2026 NHL Draft Thread

[BigThief]

You included Mews, don't get mad at me about it. The fact you're even bringing up positioning still kinda shows you don't follow the draft. Like I said, you should. Rosters change frequently and fast. Current roster means nothing.

The fact you're even considering position shows a major malfunction in your thinking. Whiteclould could be gone, Parekh could bust, Brzuestewicz has good potential but could bust, and Mews is just a normal 3rd round pick.

This is a waste of my time and I'm done with you.

[D as in David]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

But if every team has their own opinion of who the BPA is, there is no such thing as BPA.

Why couldn't teams define (and select) who they think is the best player remaining?

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by D as in David

Why couldn't teams define (and select) who they think is the best player remaining?

They can. And do.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by dammage79

BPA is an imaginary guideline. Look at Senneke. Was he BPA ? Maybe by a very select few.

BPA is also non contiguous throughout 32 teams draft lists.

BPA doesn't exist.

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Exactly.

Every team will draft who they like, based on the criteria that matter to them.

Fans will talk about BPA based on some imaginary list in their heads, or that they read about.

Come on now - Do I really have to explain my usage of BPA??


You guys are inferring that I mean "The board". I mean BPA on the Flames' list. I even made some examples as to how the Flames may have these prospects ranked on their lists. I am not talking about the 'board' here, as in "off the board" as some people like to complain about on draft day.

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by BigThief

No, not really, only in insanely rare situations. You should follow the draft more.

https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/...algary-flames/

Burke's had a few quotes about it over the years.

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/video/c...t-round-picks/
Teams never draft for need over the guy they think is the best. It's not a factor. GM's are asked and talk about this every draft.

Burke didn't exactly have a great drafting record.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

If we devastatingly wind up outside out of the top 4 after this season (jfc Winnipeg, St. Louis, New York..), draft Malhotra without hesitation.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

If we devastatingly wind up outside out of the top 4 after this season (jfc Winnipeg, St. Louis, New York..), draft Malhotra without hesitation.

Tankathon's mock draft has us drafting Malhotra at #5. I'd be fine with that.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts:

Jan.26th: Last year, I was a big fan of RW Lirim Amidovski (Minnesota, 4th-round, #121) leading up to the 2025 Draft, and now I can't help but cheer for his younger brother, C/LW Nathan Amidovski (6'2",183lbs), who is the #87 North American Skater on Central Scouting's Mid-Term Rankings. The younger Amidovski started the season with one of the OHL's best teams, the Ottawa 67's, but because of their talent and depth, he was relegated to mostly 3rd-line duties, posting only 8 goals and 22 points in 34 games. Mercifully, he was traded in early January- but went from a rock to a hard place with his new team being the Brampton Steelheads, who are currently tied with 2 other clubs for 2nd-worst in league standings, and are also tied for the second-least goals-for (117 in 45 games). In 7 games so far, he has only managed to post 1 assist, and in that span, the Steelheads have lost every game (one in OT), while scoring only 11 times. What should've been a new opportunity for him to show what he can do with more minutes and greater responsibility has turned into a situation that might end up seriously affecting his draft standing.

Amidovski plays a simple game, but one with many pro-style, translatable qualities- he is a stellar support player, who works hard in all three zones. An effortless skater, he wields tremendous speed on a long and powerful stride, with smooth edgework that gives him a tight turn radius, the capacity to pivot on a dime, and the ability to change pace and direction instantly. He is a gifted puckhandler as well, whose hands keep up with his feet while weaving through small spaces with full control, and his protection skills are also well-honed; while flying through traffic, he can problem-solve while in flight, and makes sound decisions with the puck to advance his team's transition. While he isn't yet showing much play-driving ability in the offensive zone, he flashes high-end playmaking at times, displaying the vision to make difficult passes under duress with poise, while exhibiting the foresight to use delays and cut-backs to throw off checkers. He owns a hard and accurate shot that can beat goalies from a distance, or from hard angles, and shows good scoring touch in-tight with a nose for the net. Amidovski is already a well-developed defensive player, with a high-end attention to detail, acute awareness, and a motor that never stops- his feet are always moving in an effort to hunt down pucks, and remove time and space from attackers. While he's extremely active, and causes problems for opponents on both the forecheck as well as the backcheck, he would be even more effective if he were to up his physicality a notch or two, as well as his intensity in puck-battles. Some of his issues come from the fact that he is still quite slight, and needs plenty of work on his strength and bulk in order to open up his engagement-level. Most scouts seem to be in agreement that this kid has big potential, and could make a quality middle-six winger who supports the play, and can help his team in any situation, as well as in all areas of the ice. Look for him in the middle-rounds.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts:

Jan.26th: Big centers are always coveted by scouts, so they have no doubt taken notice of "C"-rated Swedish LHC Adam Andersson, who tips the scales at a hefty 6'4",209lbs, and is currently #30 on Central Scouting's list of European Skaters for the 2026 Draft. Andersson was noticeable in last summer's Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where he produced 4 assists in 5 games while being used in mostly a checking role, and he is usually stuck in his U20 team's bottom-six as well, posting a meager 2 goals out of 15 points in 23 contests. His team, Leksands, is third in the Norra Division, and 8th-overall out of 20 teams, with the fifth-most goals-for in the U20 (100 in 27 games). Andersson did himself, and his draft-stock, a huge favor with his solid play in December's U-19 World Junior A Challenge, where he was universally praised for being able to thrive with the speed and close-quarters play on smaller ice, while his teammates struggled in the same environment. While exerting a crash-and-bang power-game, he posted 6 points in 5 games to lead Team Sweden in scoring, over names like Alexander Command, Marcus Nordmark, and Oscar Holmertz, and was tied for 2nd in scoring at that event.

Andersson isn't flashy or dynamic, and isn't very fleet-of-foot, although he is like a charging rhinoceros at top-speed. Attention is needed on improving his first-step explosiveness, his acceleration, and even his stick-handling, but his protection skills are exemplary, and help him bull his way through traffic while escaping pressure. He is dominant along the boards and down low, fully capable of making plays to the middle off the walls, and completing dangerous passes to the slot from behind the net, but scouts would like to see more creative playmaking- he keeps things too simple and safe right now. Andersson will crash the crease, initiate contact, win puck-battles, and makes life hard for defenders in front of the net- defying them to try to move him, or stop him from pouncing on second-chance opportunities. He depends on getting looks from in-close, as his shot needs work in it's accuracy and velocity, but he will take pucks to the net; at this point, he is more of a pass-first player. The one thing about Andersson that is high-end, other than his size, is his defensive impact; he displays exceptional awareness in his own-zone, with exemplary details and sublime instincts, fortified by his tireless work-ethic and bruising physicality. Though I wouldn't call him "mean" per se, he is no less daunting to go up against in the defensive-third, and does a good job of pressuring attackers, while filling lanes, and effectively disrupting plays. With an added layer of play-creation ability, a harder shot, and some tweaks to his skating, he has all the makings of a solid match-up player in an NHL-teams' bottom-six. Look for him in the middle-rounds.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts:

Jan.26th: The Erie Otters are currently tied for 2nd-worst in the OHL standings (out of 20 teams), and they are also tied for second-worst in goals-for, with 117 in 45 games. That's a fairly large step back from where they finished in the 2024-25 season, where they were 10th in the league, and made it to the Conference Semi-Finals- before getting swept by the eventual Champions, the London Knights. LD Lucas Ambrosio (6'4",190lbs) was given a "B"-rating by Central Scouting at the start of the season, indicating a possible 2nd, or third-round pick in this summer's draft, after posting 13 points in 52 games last season- but he is now in a three-way tie for second in scoring by D on the Otters, with a rather paltry 11 points in 43 tilts (the leader has only 13 points), which prorates to 17 in 66. Quite frankly, I think he's better than his stats indicate, but he is now #82 for North American Skaters on Central Scouting's Mid-Term List.

Ambrosio will likely never be a big points-producer, but he was given that "B"-rating for being a solid puck-mover, and a detailed shut-down defender, with a well-rounded skill-set. Perhaps his finest asset is his surprising mobility, on a smooth and powerful stride, with remarkable fluidity in all directions that he uses to kill rushes, and outrun pressure in retrievals. Though I wouldn't say he is "mean" exactly, he is a physical defender, and layers hits on top of stick-checks when angling opponents to the boards off the rush. With his size, his considerable reach, and his quickness, he cuts off massive swaths of ice due to his enormous range and active stick- he is very difficult to get around, and forces a lot of dump-ins, as well as uncontrolled plays. Ambrosio is effective in boxing opponents out from the net and taking away incursions to the middle, but he can handle bigger attackers in front of the crease when needed. As stated, he can easily outrun (or outmaneuver) forecheckers while retrieving the puck, scans the play thoroughly, and is poised and calculated in his passes out of the zone; he also handles and protects well enough to rush the puck through transition on occasion. In the offensive zone, he will activate once in a while, but mostly keeps things very simple and risk-free, with most of his playmaking consisting of simple feeds and shots on net to create chaos in front of the goalie, and rebounds for his teammates. His shot needs more power and better accuracy though. Look for him in the third-round.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts:

Jan.26th: Despite having to adjust to playing in Canada, native-Texan and right-handed LW/C Landon Amrhein (6'4.5",190lbs) actually had a pretty decent start with the Hitmen (WHL) in his rookie season, with 9 points in his first 11 games. The Hitmen are currently 7th in the 23-team WHL, but they are 10th in goals-for, and Amrhein is finding points a little more difficult to come by lately, with only 8 in his last 15 matches, giving him 23 points in 39 games- which prorates to 37 in 64. He was given a "B"-rating in Central Scouting's Preliminary Rankings, indicating a possible 2nd, or third-round pick, and is currently # 85 for North American Skaters in their Mid-Terms.

Even with disappointing numbers, there will no doubt be some scouts drooling over his immense frame, especially when combined with his long, fluid stride, and deft handling ability in-flight. While he moves around well on smooth mechanics, and exhibits fairly good agility and a tight turn radius on his edges, he still needs some work on his explosiveness and acceleration, but he's like a stallion when galloping at full-speed. Amrhein is a playmaker first, showing well-developed vision and anticipation, with soft-touch passing skill in his feeds, and the ability to find his mark through small holes in traffic. If anything, he would do well to build-up more of a goal-scoring dimension, in order to diversify his offensive profile. Even without stellar numbers, Amrhein actually holds a ton of value in his approach to defense, and he is most often slotted-in on the Hitmen's third-line in a checking role- where he thrives. Using his long reach, extra-wide range, and his mobility, he does an excellent job of removing time and space from attackers, filling lanes, and disrupting plays. While I wouldn't call him a punishing hitter, and he's not particularly mean, he uses his body well in a power-forward role to win board battles, barge his way to the net, establish inside positioning, and park himself in front of the goalie. He has shown that he has the hands to cash in on second-chance opportunities, and beat goalies in-tight, but like C Matthew Gard last year, he could be chosen in the top-64 just based on the merits of his pro-style defensive game, size, and mobility.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts:

Jan.26th: RHC Jack Hextall (5'11.75",188lbs) might be a little underrated; in the low-scoring USHL, he sits 16th in the scoring race, with 37 points (12 goals) in 38 games for the Youngstown Phantoms. Those numbers make him the top-scoring U-18 player in the league, although his ppg (0.97) ties him with Blake Zielinski (0.97), and puts him behind Victor Plante (1.00), Mikey Berchild (1.00), and Tynan Lawrence (1.31), albeit the latter trio has played far less games. He was the best player by a wide margin on Team USA in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, and was tied for 5th in tournament scoring, with 7 points in 5 games- en route to a Championship win (he had 3 points in the Championship game against Team Sweden).

Hexy isn't the biggest guy on the ice, but he is usually the hardest-working and most competitive; he runs on an unrelenting motor, plays with immeasurable grit and fearlessness, pushes an insurmountable pace, and never gives up in battles. While his first-step quickness gets nitpicked, he's an excellent skater who can win races to loose pucks, and separate in open-ice from most pursuers. He is quite strong on his skates and well-balanced, but he's equally strong on the puck, and employs high-end protection skills, as well as outstanding stickhandling prowess- making it hard to take possession from him, and giving him top-tier puck;management. His numbers don't yet reflect his near-elite hockey IQ, but he has massive upside as a possession-driving playmaker who elevates his teammates with high-danger feeds, and always puts them in an advantageous situation. There is rarely an instance when Hextall isn't in the right place, at the right time, in perfect position, and he has the vision to spot seams that few others could see- nevermind pass through. He appears to be a reasonably good shooter as well, and has no problem attacking the net or cutting to the inside, but he most often looks to dish-off; I think he would have a lot more points if he were a little more selfish. Hexy works dilligently in all three zones, can drive transition, and wields a detailed, pro-style defensive game- he is as disruptive as they come, with the anticipation and intensity to limit time and space, block lanes, pick pockets, and intercept passes. He is as noticeable for his stellar play in his own-zone as he is for his abilities in the other end of the ice. He is committed to Michigan State next season, and it is my bet that his offensive numbers will be on a sharp upward trajectory over the next few years.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts:

Jan.26th: The 16th-place Vancouver Giants made some big moves before the WHL Trade Deadline, acquiring Joe Iginla from the Oil Kings, D Kaleb Hartmann from the Thunderbirds, and Mathis Preston from the Chiefs, as well as a host of draft picks, while jettisoning C Tyus Sparks, D Marek Howell, D Colton Alain, C Aaron Obobaifo, and RW Cameron Schmidt. It was hard to say what the move would do for "A"-rated RW Mathis Preston (5'10.75, 177lbs), who was going from the 15th-placed Chiefs to the 16th-place Giants. Preston has had a disappointing year numbers-wise, but was on the upswing at the time of the trade, with 13 points in his previous 10 contests, which put him at 14 goals and 32 points in 36 games on the season- prorated to 57 points in 64 games. Right now, those same Giants are still 16th in the standings, and Preston was able to compile 3 points in 2 games with his new team, before suffering an injury on a knee-on-knee hit that will keep him out week-to-week. Considering that he was able to produce 45 points in 54 games in 2024-25 as a 16 year-old, it's not unreasonable to suggest that he should be showing much better numbers than he is this season. Adding to the disappointment was the fact that he was often Team Canada's best player in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where he was tied for the team lead, and tied for 5th in the tournament, with 4 goals and 7 points in 5 games, en route to a third-place finish.

Preston isn't the biggest player, but he's one of the fastest in this draft crop, with elite speed and agility, and an explosive first-step. He can make defenders scramble and retreat, wins races to loose pucks, and he pushes an insurmountable pace. His puck-skills and IQ are also hovering around an elite level, with quick hands and an even quicker brain that can keep up with his feet; he handles smoothly in-flight with his head up to map out his surroundings. Another elite trait of his is his NHL-caliber shot-release, that can fool goalies from seemingly anywhere on the ice, with the precision to pick corners from distance. With that comes the built-in instincts to locate soft spots in coverage to unleash his laser of a wrister, or to get open for his bomb of a one-timer. As if that wasn't enough, he's also a top-tier playmaker with soft-touch passing-skill, and the vision to spot teammates through small holes in traffic. Preston isn't all about skill though, as he also has the tenacity to battle hard in the trenches for pucks, the willingness to take a hit to make a play, and the fearlessness in driving the net. While his defensive play has inconsistencies in effort and engagement, he's a high-value contributor to his team's transition, either by pass or by carry, and can make clean exits and entries by himself. Despite the disappointing numbers, I still think he'll be picked in the top-20.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts:

Jan.26th: American-born, "C"-rated RHC Tyus Sparks (5'11.25",182lbs) was traded before the WHL Trade Deadline, going to the 15th-place Spokane Chiefs from the 16th-place Vancouver Giants, where he was enjoying a good season- with 16 goals and 37 points in 40 games, including 14 points in his previous 10 tilts. Since the trade, he has posted 3 goals and 5 points in 6 games with his new team, for a total of 42 points in 46 games- prorated to 64 points in 69 games. He is currently ranked as the # 63 North American Skater by Central Scouting in their Mid-Terms. Wherever this kid goes in his career, he is going to be a fan-favorite.

Sparks isn't big in stature, but he's got tons of heart; he never backs down from a battle, and can't be outworked. He is as competitive, tenacious, and aggressive as they come, and he runs on relentless motor, winning battles along the boards and in front of the net, while wielding a robust physical game. He is a powerful skater with strong edges that he uses to fool defenders with delays and changes of direction and speed, but he can also separate from pursuers in open-ice, and pushes incredible pace. While he's mostly a quick-touch player, and usually relies on the give-and-go in transition, he can also force defenders back when driving the middle through the neutral zone. Sparks is a gifted goal-scorer, with a wide array of lethal shots- from his blistering one-timer, to his laser wrister, and he has a nose for the net, as well as the hands to beat goalies in-tight. There is no fear in him to drive the net, and he has strong spatial awareness that gives him the ability to find open lanes to move through, as well as pockets of space in the slot to get open in. Inconsistencies in the precision of his passes has been brought up a lot, as has the level of his puck-skills, but he has the vision to drive play, and the passing-skill to create opportunities for teammates at times. He is a shooter first though, and his high-volume of shots is a facilitator for second-chance opportunities for teammates with the way he funnels pucks to the net. Sparks works just as hard on the backcheck as he does on the forecheck, and he is highly disruptive in both scenarios, but he is a highly engaged and detailed defensive player with heightened awareness, a willingness to throw his weight around, and well-timed stickwork to kill plays. If he can keep up his numbers with Spokane, look for him in the second-round.