2026 NHL Draft Grades: Sharks and Maple Leafs Excel

The San Jose Sharks secured three standout first-round talents including two elite defensive prospects after already holding the NHL’s top prospect pool.

Sharks and Maple Leafs Secure Top Marks

The San Jose Sharks earned an A+ grade by selecting Ivar Stenberg, Keaton Verhoeff and Ryan Lin in the first round. This approach added a pro-ready winger alongside two high-end defenders to an already elite prospect pool. The selections addressed defensive needs while capturing best-available talent at each slot.

Toronto Maple Leafs also received an A+ after trading Brandon Carlo to acquire six picks in the top 100. They drafted Gavin McKenna along with defenders Alexander Bilecki at pick 60 and Ethan MacKenzie in the third round. The strategy balanced short-term roster help with long-term depth at multiple positions.

Vancouver Canucks earned an A+ by landing Caleb Malhotra as the headline pick followed by Adam Novotny, Brooks Rogowski and Niklas Aaram-Olsen. Their scouting department demonstrated strength in evaluating talent beyond the first round.

Nashville Predators received an A grade after selecting Wyatt Cullen at 10th overall and adding Tommy Bleyl at pick 31 along with goaltender Dmitry Borichev at 70th. The moves targeted dynamic forwards and mobile defenders.

Mid and Lower Grades Show Contrasting Approaches

Seattle Kraken earned an A by drafting Chase Reid, viewed as a potential top-five talent, and Casey Mutryn in the second round to add physicality and scoring.

Columbus Blue Jackets posted a B- after selecting Oscar Hemming at 13th overall and Alessandro Di Iorio in the third round. Hemming offers middle-six potential despite limited NCAA production.

Chicago Blackhawks received a B with Xavier Villeneuve and Ryan Roobroeck after their stocks dropped. The picks provide offensive upside missing from prior defensive selections.

Pittsburgh Penguins earned a B- by adding the Ruck twins plus Tomas Galvas and Pierce Mbuyi. The class emphasizes skilled but undersized forwards with limited profile diversity.

Draft Risks Highlighted by Bottom Performers

Ottawa Senators received a C+ after targeting Jaxon Cover and Jonas Lagerberg Hoen. The selections carried lower value relative to draft positions and could have been acquired later.

Philadelphia Flyers posted a C grade after taking Maksim Sokolovskii at 27th overall. The 6-foot-8 defenseman offers shutdown traits but minimal upside compared to earlier rounds.

Tampa Bay Lightning earned a D after selecting Oleg Kulebyakin at 52nd overall. With one of the league’s weakest prospect pools the move represented a high-risk choice without substantial system boost.

The 2026 draft featured 6 first-round selections by the Maple Leafs and 3 by the Sharks that directly addressed positional gaps.