For a variety of reasons, a player can be erroneously passed over in his first year of draft eligibility. Luka Radivojevic is in that boat going into the 2026 Draft in Buffalo despite a promising past two seasons. 

Going into the 2025 Draft, Radivojevic was thought to be a surefire selection. Many scouts were incredibly high on Radivojevic, with Neutral Zone's Christopher Babos saying "The biggest question is what NHL team Luka Radivojevic will be representing when he joins the Eagles in 2026...With continued development in his defensive game and physical strength, Radivojevic has the potential to become a cornerstone defenseman for an NHL team."

Radivojevic had his detractors including The Athletic's Corey Pronman who said "(Radivojevic's) overall compete level can be questionable at times. He will have an uphill battle to be trusted by an NHL coach."

Based on what I saw of Radivojevic in his freshman year at Boston College, those type of doubts should be all but silent. He was an excellent 200 foot cerebral defenseman for the Eagles. The numbers prove him to be a hard competitor and an asset rather than a liability.

Radivojevic shifted to more of a defensive role during the 2025-26 campaign but still put up a respectable 16 points (1 goal + 15 assists). He finished tied for team second in blocked shots (36) and notched a +9 rating through 34 games while accumulating just 10 penalty minutes. These three figures alone show Radivojevic's versatility beyond just an offensive defenseman.

The defensive zone was something Radivojevic acknowledged he needed to improve upon going into the 2025 Draft, telling Daily Faceoff's Martin Jansson. "I think I need to work more on the defensive zone play and become more physical." It's safe to say he's done that at Boston College.

The young Slovakian has shown leadership prowess on the international stage, adding another dimension to his game. Radivojevic was named captain of Slovakia's 2025 U18 team while also wearing an "A" during the 2026 World Junior Championships. 2026 was Radivojevic's third consecutive appearance on the U20 squad.

Not being selected in 2025 only fueled Radivojevic according to his Team Slovakia Head Coach Peter Fruhauf, who holds him in high regard. 

“Luka is one of our leaders, 100%...If you know him (not being drafted) pumped him up. He’s working harder, his shot got better, his battles got better. He’s a complete pro. Of course, we’re so happy to have him."

Radivojevic is ranked the 214th North American Skater by NHL Central Scouting, which could place him in the sixth round. However, based on this year, he could go in the late third to early fourth rounds. This is similar to where many have placed fellow defensemen Callum Croskery, and Dakoda Rheaume-Mullen.

I am convinced that Radivojevic is a bonafide NHL blueliner. He has shown defensive growth, maturity and well roundedness during the 2025-26 campaign across a global stage. This year, it's a question of where not if he will be drafted. Teams shouldn't  make the same mistake twice.