NHL Draft grades 2026: Live results and analysis for every pick in Round 1

The day is finally here, the first round of the 2026 NHL draft commences tonight. 

The NHL draft begins at 7 p.m. ET and can be viewed on Sportsnet and TVA Sports. 

Plenty of fireworks are expected tonight, as the days leading up to the draft have been filled with trades, rumors, and plenty of different implications. Tonight will be a night for players to begin new journeys as they fulfill a lifelong dream.

The 2026 class is headlined by players like Gavin McKenna, Ivar Stenberg, and Chase Reid, all of whom could change a franchise overnight. 

Throughout the days leading up to the NHL draft, we’ve completed multiple mock drafts, one completed by Eric Cruikshank and Frank Zawrazky, ranked players by position, starting with goaltenders, defenseman, wingers, and centers, and analyzed player fits for several teams.

As each pick is revealed, we will provide a grade and an analysis of who the player is and what he can provide the team. 

Follow along to stay informed of all 32 picks of the NHL draft. 

Round 1

1. Toronto Maple Leafs: Gavin McKenna, LW, Penn State

• Grade A+

Not much needs to be said about this selection. No player in the draft has a higher ceiling than Gavin McKenna. The 18-year-old is the best playmaker in the draft, and the fit with the Toronto Maple Leafs is perfect. Auston Matthews is arguably the best goal scorer in the league, and pairing him with a playmaker like McKenna should work wonderfully. 

MORE: Drafting Gavin McKenna is the only option for the Maple Leafs at the 2026 NHL draft

2. San Jose Sharks: Ivar Stenberg, LW, Frolunda (Swe.)

• Grade A+

The second-best player in this draft is Ivar Stenberg, and now he’ll join a young and skilled top six. Stenberg doesn’t have the offensive ceiling that McKenna possesses, but his all-around game is very polished at 18 years old. Whether he plays alongside Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith on the top line or with Michael Misa, Stenberg will elevate his line and will contribute at a high level from Day 1.

3. Vancouver Canucks

4. Buffalo Sabres (from Chicago)

5. New York Rangers

6. Calgary Flames

7. Seattle Kraken

8. Winnipeg Jets

9. San Jose Sharks (from Florida via Ottawa)

10. Nashville Predators

11. St. Louis Blues

12. New Jersey Devils

13. New York Islanders

14. Columbus Blue Jackets

15. St. Louis Blues (from Detroit)

16. St. Louis Blues (from Washington)

17. Los Angeles Kings

18. Washington Capitals (from Anaheim)

19. Boston Bruins (from Utah)

20. Buffalo Sabres (from Edmonton via San Jose)

21. Philadelphia Flyers

22. Pittsburgh Penguins

23. Boston Bruins

24. Vancouver Canucks (from Minnesota)

25. Ottawa Senators (from Tampa Bay via Seattle and Florida)

26. New York Rangers (from Dallas via Carolina)

27. San Jose Sharks (from Buffalo)

28. Montreal Canadiens

29. St. Louis Blues (from Colorado via New York Islanders)

30. Calgary Flames (from Vegas)

31. Carolina Hurricanes

32. Ottawa Senators