Top takeaways from NHL Central Scouting’s 2026 Draft watch list
The NHL’s Central Scouting Service released its preliminary watch list for the 2026 NHL Draft on Monday, rating hundreds of players who hope to hear their names called next June.
It’s still extremely early in the season, so there aren’t huge sample sizes to go off of. So much will change over the next few months, but this list is still an excellent starting point to figure out who to keep an eye on.
The list features players broken into five tiers: A (projected first-rounder), B (2nd-3rd rounder), C (4th-5th rounder) and W (6th-7th rounder). No players were placed in “LV” or Limited Viewing.
As Daily Faceoff’s prospect analyst, here are my biggest takeaways from the initial list:
27 players receive “A” ratings – but one notable name is missing
I can’t say I have any issues with the 27 players Central Scouting listed as first-rounders. It’s a good list, and while I have a few players I like more in the B group, it’s hard to argue with their choices.
That is, until you look at one player who wasn’t included in the A class – Viggo Björck. It wasn’t that long ago – literally, months ago – that most expected him to be a top three prospect for 2026. His lack of size doesn’t help him (he’s listed as 5-foot-9), but it feels like his skill still outweighs the size concerns. Björck has split time between the SHL and Swedish U-20 leagues this year, and while it’s hard to produce as an underager in one of the top leagues in Europe, I feel like Björck has proven he’s capable of being dangerous.
I always expected him to fall a bit in the draft, but this feels like a bit of an over-correction. Maybe my opinion on that will age poorly – but it seems way too early to knock him tihs far down right now.
Need a defender?
NHL Central Scouting listed 10 defenders as A-rated prospects. The biggest draws are Keaton Verhoeff and Ryan Lin, but there isn’t a single defender listed that I don’t like. There’s a good mix of speed, skill and size, with Verhoeff – the projected No. 2 pick – being a good mix of all three.
Keep a close eye on Alberts Smits as he continues to make an impression in Finland – he might be one of the best Latvian defender we’ve ever seen. I was lower on him in my recent draft rankings but that’ll change in the next list – I’ve really grown to love his two-way game in recently.
B-rated defenders that I like include William Hakansson, Jonas Kemps, Lincoln Kuehne, Giorgos Pantelas and Jakub Vanecek.
Players I’m higher on
I really grew to like Tomas Chrenko last year, someone who was given a “C” grade this year. He might not be big, but he’s so dangerous around the net, and he proved that during the U-18s with Slovakia last year. Speaking of Slovakia, I really like defenseman Adam Goljer‘s game, and I think a team will be all over his 6-foot-3 frame. He’s also a C-rated prospect, but I feel like a move to North America could really help him open some eyes.
Heading back across the pond, C-rated Joe Iginla has been lights out for the Edmonton Oil Kings this year. They’re a good team with a number of high-end weapons, but this feels a little like when Tij Iginla defied early projections to go in the top 10 in 2023.
I also think Pierce Mbuyi is ranked way too low at C. He was one of the CHL’s most dangerous rookies last year, and while his overall game needs work, there’s so much skill to work with. He’s 5-foot-10, which isn’t ideal, but he makes up for it with his great offensive zone reads.
Two other C-rated players to watch: forward Jean-Christoph Lemieux and goaltender Douglas Nilsson. Both have impressed me at points, and while both have their flaws, I like the upside – especially with Nilsson standing tall at 6-foot-3. He hasn’t been great against Swedish U-20 competition, but was fantastic at the Hlinka.
As for “watchlist” players, three players with ties to the University of Michigan were much lower than expected: Adam Valentini, Dakoda Rhéaume-Mullen, and Zach Nyman. Valentini was projected by many as a first-round option heading into the season. After de-committing from Kitchener just prior to the season, he is humming along at a point-per-game pace with Michigan. His game is far from perfect, and he lacks pro-level strength, but he’s making his presence known. I liked DHM’s game last year and thought he should have gotten selected, while Nyman was once one of the top OHL Draft prospects. Maybe a year in the spotlight in Brampton will help.
Goaltenders might be underlooked
The 2025 NHL Draft was a solid one for goaltenders, with two taken in the first round and 10 in the top 100 picks. This year, though, feels like a step back, and it’s a large reason why I refuse to use the words “deep draft” this year.
That being said, Central Scouting have seven goaltenders listed as “B” rated prospects: Jacoby Weiner, Tobias Trejbal, Frantisek Poletin, Jan Larys, Brady Knowling, Zach Jovanovski and Harrison Boettiger. Of the list, I really like Poletin, Boettiger and Jovanovski, in particular. I think Parker Snell and Gavin Betts are ranked too low, but both are undersized. We’ll see if the CHL uses them, or goes for the higher-ranked options, at the CHL USA Prospects Challenge next month.
I’m not sure there’s a single future NHL starting goalie in this class. But very few ever emerge at this point – instead, you’re hoping to find someone who can at least contribute at the NHL level. I think we’re looking at maybe four or five from this class, but there’s no clear favorite No. 1 just yet.
Notable overage prospects
There’s no, “Oh, shoot, how’d we miss this guy?” re-entry options yet this year. But there are two C-rated 2007-born players I like: Andrew O’Neill and Yaroslav Bryzgalov. O’Neill was someone I really grew to like last year, and thought he’d be a decent late-round selection. He’s a fourth-liner, but he’s excellent defensively and shows a ton of pro-level traits. He processes the game quickly and is committed to winning every shift.
Bryzgalov, meanwhile, is an absolute force. He has played at a point-per-game pace with Medicine Hat this year, showing is game goes beyond his huge frame. It doesn’t help that he’s 6-foot-4 and 220-pounds, but his skating seems quicker and more controlled. He had little to show for in the USHL last year, but he’s an everday contributor in the WHL right now.
The real star right now, though, is 2006-born Egor Barabanov. He had a couple of so-so seasons in the USHL, but he has been a big-time top-line contributor with Saginaw. I’m not sure I’d put him in the “B” category right now, but he’s a skilled playmaking forward who can exploit open ice. Right now, he seems to be thriving in his elevated role in the OHL.
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