How the Top 2026 NHL Draft Prospects Are Faring in College Hockey

The 2026 NHL draft sent a ton of players to the NCAA this season, with a lot of players on powerhouse teams looking for a national title. But how is the top end of this draft class doing so far, and who’s leading the pack? 

St.Louis Blues prospect Tynan Lawrence leads the class so far in points with four goals and seven points in six games. Lawrence isn’t new to college hockey, as he spent the second semester at Boston University, but he was able to come back and take on a larger role, and he’s shown what makes him such an elite offensive threat so far. 

Defenseman Daxon Rudolph has been phenomenal so far, leading the defensemen in this class with two goals and seven points in six games under David Carle at Denver. 

The class has also seen many players develop and contribute to the play in their own end, and turn that into offense. BU’s Caleb Malhotra has been a 200ft player so far this year and looks like he can play pro hockey as soon as the end of his college season. Players like Tommy Bleyl and Chase Reid continue to push the pace for Michigan State and show why they were first-round picks. 

And outside the first-round picks, Providence has Florida Panthers second-round pick Ryder Cali and L. A Kings third-rounder, Blake Zielinski. These have been two risers from the start of the season. They both play in the Friars’ top six and contribute offensively, but they do so much away from the puck, and it opens up the rest of their game. In five games, Cali has four goals. For Zielinski, he has three points in five games and has shown flashes of being a wrecking ball on the ice. 

It’s going to take some time to see some of the top players shine from this class, but a lot of the players who haven’t produced on the score sheet have found ways to be valuable, which is all you can ask for.