified it, from 2024.

First number is the actual NHL draft position and the 2nd number is the average of 5 different predictions.

Pick Avg Name
1 1 Macklin Celebrini
2 4 Artyom Levshunov
3 13 Beckett Sennecke
4 8 Cayden Lindstrom
5 3 Ivan Demidov
6 10 Tij Iginla
7 9 Carter Yakemchuk
8 9 Berkly Catton
9 7 Zayne Parekh
10 8 Anton Silayev

FYI Buium was average 6th and went 12th.

I am just showing what experts predict and how they were actually picked in the NHL.

[Lancer]

It's the Canucks next 3 picks after that that will be tricky for Harvey & crew.

It may well be that crew's swan song. Hope they make the most of it for the sake of their CV's.

[Meds]

I don't believe it considering where the noise is from and what else is available (Malhotra is a tier below the top group to me) but if you are correct and they do TNFG'S can...

Fuck.

Right.

Off.

.....and in record time as well.

I can see RJ wanting to do his buddy Manny a solid and drafting his kid.

[Cornuck]

I can see RJ wanting to do his buddy Manny a solid and drafting his kid.

What a great start that would be to this 'new' era!

[donlever]

Lol.

If they're drafting by nepotism at least we will be assured the gong show will be real and sooner than later...

[Megaterio Llamas]

Wheeler and Drance did an excersize today around who the Canucks would take with their first four picks, and this is what they came up with.

1 - Caleb Malhotra c potential #1 two way center
24 - Wyatt Cullen c speedy center who projects as a scoring winger. NHL dad.
33 - Simas Ignatavicius - lw heavy, powerful Lithuanian winger playing in Switzerland. This is my pick here as well.
41 - Brooks Rogowski c - 6'7" behemoth center


(Pay wall possibly - though that may have changed) https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/728756 ... -2026-nhl/

[Cornuck]

If they're drafting by nepotism at least we will be assured the gong show will be real and sooner than later...

Sadly for the kid, he'll be under a microscope if we draft him, and if he doesn't pan out (live up to the 1C expectations placed on him), he'll be considered a wasted pick due to the aforementioned nepotism. Any setbacks, and the media will eat him alive.