Gavin McKenna arrived in Toronto carrying the weight that comes with being the first player taken in the 2026 NHL Draft, and his first preseason look suggested the Maple Leafs have already found room to test him high in the lineup. The 18-year-old left wing skated beside John Tavares and William Nylander for much of Toronto’s 4-1 exhibition loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Sept. 19 at Scotiabank Arena, logging 20:39 and putting three shots on net.
Toronto opens the 2026-27 season Sept. 29 after missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2016. McKenna is not being asked to repair everything by himself, but the Leafs see the Penn State product as a player capable of lifting their offensive future.
“I felt good,” McKenna said after his preseason debut. “I generated some chances, though there were a couple of turnovers. That can come with nerves. It was a solid beginning and there is plenty to build from.”
McKenna produced 15 goals and 36 assists in 35 games as a Penn State freshman. He also posted four goals and 10 points in seven games while helping Canada earn bronze at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship. At 5-foot-11 and 170 pounds, he still has strength to add before he is fully equipped for the nightly NHL grind, but his puck skills and offensive instincts give Toronto a legitimate building-block prospect.
“Getting through the routine of a game day was valuable,” McKenna said. “Being in warmups with those players was special. There was a lot of excitement around it.”
The rookie group behind McKenna
McKenna is one of several newcomers who could matter quickly this season. Some will be handed top-six opportunities, others will have to earn their shifts through detail and matchups, and a few already have playoff experience on their resumes.
Viggo Bjorck, F, Winnipeg Jets
Winnipeg selected Bjorck eighth overall in the 2026 draft after the 5-foot-9, 177-pound forward collected six goals and 15 points in 42 Swedish Hockey League games for Djurgarden. He was even better on the international stage, registering three goals and nine points in seven games as Sweden won World Junior gold.
Bjorck centered Sweden’s first line at the 2026 IIHF World Championship despite being 18, contributing one goal and six points in eight games. His size is modest, but he processes plays quickly, distributes the puck well and can be used in multiple situations. A top-nine spot and power-play work could put him in the middle of Winnipeg’s rookie race.
Victor Eklund, F, New York Islanders
The Islanders’ 16th pick in 2025, Eklund brings pace, pressure and dependable work away from the puck. He finished last season with six goals and 24 points in 43 SHL games for Djurgarden, then immediately adjusted to North American hockey with three goals and 10 points in nine games for Bridgeport of the American Hockey League.
The 5-foot-11, 161-pound forward also recorded an assist in his NHL debut on April 14. Eklund turns 20 on Oct. 3, and his competitive style could make him a natural fit in an Islanders lineup that values responsible, hard-driving forwards.
Jacob Fowler, G, Montreal Canadiens
Fowler has already taken a sizeable step from college standout to NHL option. The 6-foot-1, 223-pound goaltender won the Mike Richter Award as college hockey’s top goalie at Boston College in 2025 before going 19-7-1 with a .916 save percentage in 27 AHL appearances for Laval.
Montreal then used the 2023 third-round pick in 17 starts during 2025-26. Fowler went 9-6-2 with a 2.43 goals-against average and .908 save percentage. The 21-year-old’s composure and positional game have given the Canadiens a young netminder who has handled pressure without looking overwhelmed.
Anton Frondell, F, Chicago Blackhawks
Frondell may get an immediate opening down the middle while Connor Bedard recovers from offseason shoulder surgery. Chicago selected Frondell third overall in 2025, and the 6-foot-1, 198-pound forward has the frame, release and scoring touch of a potential top-six player.
The 19-year-old had three goals and nine points in 12 NHL games after completing his Djurgarden season. His skating remains a development point, but Chicago has ice time available and could pair him with Bedard on the power play once Bedard returns.
James Hagens, F, Boston Bruins
Boston needs younger talent at center, and Hagens has the skill set to seize a meaningful role. The seventh pick of the 2025 draft is a 5-foot-11, 177-pound center whose game is built around fast reads, strong edges, pace and two-way awareness.
Hagens, who turns 20 on Nov. 3, played six AHL games for Providence after his sophomore year at Boston College, producing one goal and four points. He then appeared in two NHL regular-season games and three playoff contests after making his debut April 12. The question for the Bruins is whether he can deal with the physical demands of the position from opening night.
Konsta Helenius, F, Buffalo Sabres
Helenius enters the season after a productive AHL campaign and a memorable finish on the international stage. Buffalo’s 14th overall selection in 2024 had 21 goals and 63 points in 63 games for Rochester, then scored in Games 5 and 6 against Montreal during the Eastern Conference Second Round.
The 5-foot-11, 194-pound center added the overtime winner for Finland in the gold-medal game of the 2026 World Championship. Helenius is a polished, intelligent player rather than a pure highlight-reel prospect, but a top-nine center job, stronger linemates and power-play minutes could make him a significant offensive contributor at age 20.
Blue-line skill and playoff-ready size
Cole Hutson, D, Washington Capitals
Hutson has a chance to lead this rookie defense class in offense. The younger brother of Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson, Cole brings high-end edgework, transition ability and creativity from the blue line. Washington drafted the 5-foot-11, 175-pound defenseman 43rd overall in 2024.
Hutson recorded 24 goals and 80 points in 74 games across two seasons at Boston University. He followed that by collecting three goals and 10 points, including six on the power play, in 14 NHL games last season. At 20, he has the tools to run a power play; his defensive consistency will determine just how much Washington trusts him at five-on-five.
Porter Martone, F, Philadelphia Flyers
Martone may be the most NHL-ready forward among the rookies. The Flyers took him sixth overall in 2025, and the 6-foot-3, 214-pound winger already has regular-season and postseason experience.
He led Michigan State as a freshman with 25 goals and 50 points in 35 games, then delivered four goals and 10 points in nine NHL games. In the playoffs, he added two goals and five points across 10 games. The 20-year-old combines size with a mature offensive approach and should enter camp with fewer unknowns than most first-year players.
Ilya Protas, F, Washington Capitals
Protas gives the Capitals a massive option down the middle. At 6-foot-6 and 225 pounds, the 2024 75th overall pick spent part of last season centering a towering unit with his brother Aliaksei Protas, listed at 6-foot-6 and 250 pounds, and 6-foot-4, 225-pound winger Tom Wilson.
The 20-year-old was named AHL Rookie of the Year after posting 29 goals and 66 points in 69 games for Hershey. His scoring ceiling will depend on whether Washington uses him in an offensive role, but his reach, size and ability to create difficult matchups give him value even when he is not filling the scoresheet.
Ivar Stenberg, F, San Jose Sharks
San Jose’s second overall pick in 2026 steps into an organization stocked with young scoring talent. Stenberg could find himself alongside Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith or Michael Misa, which would put the 5-foot-11, 185-pound left wing in a prime situation to chase Calder Trophy consideration.
Stenberg had 11 goals and 33 points in 43 games for Frolunda last season, the fifth-highest SHL point total by a player aged 18 or younger. He added four goals and 10 points in seven World Junior games during Sweden’s championship run. He turns 19 on Sept. 30, one day before the Sharks host the Florida Panthers in their Oct. 1 season opener.
