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Gavin McKenna #9 of Team Canada celebrates his goal with teammates on the bench during the first period at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship against Team Finland at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, on Dec. 26, 2024. Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images
It’s draft season in the world of sports, with the NBA Draft just wrapping up and the MLB Draft less than three weeks away. But in between is the NHL Draft, and while it may not get as much attention as its counterparts, it is just as critical to roster building. The first round of the 2026 NHL entry draft takes place on Friday, with the Toronto Maple Leafs selecting first overall.
One can expect to see several international prospects taken early and often, but most NHL fans are curious about homegrown talents. Thus, we’ll take a look at the top North American draft prospects hailing from either the United States or Canada.
Gavin McKenna, Winger, Penn State (NCAA)
Considered the top prospect in the 2026 NHL Draft, McKenna just wrapped up his first season in the Big Ten after playing three years of junior hockey in the Western Hockey League. With Penn State, McKenna tallied 33 points over his last 19 games, which puts him on par with another top overall pick in Macklin Celebrini. He was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year, and he was just as productive in junior hockey, posting a higher points per game (2.30) mark in his draft-minus-one year than the likes of Sidney Crosby or Connor McDavid.
Ross Kelly is a sports journalist who has been published by ESPN, CBS and USA Today. He has also done statistical research for Stats Inc. and Synergy Sports Technology. A graduate of LSU, Ross resides in Houston.
