With just a handful of games remaining on the NHL regular season slate, the Vancouver Canucks are nearly a lock to come away with a high pick in June.

Will it be first overall? Many skeptics will argue it’s unlikely. In fact, the most likely outcome is a drop to third overall in the NHL Draft Lottery, where they currently have the highest odds (56%).

The good news? Regardless of where the pick lands, the Canucks will walk away with a high-calibre prospect and one with a strong probability of becoming an NHL player in some capacity.

The challenge, however, is that this draft lacks consensus even at the height of its board. As of March, there is no clear-cut hierarchy at the top. In fact, many evaluators don’t even agree on who should go first overall, let alone third.

That may leave Vancouver in a fascinating position with one of the more difficult and pivotal decisions it will make in quite some time. Perhaps ever.

With that in mind, here’s a look at the prospects generating top-three consideration across various draft boards in March.

At this stage, the conversation at the top of the draft remains relatively narrow. Yet far from settled.

It’s widely viewed as a two-player race between Penn State’s Gavin McKenna and Frölunda’s Ivar Stenberg. And depending on who you ask, it can go either way. The room is still incredibly divided on who the obvious choice is for the first overall pick.

Heading into the 2025–26 season, Gavin McKenna was the consensus top prospect on most draft boards. His resume — highlighted by a staggering 129-point season with the Medicine Hat Tigers — was simply too dominant to ignore.

Seeking a new challenge and access to elite training resources, the Whitehorse native made the bold decision to transition to the NCAA.

While his raw production remained solid, his overall impact early in the season didn’t quite match the lofty expectations placed upon him. As a result, his draft stock came with more scrutiny than many anticipated. But that has changed since the calendar turned to 2026.

Since returning from the World Juniors, McKenna has found another gear, and that’s both in terms of production and overall engagement. In that span, he’s led the entire field with 33 points (11 goals, 22 assists) and 91 shots on net.

Scouts have noted a more confident and assertive version of McKenna. He appears more comfortable off the puck, more engaged in the flow of play, and is playing with a noticeable swagger.

Are there still questions surrounding his “B game” and his ability to consistently attack the middle of the ice? Sure. But over the course of a full season, no player in this class has shown the same ability to take over and dictate a game offensively quite like Gavin McKenna. His ability to slow the game down and operate as a high-end playmaker remains elite and well above anyone in this class.

What McKenna may lack in a consistent “B game,” Ivar Stenberg arguably makes up for in spades.

That reliability and well-rounded ability — combined with nearly comparable skill — is why some evaluators have him as their clear-cut No. 1.

The Swedish winger has emerged as one of the SHL’s most exciting young players, producing at a level rarely seen for his age. At one point, he was on track to reach historic numbers comparable to names Vancouver fans know well in Daniel and Henrik Sedin.

Playing for one of the SHL’s top teams, Stenberg hasn’t just contributed, but has been leaned on in key situations, and has seen time across the lineup.

Contrary to the first half, Stenberg cooled offensively down the stretch as McKenna caught fire. Ultimately, he finished his 2025-26 regular season with 33 points (11 goals, 22 assists) in just 43 games – 18 points higher than the next draft-eligible and third best by any in the history of the SHL (behind the Sedins).

While his late-season production may have dipped, it hasn’t done much to diminish his overall profile. Scouts value Stenberg’s completeness, and while he may not possess McKenna’s same high-end dynamism, he brings a dangerous release, strong puck skills, and excellent vision. More importantly, he plays a reliable, detail-oriented game away from the puck and can be trusted in all situations.

Many believe he’s one of the few players in this class who could step into the NHL and contribute sooner rather than later. If not immeidetaly.

Even if the Canucks finish dead last, the most likely outcome still has them selecting third overall.

In most drafts, that wouldn’t create much uncertainty. But 2026 is anything but typical. While Keaton Verhoeff has headlined the defensive group, several names are pushing their way into the conversation for that top-three range.

Like many top prospects in this class, Keaton Verhoeff opted to challenge himself by leaving the WHL’s Victoria Royals to play in the NCAA as a 17-year-old.

As expected, there have been growing pains. But considering the circumstances, his season should largely be viewed as a success. At the end of the day, 6-foot-4, 212-pound right-shot defencemen don’t come around often, and you have to respect the fact that he has challenged himself.

Verhoeff brings a rare blend of size, two-way ability, and a relatively safe projection, making him appealing in the top tier of the draft. He’s up to 20 points (six goals, 14 assists) in 33 games as a freshman, which finished third among all U20 defenders nationwide. Although his North Dakota Fighting Hawks lost in the NCHC playoffs, he’ll still get the chance to showcase himself as an integral piece to the team as he gears up for the NCAA Frozen Four tournament.

There are still questions surrounding his decision-making and skating, which may slightly cap his ceiling. However, when factoring in his age and the difficulty of competing against older, more developed players, those concerns become easier to contextualize.

If he doesn’t go in the top three, he’s a near lock to be selected in the top five.

Don’t look now, but Chase Reid is climbing draft boards with a vengeance.

While Verhoeff has received much of the early attention, Reid’s dynamic offensive ability with the Soo Greyhounds has been impossible to ignore. Today, it’s simply a matter of splitting hairs, and where Verhoeff offers stability, Reid appears to offer game-changing upside.

His ability to impact the game in transition may be the best among defencemen in this class. He processes the game at a high level, moves pucks efficiently, and has the confidence to dictate play from the backend.

Reid is constantly on the move, manipulative with the puck, and highly entertaining to watch. While his floor comes with a little bit of raw uncertainty, there’s a legitimate argument that his ceiling could top out as the highest among defencemen in this draft. There’s a real scenario where Reid emerges as one of the most impactful players from this class.

Additional names such as Albert Smits (LD) and Carson Carels (LD) have also begun to surface in the conversation.

Smits, in particular, gained attention following a strong showing at the Olympics with Team Latvia, where he played a key shutdown role against some of the world’s best. His size and defensive reliability project well, with some believing he could step into NHL minutes relatively quickly.

Carels, meanwhile, continues to impress in Prince George as one of the more dynamic offensive defencemen in the class. He currently sits in the top five in defensive scoring with an impressive 73 points in just 56 games.

For the first time in years, the Canucks’ organizational depth on defence is in a healthy place. With players like Zeev Buium, Tom Willander, and Elias Pettersson already making their way into NHL roles — and others such as Victor Mancini, Kirill Kudryavtsev, and Sawyer Mynio pushing from behind — the focus could, and probably should, shift elsewhere.

That brings us to the centres, which is a position that remains relatively thin in this draft class.

The family connection to the Canucks organization writes itself. That said, Caleb Malhotra has earned his place in this conversation on merit alone as a high-character player.

Playing on one of the OHL’s top teams, Malhotra has been a driving force rather than a passenger. He leads the rookie race with 81 points and sits ninth overall in league scoring, which is an impressive feat for any player, let alone a draft-eligible one.

Malhotra plays a detailed, well-rounded game. He’s competitive, drives the middle of the ice, and flashes high-end skill in tight areas. His defensive habits further strengthen his profile, making him one of the more reliable two-way centres in this class.

The main question revolves around the ceiling. Some may see him as more of a safe projection — perhaps comparable to a player like Braeden Cootes — rather than a true top-line centre. Still, his profile feels like that of a future NHL middle-six centre with a high probability of success. Is that limited ceiling worth selecting with the third overall pick? That remains to be seen.

We featured Tynan Lawrence earlier in the season here at CanucksArmy, when we named him as one of the top four players in conversation for the top spot in this year’s draft. Unfortunately, his stock has fallen, somewhat aggressively, since that article.

After missing much of the first half of the season with injury, Lawrence played just 13 USHL games before making the bold decision to join Boston University midseason.

It was a gamble and one that hasn’t fully paid off. Production-wise, it’s been extremely disappointing, and there’s no way to sugarcoat that statement. With his season now complete, he managed just two goals and seven points through 18 games with the Terriers.

But much like it does with McKenna and Verheoff, context matters. If anything, he’s shown just how hard a league the NCAA can be.

He remains a smart, transition-driven centre with strong habits and a solid two-way foundation. The tools that once made him a top-tier candidate are still present, but the question now becomes whether teams are willing to bet on the upside despite the underwhelming production. It’s not as if he’s played poorly in his NCAA transition; he just hasn’t popped as you’d hope for a potential top-five draft candidate.

The ceiling remains that of a top-six centre. The risk, however, is much more evident, and the big question now remains: is it worth the risk this high in the draft?

Viggo Björck made a name for himself on the international stage with an impressive showing at the World Juniors. But for those tracking this class closely, that emergence wasn’t much of a surprise.

While his raw production (15 points in 42 SHL games) doesn’t jump off the page, it can’t be stressed enough how rare it is for a draft-eligible player to handle top-line centre duties in the SHL. Björck has done so with confidence.

He plays with a relentless motor and doesn’t shy away from contact despite a smaller frame (5-foot-10, 172 pounds). He also carries one of the best hockey minds in the class, and one that should warrant top-three traction. His ability to not only handle but dictate play against older competition has been one of the more impressive elements of his game.

But you simply can’t ignore the size. Smaller forwards — even highly effective ones — often slide on draft day. With that, Björck could realistically land anywhere from the top 10 to the mushy middle of the first round. If that’s the case, he’s likely going to be one of the biggest steals in the draft.