Who was selected first overall in the 2026 NHL Draft?

Gavin McKenna was chosen first overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs. He played at Penn State in the NCAA and stands 6 feet tall weighing 170 pounds. The selection marked Toronto's first No. 1 pick since 2016.

How many first-round picks did the Buffalo Sabres acquire?

Buffalo ended up with three first-round selections at Nos. 4, 20 and 27. The team completed five separate pre-draft transactions to obtain the assets from Chicago, Edmonton and San Jose. This gave the Sabres the most selections among all clubs.

Which team traded Mason McTavish on draft day?

The Anaheim Ducks sent Mason McTavish to St. Louis in exchange for picks 15 and 29. Those selections originally belonged to Detroit and Colorado before reaching Anaheim through prior deals. The move allowed Anaheim to add forward depth while St. Louis gained extra first-round capital.

What happened to the Ottawa Senators original first-round pick?

Ottawa forfeited its 2026 first-round pick as part of a prior NHL penalty but received the 32nd overall selection instead on March 12 2026. The team also acquired picks 9 and 25 from Florida and Tampa Bay in the Brady Tkachuk trade. A potential re-draw remains possible if Ottawa misses the playoffs and wins the lottery.

Which prospect measured 6 feet 5 inches and 230 pounds?

Ethan Belchetz was selected 17th overall by Utah after the team traded up from pick 19. He played for Windsor in the OHL and stands 6 feet 5 inches tall at 230 pounds. The size and skill combination made him a target for teams seeking physical forwards.

2026 Nhl Draft First Round Reshapes Rosters Through Trades

Gavin McKenna went first overall to Toronto at 6 feet and 170 pounds from Penn State NCAA.

Pre-Draft Trade Activity Sets Stage

Buffalo acquired the No. 4 pick from Chicago along with a 2026 second-round pick and Louis Crevier in exchange for Bowen Byram and Jordan Greenway. The Sabres then added the No. 20 pick from Edmonton via San Jose and the No. 27 pick in a separate swap that sent Ryan Kesselring to the Oilers.

St. Louis collected the No. 15 pick from Detroit plus a third-rounder, Justin Holl and Dmitri Buchelnikov for Justin Faulk. The Blues later received the No. 16 pick from Washington along with Connor McMichael and Milton Gastrin for Jordan Kyrou, giving them two consecutive first-round selections.

Ottawa obtained the No. 9 and No. 25 picks from Florida and Tampa Bay respectively as part of the Brady Tkachuk deal that also included a 2029 first-round pick and a 2030 second-round pick. Vancouver received the No. 24 pick plus Marco Rossi, Liam Ohgren and Zeev Buium from Minnesota for Quinn Hughes.

Draft Night Order and Late Swaps

Ivar Stenberg went second to San Jose at 6 feet and 190 pounds from Frolunda SWE J20. Caleb Malhotra followed at No. 3 to Vancouver at 6 feet 2 inches and 185 pounds from Brantford OHL.

Daxon Rudolph was taken fourth by Buffalo at 6 feet 3 inches and 205 pounds from Prince Albert WHL. Alberts Smits went fifth to the Rangers at 6 feet 3 inches and 209 pounds from Munchen Germany.

Utah swapped its original No. 19 pick with Los Angeles to move up to No. 17 for Ethan Belchetz while sending the Kings a 2026 third-round pick. Vegas acquired the No. 26 pick from Dallas via New York Rangers and Carolina in the Pavel Dorofeyev trade that also included a conditional 2028 first-rounder.

Anaheim received the No. 15 and No. 29 picks from St. Louis in exchange for Mason McTavish, completing a three-team sequence that originated with Detroit and Colorado assets.

Talent Distribution After Fourteen Trades

Chase Reid went seventh to Seattle at 6 feet 3 inches and 190 pounds from Sault Ste. Marie OHL. Viggo Bjorck was selected eighth by Winnipeg at 5 feet 9 inches and 180 pounds from Djurgarden SWE J20.

Keaton Verhoeff landed ninth with San Jose at 6 feet 4 inches and 215 pounds from North Dakota NCAA after Florida’s original pick arrived via Ottawa. Wyatt Cullen went tenth to Nashville at 6 feet 1 inch and 183 pounds from USNTDP U18.

The remaining first-round selections from 19 through 32 were completed after the fourteen total trades redistributed assets, leaving original owners with fewer high selections than they held on June 1 2026.

2026 Nhl Draft First Round Reshapes Rosters Through Trades

Pre-Draft Trade Activity Sets Stage

Draft Night Order and Late Swaps

Talent Distribution After Fourteen Trades

Frequently Asked Questions

Par Mike Jonderson