Check out a top-10 mock of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft with betting odds and pick predictions before the Maple Leafs are on the clock Friday.
It seems we’ve nearly reached peak levels of chaos at this early stage of the the NHL offseason, but things could get even more interesting on Friday night. After several days of major trades, rosters around the league have already been shaken up ahead of the first round of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft this evening.
At 7 p.m. ET in Buffalo, New York, the Toronto Maple Leafs will kick things off as the clock starts for the No. 1 selection.
Here’s a look at betting odds on DraftKings Sportsbook for the top picks in the 2026 NHL Draft, plus some predictions and a mock draft of how the board may shake out.
This article was written Friday morning. The team holding each pick as well as the odds via DraftKings Sportsbook are subject to change, especially given the flurry of trade activity in recent days.
Ever since the Maple Leafs lucked out with the top pick via the lottery, this pick has seemed inevitable. There’s almost no doubt that Penn State winger Gavin McKenna will be heading to Toronto at first overall tonight, providing a playmaker to either play alongside Auston Matthews — assuming the new regime doesn’t trade away the star. Either way, the odds on DraftKings Sportsbook have McKenna as a major -20000 favorite to go No. 1. The entire rest of the field comes in at +3500, making anyone but the bright young talent a long shot.
As of now, it seems the Sharks are on the board at No. 2. As recently as June 16, Ivar Stenberg was listed at +300 odds to go second. After sending winger William Eklund away to the Ottawa Senators and securing the No. 9 pick in the process, all signs now point to Stenberg heading to San Jose. He’s since moved to a -1000 favorite to be selected at second overall, potentially clearing the way for the Swedish winger to be paired alongside young superstar Macklin Celebrini for the foreseeable future. The positional fit makes sense with the Sharks and they can still select a much-needed defenseman with that other top-10 pick, so this also seems imminent. Chase Reid is third in odds to go No. 2 at +600 value.
With McKenna and Stenberg pretty clearly the best two players in the draft at this time, the fun actually begins at No. 3. That selection is held by the rebuilding Canucks, who need plenty of help after a miserable 2025-26 campaign. Chase Reid is largely considered the best defenseman in the class with good size and puck skills, bringing a ton of upside as a potential top-pair RHD. He’s the favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook with -250 odds to go third tonight, but there is an interesting caveat if Vancouver sticks and picks here.
Caleb Malhotra, one of the top center prospects available, is widely mocked to go in the top-six picks — and is also the son of new Canucks head coach Manny Malhotra. That family tie could become an interesting wrinkle, so he’s a compelling pick at +175 odds. The next-closest player on the leaderboard is a +1500 long shot, so it seems the father-son connection is priced in. Reporting from The Athletic suggests that Malhotra could be the guy, even with the organization high on Reid as well.
In the trade heard round the world, the Chicago Blackhawks traded away the fourth-overall pick earlier this week. The suitor in the lopsided deal was none other than the Buffalo Sabres, who shipped out Bowen Byram in what’s regarded as something of a management masterclass. Now, the reigning Atlantic Division champs are on the clock at No. 4 barring another trade. Malhotra is favored to go here at -120 odds, but he’s tailed by Reid at +150 and forward Viggo Bjork at +160. Everything depends on what the Canucks do, making Vancouver the true wild card here. Either way, expect both Maholtra and Reid to be off the board after this pick.
The Rangers disappointed last season, but were rewarded with the No. 5 pick for their struggles. There are trade rumors surrounding Vincent Trocheck and there’s the usual talk that J.T. Miller could also go this offseason. Regardless, they likely go best player available here. The odds favor a pair of LHD prospects — Alberts Smits at +130 and Carson Carels at +200. It looks like most mocks are leaning towards Smits, especially since he could step in and contribute from the jump in the NHL. Defensive help is needed in the Big Apple, so this pick feels like a toss-up. Either way, they’ll get a very solid player.
From the sound of things, the Flames are trying their best to move up from No. 6. There’s probably a prospect they’re chasing in a slightly higher spot, but if the board remains as currently set, they’ll manage to pick up a quality piece. DraftKings Sportsbook lists forward Viggo Bjorck as the favorite at even +100 odds, followed by defensemen Keaton Verhoeff at +250 and Carels at +275. If the prior picks play out according to these predictions, Carels will likely be the guy here. He fills an organizational need and is a top-tier blueliner in this crop pool of talent. We saw Calgary get aggressive with the Simon Nemec trade though, so perhaps they’re going to keep hitting the phones hard prior to making a selection.
It’s been a difficult 24 hours for the Kraken, who were reportedly working out a trade that would’ve sent this selection and more for Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson on Thursday night… until the RFA nixed what would’ve been an eight-year contract at $15 million a season. Given that development and that Artemi Panarin also rejected Seattle in recent memory, this fanbase is certainly hurting. The No. 7 pick is little consolation on missing out on a superstar, but here the Kraken are. Many pundits believe there’s something of a tier break after the top-six prospects outlined earlier in this piece, but there’s still talent here for sure. DraftKings Sportsbook has Verhoeff as a -120 favorite to go seventh, followed by fellow defensemen Daxon Rudolph and the aforementioned Smits at +200 and +250 odds, respectively. Seattle needs more offensive firepower, so a blueliner like Rudolph seems like a real possibility and could be a great value for bettors.
Were it not for some injuries and back luck last year, maybe the Jets could’ve put forth a more competitive campaign. However, they flipped some veterans at the trade deadline and Connor Hellebuyck’s name is a frequent flier in current rumors. Alberts Smits is favored to go here at +160 odds, but he’s off the board in our scenario. That also has Verhoeff sliding, and he’s second in odds on DraftKings Sportsbook at +175 value. He’s a very sensible pick, but there’s buzz from multiple sources that suggest center Viggo Bjorck is popular with Winnipeg. The latter has +400 odds; center is a clear need for this roster behind Mark Schiefele. It’s an interesting conundrum for the front office, but Bjorck is a nice betting pick in this spot as a high-compete play driver who can also slide to the wing.
After acquiring this pick via the Eklund trade, the Sharks are on the board again for the second time in the top-10 picks. If they stay put, it’s obviously going to be a defenseman for this team given the clear need at the position. The favorites to go here per DraftKings Sportsbook are Rudolph and Malte Gustafsson, who both hold identical +130 odds. However, this scenario has a serious slide for Verhoeff and he’d be immediately snatched off the board with glee if things go this way. If you trust me here, he could be an amazing choice at +2000.
Yes, Verhoeff probably won’t be around at this selection, but he’s a long-shot pick for a reason. If just one forward outside of the top two and Maholtra go before the Sharks are on the clock, that likely means one defenseman between he, Rudolph and Smits should be on the board. They’ll take whoever remains, but Gustafsson is a favorite for a reason if the top eight are defense heavy and San Jose keeps this pick. That’s not a foregone conclusion though — the franchise is rumored to be shopping No. 9 quite hard.
The Predators are also under new management in the front office, though Andrew Brunette remains the boss on the bench. A world where they hit the reset button more fully this year isn’t out of the question, but either way, they’ll want the best player available at No. 10. If the picks up until this point are particularly heavy on the blue line, perhaps that leaves Bjorck as an option at +400 odds assuming that Gustafsson is gone. The latter is favored at +110 odds though, with Rudolph behind him at +180. For the sake of this mock, it’ll be Gustafsson as the pick. However, Ethan Belchetz is also worth a shout at +220 and is also a realistic option for Nashville.
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