Final 2026 NHL draft rankings: Projections for top prospects - ESPN

NHL draft week is here. Management and scouting staffs have assembled in their respective cities — hopefully for the last time if the centralized draft returns — and final list tinkering is well underway. Teams have all the information they can gather and will make decisions on which players go where on their final list.

There is a major difference between a draft ranking and a draft list. Teams make lists; public scouts and media make rankings. Rankings usually reflect who the ranker believes will be the best player or have the best career based on a variety of factors. There are no consequences for being wrong, comparatively speaking.

Teams must account for what the organization values, how the interview with the player went, fitness testing results and injury concerns, organizational needs at various positions, and whatever input senior executives and owners might have.

For example, Alberts Smits is going to go much higher than this ranking has him. There are teams that would prefer a defenseman who can step in and play right away over a player with greater potential who is two years away.

With that, this is the ranking for this year's class. Although my projections model heavily influences the ranking, there are significant adjustments for game play, projection, fitness testing results and intel from around the league about each player.

This ranking values skill and upside (high-ceiling) players over lower-potential, high-floor prospects. A player with the potential to be an impact producer in the top six is going to be ranked above a player who is almost assuredly a bottom-six NHLer. The development requirements and probability of the player reaching his ceiling factor in, but the tie always goes to the player with