Updated

Updated · The New York Times · Jun 26

Toronto Projected to Take Gavin McKenna at No. 1 as 2026 NHL Draft Intrigue Starts at No. 2

Updated

Updated · The New York Times · Jun 26

Toronto Projected to Take Gavin McKenna at No. 1 as 2026 NHL Draft Intrigue Starts at No. 2

Q: Defensemen dominate the top ten, but which overlooked forward will emerge as the biggest steal of this draft?

Nikita Klepov looks like the best bet to become the biggest forward steal of this draft. Among the non-top-10 forwards, Klepov stands out on production alone: he is projected to go No. 17 to Los Angeles after leading the OHL with 97 points. In a draft where defensemen are expected to flood the top of the board, that kind of scoring profile gives him a strong chance to outperform his slot. The Kings are also specifically described as seeking high-end skill, which suggests a clean developmental fit rather than a reach. Several other forwards could challenge him. Viggo Bjorck, projected at No. 8 to Winnipeg, has elite vision and strong playmaking traits, but he is not really “overlooked” if he goes in the top 10. Oscar Hemming at No. 15 has intriguing upside, yet the reporting frames him as raw, which usually means a longer path and more volatility. Marcus Nordmark at No. 32 is the classic boom-or-bust swing, but that label also makes him a riskier answer. If the question is which overlooked forward could most clearly beat expectations, Klepov has the strongest evidence base: elite junior scoring, a projected mid-first-round slot that leaves room for surplus value, and a team need that should give him opportunity. In a defense-heavy first round, he is the forward most likely to make teams regret passing on him.

3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 26

Gavin McKenna remains the projected No. 1 pick, with Toronto expected to choose the Penn State winger over other options because of his perceived 100-point upside and difference-maker potential.
San Jose drives the early uncertainty at No. 2, where late buzz has shifted slightly from Chase Reid toward Ivar Stenberg, though both remain firmly in play.
Vancouver at No. 3 and Buffalo at No. 4 round out a fluid top four, with Reid now edging Caleb Malhotra for the Canucks before the Sabres potentially land the center.
Uncertainty widens from No. 5 onward: the Rangers are tentatively linked to Alberts Smits, while Carson Carels, Daxon Rudolph, Keaton Verhoeff and Viggo Björck headline a tightly packed next tier.
St. Louis stands out deeper in the round with 4 first-round picks, giving the Blues unusual flexibility to target multiple forwards after the top of the board settles.