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Nhl Draft

All articles tagged with #nhl draft

sports11 days ago•11 min saved

USA unleashes star-powered 47-player roster for 2026 World Junior Summer Showcase

The United States announced a 47-player roster for the 2026 World Junior Summer Showcase in Windsor, Ontario (July 26–Aug. 1), the first evaluation step for the 2027 WJC. Headlining are top-10 2026 NHL Draft picks Chase Reid (No. 7, Kraken) and Wyatt Cullen (No. 10, Predators), both returning WJC players; Reid had four points in five games at the 2026 WJC and Cullen posted 45 points for USA NTDP U-18. USA aims to rebound after finishing fifth in 2026; Adam Nightingale will coach. Sweden released its roster with four 2026 first-rounders. The 2027 WJC will be in Edmonton/Red Deer; the U.S. is in Group B with Finland, Germany, Slovakia and Sweden. The squad also includes several other 2025–26 first-round picks.

via NHL.com|

#junior-hockey #nhl-draft #sports

sports11 days ago•16 min saved

Surprise late-rounders take center stage in 2026 NHL Draft scouting blitz

Elite Prospects released updated scouting reports on 16 surprise picks from the 2026 NHL Draft, expanding beyond their Draft Guide coverage of 207 of 223 selections. The profiles cover Connor Davis, Tyler Deakos, Parker Von Richter, Finn Kearns, Mikhail Cherepanov, Cullen McCrate, Ryan Cameron, Jimmy Rieber, Daniil Rusakovich, Carl Axelsson, Luken Huff, Bobby Cowan, Artyom Prima, Darian Anderson, Max Vilén, and Quinn McKenzie, detailing strengths, weaknesses, and likely pro trajectories. The full reports and grades are in the updated web version of the 2026 NHL Draft Guide.

via Elite Prospects|

#elite-prospects #hockey #late-round-picks

sports12 days ago•31 min saved

Dubas' brick-by-brick rebuild could shape the Penguins' future

Dejan Kovacevic argues that Kyle Dubas’ patient, brick-by-brick rebuild—focusing on asset management and developing a young core—may be a smarter path for the Penguins than big off-season splashes, with patience and time guiding their long-term blueprint.

via DK Pittsburgh Sports|

#development-camp #kyle-dubas #nhl-draft

sports13 days ago•2 min saved

Lightning land 18-year-old forward Oleg Kulebiakin at No. 52 in 2026 NHL Draft

The Tampa Bay Lightning selected 18-year-old forward Oleg Kulebiakin with the 52nd pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, acquiring the selection from the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for picks 58 and 133. A 5'11", left-shooting forward from St. Petersburg, Russia, Kulebiakin starred for the Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL) with 29 goals, 44 assists, and 73 points in 64 games this season and is committed to UMass for 2027-28; he finished tied for 17th in QMJHL scoring in 2025-26.

via NHL.com|

#halifax-mooseheads #nhl #nhl-draft

sports13 days ago•4 min saved

Maple Leafs select Gavin McKenna No. 1, signaling Yukon-born rebuild cornerstone

Toronto used the No. 1 pick to select Gavin McKenna, an 18-year-old Penn State forward from Whitehorse, marking a rebuild move as Bieber helped announce him and Auston Matthews sent a welcome video; the first round also included Vancouver taking Caleb Malhotra at No. 3, a run on defensemen, and several trades that reshaped the draft landscape.

via NBC Sports|

#auston-matthews #gavin-mckenna #maple-leafs

sports14 days ago•5 min saved

Wild land three new prospects in the 2026 NHL Draft

The Minnesota Wild used the 2026 Upper Deck NHL Draft in Buffalo to add three prospects: Adam Andersson (No. 83, 3rd round), a 6'4", 218-pound Swedish center who had 17 points in 30 U20 games with Leksands and helped Sweden win the U18 gold; Kayden Lemire (No. 112, 4th), a 6'4", 187-pound Canadian forward who had 29 points in 68 WHL games with the Prince George Cougars; and Filip Ruzicka (No. 137, 5th), a 6'8", 229-pound Czech goaltender who went 26-14-1 with a 3.19 GAA and .906 SV% in 42 WHL games with Brandon, plus strong playoff numbers. All three were acquired via trades: Andersson from the LA Kings (for picks 89 and 153), Lemire from Columbus (for picks 121 and 185). Wild scouts praised their size, two-way potential, and net-front presence as they develop toward future NHL roles.

via NHL.com|

#goaltender #nhl-draft #prospects

sports14 days ago•18 min saved

Penguins land Ruck twins, fulfilling a shared draft dream

At the 2026 NHL Draft, Liam Ruck went No. 22 in the first round and his twin Markus was taken No. 39 in the second, letting the brothers realize their shared dream of being drafted together by the Penguins. The Medicine Hat teammates dominated WHL scoring this season (Markus 108 points, Liam 104), and their family celebrated as they begin a joint NHL journey with Pittsburgh.

via NHL.com|

#nhl #nhl-draft #penguins

sports14 days ago•15 min saved

Maple Leafs land top prize as 2026 NHL Draft grades crown their haul

The Athletic analyzes the 2026 NHL Draft by grading each team on how much talent they added to their farm system, ranking teams by letter grades and providing team-by-team breakdowns (without judging scouting quality or fit). The centerpiece is Toronto’s A+ for landing Gavin McKenna (the draft’s No. 1 pick) plus strong Day 2 additions; other clubs receive grades from A to C across a detailed round-up of every franchise, with links to full analyses for each team.

via The New York Times|

#draft-grades #hockey #nhl

sports14 days ago•5 min saved

The Quiet Giant's Draft Path: Maksim Sokolovskii

At 6'7", Kazakh defenseman Maksim Sokolovskii joined the London Knights and was selected 27th overall in the 2026 NHL Draft; he uses his size and mobility to impact the game, but his puck-handling and shooting need work. He posted 44 games with 2 goals, 6 assists, 8 points and 49 PIM in 2025-26, plus 5 playoff games with 4 PIM, and will return to the OHL for another season before heading to Maine in 2027-28, with Danny Briere suggesting he could become a top-four NHL defenseman.

via NHL.com|

#hockey #london-knights #nhl-draft

sports14 days ago•10 min saved

Knights Boost Draft Capital After Dorofeyev Trade

Vegas Golden Knights GM Kelly McCrimmon traded winger Pavel Dorofeyev to the New York Rangers for three picks (two first-rounders and a 2026 third) and then added two more by trading down, giving Vegas five future selections and salary-cap flexibility. In the same draft, Vegas drafted Finnish defenseman Juho Piiparinen 29th overall and secured additional picks for 2028 and 2026–27. Dorofeyev reportedly signed a seven-year, $11 million-AAV contract with the Rangers after the deal, underscoring Vegas’s ongoing strategy of aggressive acquisition and prudent money management in a salary-cap era.

via NHL.com|

#juho-piiparinen #nhl-draft #pavel-dorofeyev

sports14 days ago•1 min saved

Bieber Joins Maple Leafs to Unveil No. 1 Draft Pick Gavin McKenna

The Toronto Maple Leafs selected Gavin McKenna with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NHL draft, with Justin Bieber on hand to welcome the Penn State standout. McKenna had a standout 2025-26 season for Penn State (Big Ten Freshman of the Year and scoring leader) after a WHL stint with Medicine Hat, and Toronto is reshaping its roster after a 32-36-14 campaign, including the signing-trade acquisition of defenseman Darren Raddysh under GM John Chayka.

via Bleacher Report|

#gavin-mckenna #justin-bieber #nhl-draft

sports14 days ago•0 min saved

Penguins chase draft gains as Day 2 kicks off in Buffalo

Day 2 of the NHL Draft in Buffalo begins at 11:00am ET with rounds 2–7 to be completed; Pittsburgh Penguins hold two second-round picks (39, 54), a third-round pick (86), and a sixth-round pick (170) after Day 1 saw Liam Ruck drafted 22nd overall by the Penguins. Watch on NHL Network or ESPN+.

via PensBurgh|

#buffalo #hockey #nhl

sports14 days ago•15 min saved

Sabres stack Day 2 with three new NHL Draft prospects

Day 2 of the NHL Draft at KeyBank Center sees Buffalo add three picks (Round 4 124th: Olivers Murnieks; Round 5 156th: Doman Szongoth; Round 6 188th: unnamed in the article) after opening Day 1 with Daxon Rudolph (4th overall) and Ilia Morozov (20th). Rudolph, a high-scoring right-shot defenseman, and Morozov, a hardworking two-way forward who moved from Russia, head Buffalo’s 2026 class. Murnieks is a Latvian 6'1" forward/center who played for Saint John and will attend Boston College, while Szongoth is a 6'0" Hungarian-born center with a strong Finland U20 résumé and hockey pedigree. The team will continue coverage of the class throughout Day 2.

via NHL.com|

#buffalo-sabres #hockey #nhl-draft

sports14 days ago•9 min saved

Sabres land two-way forward Morozov at No. 20

Buffalo used the 20th pick in the 2026 NHL Draft to select forward Ilia Morozov, a Moscow-born, U.S.-raised player who starred as a Miami University (Ohio) freshman with 20 points in 36 games. NHL Central Scouting ranked him 10th among North American skaters and praised his pace, two-way IQ, and deceptive release, with TSN’s Craig Button comparing him to Jordan Staal.

via NHL.com|

#buffalo-sabres #ilia-morozov #nhl

sports14 days ago•3 min saved

Ducks Deal McTavish to Blues for Nos. 15 and 29 Draft Picks

In a draft-night swap, Anaheim traded forward Mason McTavish to St. Louis for the Nos. 15 and 29 overall picks, with the Ducks using No. 15 to select Nikita Klepov. McTavish, 23, had 17 goals and 41 points this season on a six-year, $42 million contract, and is viewed as a versatile, center-capable forward who can play wing but struggled at times; the Blues add a young, physical forward to bolster their long-term core as they continue to rebuild around a youthful group.

via The New York Times|

#anaheim-ducks #mason-mctavish #nhl