2026 NHL Draft - Top 10 Rankings (December)
Ranking the 2026 NHL Draft at the one-third mark of the season.
The 2026 NHL Draft is still a ways away, but it’s not too early to start talking about it. Here are my top-10 rankings, explained in a bit of detail.
1. Ivar Stenberg, W, Frölunda HC (SHL)
Do I think Ivar Stenberg will go first overall? No, probably not. But he has earned the right to be in the conversation at this point.
With 24 points (six goals, 18 assists) in 25 games this season, Stenberg is on pace to break the all-time record for draft-year scoring in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). The top two spots are held by twin brother Hall of Famers Daniel and Henrik Sedin, mind you (42 points in 50 games, 34 points in 49 games).
Stenberg is a dominant puck-carrier with the hands, hockey sense, and playmaking ability to break down defenses. His two-way game is better than most elite point-getters, responsible in his own zone so he can carry the puck the other way.
Being the best player on a Frölunda HC team with a 21–4–0 record says a lot about Stenberg. The SHL is arguably the second or third-best league in the entire world, and he has mastered it.
2. Gavin McKenna, W, Penn State University (NCAA)
I won’t galaxy-brain this one too much. In his draft-minus-one season, Gavin McKenna blew Connor Bedard’s numbers at that age out of the water—29 more points in six fewer games in the Western Hockey League (WHL). While the “generational” label might have been a tad premature, how could you argue against it?
McKenna is playing in college this season, so it’s a step-up league-wise. He’s averaging 21:30 of ice time per game and has 18 points (four goals, 14 assists) in 16 games. That’s pretty solid for a 17-year-old freshman, but others in this class are doing objectively better.
A month-long break for his Penn State University squad can partially be blamed for his falling stock. He’ll be at the 2026 World Junior Championship for Canada, where he hopes to dominate. Keep an eye out for his elite playmaking.
3. Keaton Verhoeff, D, University of North Dakota (NCAA)
Keaton Verhoeff also made the transition to the NCAA this season following an impressive WHL campaign in 2024–25. Becoming the first defenseman his age to record a 20-goal season in four decades, he was the very early favorite to go second overall in this class. I’m a little lower on him than I was, but not too much has changed.
With 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in 16 games as a freshman, he’s producing at an admirable rate. But don’t think Verhoeff is an offensively minded player. Fantastic defensively and boasting good size, this is a special prospect.
I considered Verhoeff a generational prospect back in the summer (a term I use loosely, admittedly). With other defensemen creeping up on him, perhaps that claim was a bit too bullish, but this is still an excellent player.
4. Tynan Lawrence, C, Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
