Ice hockey players born between January 1, 2006, and September 15, 2008, are eligible for selection in the 2026 NHL entry draft. Additionally, un-drafted, non-North American players born in 2005 are eligible for the draft; and those players who were drafted in the 2024 NHL entry draft, but not signed by an NHL team and who were born after June 30, 2006, are also eligible to re-enter the draft.[1]
Traded picks[]
The order of the 2026 entry draft will be finalized upon the conclusion of the 2025–26 NHL season. However, some teams have already exchanged picks for this draft via trade. These picks are listed below.
Round one[]
The Vegas Golden Knights' first-round pick will go to the Calgary Flames as the result of a trade on March 6, 2024, that sent Mikhail Vorobyev to Vegas in exchange for Daniil Miromanov, a conditional third-round pick in 2025 and this pick (being conditional at the time of the trade). The condition – Calgary will receive a first-round pick in 2026 if Vegas does not possess their first-round pick in 2025 by March 10, 2024[2] – was converted when Vegas transferred their first-round pick in 2025 to San Jose on March 8, 2024.[3]
The New York Islanders' second-round pick will go to the Chicago Blackhawks as the result of a trade on June 29, 2023, that sent future considerations to New York in exchange for Josh Bailey and this pick.[6]
The New York Rangers' second-round pick will go to the Utah Hockey Club as the result of a trade on July 13, 2022, that sent Ty Emberson to New York in exchange for Patrik Nemeth, a second-round pick in 2025 and this pick (being conditional at the time of the trade).[7] The condition – Arizona[lower-alpha 1] will receive a third-round pick in 2024 or a second-round pick in 2026, at their choice[7] – was converted when the Rangers' third-round pick in 2024 was transferred to St. Louis on March 27, 2023.[9][10]
The Ottawa Senators' second-round pick will go to the Utah Hockey Club as the result of a trade on March 1, 2023, that sent Jakob Chychrun to Ottawa in exchange for a conditional first-round pick in 2023, a conditional second-round pick in 2024 and this pick.[11]
The St. Louis Blues' second-round pick will go to the Pittsburgh Penguins as the result of a trade on August 13, 2024, that sent St. Louis' second-round pick in 2025 and a fifth-round pick in 2026 to St. Louis in exchange for Ottawa's third-round pick in 2025 and this pick.[12]
The Toronto Maple Leafs' second-round pick will go to the Chicago Blackhawks as the result of a trade on February 27, 2023, that sent Jake McCabe, Sam Lafferty, a conditional fifth-round pick in 2024 and a conditional fifth-round pick in 2025 to Toronto in exchange for Joey Anderson, Pavel Gogolev, a conditional first-round pick in 2025 and this pick.[13]
The Colorado Avalanche's third-round pick will go to the Columbus Blue Jackets as the result of a trade on November 30, 2024, that sent David Jiricek and a fifth-round pick in 2025 to Minnesota in exchange for Daemon Hunt, a conditional first-round pick in 2025, Toronto's fourth-round pick in 2026, a second-round pick in 2027 and this pick.[15]
Minnesota previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on March 7, 2024, that sent Brandon Duhaime to Colorado in exchange for this pick.[16]
The Florida Panthers' third-round pick will go to the Ottawa Senators as the result of a trade on March 6, 2024, that sent Vladimir Tarasenko to Florida in exchange for a third-round pick in 2025 and this pick (being conditional at the time of the trade).[17] The condition – Ottawa will receive a third-round pick in 2026 if Florida wins the Stanley Cup in 2024[17] – was converted on June 24, 2024.[18]
The Vancouver Canucks' third-round pick will go to the Calgary Flames as the result of a trade on November 30, 2023, that sent Nikita Zadorov to Vancouver in exchange for a conditional fifth-round pick in 2024 and this pick.[20]
The Dallas Stars' fourth-round pick will go to the New Jersey Devils as the result of a trade on February 28, 2024, that sent Chris Tanev to Dallas in exchange for this pick.[22]
The New York Rangers' fourth-round pick will go to the Columbus Blue Jackets as the result of a trade on March 8, 2024, that sent Jack Roslovic to New York in exchange for this pick (being conditional at the time of the trade).[23] The condition – Columbus will receive a fourth-round pick in 2026 if the Rangers do not advance to the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals[23] – was converted when the Rangers were eliminated from the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs on June 1, 2024.
The Ottawa Senators' fourth-round pick will go to the Chicago Blackhawks as the result of a trade on February 22, 2023, that sent future considerations to Ottawa in exchange for Nikita Zaitsev, a second-round pick in 2023 and this pick.[24]
The Toronto Maple Leafs' fourth-round pick will go to the Columbus Blue Jackets as the result of a trade on November 30, 2024, that sent David Jiricek and a fifth-round pick in 2025 to Minnesota in exchange for Daemon Hunt, a conditional first-round pick in 2025, Colorado's third-round pick in 2026, a second-round pick in 2027 and this pick.[15]
Minnesota previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on March 8, 2024, that sent Connor Dewar to Toronto in exchange for Dmitry Ovchinnikov and this pick.[25]
The Pittsburgh Penguins' fifth-round pick will go to the St. Louis Blues as the result of a trade on August 13, 2024, that sent Ottawa's third-round pick in 2025 and a second-round pick in 2026 to Pittsburgh in exchange for St. Louis' second-round pick in 2025 and this pick.[29]
The Boston Bruins' sixth-round pick will go to the Minnesota Wild as the result of a trade on March 8, 2024, that sent Patrick Maroon to Boston in exchange for Luke Toporowski and this pick (being conditional at the time of the trade).[31] The condition – Minnesota will receive a sixth-round pick in 2026 if Maroon plays in one game for the Bruins during the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs[31] – was converted on April 20, 2024.[32]
The Colorado Avalanche's sixth-round pick will go to the Ottawa Senators as the result of a trade on July 15, 2024, that sent Kevin Mandolese and a seventh-round pick in 2026 to Colorado in exchange for this pick.[33]
The Pittsburgh Penguins' sixth-round pick will go to the Columbus Blue Jackets as the result of a trade on February 22, 2024, that sent Emil Bemstrom to Pittsburgh in exchange for Alex Nylander and this pick (being conditional at the time of the trade).[35] The condition – Columbus will receive a sixth-round pick in 2026 if Bemstrom scores fewer than six goals for Pittsburgh in the 2023–24 NHL season – was converted at the end of the Penguins' season on April 17, 2024.[36]
The Toronto Maple Leafs' sixth-round pick will go to the Carolina Hurricanes as the result of a trade on March 7, 2024, that sent Cade Webber to Toronto in exchange for this pick.[38]
Nashville previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on June 29, 2024, that sent a fourth-round pick in 2024 to New York in exchange for a fourth-round pick in 2024 and this pick.[40]
The Ottawa Senators' seventh-round pick will go to the Colorado Avalanche as the result of a trade on July 15, 2024, that sent a sixth-round pick in 2026 to Ottawa in exchange for Kevin Mandolese and this pick.[33]
The following draft picks have been dealt with a condition attached that could not be resolved yet. They are listed below with round, teams, condition itself and further notes, e.g. the players or picks involved in the respective trade.
Montreal will receive a first-round pick in 2026 if the Flames' first-round pick in 2024 is inside of the top nineteen selections and if Calgary does not acquire the Panthers' first-round pick in 2025 and the Flames have the first overall selection in 2025; Montreal will then receive the higher of Calgary or Florida's first-round picks in 2026.[42]
Montreal acquired this pick in a trade on August 18, 2022, that sent future considerations to Calgary in exchange for Sean Monahan and this conditional pick.[42]
Philadelphia will receive a first-round pick in 2026 if Edmonton's first-round pick in 2025 is inside of the top twelve selections.[43]
Philadelphia acquired this pick in a trade on June 28, 2024, that sent a Florida's first-round pick in 2024 to Edmonton in exchange for this conditional pick.[43]
Columbus will receive a first-round pick in 2026 if Minnesota's first-round pick in 2025 is inside the top five selections.[15]
Columbus acquired this pick as the result of a trade on November 30, 2024, that sent David Jiricek and a fifth-round pick in 2025 to Minnesota in exchange for a third and fourth-round pick in 2026, a second-round pick in 2027 and this conditional pick.[15]
Calgary will receive a first-round pick in 2026 if New Jersey's first-round pick in 2025 is inside of the top ten selections.[45]
Calgary acquired this pick in a trade on June 19, 2024, that sent Jacob Markstrom to New Jersey in exchange for Kevin Bahl and this conditional pick.[45]
Ottawa will forfeit one first-round pick in either 2025 or 2026, at their own choice.[46]
Ottawa was forced to forfeit this pick as a result of a league penalty sanction relating to the trade of Evgenii Dadonov to the Vegas Golden Knights, and Dadonov's subsequent voided trade to the Anaheim Ducks.[46]
Nashville will receive a first-round pick in 2026 if Tampa Bay's first-round pick in 2025 is inside of the top ten selections.[47]
Nashville acquired this pick in a trade on February 26, 2023, that sent Tanner Jeannot to Tampa Bay in exchange for a second-round pick in 2024, a third, fourth and fifth-round pick all in 2023 and this conditional pick.[47]
