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NHL Draft: Who sits at the top of the 2026 class if the Canucks pick there?
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Photo credit: © Steven Ellis/The Nation Network
Dave Hall
Dec 15, 2025, 17:30 ESTUpdated: Dec 15, 2025, 15:57 EST
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Established in 1970, the Vancouver Canucks have been in the National Hockey League for 55 years. In all that time, not once have they selected a player with the first overall pick at the draft podium. Whether that drought ends in 2026 remains to be seen, but their start to the 2025-26 season certainly has them on the right track.
Given the organization’s historic inability to commit to a rebuild — combined with decades of poor lottery luck — most skeptics would argue the odds of Vancouver actually finishing atop the final draft board are slim. The “script” simply wouldn’t allow it.
But as of mid-December, two weeks removed from American Thanksgiving and two weeks away from the holiday break, the standings are what they are. The Canucks sit 32nd out of 32 teams, carrying the league’s best odds (25%) for the first overall pick.
To top things off, that “script” just flipped upside down. As of Friday, the team is now officially operating under one of the most monumental trades in franchise history. Sending Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild, the Canucks brought in a trio of young names and an unprotected 2026 first-round pick to signal the team’s new direction. Assuming neither pick is traded, the Canucks now hold two first-round picks in the same draft since 2014 (Jake Virtanen and Jared McCann).
Is it too early to be talking about the draft class? Perhaps. Having just passed the 30-game threshold, the runway left to surge out of the bottom 10 is very much in play. But like it or not, confidence in the on-ice product has dwindled, and eyes have inevitably turned toward the draft board. And unlike seasons in recent memory, the opportunity for the Canucks to bolster a relatively barren prospect pool with a top-four pick has become a legitimate reality.
Which brings us to the 2026 NHL draft class. Like most years, this year’s crop remains wide open and has already seen its presumed crown jewel slip in many public rankings. While it may not feature a bona fide first-overall lock, it does offer a variety of distinct player types, all of whom are poised to carve out strong careers for the future.
So what type of player piques your interest? Do you prefer an all-upside winger with the potential to become a high-end producer at the cost of some noted off-puck issues? Perhaps a rising Swedish forward who has rocketed up the rankings to start the season? Maybe an all-out competitive centreman? Or do you look to the backend, where a steady, two-way right-shot defender sits waiting?
Here’s a closer look at the four names most commonly referenced at the top of the board.
Gavin McKenna, LW
Team: Penn State (NCAA) | Shoots: Left |Height: 5′ 11″ | Weight: 170 lbs | Age: 17 (December 20, 2007) | Birthplace: Whitehorse, Yukon (Canada)
Although varying pundits have him slipping down the charts, Whitehorse native Gavin McKenna is still widely considered this year’s crown jewel. Pound for pound, he remains the most naturally gifted offensive player in this class and his vision, instincts, and feel for the offensive game have placed him in high regard alongside some of the best names in recent years. Look no further than his absurd 244 points — including 165 assists — in 133 WHL games to provide proof of that pedigree.
His ability to score goals is an underrated asset in his game, but it’s his playmaking that truly makes his skillset so impressive. He manipulates defenders with soft hands and incredible poise, finding seams and holes that most miss. Whether it’s off the rush or setting up from the wall, he has the capabilities to be a one-man highlight reel.
With flashy puck-handling skills, Patrick Kane has been a name floating around as a comparable, both stylistically and in terms of potential offensive upside. The Canucks need elite scoring at the top of their lineup, and McKenna has the upside to become a true game-breaker, power-play fixture, and the perfect profile to kick-start a rebuild.
If the Canucks do end up with the first overall pick, it should be noted that his game comes with caveats. While his off-puck struggles have long been a point of conversation in his game, the sheer volume of production at the junior level masked the majority of those concerns. Now playing within the collegiate hockey circuit, those details, overall engagement level and willingness to battle for inside ice have come under much higher scrutiny.
With 18 points (four goals, 14 assists) in just 16 games as a 17-year-old, his production still places him in very high regard. But with many of those numbers stemming from power play situations, some have begun to question his ability to carry that high-end production into the NHL. Combined with his inability to play within the middle of the ice, the list of concerns continues to grow alongside this potential star.
But are we thinking too deeply into this? Habit concerns or not, the upside is still enormous. McKenna has the talent to become an incredible top-line offensive driver for years to come. And for a Canucks team lacking game-breaking skill, that matters.
The question — and it is a real one — is whether he can round out the rest of his game enough to justify being the first name called.
Ivar Stenberg, LW
Team: Frolunda (SHL)| Shoots: Left | Height: 5′ 11″ | Weight: 183 lbs | Age: 18 (September 30, 2007) | Birthplace: Stenungsund, Sweden
If McKenna’s season has opened the door to being the first forward called, Ivar Stenberg is the player kicking it down.
The Swedish winger has steamrolled his way up draft boards with one of the most productive draft-eligible seasons in Swedish Hockey League history.
With 24 points (six goals, 18 assists), he’s currently on pace to shatter records as the most productive draft-eligible skater in the SHL record books. Already sitting atop the points-per-game list at 0.96, he’s just 18 points shy of Daniel Sedin’s incredible 42-point draft-eligible season. That alone puts him in elite company.
But it’s the manner in which he produces those points that has earned him widespread attention. Stenberg combines pace, creative instincts, and a strong shot with a relentless motor and a willingness to place himself in the midst of the battle. It’s a versatile mix that makes him an extremely intriguing player arc to grab with a high-end pick.
To top it off, he’s also responsible defensively and effective in transition, which has helped him earn trust with Frölunda’s coaching staff far sooner than most draft-eligible players do.
With the complete nature of his game, Stenberg has quickly become one of the most tantalizing players in this draft class, feels pro-ready and could easily push to be the first name off the board come June.
Keaton Verhoeff, RD
Team: North Dakota (NCAA) | Shoots: Right | Height: 6′ 3.5″ | Weight: 208 lbs | Age: 17 (June 19, 2008) | Birthplace: Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta (Canada)
While his stock bounces within the majority of pundits’ top-three overall, Keaton Verhoeff is widely considered this year’s top defender amongst the class. And the appeal is obvious. He is a big, mobile, right-shot defender who plays a composed, confident game.
He’s not particularly flashy in any one area, but he displays a confident poise in his game and does everything you’d want to see in a top-minute defender. Despite being a freshman at North Dakota, Verhoeff eats tough minutes, makes efficient decisions, and controls play with maturity that far exceeds his age. His skating allows him to navigate the ice with ease and make quick and efficient plays.
Is he a number one productivity defender? Perhaps not. But his game feels incredibly serviceable, and his strength lies in his foundation. With a highly projectable top-pair profile, his game feels similar to a young Aaron Ekblad.
For teams seeking stability on the right side, it is difficult to imagine Verhoeff falling further than the third overall pick.
Tynan Lawrence, C
Team: Muskegon (USHL) | Shoots: Left | Height: 6′ 0.5″ | Weight: 185 lbs | Age: 17 (August 03, 2008) | Birthplace: Fredericton, New Brunswick (Canada)
At the very minimum, Tynan Lawrence brings intrigue from a Vancouver Canucks perspective for the simple fact that he is a pure centre.
His draft-eligible season has been difficult to project, as he missed the first half due to an injury sustained in training camp. However, upon his return as captain of the Muskegon Lumberjacks, he’s burst out of the gate with vengeance.
In just eight games, he’s compiled eight goals and 13 points, firing at a pace to surpass the 80-point mark. That follows a strong rookie year in which he finished third in rookie scoring as a near point-per-game player with 54 points (25 goals, 29 assists) in 56 games.
Whether he’d be a high-end point producer in the NHL is questionable, but the foundation of his game is a highly reliable two-way centre with projectable traits. He plays the game at an incredible pace, is a fierce competitor, and can be relied upon in all three zones. His versatile game can be deployed in all situations and already carries the profile of a modern two-way centre.
For teams like Vancouver, whose organizational depth at centre remains thin beyond their 2025 first-round pick (Braeden Cootes), Lawrence represents a type seldom available outside the top five.
The 2026 draft doesn’t offer a generational certainty, but it does offer variety and some high-level skill at the top end. Whether the Canucks finish last or not, the road they currently find themselves on paves the way to secure one of these four names.
Are there any players whom you have ranked higher than these four? Stay tuned throughout the year as we profile more names for the Vancouver Canucks to target in the draft.
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