2027 NHL Draft set for June 25-26

The annual event where the top youngsters in the game will hear their names called is set for next summer.

It was reported on Tuesday that the 2027 NHL Draft will be held on June 25-26. The first round is expected to be held on Friday, the 25th, with the remaining six rounds taking place on Saturday, the 26th.

The NHL also confirmed that the draft will be decentralized, meaning the 32 front offices won’t be in one place for the third year in a row.

The decentralized format has been a point of criticism for fans and media alike, as it takes away from some of the intimacy with members of each franchise in attendance. The 2025 draft was also heavily scrutinized for being too long, as it seemed to be crafted as a made-for-television event.

The league has yet to announce where the draft will be held. After a couple of years when the event was held outside NHL arenas – The Sphere in Las Vegas (2024) and the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles (2025) – the 2026 draft was held at the KeyBank Center, home of the Buffalo Sabres.

While there is still plenty of time for some prospects to prove themselves, there are still a few solid players who could be in the NHL sooner rather than later. The top name on many boards is Landon DuPont. The future University of Michigan defenseman is exceptional in almost every facet of the game and arguably has the ability to play in the league now. Other notable names in the 2027 class is Russian winger Nazar Privalov and Saint John Sea Dogs forward Alexis Joseph.