5 Florida Panthers’ Targets With 9th Overall Pick in 2026 NHL Draft

The Florida Panthers haven’t had many picks inside the first round recently, and they could easily move the ninth overall selection to get an established veteran for immediate help. However, in the event they can’t find the right trade, here are a few prospects who would be the right fit for the identity and culture of the team.

This is an in-depth look at five potential targets with the ninth overall pick. How these specific prospects align with the drafting history and trends of this management team should provide some insight into their off-season direction.

Ethan Belchetz

From a stylistic and organizational fit perspective, there is no more obvious choice than for the Panthers to pick Ethan Belchetz from the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League. He was an offensive force last season, registering an impressive 34 goals and 59 points through 57 regular-season games.

He was also the first overall pick in the priority selection, drafted for his size and immense talent, and later represented Canada at the U17 and U18 international tournaments as an offensive catalyst.

He has the size and strength to be a major physical force, and as he continues to develop his game playing against men, he would have an immediate impact on the Panthers as a skilled offensive weapon. General Manager Bill Zito tends to draft bigger players, rarely selecting skaters under 6-feet tall, making Belchetz the logical choice. According to most draft rankings, he is expected to fall somewhere between sixth and 13th, putting him right in range for the Panthers to select him.

Keaton Verhoeff

Another potential fit for the Panthers, should they decide to focus on the blue line, is University of North Dakota defenseman Keaton Verhoeff. While he is expected to be selected before the Panthers pick, he is a player worth considering, should he still be available.

In addition to his high-end defensive ability and overall skill set, he is a right-handed blueliner, which adds a premium to him to his value given the scarcity and high organizational demand for that position. He is an incredibly mobile, physical, and imposing presence, standing at 6-foot-4 and 208 pounds.

In his final stint in the Western Hockey League before he made the jump to college, Verhoeff registered 21 goals and 24 assists in 63 regular-season games, along with ten points in 11 playoff games. He joined the University of North Dakota this season, where he recorded 20 points in 36 games, leading the team to the Frozen Four, while adding four assists in five games for Team Canada at the World Junior Championship.

His frame is similar to Aaron Ekblad’s, who also stands at 6-foot-4 but who is a slightly heavier 220 pounds, leaving Verhoeff plenty of room to follow a similar modern, puck-moving developmental model.

Wyatt Cullen

Wyatt Cullen is a legacy pick – a second-generation prospect, a standout member of the U.S. National Team Development Program, a future Minnesota Golden Gopher, and the son of three-time Stanley Cup champion Matt Cullen.

Wyatt Cullen is a highly skilled, talented forward with great creativity, deceptive playmaking ability, soft hands, and a tremendous work ethic and motor. His development path will require a longer runway than some other plug-and-play options in the top ten, primarily due to his frame.

However, he has been a steady riser on NHL draft boards following his team interviews and athletic testing at the scouting combine. He also put together a tremendously productive U18 World Championship tournament playing for Team USA, showcasing his high-end offensive upside. Calling his name might surprise some people given his early-season rankings, but Cullen is a player with the exact pedigree and drive worth considering for the Panthers.

Tynan Lawrence

Another good fit would be center Tynan Lawrence. Lawrence played in both the United States Hockey League and the NCAA, for the Muskegon Lumberjacks and the Boston University Terriers. In his final junior season, he appeared in 13 games, scoring 10 goals and seven assists, followed by a mid-season jump to Boston University, where he played 18 games, finishing with two goals and five assists.

Lawrence is ranked high across all major draft boards, with some analysts forecasting that he could be taken just before Florida is on the clock. Listed at 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds, he plays a mature, 200-foot game and displays an elite hockey IQ according to all scouting reports.

Selecting him to learn and develop under captain Aleksander Barkov, who is also an elite 200-foot center, would be ideal, making Lawrence a safe, well-rounded option with a very high floor and minimal risk.

Viggo Björck

Swedish forward Viggo Björck is the most unique fit relative to the Panthers’ style of play. He is undersized at 5-foot-9 and 175 pounds, though, at 18, he has plenty of room to get stronger. He has already gained valuable professional experience, playing across all three levels of Swedish hockey and representing Team Sweden at the World Junior Championship.

He achieved varying degrees of offensive success during his different stints across Swedish leagues, showcasing his high-end playmaking instincts. His lack of size and physical strength would likely be the primary hesitation and a major strike against him for a Panthers front office that favors heavy forecheckers. Nevertheless, he is a tremendously skilled and intelligent playmaker with plenty of room to develop. Björck would automatically inject elite skill into the pipeline, though he could easily be off the board before pick nine.

All five of these prospects would fit the Panthers’ system should management keep their ninth overall pick rather than trading it for an established player. Each player has clear pros and cons for the Panthers to make their decision, especially how they would fit within the team’s culture and identity.

Because the roster is already so well-established and insulated, the biggest question for the front office on draft night will be about specific role, culture, and identity fit, rather than just choosing the best player available according to the rankings.