NHL Draft: Top Forwards Eyeing Early Selections

By Liam Tremblay — 25 June 2026 — 4 min read

The upcoming NHL Draft features a group of highly-touted forwards, with particular attention on a few prospects vying for the top selections. Among them, McKenna has been identified as a leading talent.

Scouts have evaluated these players across various categories, including hockey sense, offensive and defensive capabilities, and overall skill sets. The goal is to identify those with the highest potential for success at the professional level.

Evaluating Top Forward Prospects

Hockey sense is a critical factor in a forward’s projection, as it indicates a player’s adaptability and ability to drive play. This goes beyond simple decision-making to encompass a player’s capacity to understand, anticipate, and influence the game at an NHL level. Players who can manipulate opponents’ movements, both offensively and defensively, tend to receive higher hockey sense grades.

McKenna is noted for his exceptional hockey sense, with scouts describing his ability to anticipate reactions from teammates and defenders. He is seen as controlling play through his pathing, passing, and posture.

Stenberg also demonstrates capabilities in anticipation and manipulation, though to a lesser degree than McKenna. The hockey sense of Björck was a subject of debate among scouts, with some seeing his potential to control the game similarly to Stenberg and McKenna. However, a majority viewed him as a skilled puck-manager who makes sound decisions and supports teammates effectively.

Malhotra and Cullen, while exhibiting similar high-end hockey sense, were noted for being higher-event players who sometimes attempted plays beyond their current capabilities. Björck ultimately received a slightly higher grade in this area due to his overall decision-making. Belchetz, while skilled in positioning and connecting passes, was seen more as a play supporter rather than a primary play-driver, receiving a slightly lower hockey sense grade.

Skill Sets and Offensive Potential

The evaluation of prospects also includes their stature, skating, stickhandling, shooting, passing, and physical skills. These elements collectively indicate a player’s potential and the ease of their transition to the NHL.

Despite some limitations in physical skills, McKenna secured the top spot in the overall ranking due to his elite stickhandling and passing, alongside his potential as a skater and shooter. Stenberg, ranked closely behind, possesses stronger battle skills and a more diverse skill set. Data from Director of European Scouting Lassi Alanen suggests Stenberg‘s all-around effectiveness, combining strong playmaking with high rates of puck recovery and transition success, which could facilitate his adaptation to the NHL.

Other prospects, such as Malhotra and Belchetz, have shown dominance in board play in the OHL. Brown‘s tracking data highlighted Malhotra as an exceptional creator in these areas, excelling in boards-to-middle plays and puck battles. Malhotra‘s superior passing and handling placed him ahead of Belchetz, though both will need to enhance their skating for NHL play.

Cullen requires more projection for his development. His skating currently lacks power, but he is anticipated to become more elusive with time. Increased strength could also improve his board play, which is currently an area for development. His physical skills are considered above average for his size, and he has demonstrated high-end stickhandling and playmaking at times.

McKenna‘s game is heavily oriented towards offence. Stenberg‘s impact at five-on-five is expected to be substantial, given his balanced skill set and professional experience. He could potentially outproduce McKenna in his initial seasons.

Cullen, recognized as a strong playmaker, has shown impressive results in transition, carrying and passing pucks from the defensive to offensive zones. He has demonstrated the ability to exploit defenders with deceptive skating and stickhandling. For Malhotra to achieve high-level production, his game would need adjustments, particularly in skating fluidity, which affected his execution in the OHL. Technical refinements could enhance his potential as a productive two-way centre.

During their draft season, Björck and Belchetz showed fewer high-end offensive flashes compared to other top prospects. Their impact may be more dependent on their roles and teammates. However, they have exhibited top-six calibre skills in certain situations, such as Björck at the J20 level and Belchetz when leading his own line, suggesting they could become significant scorers within their teams.

The connection between defence and play-driving is also highlighted, as controlling the puck limits opponents’ opportunities. The NHL Draft is set to take place.

Source: tsn.ca