2026 NHL entry draft | |
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General information | |
Date(s) | TBA |
Location | TBA |
Overview | |
First selection | TBA |
The2026 NHL entry draft will be the 64thNHL entry draft. The draft is expected to be held in the summer of 2026.
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 the2024 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]
The order of the 2026 entry draft will be finalized upon the conclusion of the2025–26 NHL season. However, some teams have already exchanged picks for this draft via trade. These picks are listed below.
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.
Round | Team receiving pick | Team granting pick | Condition | Further notes |
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1 | New York Islanders | Colorado Avalanche | New York will receive a first-round pick if Colorado's first-round pick in 2026 is outside of the top ten selections. Otherwise this will become a first-round pick in2027.[56] | New York acquired this pick in a trade on March 6, 2025, that sentWilliam Dufour andBrock Nelson to Colorado in exchange forOliver Kylington,Calum Ritchie and a conditional third-round pick in2028, and this conditional pick.[56] |
1 | Carolina Hurricanes | Dallas Stars | If Dallas' first-round pick in 2026 is within the top 10 selections, they will have the option to defer this pick to an unconditional first-round pick in2027.[19] | Carolina acquired this pick as the result of a trade on March 7, 2025, that sentMikko Rantanen to Dallas in exchange forLogan Stankoven, a conditional first-round pick in2028, third-round picks in 2026 and2027 and this conditional pick.[19] |
1 | San Jose Sharks | Edmonton Oilers | San Jose will receive Edmonton's first-round pick in 2026 if the pick is outside of the top 12 or Edmonton has traded their first-round pick in 2027 before the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline; otherwise, San Jose will receive Edmonton's choice of first-round pick in 2026 or 2027.[57] | San Jose acquired this pick in a trade on March 6, 2025, that sentJake Walman to Edmonton in exchange forCarl Berglund and this conditional pick.[57] |
1 | Chicago Blackhawks | Florida Panthers | Chicago will receive a first-round pick in 2026 if Florida possesses their first-round pick. Otherwise, the pick will defer to2027.[26] | Chicago acquired this pick in a trade on March 1, 2025, that sentSeth Jones and a fourth-round pick to Florida in exchange forSpencer Knight and this conditional pick.[26] |
1 | Columbus Blue Jackets | Minnesota Wild | Columbus will receive a first-round pick in 2026 if Minnesota's first-round pick in2025 is inside the top five selections.[17] | Columbus acquired this pick as the result of a trade on November 30, 2024, that sentDavid Jiricek and a fifth-round pick in2025 to Minnesota in exchange for a third and fourth-round pick in 2026, a second-round pick in2027 and this conditional pick.[17] |
1 | Pittsburgh Penguins | New York Rangers (via Vancouver) | Pittsburgh will receive a first-round pick in 2026 if the Rangers' first-round pick in2025 is inside the top thirteen selections.[58] | Pittsburgh acquired this pick in a trade on January 31, 2025, that sentDrew O'Connor andMarcus Pettersson to Vancouver in exchange forVincent Desharnais,Melvin Fernstrom,Danton Heinen and this conditional pick.[58]
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1 | N/A | Ottawa Senators | Ottawa will forfeit one first-round pick in either2025 or 2026, at their own choice.[60] | Ottawa was forced to forfeit this pick as a result of a league penalty sanction relating to the trade ofEvgenii Dadonov to theVegas Golden Knights, and Dadonov's subsequent voided trade to theAnaheim Ducks.[60] |
1 | Seattle Kraken | Tampa Bay Lightning | Seattle will receive a first-round pick in 2026 if Tampa Bay's first-round pick in 2026 is outside the top ten selections. Otherwise, this becomes a first-round pick in2028.[40] | Seattle acquired this pick in a trade on March 5, 2025, that sentKyle Aucoin,Oliver Bjorkstrand and a fifth-round pick in 2026 to Tampa Bay in exchange forMikey Eyssimont, a conditional first-round pick in2027, a second-round pick in2025, and this conditional pick.[40] |
1 | Boston Bruins | Toronto Maple Leafs | Boston will receive a first-round pick in 2026 if Toronto's first-round pick in 2026 is outside of the top five selections.[61] | Boston acquired this pick in a trade on March 7, 2025, that sentBrandon Carlo to Toronto in exchange forFraser Minten, a fourth-round pick in2025 and this conditional pick.[61] |
5 | St. Louis Blues | New York Islanders | The trade condition is not confirmed. | St. Louis acquired this pick in a trade on January 27, 2025, that sentScott Perunovich to the Islanders in exchange for this conditional pick.[62] |