3 Quick Takeaways From the 2026 NHL Combine

NHL Combine Saturday for 2026 has come and gone. Over 80 of the top prospects took part in the various fitness testing which included two new tests in the isokinetic squat and the 10-meter sprint.

Two of the top prospects did not participate in the fitness testing. Carson Carels is recovering from injury while Ivar Stenberg has an illness. Stenberg spoke to the media Saturday afternoon and confirmed the illness and said that it was best to hold off for now after consulting with his team.

We have lots of coverage from here in Buffalo coming to the Hockey Writers. We will have Combine Standouts as well as Heights and Weights coming Sunday. Then on Monday, we will empty our Combine Notebook.

For now though, here are three quick takeaways from the 2026 NHL Combine with a focus on the top of the draft and how things might shake out. We’ll see if it’s smoke or real in short order. But a lot of interesting things were said and heard.

Three Quick Takeaways

First, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Gavin McKenna. It would be shocking to me if he’s not the first-overall pick in Buffalo in a few weeks.

McKenna did nothing to hurt himself during the week or with the fitness testing. He is a great athlete and his testing results proved that.

McKenna was asked on Friday what it meant to have Maple Leafs GM John Chayka visit him in Whitehorse.

“It was obviously an honor for him to come up there,” McKenna said. “Anytime he’s taking time out of his summer to come meet with you, it’s awesome. It was good to meet with him and kind of get a feel for him and it was nice for him to meet my family. I know they were super excited and that was an honor, obviously.”

McKenna also addressed what it would mean to be selected first overall if it happened.

“Obviously, it’d be an honor,” McKenna said. “As a kid, that’s what you dream of. If that were the case, I’d be pretty pumped and obviously being a Canadian kid going to a Canadian market would be pretty special. I think obviously the situation the Leafs are in right now, it’s pretty crazy that they got the first overall pick. Their team is probably going to be fighting for the playoffs next year. So I’d be pretty fortunate to go there and whether I do go there or not, I’m getting drafted in the NHL so it’d be pretty cool.”

Absent a major surprise, we should prepare ourselves to hear McKenna’s name first overall 10 years after Auston Matthews heard his in Buffalo. The Maple Leafs won’t tip their hand of course. But all signs are pointing to McKenna becoming a Maple Leaf. He did nothing to hurt himself in that regard.

Sharks/Canucks Will Drive Rest of Draft

This is where things will get very interesting. It’s hard to get a read on what the Sharks will do with the second pick. They talked to everyone who would be expected in that range. They took some prospects to dinner both forward and defense. GM Mike Grier really holds the domino in that regard.

The Sharks could trade the pick if the right situation comes up. But absent a trade, adding a player like Chase Reid to their young forwards and defenseman Sam Dickinson would be filthy good. But there are other defensive prospects that are trying to challenge Reid’s place.

If I had to venture a guess, I’d think Reid makes perfect sense. But in our recent writer’s mock at THW, Stenberg went to the Sharks. It will be fascinating to see who they think the best available player is.

Then there’s the Canucks. The Caleb Malhotra to the Canucks idea feels real. But imagine this for a moment. Would you draft the son of your new head coach or would you draft someone else if they were higher on the list? If Stenberg was there, that’s a fascinating debate.

There are times it would be amazing to be a fly on the wall for some of these conversations. The Canucks debating the third pick would be one of those conversations. Could there be split amongst some of the staff? Absolutely. Take an elite winger or take a potential top center?

The main takeaway for now is that there is belief a Malhotra and Malhotra reunion could happen.

Other Quick Hits

The Blackhawks would run to the podium if Stenberg fell to them with Reid gone. They’re in position to take advantage of who falls to them at four based on what the Sharks and Canucks do.

While the Blackhawks are in a great position draft wise, one thing I do wonder about is potential interest in Dylan Larkin. Imagine he and Connor Bedard together. Then with all their cap space, add some wingers. Suddenly, there is much-needed vast improvement.

The Blackhawks have the assets to make a Larkin move happen with three first rounders in 2027 in their possession plus other pieces. They’re in a position to make a big move if they want. They will be a team to watch.

Two other interesting teams that stood out are the Seattle Kraken and Florida Panthers. The Kraken need defensemen. They did take Dax Rudolph and Keaton Verhoeff out to dinner this week. It would be stunning if they take a forward at this point especially given the quality of defensemen available.

The Panthers also took players out to dinner this week including Rudolph. If they can’t find a trade with their top-10 pick, they’re in position to add a high-quality prospect to a roster primed for another Stanley Cup run. How bad do you think Bill Zito wants to get make a big move? Exactly.

Overall, there is a better sense of what could happen but there are still a lot of unanswered questions. It’s possible teams with a desire to add will find ways to make deals with more cap space available. That could impact how this 2026 draft could go.

Picks two and three will be fascinating and determine the fate of everyone else below them.