World juniors standouts feature high up on NHL Central Scouting's mid-term prospect rankings for the 2026 NHL draft. Draft expert Tony Ferrari breaks down what stood out to him.
NHL Central Scouting released its intriguing and divisive mid-term draft prospect rankings on Monday.
As usual, the rankings are divided between North American and international prospects, with goalies on separate lists as well.
The top prospects will head to Buffalo's KeyBank Center on June 26 and 27 for the 2026 NHL draft. The NHL announced Buffalo will host the draft for the first time since 2016 on Monday. The city also hosted the event in 1998 and 1991, and it has hosted the NHL Scouting Combine every spring prior to the draft since 2015.
Gavin McKenna, Ivar Stenberg Lead Skaters
Penn State left winger Gavin McKenna tops the North American list.
After producing at a solid clip in college, he recorded 14 points in seven games at the World Junior Championship to help lead Canada to a bronze medal, their first medal in three years. McKenna finished second in tournament scoring behind teammate Michael Hage.
The strongest challenger to McKenna for first overall is Ivar Stenberg, who tops the list of international skaters.
Stenberg had quite the world juniors, finishing with 10 points, good for fifth in tournament scoring, en route to helping Sweden to their first gold medal since 2012. Stenberg was pivotal for Sweden as the tournament went on, playing his best hockey in the elimination rounds, including a three-point game in the final.
World Junior Standouts Sit Near The Top
Alberts Smits rocketed up the board, sitting second on the list of international skaters.
The Latvian defender has been excellent in the Liiga, playing against men. His performance at the WJC was impressive, as he looked dominant in his own end and showcased his skating and puck-moving abilities. The 6-foot-3 defender will represent Latvia at the Olympics next month, which could boost his stock even more if he has a good performance.
That said, it's quite obvious the world juniors played a fairly large role in the mid-term evaluations.
Keaton Verheoff, Carson Carels and Chase Reid rank second to fourth on the North American skaters list. Verheoff started the tournament outside of Canada's lineup but worked himself into a solid role for the bronze medallists. Carels was a surprise addition to Canada's camp roster and earned a spot in the opening-game lineup. Reid had an up-and-down tournament, but his best moments were impressive offensive-zone sequences that caught plenty of eyes.
Oliver Suvanto is third on the international skaters list after a very strong performance at the world juniors. He lacked the production of other draft eligibles, but his ability to play a heavy, two-way game helped him be one of Finland's top three players at the end of the tournament. Suvanto flashes some offensive skill and speed.
Viggo Bjorck also seems to have shot back up the international list, coming in at fifth after being given a B-grade in the preliminary rankings, which designates him as a second- or third-round pick. Bjorck played an instrumental role for the Swedes, taking important faceoffs, playing intelligent two-way hockey and generating as many offensive chances as any Swedish forward. Bjorck put much of the concern about his size to rest with his performance in Minnesota.
Tynan Lawrence, JP Hurlbert Lead The Interesting Cases
One player who seems a bit lower than consensus is Tynan Lawrence. The center just made the move to Boston University from Muskegon in the USHL, and he's been widely viewed as the top center available. He plays the game with speed and pace, bringing a sound defensive game to go with his downhill offensive game. Finding him seventh among North American skaters was a bit surprising.
JP Hurlbert stands out as a player who is higher than the consensus. His insane scoring pace at the WHL level has been notable in his first CHL season. Hurlbert plays a highly skilled game, but questions about whether his game will translate to the professional level have remained all season.
Oscar Hemming finally sorted out his playing situation, landing at Boston College after not playing from August to January. He's looked OK in his first two NCAA games, but it's an incredibly small sample size, so seeing him at No. 11 on the North American players lists seems a bit of a reach.
Adam Valentini is an interesting case further down the list. He received a W-rating in the preliminary rankings, suggesting he would be a sixth- or seventh-round pick. But he rose a bit and finds himself just outside the top 100 for North American skaters.
His production at the NCAA level has been just below McKenna's, but the sour taste he left in some scouts' mouths when he moved from the OHL to the NCAA before the season seems to still be playing a role in his ranking.
Check out NHL Central Scouting's mid-term rankings by clicking on the links below:
Top photo by Allison Kennedy Davies
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