Next Generation Of Hockey: Top Five Prospects For 2026 NHL Draft
- therookiereporters
- Jun 26
- 5 min read
The 2026 NHL Draft takes place on June 26-27 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, with the Toronto Maple Leafs holding the No. 1 overall pick. Here is a look at the top five prospects ahead of the draft.
A new wave of young talent is about to enter the National Hockey League (NHL) during the NHL Draft taking place on June 26 and June 27. According to NHL Center Scouting, these are the top five prospects with the highest chance of making the league.
The NHL Draft is an annual event in which the league’s 32 teams select young players to build their rosters for years to come. The 2026 NHL Draft is held at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York, with the first round taking place on June 26, and rounds two through seven following on June 27.
This year’s draft order was set by the NHL Draft Lottery, won by the Toronto Maple Leafs who now hold the No. 1 overall pick, with the San Jose Sharks taking the second selection and the Vancouver Canucks with the third.
Gavin McKenna
Canadian forward Gavin McKenna (18) is projected to be the top selection in this year’s draft. From 2022 to 2025, he played for three seasons in the Western Hockey League (WHL) with the Medicine Hat Tigers, and now he has joined the Penn State Nittany Lions.
McKenna was the first Yukon-born player to be drafted first overall in the Western Hockey League. In his first full WHL season in 2023-24, he recorded 34 goals and 97 points. In recognition of his achievements, he received the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy as the WHL’s rookie of the year.
Ahead of the 2024-25 season, Gavin McKenna was named as alternate captain for the Medicine Hat Tigers. He recorded 41 goals and a league-leading 88 assists, earning him 129 points.
Gavin McKenna made his international debut for the Canadian under-18 team at the 2024 World U18 Championships. He led team Canada in scoring with 10 goals and 10 assists across seven games, helping the team to the gold medal. He also helped Canada win bronze at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship.
Chase Reid
Chase Reid (18) is an American ice hockey defenseman for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).
Chase Reid was originally a forward before switching to defenseman on his father’s advice. He played hockey with the Victory Honda AAA program from 2021 to 2024.
During the 2023 OHL Draft, Reid was selected by the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in the seventh round. In August 2024, he committed to play collegiate ice hockey for the Michigan State Spartans.
In December 2024, Chase Reid obtained a release from USA Hockey and joined the Greyhounds, making his debut shortly afterwards. He was named the OHL Rookie of the Month and the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) Team of the Month in January 2025. He finished the 2024-25 season with seven goals and 33 assists in 39 games.
He made his international debut for the United States at the 2026 World Junior Championship after being named to the U.S. junior national team in December 2025. He recorded two goals and two assists in five games before Team USA was eliminated in the quarterfinals.
Carson Carels
Canadian Carson Carels (17) is a defenseman for the North Dakota Fighting Hawks after having previously played for the Prince George Cougars.
He enrolled at the Pilot Mound Hockey Academy before ninth grade, posting strong totals with the program’s U15 and U17 teams. After his performance during the 2022-23 season, he was selected by the Prince George Cougars with the 15th overall pick in the WHL Draft.
For most of the 2023-24 season, Caron Carels played for the Pilot Mound, posting 50 points while being named the team’s most valuable player and a league all-star. He also played seven games for Prince George, posting three assists.
As a rookie for the Cougars during the 2024-2025 season, Carels was named the Cougars rookie of the year after finishing with 35 points in 60 games played. The following season he was named an alternate captain for the team.
On the international level, Carels helped Team Canada Red to a silver medal at the 2024 World U17 Hockey Challenge. He also represented Canada at the 2026 World Junior Championships, where he recorded one assist in five games and won a bronze medal.
Keaton Verhoeff
Keaton Verhoeff (18) is a Canadian college defenseman for the North Dakota Fighting Hawks. He previously played for the Victoria Royals of the Western Hockey League.
Verhoeff originally began playing hockey as a goaltender before switching to defense at age 12. During the 2023 WHL Draft, he was drafted by the Victoria Royals fourth overall, making his debut with the team on December 5, 2023.
He entered his first full season with high expectations, and eventually finished the season with 21 goals and 24 assists, setting the franchise record for goals by a defenseman.
The Canadian has represented Canada on the international stage on multiple occasions. He played for the team during the 2024 World U17 Hockey Challenge, and the 2025 World U18 Championships, where he won gold both times.
He also captained Canada White in 2024, and served as an alternate captain at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where Canada won a bronze medal. In December 2025, he was selected to represent Canada at the 2026 World Junior Championship, where he recorded four assists in five games and won a bronze medal.
Daxon Rudolph
Daxon Rudolph (18) is a Canadian defenseman for the Prince Albert Raiders of the Western Hockey League.
He played for the Red Deer Rebels U15 AAA program during the 2021-22 season, finishing with two goals and 22 assists. The following season he joined the Northern Alberta Xtreme U15 team, finishing with 50 points in 30 games.
In 2023, Daxon Rudolph was selected first overall in the WHL bantam draft by the Prince Albert Raiders. He spent the 2023-2024 season with Xtreme’s U18 team, scoring 59 points from 22 goals and 37 assists.
He joined the Raiders for the 2024-25 season, ending the season with seven goals and 34 assists in 64 games. He ranked fifth among the league’s rookies in assists, as well as fourth among rookie defenseman in points.
Daxon Rudolph was a member of Canada’s team at the 2024 Winter Youth Olympics in South Korea, appearing in four games. That same year he won a gold medal with Canada White at the 2024 World U17 Hockey Challenge.
Additionally, he appeared in one game for Canada at the 2025 IIHF World U18 Championships and won a gold medal. He was also a member of Canada’s team at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, helping the team to a bronze medal by scoring four points in five games.
Article written by Jana Van Nieuwenborgh
