The opening round of the 2026 NHL Draft featured elite offensive talent, high-end defencemen, and several memorable moments, highlighted by the Toronto Maple Leafs selecting Gavin McKenna with the first overall pick.
Top 10 Picks
1. Toronto Maple Leafs – Gavin McKenna, LW
2. San Jose Sharks – Ivar Stenberg, LW
3. Vancouver Canucks – Caleb Malhotra, C
4. Buffalo Sabres – Daxon Rudolph, D
5. New York Rangers – Alberts Smits, D
6. Chicago Blackhawks – Chase Reid, D
7. Nashville Predators – Keaton Verhoeff, D
8. Seattle Kraken – Viggo Björck, C
9. Philadelphia Flyers – Carson Carels, D
10. Utah Mammoth – Ethan Belchetz, LW
Other Notable First-Round Picks
– 14. Boston Bruins – Oscar Hemming, D
– 15. Anaheim Ducks – Nikita Klepov, RW
– 20. Buffalo Sabres – Ilia Morozov, C
– 23. Detroit Red Wings – J.P. Hurlbert, RW
– 32. Ottawa Senators – Jaxon Cover, RW
Toronto’s selection of Gavin McKenna capped a historic night for the franchise, as the Yukon native became the first overall pick after a standout season at Penn State. The Sharks followed by selecting Swedish winger Ivar Stenberg, while Vancouver chose centre Caleb Malhotra, the son of Canucks head coach Manny Malhotra.
