theScore's Kyle Cushman and Josh Wegman offer their insights from the most notable moves, emerging trends, and interesting picks in Round 1.
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Sokolovskii born to be a Flyer
Philadelphians yearning for the days of the Broad Street Bullies should be absolutely enthralled by the Flyers' selection of Maksim Sokolovskii at 27th overall. The towering 6-foot-7, 240-pound defenseman is as mean and nasty as they come. He's a bit of a project, but impressive mobility for a player of his size gives him a tantalizing ceiling. Any Zdeno Chara comparisons are probably unfair, but a career arc of Nikita Zadorov - a fellow London Knights alumnus - feels well within the cards. Regardless of what end of the spectrum he lands on, Sokolovskii figures to be a fan favorite in Philly. - Wegman
Red Wings make best of Cossa situation
The Detroit Red Wings did well to recoup a first-round pick for goaltender Sebastian Cossa, all things considered.
But the fact that the Red Wings never gave Cossa a legitimate shot in the NHL is a bit confounding, given that they invested the 15th overall pick in 2021 in the young netminder. Cossa posted solid numbers in the AHL over the last three seasons, yet he's played only one game for the Red Wings. With Cossa requiring waivers to be sent down next season, it was crunch time on a decision for him.
Trey Augustine's growing status as another young goaltender in the Red Wings' system made this Cossa deal inevitable. The nail in the coffin came when Michal Postava usurped him as a starter in the AHL playoffs.
Cossa is a huge goaltender at 6-foot-6, and he'll likely begin as Utah's backup behind Karel Vejmelka. He has the potential to become a notable starter, but he also doesn't have to rush into the role with Vejmelka locked up through 2029-30. It's a strong landing spot for Cossa. - Cushman
Mammoth get potential steal
A 6-foot-5, 230-pound behemoth, Ethan Belchetz still being on the board at No. 17 was a surprise. The Mammoth took advantage, moving up two spots to secure the unique power forward.
Belchetz fits exactly what Utah covets, as the organization has consistently selected players with size in recent drafts. Belchetz isn't just big; he has legit skill and playmaking. He's a beast around the net, potting 34 goals in 57 games this OHL season.
It's tantalizing to think of what Belchetz could accomplish alongside a center like Logan Cooley in a couple of years. This is an excellent value add by the Mammoth and well worth the third-rounder it cost to move up. - Cushman
Blues overhaul down the middle
Mason McTavish. Tynan Lawrence. Maddox Dagenais. The St. Louis Blues are revamping their current and future center depth.
McTavish was the headliner in a surprise draft night deal with the Anaheim Ducks. The Blues dealt two first-round picks to land the former third overall pick, yet they still made two selections in the first half of the first round.
McTavish has shown promise as a gritty top-six center but fell out of favor this season, even being scratched in the playoffs. He's signed through the 2030-31 campaign at a $7-million cap hit and is still only 23. Though McTavish has some risk attached to him following a 41-point campaign, the upside is significant for a cost-controlled, top-six center.
The Blues also added two intriguing centers with the 11th and 16th overall picks.
Lawrence was rising midseason into the top-five conversation. He joined Boston University in January and fell down boards after a lackluster half-season in the NCAA. He could be a steal at No. 11 with his speed and motor.
Dagenais is less certain to stay at center. Even if he moves to the wing, he's a 6-foot-4 power forward with skill. There's a lot to like in what the Blues did Friday to overhaul down the middle. - Cushman
Sharks building a monster
We already analyzed why Ivar Stenberg was a great selection for the Sharks (more on that below). Now, getting Keaton Verhoeff at No. 9 feels downright unfair.
Taking Stenberg at No. 2 and then addressing the organization's biggest need with whatever defensemen fell to it at No. 9 was always the ideal plan. Sharks fans should be ecstatic that Verhoeff is the guy.
At 6-foot-4 and 216 pounds with a right-handed shot, Verhoeff has arguably the highest floor of all the blue-liners in the draft. While there are some (minor) concerns about his skating and decision making, he more than makes up for it with his competitiveness, physicality, maturity, and booming point shot.
Verhoeff entered the year as the favorite to go second overall. But much like Gavin McKenna, he opted for more challenging NCAA competition at North Dakota in his draft year when he could've piled up points if he stayed in junior hockey. That undoubtedly helped his development and should put him on the fast track to the NHL.
Verhoeff is certainly a better piece of the puzzle for the Sharks than William Eklund, whom San Jose traded to Ottawa for the No. 9 selection. There's a lot to like about a blue line built around Verhoeff and 2024 No. 11 pick Sam Dickinson. The Sharks now have multiple blue-chip youngsters at every position group, including goaltending, with Yaroslav Askarov already in the NHL and Joshua Ravensbergen in the pipeline.
San Jose wasn't done there, though. GM Mike Grier traded up from No. 27 to No. 21 to select another blue-liner in Ryan Lin. He's perhaps the complete opposite of Verhoeff, and I love the idea of adding two defenders with complementary skill sets. Lin, who shoots right, is undersized at 5-foot-11 and 176 pounds, but the Vancouver Giants product is arguably the draft's smartest defenseman. - Wegman
Flames' future D core takes shape
In a matter of days, Calgary has added two significant pieces to its defensive core: former second overall pick Simon Nemec and now Carson Carels, who the club selected at No. 6.
The Flames' future group on the back end now features three top-10 picks, as the organization took Zayne Parekh at No. 9 in 2024.
Acquiring Nemec for multiple draft picks could've opened Calgary up to nab a forward at sixth overall. Instead, a top left-handed rearguard fell into the team's lap.
A Manitoba native, Carels is an ideal fit with either Parekh or Nemec when he jumps to the NHL in a year or two. Carels is a physical blue-liner who scored a lot in the WHL this past season, yet he still projects as a better defensive player than as an offensive weapon.
Calgary still has organizational needs up front, but the blue line is coming together nicely. - Cushman
Sabres surprise at No. 4
Many had Chase Reid as the top defenseman in the class. Others had Carson Carels, Keaton Verhoeff, or Alberts Smits.
And yet it was Daxon Rudolph as the first blue-liner off the board. The Buffalo Sabres unexpectedly made a top-five pick as a result of the Bowen Byram trade, and their selection at No. 4 was similarly unexpected.
Rudolph had a stellar campaign with the Prince Albert Raiders, leading the team in scoring in both the regular season and playoffs as it reached the WHL final. He's a 6-foot-3, right-handed rearguard with upside as a power-play quarterback. In hindsight, it shouldn't have been as much of a surprise that a club would find his profile enticing enough to snag him at fourth overall. - Cushman
Canucks would've been foolish to pass on Malhotra for family reasons
If Vancouver's front office truly believed that Caleb Malhotra was the best player on the board at third overall, then having his father, Manny, employed as head coach shouldn't have been a reason to pass on the Brantford Bulldogs center.
NHL head coaches are recycled like paper. Manny goes way back with the Sedin twins, who are running the show as co-presidents in Vancouver, so it's expected that he'll have a long leash during the team's rebuild. Still, the current head coach should not be a factor in making a franchise-altering selection when there's a realistic chance Manny is fired within the next five years. If Manny sticks around longer than that, then things are clearly going well, and having his son on the roster isn't an issue.
Sure, the jokes may be aplenty. Will Manny ground Caleb if he makes a dumb mistake? Will the parents of other players complain about the coach's kid getting all the ice time? Those comments will be silenced if Caleb develops into the stud, two-way center he has every chance to be. - Wegman
Stenberg perfect fit with Celebrini
Many expected the Sharks to nab whoever they felt was the top defenseman after moving up to second overall in the draft lottery. Then, they traded William Eklund for the ninth pick on Tuesday.
Ivar Stenberg was always the ideal selection for San Jose at second overall, even before the Eklund trade. Yes, San Jose has a significant need on the blue line, but Stenberg is the second-best prospect in the draft. Passing on him to go with a defenseman would've been a significant risk. Look at how the Simon Nemec pick played out for the Devils, for example.
An incredibly smart two-way player with a high motor and underrated offensive skill, Stenberg is a sublime fit for the Sharks. Does he remind you of anyone in San Jose? Macklin Celebrini is a different caliber of player, of course, but Stenberg brings similar elements.
A Celebrini-Stenberg duo could become among the NHL's most lethal for the next decade. Their styles mesh so perfectly. Conversely, the Sharks could look to spread the pair out on separate lines in their top six, opting to have a highly skilled offensive player with two-way acumen on both units. - Cushman
Maple Leafs don't overthink it at No. 1
If Gavin McKenna had stayed playing junior hockey during his draft year, he would've put up an absurd amount of points and likely been the unquestioned first overall pick. Instead, he challenged himself with tougher competition in the NCAA. While growing pains out of the gate at Penn State created debate over whether he should still go No. 1, the move was better for his long-term development and has him better prepared to play in the NHL in 2026-27 as an 18-year-old.
Even as a winger - a less premium position - McKenna carries the most upside of any player in the draft, thanks to his elite hands, vision, creativity, and overall hockey IQ. He has real potential to produce 100-point seasons in his future. Player comparisons to Nikita Kucherov, Patrick Kane, and Artemi Panarin are all valid.
Although Ivar Stenberg might carry a higher floor and Chase Reid plays a more premium position as a right-handed defenseman, the Maple Leafs were wise to swing for the fences on McKenna's game-breaking potential. His outstanding playmaking ability could pair wonderfully with three-time Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy winner Auston Matthews.
"I can think the game very well, and I can find guys in spots where not many people can find them, so if you put me with a shooter, it could be pretty lethal," McKenna said before the draft about the potential of playing with Matthews.
If the Leafs chose to go in a different direction at No. 1 overall, there's a high probability they'd be kicking themselves years from now for galaxy-braining the pick. McKenna is the right selection. - Wegman
