With the 2026 draft complete, theScore's Kyle Cushman hands out his initial grades for each team's incoming rookies.
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Boston Bruins
Grade: D+
Ivanov is one of the youngest players in the draft. He was four days from being eligible for next year's draft and posted intriguing numbers in the Russian junior league. Bartholdsson is a sniper, while Henriquez had a breakout season in his second year of eligibility, leading the USHL in save percentage. Henriquez is Slovakian, with a father from the Dominican Republic.
Buffalo Sabres
Grade: B
Rudolph was a big swing at No. 4. He was consistently the fifth-ranked defenseman, yet he was the first blue-liner off the board. In retrospect, Rudolph should've got more consideration this high. He's 6-foot-3, right-handed, led a good WHL team in scoring both in the regular season and playoffs, and projects as a power-play quarterback. That ticks a lot of boxes.
Morozov adds size to a smaller group of Sabres forward prospects. Murnieks has played at the last two world juniors with Latvia. He looked like a potential first-round pick coming into the year but had an underwhelming rookie QMJHL season. If he rebounds next season, Buffalo's selection of Murnieks that late could be a steal. Szongoth is the first Hungarian drafted in 24 years. He played at the Under-18s, Under-20s, and World Championship this season.
Detroit Red Wings
Grade: C+
The Red Wings finally bet on upside in the first round. Hurlbert had a big rookie season in the WHL and has an exciting shot and skill set. Max Plante is one of Detroit's top prospects, and the club added his brother Victor in the second round. Orsulak went undrafted last year, then had a strong WHL campaign and started for Czechia at the world juniors.
Florida Panthers
Grade: C-
Ignatavicius was born in Memphis but plays internationally for Lithuania. He had a good season in the Swiss pro league and projects as a bottom-six checker. Cali is a similar player type. Zurawski is a fun bet as a goal-scorer in the sixth round.
Montreal Canadiens
Grade: C
The Habs moved up a couple of spots to ensure they'd snag Pugachyov. The 6-foot-3 Russian is a wrecking ball and can fly on the ice. He has top-six potential as a complementary power forward. Runtso is a 6-foot-3 puck-mover. Montreal also nabbed Bryan Trottier's grandson, Parker. Royston finished tied for sixth in the OHL with 100 penalty minutes.
Ottawa Senators
Grade: B-
The Senators took two projects with exciting potential in the first round. Lagerberg Hoen hasn't played since October due to a knee injury. In 2024-25, he had 27 goals and three assists in the Swedish junior league. He has big goal-scoring potential. Cover was raised playing roller hockey in the Cayman Islands and has played ice hockey for only five years. He has one-on-one skill, a projectable 6-foot-2 frame, and is one of the best stories in the draft.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Grade: D+
Kulebiakin popped as a QMJHL rookie with 73 points in 64 games to lead the Halifax Mooseheads in scoring. He's a very skilled forward but lacks explosive skating. Kulebiakin is a Lightning fan because of Nikita Kucherov, who also went in the second round. Maybe he can be the next gem for Tampa? Kralovic is a fascinating pick as he turns 21 this summer and had a standout season in Slovakia's pro league, scoring 31 points in 52 contests. Shurygin played a ton in the OHL and is a big netminder at 6-foot-5.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Grade: A
No player in the draft has the game-changing talent that McKenna possesses. He's a power-play wizard and a thrilling playmaker. It's tantalizing to think about what he'll do in the coming years alongside Auston Matthews and William Nylander. Although McKenna is an imperfect player and needs to improve his off-puck play and defensive effort, he has the kind of offensive talent you only get with the top pick. After overcoming some early-season struggles, he proved he can work through adversity. McKenna will have some growing pains next season, particularly at five-on-five, but he was always the right choice for the Leafs, and they didn't overthink it.
Bilecki is a great skater and has a projectable 6-foot-2 frame. MacKenzie is a similar player type. He went undrafted last year but had a breakout WHL campaign and even made Canada's world junior team. Olsen is another burner and a great forechecker. Gudmundsson brings physicality as a right-handed rearguard. Plumins was unbelievably good at the Under-18s and was a big reason why Latvia reached the bronze-medal game. Even Williams has produced back-to-back quality WHL seasons with a two-way profile. While the top pick defines the class, Toronto also got a lot of players on Day 2 who could play roles in the coming years.
