2026 NHL Draft Thread

[The Original FFIV]

Found this.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...s/88275810007/

McKenna - Huby
Stenberg - Lucas Raymond
verhoff - Thomas Harley

Doesn’t scream generational draft.

[Roof-Daddy]

Huberdeau in his D-1 year had 35 points in 61 games.

Where do these people come up with the comps? Hilarious

[Fan69]

Originally Posted by The Original FFIV

Don’t know how others feel but seems this draft is overhyped.

It’s the medias job to promote and get people excited, but this seems to be a very average draft.

McKenna looks like he could be another Taylor Hall. I don’t know what Stenberg’s comparable would be but doesn’t scream superstar.

verhoff might end up being the best player out of the draft with his size and skill set. But will be become a number one D, or a solid 2?

Everyone is looking for the next biggest thing but I don’t see that (albeit with very limited knowledge compared to others). Seems like there are top 6 F and number 3-4 d men. Good players, but not generational/foundational ones.

Would be interested to see what comparables others have for the prospects of this draft. Trying to get excited but finding it hard to do so.

This draft isnt much different than last years except for the depth and position, and their isnt a huge drop off at the middle of the second round the depth is much better. Top end roughly the same. Seemed to have a lot of hype that it isnt living up to.

Now dont get me wrong i think this draft may have a pile of good to very good players but i dont see a boy remember the 26 draft talk ten years down the line.

All my opinion of course but i am seeing legit prospects into the third round. I think its a draft that produces a lot if nhl players but no superstars. Mckenna , Vaerhoff probably have the best chances of entering that discussion.

Personally hope to get another first and second in this draft lots of names to like in both rounds.

I do like a lot of the centers clustered in the bottom of the first top of the second. Di Lorio, Fitzgerald, Edwards and Dagenais to name some.

[Monahammer]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

McKenna looks like Taylor Hall alright.

Taylor Hall in his D -1 season in the CHL 1.43 ppg
Gavin McKenna in his D -1 season in the CHL 2.30 ppg

Basically a carbon copy lol

If he continues to put up ~2 ppg from the end of wjc to end of college season, I bet he goes 1oa. He just needed to climb the strength/comfort curve a bit it seems.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

If he continues to put up ~2 ppg from the end of wjc to end of college season, I bet he goes 1oa. He just needed to climb the strength/comfort curve a bit it seems.

Ive followed him closely for 4 years now, and usually from the new year on he finds another level to his game as he adjusts.

[Bonded]

Originally Posted by The Original FFIV

Found this.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...s/88275810007/

McKenna - Huby
Stenberg - Lucas Raymond
verhoff - Thomas Harley

Doesn’t scream generational draft.

Celebrini is better than expected and some years weak drafts perform way better than expected. I think 2017 was viewed as a really weak draft.

[Two Fivenagame]

If McKenna is the generational talent we all thought he was at the end of last year, I think he would need a very strong finish to this year, averaging around 2pts/game, and be a factor on his team winning a championship or at least coming close.

Does that sound about right or does he need to do more?

[Monahammer]

Originally Posted by Two Fivenagame

If McKenna is the generational talent we all thought he was at the end of last year, I think he would need a very strong finish to this year, averaging around 2pts/game, and be a factor on his team winning a championship or at least coming close.

Does that sound about right or does he need to do more?

His team isnt very good though, and college hockey is difficult to win a championship in. I am not sure i would be so stringent with that qualification.

[Two Fivenagame]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

His team isnt very good though, and college hockey is difficult to win a championship in. I am not sure i would be so stringent with that qualification.

Yeah you're probably right. Just my opinion but I like to see my generational talents winning championships and the WJC this year was a big disappointment. Winning an NCAA championship in the same year would be chefs kiss.

[Bonded]

Originally Posted by Two Fivenagame

Yeah you're probably right. Just my opinion but I like to see my generational talents winning championships and the WJC this year was a big disappointment. Winning an NCAA championship in the same year would be chefs kiss.

I just wish there was a good center for the top picks. I think Lawrence will go higher than he should because he is a center

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

Huberdeau in his D-1 year had 35 points in 61 games.

Where do these people come up with the comps? Hilarious

The article felt like it was written by someone whose favorite team isn't getting a top pick (like an Oiler fan), so they are trying to downplay it.

I think Patrick Kane is a better comp for McKenna.

Lucas Raymond's draft year in the SHL: 10 pts in 33 games (Stenberg is 27 in 28). I would say Filip Forsberg is a better comparable - at least he was 1 PPG in the SHL in his D+1 year.

Seider had 6 pts in the DEL in his draft year. A better comparison would be Werenski who had 25 in 35 in the NCAA (Verhoeff is 23 in 21)

How different would the tone of this article be if they used:

McKenna = Kane
Stenberg = Forsberg
Verhoeff = Werenski

which I think are all better comps than the ones used

[Two Fivenagame]

Originally Posted by Bonded

I just wish there was a good center for the top picks. I think Lawrence will go higher than he should because he is a center

Well he did just move to the NCAA. Let's see how he performs the rest of the season.
Centers are usually over valued anyway purely because they play that premier position.
It's not hard to see Calgary picking him if they end up drafting 3-5.

[Stampede2TheCup]

Originally Posted by The Original FFIV

Found this.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...s/88275810007/

McKenna - Huby
Stenberg - Lucas Raymond
verhoff - Thomas Harley

Doesn’t scream generational draft.

From the article:

“ NHL comparisons are almost never perfect. They are generalized and provide a stylistic comparison for how a given player plays the game. ”

[CliffFletcher]

McKenna is a perimeter player who avoids contact and dishes the puck rather than play through an opponent or drive to the net. Stylistically, Huberdeau is a match.

[Funkhouser]

I’m firmly on team Stenberg

[devo22]

the McKenna slander is going to be hilarious to look back on in a couple of years.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

McKenna is a perimeter player who avoids contact and dishes the puck rather than play through an opponent or drive to the net. Stylistically, Huberdeau is a match.

LOL

By that analysis, half the play-making wingers in the NHL are stylistic matches.

D-1 production:

Huberdeau (QMHJL): 0.57 PPG
McKenna (WHL): 2.30 PPG

Huberdeau hit 1.0 PPG in the NHL in his D+8 season. Is there anyone on this board that thinks it will take longer than D+3 or D+4 for McKenna?

Let's talk about their skating...

[Ba'alzamon]

Originally Posted by Fan69

Di Lorio

Culprit is probably autocorrect, but in case it wasn't, his name is Di Iorio.

[CliffFletcher]

It's weird how many people on CP are invested in player who hasn't even been drafted by the Flames, just because we have a shot at getting him. We'll see how many champions McKenna has once the Canucks draft him.

[Monahammer]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

It's weird how many people on CP are invested in player who hasn't even been drafted by the Flames, just because we have a shot at getting him. We'll see how many champions McKenna has once the Canucks draft him.

I think the nucks are the most likely team to take Stenberg 1st.

If we won the lottery and got 1st with vancouver picking 2nd, or if we draft 2nd behind Vancouver im pretty sure both scenarios end up with the teams getting the same players.