Welcome to The New, folks. Thanks to the new NCAA eligibility rules, we have one of the most highly anticipated college seasons of all-time coming up, one loaded with all your traditional kids, plus a cohort of former major junior stars heading stateside for the first time. 

Putting together this year's list had challenges, but it actually wasn't as difficult as I first thought, because there is so much elite talent – the names flowed quickly. 

I haven't done the breakdown, but there are, as usual, some teams with a lot of names on my annual top 100 and other schools that didn't feature any. That's life. What is a bit different is that you will find players here who may have been drafted by NHL teams only to have those rights lapse when the franchise didn't sign them. But those CHLers now get a second chance at the spotlight in college. 

It will be fascinating to see which teams end up having the most success: those that went with elite NHL prospects, those who went for older, unaffiliated players, or perhaps a hybrid. We shall see.

In the meantime, the rules are the same as always: these are the top 100 players I am excited to watch this season, not necessarily who will have the most points or wins (though there tends to be a correlation). Freshmen and sophomores tend to rank higher because there's more runway, and we don't know yet what their upside is. 

The first name on the list should be obvious, but I must say the depth this year is pretty smashing. Let the games begin...

1. Gavin McKenna, LW, Penn State: The top prospect in the 2026 NHL draft is one of the most highly anticipated freshmen ever, thanks to his incredible skill and creativity.

2. Porter Martone, RW, Michigan State: A power forward who can beat you on the scoresheet and in the alleyways, Martone was taken sixth overall by Philadelphia in 2025.

3. Roger McQueen, C, Providence College: Injury scare hurt his draft stock, but McQueen is a huge center with tons of offense. Anaheim (and Friars) got a steal at 10th overall in 2025.

4. Cayden Lindstrom, C, Michigan State: Missed most of last year due to injury, but now at full power, the Columbus first-rounder is a big, difference-making center.

5. Keaton Verhoeff, D, North Dakota: Potentially the second overall pick in 2026 behind McKenna, Verhoeff is a big D-man who can skate and contribute at both ends.

6. James Hagens, C, Boston College: Freshman season was pretty good, but the Bruins' first-rounder has the skill and vision to kick things up a notch as a sophomore.

7. Jackson Smith, D, Penn State: Another CHL convert, Smith is a big, swift two-way defenseman who went 14th overall to Columbus in 2025. Could definitely put up points.

8. Cole Hutson, D, Boston University: The Washington Capitals second-rounder had a smashing world juniors for Team USA and put up a ton of points from the blueline as a Terriers frosh.

9. Michael Hage, C, Michigan: As a freshman, he was sharp for the Wolverines. Now the Montreal Canadiens first-rounder will have more talent around him, so look for a jump.

10. Joey Muldowney, RW, UConn: The San Jose Sharks prospect led Huskies to first national dance as a sophomore. Can he hit 30 goals this season, after falling just one short last year?

11. Cole Reschny, C, North Dakota: Major driver for WHL Victoria brings his high-end offense to Grand Forks after the Calgary Flames took him 18th overall in 2025.

12. Logan Hensler, D, Wisconsin: He was a young freshman, so don't worry about initial totals. Hensler, the Ottawa Senators first-rounder, has the size, speed and skill to break out.

13. Cole Eiserman, LW, Boston University: Few love scoring goals as much as Eiserman, and he's really good at it. The New York Islanders first-rounder had 25 as a frosh.

14. Will Horcoff, C, Michigan: Joined Wolverines midway through last season and showed off potential. Now a Pittsburgh Penguins first-rounder, it's time for the big center's next step.

15. Ryker Lee, RW, Michigan State: Nashville Predators first-rounder ended USHL career on a tear. Now the Spartans hope to benefit from his great shot and offensive anticipation.

16. Cullen Potter, C, Arizona State: Headed to the Sun Devils as a true freshman and made an impact right away. Flames first-rounder skates well and hunts pucks.

17. Mikhail Yegorov, G, Boston University: Left USHL during campaign to hook up with Terriers and helped them all the way to the national championship game. He's a New Jersey prospect.

18. Jack Ivankovic, G, Michigan: Excellent OHL goalie with world junior experience comes to Ann Arbor after being drafted by Nashville. He's not big, but he could be a college standout.

19. Teddy Stiga, LW, Boston College: All-motor team guy was the world junior hero for Team USA. Stiga is a Nashville pick who could easily put up a point per game or more this year.

20. Wilson Bjorck, C, Colorado College: Deep Vancouver Canucks pick was amazing for Sweden at World Junior Summer Showcase. Tigers may have found a sleeper.

21. Hampton Slukynsky, G, Western Michigan: What do you do after winning a natty? Go for two. Slukynsky, an L.A. Kings prospect, can once again give Broncos peace of mind.

22. Sascha Boumedienne, D, Boston University: Massive performance at the World Men’s Under-18s for Sweden propelled him into the first round of the draft, where Winnipeg was happy to grab him.

23. Blake Montgomery, LW, Wisconsin: Power forward hit a new level after joining OHL London from USHL. He's a Senators pick who could make an immediate impact in Madison.

24. Adam Valentini, C, Michigan: Skilled pivot is coming off nice Hlinka Gretzky tourney for Canada and joins Wolverines for his NHL draft year, where he should be a first-rounder.

25. Vaclav Nestrasil, RW, UMass: Imposing Czech helped Muskegon to a USHL title. Now a Chicago Blackhawks first-rounder, he comes to Amherst full of power forward potential.

2026 NHL Draft Rankings: Ryan Kennedy's Early Top 32 With the Hlinka Gretzky Cup completed, it felt like time to kick off the 2026 NHL draft race with some rankings. 

26. LJ Mooney, C, Minnesota: He may be undersized for the NHL, but that doesn't matter as much in college. Mooney is a Canadiens pick who can make things happen.

27. Justin Poirier, RW, Maine: Former QMJHL star heads over the border with an excellent offensive toolbox. Poirier is a Carolina Hurricanes prospect who can put up numbers.

28. Eric Nilson, C, Michigan State: Two-way center will give the Spartans a lot of versatility. The Ducks pick will also be in the mix for a spot on Sweden's world junior squad.

29. Philip Svedeback, G, Providence College: Senior netminder has more firepower in front of him in Providence this year. Svedeback is a Bruins pick in line for a big year.

30. Trevor Hoskin, RW, Merrimack: Late-bloomer was snapped up by Flames in the draft, then torched Atlantic Hockey with Niagara. The next challenge? Hockey East.

31. Malcolm Spence, LW, Michigan: Two-way winger comes over from OHL Erie with lots of potential. The New York Rangers may have gotten a steal in the second round.

32. Dean Letourneau, C, Boston College: Sure, the totals were small as a freshman, but Letourneau is a massive human with major upside. He's a Bruins pick.

33. Brodie Ziemer, LW, Minnesota: The type of player who drags others into the battle with him, Ziemer is a Buffalo Sabres pick coming off a nice freshman season with the Gophers.

34. Sacha Boisvert, C, Boston University: Two-way center and Blackhawks first-rounder joins the Terriers after great frosh year with North Dakota.

35. Shane Vansaghi, RW, Michigan State: Bull in a china shop had successful freshman year with Spartans. Now he returns as a Flyers draft pick with great experience.

36. Ben Kevan, RW, Arizona State: Blessed with skill, compete and a great shot, Kevan comes to the Sun Devils as a Devils prospect with a lot of potential to grow into.

37. Kristian Epperson, LW, Denver: Former NTDP kid went undrafted, then headed to OHL Saginaw where he broke out alongside Michael Misa. Now he's a Los Angeles draft pick.

38. Jack Murtagh, LW, Boston University: Flyers pick showed some hardness to his game at the NTDP, distinguishing himself amongst the forwards. Has a great shot, too.

39. Cole McKinney, C, Michigan: Another NTDP alum, McKinney led the team in scoring and plays a consistent, two-way game. San Jose snapped him up in the second round.

40. Francesco Dell'Elce, D, UMass: Late-bloomer found his game under Greg Carvel, and now he's a Colorado Avalanche draft pick. Dell'Elce plays big minutes and can join the rush.

41. EJ Emery, D, North Dakota: Sure, he only had one point as a freshman, but that's not Emery's game. The Rangers first-rounder is a long, defensive defenseman.

42. Tomas Mrsic, C, Colorado College: After putting up big numbers in the WHL with Prince Albert, the St. Louis Blues prospect brings his game to the Tigers and should be a factor.

43. Drew Fortescue, D, Boston College: Defensive defenseman with decent size heads into his junior season with the Eagles. Fortescue is a Rangers pick and two-time WJC champ.

44. Max Plante, C, Minn.-Duluth: Detroit Red Wings prospect had an injury-shortened freshman campaign but still lit up the scoresheet. Plante will wear an 'A' for the Dogs this season.

45. Dalyn Wakely, LW, UMass-Lowell: A proven scorer in the OHL, Wakely ended his junior career with a smashing playoff run in Barrie. He's an Edmonton Oilers pick.

46. Joona Vaisanen, D, Western Michigan: Excellent skater kicked off his NCAA career with a national title and some pretty impressive offensive totals. Pittsburgh grabbed him in the draft.

47. Max Hildebrand, G, Bemidji State: The 2024-25 WHL goaltender of the year, Hildebrand is a workhorse veteran who goes from Prince Albert to the Beavers – so he must love green.

48. Jake Sloan, C, Bowling Green: Part of the Falcons' wave of CHL imports, Sloan comes in with one of the most impressive junior careers. The big center had 73 points for WHL Tri-City.

49. Michael Hrabal, G, UMass: Towering Czech netminder and Utah Mammoth pick had a .924 save percentage as a sophomore while picking up his second-straight WJC bronze medal.

50. Trey Augustine, G, Michigan State: We all know what Augustine can do at this point – he'll be one of the best netminders in the nation. Can the Red Wings pick get MSU a title?

What Does Gavin McKenna's College Commitment Mean For The CHL And NCAA's Recruiting Saga? Gavin McKenna, the phenom and top prospect for the 2026 NHL draft, is committing to Penn State. <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/news/latest-news/how-junior-hockey-star-gavin-mckenna-will-benefit-and-benefit-from-penn-state">He made the announcement on ESPN on Tuesday</a>.

51. Adam Kleber, D, Minnesota-Duluth: The big Sabres prospect is never going to put up numbers, but he's going to keep a lot of goals off the board with his size and reach.

52. Julius Sumpf, C, Providence College: Coming over from QMJHL Moncton, where he made magic with Caleb Desnoyers, Sumpf is a Blackhawks pick who should help right away.

53. Eric Pohlkamp, D, Denver: Sturdy Sharks pick brings a lot of offense from the back end. His first season with the Pios after transferring from Bemidji State was impressive.

54. Landon Nycz, D, UMass: The Minutemen have a great track record with blueliners in recent years, and Nycz comes in as a 2026 draft prospect with a lot of upside.

55. William Moore, C, Boston College: There's a lot of potential in Moore, who has size and skill. His NTDP draft year was underwhelming, but now he's a Bruins draft pick.

56. Charlie Cerrato, C, Penn State: Late bloomer had a massive frosh year with the Nittany Lions, which caught the eye of the Hurricanes at the draft. 

57. Will Skahan, D, Boston College: Physical defenseman from the NTDP was drafted by Utah, where they love big blueliners. Skahan will keep the other teams honest with the Eagles.

58. Ryder Ritchie, RW, Boston University: He was a WHL champion with Medicine Hat; now Ritchie tries the NCAA. The offensive prowess is intriguing with the Minnesota Wild pick.

59. Lincoln Kuehne, D, Arizona State: For the second straight year, the Sun Devils have an ex-NTDP kid coming in for his draft year. Kuehne is a 2026 prospect with good size.

60. Quentin Miller, G, Denver: Former Montreal pick brings size and lots of experience to Denver; Miller was a solid goalie in the QMJHL and played last year in the BCHL.

61. Heikki Ruohonen, C, Harvard: Finnish import plays the game hard and will likely play in his second world juniors this season. Ruohonen is a Flyers draft pick.

62. Hagen Burrows, RW, Denver: Tampa Bay prospect made the big jump from high school (and some USHL) to NCAA last year; look for the big Burrows to contribute more as a sophomore.

63. Elliott Groenewold, D, Quinnipiac: Physical defenseman had decent offensive numbers as a freshman. Now, the Bruins pick comes back to Bobcats for Round 2.

64. Colin Ralph, D, Michigan State: Big, nasty blueliner joins Spartans after spending last year with St. Cloud. Ralph is a playoff-style defenseman drafted by the Blues.

65. Xavier Veilleux, D, Cornell: The offensively inclined defenseman won a USHL title with Muskegon last year. Now the Islanders pick takes his talents to Ithaca.

66. Caeden Herrington, D, Vermont: Fantastic USHL year got Herrington drafted by Los Angeles after he was passed over before. He can put up points for the Catamounts.

67. Emmett Croteau, G, Dartmouth: Big Green junior has a lot of size and is coming off a solid year for Dartmouth. Croteau is a Canadiens prospect.

68. Charlie Stramel, C, Michigan State: Highly touted Wild first-rounder finally found his footing last year after transfer from Wisconsin. Now it's time for Stramel to dominate.

69. Chris Pelosi, C, Quinnipiac: Two-way pivot and Bruins pick had a very solid freshman year with the Bobcats. Let's see if he can keep the party going as a sophomore.

70. Alexis Cournoyer, G, Cornell: Canadiens pick had a small sample size with QMJHL Cape Breton – but it was a very impressive sample. Now he takes on the older ECAC.

71. Cole Brown, LW, Notre Dame: Big winger ended his OHL career on a high note with 33 goals and 70 points. New Jersey pick gives the Fighting Irish a nice option as a freshman.

72. Aidan Lane, RW, Harvard: The Flames prospect was a point-per-gamer in brief stint with OHL Brampton after captaining St. Andrew's prep. He's a smart, two-way threat.

73. Jacob Rombach, D, Minnesota: He's really big, and he can skate, so Rombach has two key elements going for him right off the hop. He's a Predators pick.

74. Ethan Wyttenbach, LW, Quinnipiac: He may be small, but Wyttenbach proved he could produce in the USHL last season. Now the Flames pick joins the Bobcats.

75. Zach Nehring, RW, Western Michigan: Winnipeg Jets pick is a power forward who put up impressive numbers as a freshman. Now he gets to defend the national title in Kalamazoo.

'How Big Are His Feet?' How Hockey Scouts And Agents Predict A Teen Prospect's Growth It may be the dead of summer and a quiet time in the hockey world, but I've still been to the rink once a week thanks to a <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/news/latest-news/after-dominant-rookie-whl-season-landon-dupont-looks-poised-to-shine-at-hlinka-gretzky-cup">number</a> <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/news/latest-news/team-canada-u-17-prospect-kaden-mcgregor-just-can-t-get-enough-hockey">of</a> <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/news/latest-news/look-out-for-alexis-joseph-a-2027-nhl-draft-prospect-whose-power-game-is-mackinnon-esque">camps</a>, either skills-based or for international tournaments.

76. Sean Barnhill, D, Michigan State: Big, long blueliner is very raw, so this could be a learning year for him in East Lansing. Long-term, Barnhill could be exciting for the Rangers.

77. Will Zellers, LW, North Dakota: Yet another Bruins prospect, Zellers is a fierce competitor who put up excellent numbers with USHL Green Bay last season.

78. Aiden Fink, RW, Penn State: Undersized forward was a revelation his first two years with the Nittany Lions. Now the junior has more weapons to play with in Happy Valley.

79. Carsen Musser, G, St. Thomas: Big netminder comes over from Colorado College, where he had spot duty as a freshman. Musser is an NTDP alum and a Utah Mammoth prospect.

80. Owen McLaughlin, C, Boston University: Incoming senior was a big producer at North Dakota. Now the Flyers pick will take his talents to the East Coast.

81. Ryan Walsh, C, Cornell: As a sophomore, Walsh rose up to become the Big Red's leading scorer. He's a Bruins pick who has the talent to do so again this year.

82. Jayden Perron, RW, Michigan: Another North Dakota transfer, Perron is a skilled Hurricanes pick who doesn't have a ton of size but can chip in secondary offense.

83. Adam Gajan, G, Minnesota-Duluth: Look, it was a rough first season for Gajan with Duluth, but we've seen the Blackhawks prospect be unstoppable in the past, so have faith.

84. Mason Moe, C, Minnesota: Catch-and-shoot pivot has some heaviness to his game, and he can put the puck in the net. New Jersey grabbed him in the third round this summer.

85. Jake Richard, C, UConn: Another big reason for the Huskies' success last year, Richard is a Sabres pick who exploded for 43 points as a sophomore.

86. Jake Karabela, LW, Ohio State: Former Washington prospect brings a ton of experience to Buckeyes from his time in OHL Guelph. Could be a great place for a second act.

87. Abram Wiebe, D, North Dakota: Vegas Golden Knights pick more than doubled his offense from the blueline as a sophomore. He's a big guy who could do even more as a junior.

88. Henry Mews, D, Michigan: Offensive defenseman and Flames pick had blistering 82-point season in the OHL with Ottawa and Sudbury. He'll bring skill to the Wolverines.

89. Danny Nelson, C, Notre Dame: Big, athletic center enters his third year with the Fighting Irish, where he once again will be a driver. Nelson is an Islanders prospect.

90. Chase Clark, G, Canisius College: Capitals pick arrives from American International, where the 6-foot-6 keeper boasted a .913 save percentage.

91. Austin Burnevik, RW, St. Cloud: Power forward and Ducks pick led the Huskies in scoring as a freshman, and they'll need him to keep that mojo going as a sophomore.

92. Sam Laurila, D, North Dakota: Late-bloomer found his game with USHL Fargo and was rewarded when the Islanders drafted him. Brings offense from the back end.

93. Carter Amico, D, Boston University: NTDP product missed most of draft year due to injury, but Philadelphia snapped him up nonetheless. With time, he could be a major shutdown guy.

94. Kevin Reidler, G, Penn State: We know the Nittany Lions have offensive weapons, but someone needs to keep the puck out of their net. Reidler, the Ottawa Sens pick, can do that.

95. William Belle, RW, Notre Dame: Bang-and-crasher from the NTDP could be a great bottom-six weapon in South Bend and beyond. He's a Toronto Maple Leafs pick.

96. Chase Cheslock, D, St. Thomas: Big blueliner enters his third season with the Tommies. The Devils pick found his offensive game as a sophomore.

97. Reid Dyck, G, Colgate: Veteran netminder with size saw it all with WHL Swift Current. Now he takes his talents to the Red Raiders and the tough ECAC.

98. Jack Beck, LW, Arizona State: Late add played pro last season and ripped it up as a point-per-gamer in the ECHL. With his scoring punch, no wonder ASU came calling.

99. Jayson Shaugabay, RW, Minnesota-Duluth: Smart and slick playmaker put up admirable numbers as a freshman with the Dogs. Let's see what the Tampa Bay pick can do next.

100. Charlie Trethewey, D, Boston University: Had a rough draft year with NTDP, but the tools are there. The Terriers just need to hone the Penguins prospect.

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