The 2026 NHL draft is complete and there were some truly wonderful moments. From the Ruck twins going together to the Pittsburgh Penguins, to the reaction of Jaxon Cover's family to the Cayman Islands product being selected with the final pick in the first round, and much more over the course of 224 picks in two days.
Now, it is time for draft grades. These marks are about what the teams did with their selections, how they maneuvered the draft board and how much value they gained or left on the board where they picked.
There are a couple of clear winners, as well as quite a few teams who left value on the board -- and even allowed divisional rivals to accumulate that talent.
Note: Teams are listed alphabetically within each letter grade.
A grades
San Jose Sharks
Grade: A++
It isn't even an A+, it's 100%, aced the test, 10/10 no notes.
The Sharks had one of the best first rounds in draft history in terms of value at the positions they selected and the ability to add elite talent in positions of need. Not only were the Sharks able to address key organizational needs, but they were patient, and in doing so, were able to extract tremendous draft value with their selections.
There is a decent chance that San Jose walks away with two of the top five defensemen in the class when we look back at this draft years from now. Everything after that was gravy. And, as if they didn't already have a couple of young goaltenders in the organization with high-end upside, they managed to grab Brady Knowling at the end of the fourth round.
Finally, the Sharks also drafted 7-footer Alexander Karmanov, who would be the tallest player in NHL history if he were to make it to the league. The Sharks absolutely crushed this draft. Truly elite asset management and use of picks, continuing to put the building blocks in place for a very long contention window.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Grade: A+
In terms of talent, this is the best draft the Leafs have had in a very long time, maybe ever from a pick-optimization perspective.
The Leafs passed the (Gavin) McKenna test. Great start. But there had been a distinct lack of upside swings in Toronto in years past. That was not the case this year, with the Leafs swinging on players who have quality profiles and skills that can translate to the NHL.
They got solid draft value at the end of the second round taking Alexander Bilecki, who was a key difference-maker in the Memorial Cup. I really liked the swings in the third round on Ethan MacKenzie, Zach Olsen and Mans Gudmundsson, getting second-round talents in the third. Add in goaltenders with legitimate NHL upside and Cooper Williams in the late rounds, and there is a lot to love about what the Leafs did.
The process of getting good value with their selections and adding players with legitimate NHL potential to their organization is one that will pay off. A very good start for new GM John Chayka and his staff.
Anaheim Ducks
Grade: A
For a team that entered the draft with zero first-round picks, ending up with two of the most talented forwards in the draft class is quite something.
The Ducks got tremendous value with Nikita Klepov at No. 15 and took a big swing on elite skill with Marcus Nordmark. They were then gift-wrapped Mathis Preston in the second round, and made no mistake: full marks to the front office for continuing to bet on skill and adding more offensive talent to the organization.
As the draft continued, the team made educated bets with Jayden Kurtz, Rian Chudzinksi and Eric Frossard. The Ducks have stiff competition in the Pacific, but they had one of the best drafts outside of San Jose and are primed to continue to add highly skilled players to their lineup.
Nashville Predators
Grade: A
Nashville's first round was excellent, as the drafted highly skilled players with top-of-the-lineup ceilings in Wyatt Cullen and Tommy Bleyl. Bleyl represented tremendous value at No. 31 with elite offensive upside because of his skating and puck-moving ability. Dmitri Borichev is high-end value in the third round, too.
The late-round selections were nothing to write home about, but the value the team extracted with its first few selections cannot be overstated. There is a decent chance that the Predators drafted three NHL players -- and two potential stars. That is exactly the type of start the Predators needed under new GM Chris MacFarland.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Grade: A
The Ruck brothers are united! There is a decent chance that the Penguins drafted two top-six forwards who will be centered by Ben Kindel at the NHL level.
Overall, the Penguins had a solid approach, drafting for scoring profiles. I liked the Tomas Galvas pick, even if it was a little early, as he's another likely NHL player. The Penguins got great value with Pierce Mbuyi in the third round, as he has a quality scoring profile and elite athleticism. They took chances on over-agers in the middle rounds, and, like Finn Harding, Parker Von Richter has a decent NHL shot.
There's a lot to love about what the Penguins did in this draft, and the confidence to take a calculated risk with the Rucks with a sizable gap between picks was executed brilliantly. The Penguins deserve full marks for conviction and execution of their entire draft.
Los Angeles Kings
Grade: A-
For an organization with zero prospects projected to play in the top six, the Kings took quality swings with Elton Hermansson and Liam Lefebvre, two players with exciting scoring profiles. Getting Adam Goljer in the middle of the second was fair value, adding a quality prospect on defense.
Blake Zielinski and Thomas Vandenberg represent tremendous value in the middle rounds, adding two more players with potential complementary offense in the middle six. Grabbing Giorgos Pantelas in the fifth was a tidy bit of work for a player widely expected to go in the top 100.
Seattle Kraken
Grade: A-
There is no way anyone in Seattle thought Chase Reid would be available at No. 7. The Kraken wasted no time addressing a significant area of need and getting plus value on the selection. Reid is exactly the type of talent Seattle needs on the blue line.
They extracted value with Casey Mutryn in the second round and made a lot of educated bets on players in the middle rounds, too. I liked the Finn Kearns selection in the fifth round, as he has potential to grow into a bottom-six NHL player with some development time.
Bottom line, the Kraken got one of the very best defensemen in the draft at seventh overall and another first-round talent in Mutryn, who should be a middle-of-the-lineup contributor on the wing. The Kraken should be happy with how things turned out at this year's draft.
Winnipeg Jets
Grade: A-
There is a decent chance the Jets got the best center in the draft at No. 8 in Viggo Bjorck. It is very rare to say that in any NHL draft; usually, those players are gone in the top five. Addressing a key area of need while getting excellent value kicked off a decent draft for the Jets.
The Jets aren't a free agent destination, so when the goaltender they draft is in near tears saying he was hoping to be picked by the team, you're getting marks for value and fit. I like the Zach Wooten selection in the fourth round, given his potential to continue developing into an NHL player. The Jets swung on quality prospects throughout the draft -- including Landon Hafele in the sixth -- giving them the best chance to find NHL players.
B grades
Buffalo Sabres
Grade: B+
Turning Bowen Byram into Daxon Rudolph and Olen Zelwegger is elite-level asset management.
The Sabres are betting Rudolph is the best offensive defenseman in the draft, and while taking him at No. 4 is a bit rich, that's a swing they can afford to take. Morozov was a fine pick at No. 20, but leaving Ryan Lin and Adam Novotny on the board isn't ideal. I really liked the selection of Murnieks in the fourth round, getting some good value there.
The Sabres' method of acquiring their selections was tremendous, but this grade is likely an A+ if they took Carson Carels and then either Lin or Novotny with their first two selections. As a whole, Sabres fans should be extraordinarily excited about the immediate future of the franchise.
Calgary Flames
Grade: B+
On the whole, the Flames come out pretty well given their selections. I loved the addition of Carson Carels at sixth overall. The Flames get quality value and potentially the most impactful defenseman in the draft class.
I thought the Flames should've taken Bleyl at No. 30 instead of trying to address an organizational need at the center position with Hextall. Full marks for getting Trejbal in the second round, that's some good value there.
Iginla is a fine pick in the third round, especially when you consider the family ties there. Really good swing on Barabanov in the fourth round, with some great value on a player with good offensive skills and some bite. Getting Katolicky in the fifth round is another value selection, as he has NHL depth potential.
Carolina Hurricanes
Grade: B+
The Hurricanes get full marks for trading back multiple times and accumulating multiple picks to select players they probably coveted earlier in the draft.
Hakansson is a different player than they usually draft from a scoring-profile perspective; there was some belief he might have gone in the first round, giving him decent value in the back half of the second. Getting Berchild in the fourth round is high-end value, and is an excellent organizational fit for the type of player the Canes like.
Using the last pick of the sixth round to acquire the negotiating rights to John Carlson -- who is, without a doubt, better than any player they would have selected -- is good asset management. If the Canes believe there is a greater than 5% chance that Carlson signs, that is the best use of that selection.
Utah Mammoth
Grade: B+
On value alone, the Belchetz pick earned them a B+ if they did nothing else with the rest of their selections. There is a decent chance he is the best power forward in the draft class, and trading up two picks to get him was the right move. Any time you can address an organizational area of need and extract tremendous value, you're getting top marks.
Acquiring Cossa with the pick from Boston in the JJ Peterka trade is a fine bet, although a little rich for my blood. I absolutely loved the Adam Valentini selection in the fourth round, getting some of the best value on Day 2 with that selection.
Even if the Mammoth only get one player (Belchetz) from this draft class, the likelihood that he's a top-six difference-maker for them is relatively high.
Colorado Avalanche
Grade: B
The Avalanche patiently waited to get first-round talent in the middle of the second in Shilov is great value. They didn't have many picks, but they continued to extract value with their middle-round selections of Beckett Hamilton and Axel Elofsson, as well.
With what they had, the Avalanche did better than they should have in this draft.
Columbus Blue Jackets
Grade: B
This was a mixed bag for the Blue Jackets. They didn't draft the best power winger available with their first selection, and left significant value on the board.
However, I loved the Di Iorio selection at the end of the third round. There is a real chance his production explodes next season.
I absolutely loved the Anttoni Uronen and Jonas Woo selections in the sixth round. Both have high-end scoring profiles with NHL potential. It is rare that those scoring profiles are available in the sixth.
Dallas Stars
Grade: B
The Stars got some great value with their selections, despite not having a ton of draft capital.
They got good value on Vanecek selection, given that he could have gone much earlier on Day 2, and I really liked the Ryan Brown selection. There is some serious potential to pop and become an effective bottom-six NHLer who can contribute some offense. They didn't have a lot to work with but took educated risks that could pay off well.
Detroit Red Wings
Grade: B
Turning Sebastian Cossa into JP Hurlbert and adding Victor Plante in the second round is good work for the Red Wings. I really liked the uniting of the Plante brothers in the organization as well.
With Cossa going out, the Red Wings adding Orsulak makes a ton of sense. He's great value in the third round.
Beckham Edwards was another nice selection in the fifth round. He slipped in rankings through the season but profiles as a depth NHL player, which presents decent value.
Overall, the Red Wings did fairly well with what they had, not getting high-end value anywhere but adding players with legitimate NHL upside is good work.
Florida Panthers
Grade: B
The Panthers got excellent value with three of their picks, and it wouldn't surprise me if all of them played NHL games.
With their first two picks, they get good value on players who are high-probability NHLers with Ignativicius and Cali. Both are going to fit right in with Florida's "hard to play against" mantra. Add in Vanahatalo -- who was a potential top-50 pick to start the season -- in the sixth round, and the Panthers did well with the draft capital they had, adding to a barren prospect pipeline.
New Jersey Devils
Grade: B
The Devils are clearly addressing some needs in their organization this offseason, and while they left some value on the board with their first two picks, there is a high likelihood that their top two picks play NHL games in a meaningful middle-of-the-lineup roles.
I loved the value of Shcherbackov in the second round. I also really liked the high-risk, high-reward selection of Gashilov, who owns a high-end scoring profile in the MHL. Quinn McKenzie was an excellent swing in the seventh round as a player who could blossom into a bottom-of-the-lineup player.
On the whole, the Devils got players who will contribute, but left some serious upside on the board; that's where they downgrade from a B+ to a B.
New York Islanders
Grade: B
The Isles came into the draft with a pretty clear need, and credit where it's due they did address it.
I liked the Gustafsson selection in the first round, getting fair value there, but thought Lin or Belchetz would have been better selections for what the Islanders need.
The Islanders got good value with Lincoln Kuehne, who is a high-end athlete and fills a significant need for a right-handed defenseman in the organization. He has potential to be a depth defenseman. The same goes for Dravecky, who fills an organizational need and could easily outperform his selection.
They still lack a high-end right-handed defender, but have given themselves a couple of decent shots at NHL depth defenders on the right side.
Vancouver Canucks
Grade: B
The Canucks got great value with Adam Novotny, and I like the Niklas Aarm-Olsen pick even if I preferred other players at that spot. Drafting for need at the top of the draft has burned them before, but Caleb Malhotra should be a quality second-line, two-way center for them.
I also liked the Brooks Rogowski selection; there is upside as a big-body, middle of the lineup, secondary scoring forward. The Bryzgalov selection as a potential depth scorer in the future is a fun bet, too.
In the later rounds, the Canucks went for size over upside bets, and are hoping some NHL traits develop in the likes of Eriksson and Davis. At the end of the day, passing on the likes of Chase Reid and Mathis Preston -- and gift-wrapping them to divisional rivals -- is not ideal, and that does factor into the grade.
Chicago Blackhawks
Grade: B-
One of the toughest teams to grade in this draft.
The Blackhawks selected the defenseman with arguably the highest ceiling in the draft in Xavier Villeneuve, and followed it up with another excellent value in Ryan Roobroeck. With no first-round picks after a trade earlier in the week, the Blackhawks managed to get two players with high ceilings who could be top-of-the-lineup contributors if they develop properly.
But they are both boom-or-bust prospects. Ultimately, they got solid value and took swings with their picks, but giving up the fourth overall pick for Bowen Byram factors in as a questionable use of draft capital when they would have had their pick of all the top defensemen at fourth overall.
Minnesota Wild
Grade: B-
The Wild had nearly no selections given their trades. They did not waste those selections, addressing areas of need and selecting players with good value.
I loved the selection of Adam Andersson in the third round, as some thought he would go in the second. Given the need for centers, he is most certainly an organizational fit. They got some decent value with Kayden Lemire and Filip Ruzicka in the middle rounds simply by taking players with high ceilings who need development time. It's nothing to write home about, but Andersson is likely to be a bottom-six center.
Montreal Canadiens
Grade: B-
The Canadiens drafted for need with their first few picks, and certainly left some value on the board, but are likely to get quality NHL minutes at the bottom of their lineup from their players. Given where Montreal is in its contention cycle, you can understand why it wants to address needs, so it is defensible.
I really liked the Parker Trottier and Wesley Royston selections in the sixth round. Trottier is one of the most competitive, fiery and seriously annoying players to play against. It will not surprise me in the slightest if he becomes a fourth-line pest in the NHL.
St. Louis Blues
Grade: B-
Leaving Belchetz on the board twice when he was the best player available for players with lower ceilings meant the Blues started behind the 8-ball from a value perspective.
The Blues opted to address areas of need early in the draft in favor of players with higher ceilings. The trade to acquire Mason McTavish will help them immediately, but you want top-of-the-lineup players with two picks in the first half of the first round, and I'm not sure the Blues got any.
They got excellent value with Luke Schairer in the third round, Nicholas Bogas in the fifth round and Lars Steiner in the sixth round. After conceding a ton of value in the first few picks, the Blues did very well on Day 2 with their selections, bumping their grade to a B-.
Vegas Golden Knights
Grade: B-
The Golden Knights traded back into the first round and grabbed Piiparinen, who was right in the area for me. There's a chance he pops and becomes a top-four defender in the NHL for a long time.
I absolutely loved the value of the Jonah Sivertson selection, jumping up to No. 113 to get him. Vegas didn't enter the draft with a ton of selections -- and you certainly lose marks for forfeiting a selection -- but the Knights did fairly well with the picks they had.
C grades
Boston Bruins
Grade: C+
Acquiring a proven NHL player is almost always better than a draft pick. JJ Peterka is who the Bruins opted for as opposed to a first-round pick, which they sent to Utah in the deal.
Ivanov is a very young goaltender that is going to take time, but has solid NHL potential. Oscar Olsson is a decent bet in the fourth round with some potential.
The Bruins may not get any NHLers from their draft class, but using their first as part of a package to acquire a proven NHLer is good business for where the Bruins are in their competitive window.
Edmonton Oilers
Grade: C+
There's not a lot to write home about, but I loved the Berzkalns pick. To trade down, accumulate another pick and get a solid player who should play in the bottom of the lineup for the Oilers is good asset management.
Following that, Gastrin has some upside as a pest forward towards the bottom of the lineup. Ultimately, the Oilers didn't have a ton to work with, and may only get one player from the draft, but he could be a nice piece for their bottom six.
New York Rangers
Grade: C+
Understanding the desire to remain competitive right now, I get why Alberts Smits is an attractive prospect. Having said that, leaving both Carels and Reid on the board is ... suboptimal. That is far too much value at a premier position to leave on the board, in favor of a player who can play now.
Smits should be a good top-four defenseman, but the Rangers had the opportunity to draft a potential star and opted for the safety net. They got good value on Ben MacBeath at the end of the second round, and I really liked the Charlie Morrison and Tomas Chernko selections in the third. But when you pass on some of the best talent at the top of the draft in favor of a more NHL-ready player, you lose marks on your process.
The educated bets on Day 2 elevated the draft grade, and the Rangers still have a lot of work to do in adding talent to the organization.
Ottawa Senators
Grade: C+
The Sens started the year with zero first-round picks, and ended up selecting twice on night one. They took home run swings with both picks, but left significant value on the board at No. 25, and got fair value at No. 32. Cover is more raw, and has the chance to play to his first-round pedigree, much like Easton Cowan did the year after he was drafted. It is better to swing on skill than size and the Sens do get some credit for that, despite leaving some high-end talent on the board with both of their firsts.
I liked the Nemec pick in the third round, the Sens landed some good value there. Outside of that, The Sens don't have a ton of projectable NHL talent from this draft class. The hope is that some of their swings pop in their draft-plus-one years to give them a better shot at NHL minutes.
Philadelphia Flyers
Grade: C+
Kudos to the Flyers for trading back, understanding they could be patient and accumulate pick value. They left some significant value on the board in favor of drafting for organizational fit, but got some decent value with the Brek Liskie pick.
Max Laatikainen is an excellent bet in the seventh round as the youngest player in the draft with some potential.
At the end of the day, you need to draft high-end talent to compete. The Flyers passing on upside for players that fit the style their coach wants to play is risky business, and certainly costs them some grading points.
Washington Capitals
Grade: C+
They didn't have a ton of picks, and their selections were fine. Suvanto was a little rich for my blood given the talent that was available on the board, but he probably ends up as a quality third-line center.
Trading up to get a falling Tyus Sparks was good value, as he's got some potential to be an energy player in the bottom six. I liked the seventh round swing on Logan Stuart, who has some potential to develop into a depth defender at the NHL level.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Grade: C-
The Bolts didn't have many selections, and didn't do much with the ones they had. They traded up for Kulebiakin, who I felt they could have waited on or selected a player with better upside. Neither of their middle-round picks have profiles that would indicate NHL potential, but that can change if Tampa Bay's development system extracts more.