Throughout the evening, we will be bringing you live updates, breakdowns of each pick, and much more throughout the night. And since this is CanucksArmy, we will also be providing you with analysis of what some of the picks mean for the Canucks, particularly as we get closer to the Canucks’ second pick in the first round at 24th overall.

We will update the list below with who each team selects as the night unfolds! Be sure to keep checking back throughout the night!

Order of picks

1- Toronto Maple Leafs: Gavin McKenna (F)

The Maple Leafs, to no one’s surprise, take Gavin McKenna with the first overall pick. Leafs superfan Justin Bieber made the official selection on behalf of the Leafs in one of the most cringey draft moments of all time. An attempt was made!

McKenna scored 51 points for Penn State in the NCAA last year to go along with 14 points at the World Juniors. Sigh. It should’ve been the Canucks.

Now we get to the real intrigue and the Canucks fate. What are the Sharks about to do?

2- San Jose Sharks: Ivar Stenberg (F)

The San Jose Sharks have hung onto their pick and selected Ivar Stenberg second overall.

The selection was made by brand new PWHL San Jose member Laila Edwards, who did a far better job working the crowd and making the pick than Bieber. The Canucks losing out on Stenberg is a tough loss, with the Swede finishing the SHL season with 33 points. That leaves the likes of Malhotra, Carels and Reid left for the Canucks to choose from.

3- Vancouver Canucks: Caleb Malhotra (F)

The Vancouver Canucks have selected Caleb Malhotra third overall. Familiarity has won out in a Canucks draft for the first time in quite a while.

Malhotra is certainly a polarizing pick, but not for his skill. Malhotra scored 84 points with the Brantford Bulldogs in the OHL last season and was a beast in the playoffs. The Canucks need a little bit of everything in their prospect cupboard, and Malhotra fills a massive need at centre. What does make this pick an interesting call is his dad, Manny, being the brand new head coach of the Canucks. How will that affect the team’s relationship with father and son long term, we shall see.

4- Buffalo Sabres (via CHI): Daxon Rudolph (D)

Acquired in the Bowen Byram trade with Chicago, the Buffalo Sabres have selected defender Daxon Rudolph with the fourth overall pick, in a surprising first defensive choice. Rudolph had 78 points with the Prince Albert Raiders last season.

5- New York Rangers: Alberts Smits (D)

The New York Rangers have selected defenseman Alberts Smits with the fifth overall pick. Smits spent last season in the Finnish Liiga, where he potted 13 points.

6- Calgary Flames: Carson Carels (D)

The Calgary Flames keep the defensemen party rolling, taking WHL d-man Carson Carels at sixth. Carels couldn’t make it to Buffalo due to work on his family’s farm, but his work speaks for itself. Carels scored 73 points with Prince George Cougars.

7- Seattle Kraken: Chase Reid (D)

One of the Canucks potential defence choices is finally off the board, with their I-5 rivals the Kraken taking Chase Reid.

8- Winnipeg Jets: Viggo Bjork (F)

The Jets get a great centre in Viggo Bjork, who played phenomenally at the World Hockey Championships a few months ago.

9- San Jose Sharks (from FLA via OTT): Keaten Verhoeff (D)

The Sharks cap an incredible two-pick day with defensemen Keaton Verhoeff. They might already be the winners of the Draft.

The Sharks got the ninth overall pick via Ottawa after trading William Eklund to the Senators and Florida’s trade for Brady Tkachuk.

10- Nashville Predators: Wyatt Cullen (F)

The son of former Stanley Cup champion Matt Cullen, Wyatt spent last season with the US National Development program and will be going to the University of Minnesota next season.

11- St. Louis Blues: Tynan Lawrence (F)

Lawrence is one of the youngest players taken so far tonight at just 17 years old, and already played games for Boston University

12- New Jersey Devils: Alexander Command (F)

13- New York Islanders

14- Columbus Blue Jackets

15- St. Louis Blues (from DET)

16- St. Louis Blues (from WSH)

17- Los Angeles Kings

18- Washington Capitals (from ANA)

19- Utah Mammoth

20- Buffalo Sabres (from EDM via SJS)

21- Philadelphia Flyers

22- Pittsburgh Penguins

23- Boston Bruins

24- Vancouver Canucks (from MIN)

The Canucks got this pick from the Minnesota Wild in the Quinn Hughes trade. Who will they select in this spot?

25- Ottawa Senators (from TBL via SEA via FLA)

26- New York Rangers (from DAL via CAR)

27- San Jose Sharks (from BUF)

28- Montreal Canadiens

29- St. Louis Blues (from COL via NYI)

30- Calgary Flames (from VGK)

31- Carolina Hurricanes

32- Ottawa Senators

Editorials

Recent articles from Lachlan Irvine

Vancouver Canucks 2026 NHL Draft first round live blog: Order of picks, instant analysis, and more

What on earth is happening in the NHL trade market and how does it impact the Canucks?

NHL Notebook: Flames acquire Nemec for pair of first-round picks, Sharks trade Eklund to Senators

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