2026 NHL Draft Hype

[Pokecheque]

So...maybe not Gavin McKenna then?

I thought given the hype around him that we'd see more teams tanking, but nope.

https://hockeyprospect.com/2026-nhl-dra ... -november/

[Pokecheque]

Just for reference here were the final regular season standings.

32. Vancouver
31. Chicago
30. NY Rangers
29. Calgary
28. Toronto
27. Seattle
26. Winnipeg
25. Florida
24. San Jose
23. Nashville
22. St. Louis
21. New Jersey
...
19. NY Islanders
...
17. Columbus
16. Detroit
---
12. Washington

https://www.nhl.com/standings/2026-04-17/league

Boy that drives home just how bad the Western Conference (especially the Pacific) was this year since a bunch of those crappy teams actually made the postseason.

Lottery results!

https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/486 ... -prospects

1. Toronto Maple Leafs
2. San Jose Sharks
3. Vancouver Canucks
4. Chicago Blackhawks
5. New York Rangers
6. Calgary Flames
7. Seattle Kraken
8. Winnipeg Jets
9. Florida Panthers
10. Nashville Predators
11. St. Louis Blues
12. New Jersey Devils
13. New York Islanders
14. Columbus Blue Jackets
15. St. Louis Blues (from DET)
16. Washington Capitals

Toronto moves up, San Jose moves WAY up, bunch of other teams slip down.

Florida keeps their first rounder this year from the Seth Jones deal, Detroit loses theirs to St. Louis in the Justin Faulk deal.

[Scott 679]

Boy that drives home just how bad the Western Conference (especially the Pacific) was this year since a bunch of those crappy teams actually made the postseason.

Not one team in the pacific would have made the playoffs if they were in the East.

[Pokecheque]

Lots of talk about teams trading down, but I doubt anyone will. Just not worth it.

[Logical Progression]

Always big talk about trading down but no one ever does it.

[Pokecheque]

Always big talk about trading down but no one ever does it.

Was Florida trading down to allow the Canucks to draft both Sedins the last time someone with a lottery pick did it?

[Logical Progression]

Could very well be, 1999? There must be more modern examples of GMs with the same intestinal fortitude shown by Burke.

I think it was Tampa and the Thrashers involved as the Canucks already had the 3rd overall pick (?) and got the 1st overall pick and then traded for #2 once Burke found out the Thrashers were going to take Patrick Stephan at #1.

Can I interest you in Markus & Liam Ruck?

[Pokecheque]

Could very well be, 1999? There must be more modern examples of GMs with the same intestinal fortitude shown by Burke.

I think it was Tampa and the Thrashers involved as the Canucks already had the 3rd overall pick (?) and got the 1st overall pick and then traded for #2 once Burke found out the Thrashers were going to take Patrick Stephan at #1.

Can I interest you in Markus & Liam Ruck?

My bad, you were right, it was Tampa. According to Wikipedia it went like this:

As a result of the draft lottery, the first three picks going into draft day were held by the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Atlanta Thrashers expansion team, and the Vancouver Canucks, respectively. The Canucks were determined to select both Sedins and therefore initiated a trading carousel involving multiple teams. After the trading was done, the Lightning had traded out of the first round altogether while the Thrashers held the first overall pick. However, Atlanta had also agreed not to draft either of the Sedin twins. The Thrashers therefore selected Stefan while the Canucks used the second and third picks to select the Sedins

From the way Burke likes to tell it, he essentially got in Rick Dudley's face and wouldn't take no for an answer. Somehow the Rangers got pick #4 and ended up with Pavel Brendl. Good thing the Canucks did what they did because this was one of the worst drafts in NHL history. The Sedins (first round), Ryan Miller (fifth round), and Henrik Zetterberg (seventh round) were by far the best players taken.

[Chris18]

It wasn't nearly as high a pick, but the Isles traded down from 7th to 9th to pick Josh Bailey in 2008. Said they'd targeted Bailey for their pick all along so they saw it as a great move.

[E.L.]

Gavin McKenna’s mom arrested for giving booze to minors. Enjoy your pick, Toronto.

[Logical Progression]

Gavin McKenna’s mom arrested for giving booze to minors. Enjoy your pick, Toronto.

[harmfuljays]

Draft is the 26th...

https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/compl ... 05295.html

Flames at 6 looking at some swedes.

Bruins taking whatever they can get at 23......

[E.L.]

Already two top 10 picks dealt!

[harmfuljays]

https://puckpedia.com/nhl-draft-tracker

Is Malhotra a lock for the Canucks at 3?

[E.L.]

[E.L.]

Went mostly according to plan. Gavin no. 1.

[Fogghorn]

If I was to mash together all the reports of the Nucks drafts, then summarize, it would sound like, "great size, needs to work on their skating"