With only nine days until the 2026 NHL Draft kicks off in Buffalo, all eyes will be on the Maple Leafs, Sharks, Canucks, and Chicago Blackhawks as the first four teams to get their new franchise cornerstones. It seems all but certain that Toronto will snag Gavin McKenna first overall, but after that is where things get a little more tricky. Several analysts have previously had winger Ivar Stenberg falling to the Blackhawks at No. 4, but that seems a bit ambitious. Could it be Caleb Malhotra? Keaton Verhoeff?
Two recent mock drafts have the Blackhawks taking neither. This week, both Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times and Scott Powers at the Athletic put together identical top-four lists.
- Toronto: Gavin McKenna, LW
- San Jose: Ivar Stenberg, LW
- Vancouver: Caleb Malhotra, C
- Chicago: Chase Reid, RHD
It’s no secret that the Sharks have a significant need at RHD, but I don’t see them passing on Stenberg at this point in the process (though if they did, it’d certainly be convenient for Chicago). It’s interesting that both mocks have Malhotra playing for his dad, Manny, the new head coach of the Canucks. That leaves mostly defensive prospects on top of the board in Verhoeff, Carson Carels, and Alberts Smits, but both insiders seem to think Reid is the best of the bunch.
It’s hard to blame them for thinking that. The 18-year-old offensive defenseman has the skill to quarterback a power play and has worked on his overall game to round out his defensive skills. He had an unconventional path to the draft, being cut from the USHL and joining the NAHL before excelling in the OHL in 2024. He eventually starred on Team USA in the 2026 World Junior Championship, scoring two goals and two assists in five games.
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It’s also worth noting that the Blackhawks already visited Reid at his family home outside Detroit. He’s headed to Michigan State next season, but it wouldn’t be a huge shock to see him in a Blackhawks sweater after that.
If Chicago does snag Reid, it’ll be interesting to see how they construct the defensive pairings. They already have Sam Rinzel and Artyom Levshunov locked in as long-term RHDs as well as Louis Crevier. Still, by the time Reid gets to the NHL, who knows what the Blackhawks’ defensive lineup will look like? GM Kyle Davidson has gone “best player available” before at the top of the draft, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him do the same again this year, grabbing a player many view as the best defensive prospect in the class.
