One decision at the NHL draft can set off a chain of events. On Friday in Buffalo, there are a handful of pivotal moments everybody should look out for, whether it's a potential trade or a particular pick.
The NHL draft is pure drama for hockey fans.
There's the suspense of your favorite team awaiting its turn to select a player you put your hope in for the next few years. If they don't have a pick, you patiently await the possibility of a trade. Sometimes, they have a plethora of picks, so you anticipate a trade to either move up or bring in NHL talent.
There are always a few pivotal moments that stand out as we head into the event. These moments in the draft often have a significant impact on what happens next. A single decision by one team can set off a chain of events.
Here are a few of the inflection points in Friday's NHL draft that will help shape what happens immediately afterward and throughout the rest of the draft.
Canucks' Massive Decision At Third Overall
At third overall, the Vancouver Canucks have the first real inflection point of the draft.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are expected to select Gavin McKenna, and the San Jose Sharks' William Eklund trade increased the likelihood that they select Ivar Stenberg second overall. The Canucks are where the draft opens up.
Even before the Sharks deal, there was plenty of curiosity about what the Canucks would do.
Caleb Malhotra is the son of their new coach. Chase Reid is the defender that many have going to Vancouver in their mock drafts.
If Stenberg were to fall, would they go best player available? They could go off the board and take Alberts Smits or possibly even Viggo Bjorck.
The possibilities are endless, and you never know what the Canucks will do.
Senators Bounce Back Without Brady Tkachuk
The Ottawa Senators traded Brady Tkachuk and quickly moved one of the picks from that deal to acquire Eklund from the Sharks.
They still possess two first-round picks, and the team will look to be aggressive to stay in the playoff hunt.
Will they move more draft picks for NHL-ready players? They can't trade the 32nd pick because of a penalty, but 25th overall or one of their three third-rounders could be in play.
The Senators are genuinely one of the teams that could help shape the NHL draft. They are true wild cards as the front office has no appetite for taking a step back, even if their captain just left for Florida.
Blues' Four First Round Picks
There is no shot that the St. Louis Blues actually make all four first-round picks, right?
The Blues have loaded up for the 2026 NHL draft. They currently own the 11th, 15th, 16th and 29th picks, and they could come away with a haul of really solid prospects, especially with three picks in the top half of the round.
St. Louis could do one of two things if they don't select four players in the first round.
They could package a couple of those picks together or add a player to move up in the draft order, or they could do the same thing to add a good, young piece to their roster immediately. This team wants young talent, though, so it would likely have to be someone under 24.
The Blues have the most potential for something explosive.
San Jose And Buffalo Antsy With Extra Picks
When the Sharks acquired the ninth overall pick from Ottawa in the Eklund deal, the immediate thought was they could use it to take a young defender.
Almost immediately, we started hearing about them attempting to use it to get an NHL-ready defenseman.
Buffalo traded Bowen Byram and acquired the fourth overall pick. Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen told reporters they're gathering information across the league to gauge the interest in that selection, because he wants the team to keep getting better. Maple Leafs left winger Matthew Knies was speculated to be on Buffalo's radar.
With two top 10 picks up for grabs, it will be interesting to see what kind of deals get made.
Where Does Viggo Bjorck Go?
The most intriguing player in the draft is Viggo Bjorck.
The 5-foot-9 prospect is the best center in the NHL draft class when strictly discussing the tools, intelligence and ability to play center. The issue remains his size, which is always a concern for NHL teams.
Bjorck has proven himself throughout the season, though, playing in Djurgarden's top six and even on the top line for much of the latter part of the campaign. He was also the top center for the Swedish team at the World Championship.
Teams have started to whisper about his potential and how much they like him, but who will pull the trigger?
Center Position At A Premium
The center position will be a massive factor in this draft because we simply do not have many top-end options.
Bjorck, Caleb Malhotra and Tynan Lawrence seem to make up the top tier of the group. After that, it falls off a bit with Maddox Dagenais, who played on the wing plenty of times this year, or Oliver Suvanto, who has question marks about his skating and upside.
It will be interesting to see if we get a run on centers in the teens. Players like Suvanto, Dagenais, Ilia Morozov and Jack Hextall could all go earlier than expected because of the lack of depth at the position, while defense, in particular, has a number of interesting players deep in the draft.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. See more of The Hockey News on Google and save us as a preferred source. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
