We’ve finally arrived at the 2026 NHL Draft, and there may be little surprise as to whom the Toronto Maple Leafs select first overall. It’s a foregone conclusion that Gavin McKenna will walk to the podium, before donning the blue-and-white in Buffalo. There may not be a ton of suspense, but it’ll be an iconic moment for the top prospect and the fan base writ large.

There will be value to be found after McKenna, and The Leafs Nation will have you covered for every pick. Our staff panel submitted our mock draft, playing the role of general manager John Chayka, making every pick for the Maple Leafs this weekend. We’d love to hear what you think of our selections!

Arun Srinivasan, managing editor: Gavin McKenna, LW, Penn State, NCAA. McKenna is the consensus best player in the class, drawing top marks for playmaking and hockey intelligence. He’s been compared to Nikita Kucherov and Patrick Kane, and has all the swagger to thrive in Toronto. John Chayka told reporters that the Leafs reached consensus pretty easily on the No. 1. pick. Welcome to Toronto, Gavin McKenna!

Alex Hobson, associate editor: Gavin McKenna, LW, Penn State. With due respect to the likes of Ivar Stenberg and Chase Reid, there’s no need for the Leafs to overthink this one. McKenna is the best player in the draft and should be the first overall pick.

Michael Mazzei, writer and social media coordinator: Gavin McKenna, LW, Penn State. Come on, let’s not overthink this.

Nick Richard, writer: Gavin McKenna, LW, Penn State. No need to overthink it, McKenna is the most talented player and the consensus number one pick in the 2026 draft. He doesn’t play a premium position but with his high-end puck skills, heavy shot, and elite playmaking vision, McKenna should become a premier offensive threat and a franchise cornerstone for the Leafs.

Srinivasan: Brady Knowling, G, USNTDP, USHL. Knowling could slip to the third round, but he’s an athletic goaltender with the size you simply can’t teach. There are concerns from scouts about his glove hand, but Knowling could compare favourably to Dennis Hildeby. Toronto can afford some patience in finding the best goaltender in the class, and Knowling will be afforded plenty of time to develop at the NCAA level, before graduating to the professional ranks.

Hobson: Matias Vanhanen, LW, Everett Silvertips, WHL. Taking two playmaking left wingers with your first pick might seem redundant in the eyes of some, but the Leafs don’t have a strong enough prospect pool to get picky when high end skill is available. Vanhanen was the best player on the Memorial Cup-finalist Silvertips, and if he was born one week later, he’s probably talked about as a first-round pick in this draft.

Mazzei: Landon Nycz, D, UMass-Amherst, NCAA. When you have a player whose skating and skillset is compared to Cale Makar available in the second round, you can’t pass up on that.

Richard: Adam Andersson, C, Leksands U-20, U20 Nationell. The Leafs had both Tinus Luc Koblar and Victor Johansson playing in the Leksands system last season, so they should be plenty familiar with Andersson. A big bodied centre, Andersson is never going to light up the scoreboard but his refined defensive game and physicality give him a relatively high floor as an NHL prospect.

Srinivasan: Jonas Lagerberg Hoen, RW, Leksands, Sweden U-20. This constitutes the Leafs’ annual wager on physical talent, as Lagerberg Hoen is still growing into his frame and figuring out his game. Last year, Tinus Luc Koblar was a relative anonymity before the Leafs selected him with the No. 64 overall pick. A year later, Koblar starred at the IIHF World Championship. I know I’ve selected a few wingers here, but I’ll make a bet on upside here.

Hobson: Alexander Bilecki, D, Kitchener Rangers, OHL. Being a Kitchener native, I’m a little bit biased on this pick, but Bilecki would be a strong pick at No. 69 if he’s available. He has good size and was a big part of the Rangers’ Cup run. He would be another Ben Danford-type, but on the left side.

Mazzei: Rūdolfs Bērzkalns, F, Muskegon Lumberjacks, USHL. An intimidating power forward who is strong on pucks and a presence in the crease. Bērzkalns is the type of guy you wouldn’t want to play against, and a sneaky good add in the third round.

Richard: Ethan MacKenzie, LHD, Edmonton Oil Kings, WHL. MacKenzie has already gone undrafted twice, but he really came into his own this past season with the Edmonton Oil Kings, earning a spot on Canada’s World Junior roster. A highly competitive defender who skates well, MacKenzie has NHL upside as a versatile two-way defender who can play a 4-6 role.

Srinivasan: Pierce Mbuyi, LW, Owen Sound Attack, OHL. Mbuyi has been a prolific scorer at every stage of his career, and he added some much-needed size during his draft year. He’s going to Penn State, where he may slot in as a replacement for Gavin McKenna. I’ll bet on Mbuyi’s talent every time, while being afforded ample time to develop.

Hobson: Mikey Berchild, LW, USNTDP, USHL. The new regime appears that they’ll prioritize competitiveness in lieu of size, and if that philosophy holds true, Berchild stands out as a possible pick at 85. He’s small, standing at 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds, but he’s a workhorse along the board and showed up on the stat sheet with 72 points in 79 USNTDP games combined.

Mazzei: Timofei Runtso, D, Victoria Royals, WHL. If he is still on the board by this point in the draft, the Leafs should not pass on Runtso. His two-way game and mobility to carry the puck out could be a good addition to the farm system.

Richard: Jakub Floris, RHD, Lukko U20, Sm-Sarja. Floris is a raw prospect who possesses some intriguing tools to work with. He has good size and mobility, and wants to be involved at both ends of the ice. Floris is definitely a long-term project with a wide range of outcomes, but the Leafs can afford to take a swing at this point of the draft.

Srinivasan: Michal Orsulak, G, Prince Albert Raiders, WHL. I’m doubling down on goalies, especially on someone with Orsulak’s results at the major junior level. He’s starred on the international stage for Czechia, and has rapidly improved throughout his draft year. You can never have enough quality goaltending, and the Maple Leafs may walk away with two future NHL-calibre goalies here.

Hobson: Cooper Williams, C, Saskatoon Blades, WHL. Williams is a strong two-way centre with decent size (6-foot-1, 164 pounds) and a steady ability to produce, with 57 points in each of his last two junior seasons. He’ll need to bulk up to make noise at the next level, but he has the tools to be a two-way player at the NHL level.

Mazzei: Martin Psohlavec, G, HC Energie Karlovy Vary, Czechia U20. No draft is complete without adding a goalie to the ranks. He has yet to play at the pro ranks but his numbers in junior n Czechia have been impressive so far.

Richard: Colin Fitzgerald, C, Soo Greyhounds, OHL. A former top pick in the OHL draft, Fitzgerald hasn’t developed the way many expected, but there are still some NHL tools there. He has a heavy shot that can beat goaltenders cleanly, a projectable frame at 6’2”, and he finishes his checks with intent.

Srinivasan: Jonas Woo, D, Medicine Hat Tigers, WHL. Let’s get a McKenna-Woo reunion going in Toronto! Woo is an overaged defenceman, but he’s coming off a 86-point season with Medicine Hat, and boasts the mobility that the Maple Leafs are seeking on their blue line. He’s an excellent skater, and at this stage of the draft, the Maple Leafs can afford some risk in trying to find a hidden gem.

Hobson: Doman Kristof Szongoth, C, KooKoo U20, Sm-Sarja. No Hungarian-born player has ever appeared in an NHL regular season game, but Doman Kristof Szongoth has strong odds to become the first Hungarian to do so. Currently playing in Finland, he’s another two-way centre with good size (6-foot-1, 195 pounds) and has routinely been one of Hungary’s most promising prospects at the international level.

Mazzei: Jonas Woo, D, Medicine Hat Tigers, WHL. He is undersized at 5-foot-9 but is a right shot and is fresh off a dominant draft year in Medicine Hat, so McKenna would know a thing or two about him. Woo is committed to Arizona State so he should be able to take a step in his development next year.

Richard: John Parsons, G, Providence College, NCAA. Artur Akhtyamov and Dennis Hildeby might be the future of the Leafs’ crease, but they don’t have anyone coming after that. Lauded for his strong positional base, Parsons had an impressive year at Providence, posting a .922 save percentage in 19 appearances. Drafting a double-overager also takes some volatility out of the developmental process, as it did with Hildeby.

Srinivasan: Jet Kwajah, D, Madison Capitals, USHL. I’m going off the board, and betting on Kwajah’s upside. Kwajah is an undersized defenceman, who recorded seven goals and 27 points in 55 games with Madison. Ranked as the 213th-best North American skater by NHL Central Scouting, this could be a completely left field pick. Kwajah’s younger brother, Kash, may be the best overall player in this spring’s OHL Draft, for what it’s worth. Give me a player who can skate like the wind on the blue line, that’s where the game is headed.

Hobson: Jan Larys, G, Drummondville Voltigeurs, QMJHL. Artur Akhtyamov’s performance in the Toronto Marlies’ Calder Cup run this year is why you should always take a gamble on a goalie. The Czechia-born netminder had a .908 save percentage in 38 games en route to a 26-10-2 record for the Voltigeurs. He might be nobody, he might be somebody, you never know with goalies!

Mazzei: Weston Cameron, LW/C, Kitchener Rangers, OHL. He’s a big centre who didn’t see a lot of playing time last year, but should get a bigger role next year at UMass.

Richard: Oleg Kulebyakin, W, Halifax Mooseheads, QMJHL. Kulebyakin is the type of raw offensive talent teams should be looking for late in the draft. He still has a long way to go physically and with his play away from the puck, but he is an elite handler who can make plays off the rush.

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