Reports that Gavin McKenna may not be the 1st overall pick after all
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Reports that Gavin McKenna may not be the 1st overall pick after allGavin McKenna has long been viewed as the crown jewel of the 2026 NHL Draft class, but Swedish standout Ivar Stenberg has quickly turned the debate into one of the most fascinating prospect battles in recent memory. Both forwards are elite offensive talents, yet they arrive at dominance in very different ways.
Today though, NHL Draft insider Cam Robinson reports that there's a possibility that neither McKenna nor Stenberg goes #1 in next month's Draft.
So... who would jump the presumptive top two prospects?
That's #5th ranked North American skater Caleb Malhotra, the son of longtime NHLer and potential future Vancouver Canucks head coach Manny Malhotra.
While on the Sekeres and Price Show on Vancouver radio today, Robinson reported that at least one NHL team has Malhotra at #1 on their Draft list.
Check it out:
Now, of course, we don't know if the team with Malhotra at the top is Toronto or not. And, of course, Toronto has the #1 pick so this could all be a moot point.
Nevertheless, this draw into question just how teams view both McKenna and Stenberg. Clearly, these aren't the blue chip prospects that we've seen in recent years when the likes of Matthew Schaefer, Macklin Celebrini and Connor Bedard left no debate about who was going #1.
And while Malhotra is an intriguing player, it's likely that one of McKenna or Stenberg will go 1st overall.
McKenna's game is built around creativity and raw offensive flair. Scouts consistently praise his puck control, vision, and ability to attack defenders one-on-one. After dominating the WHL with the Medicine Hat Tigers, McKenna transitioned to Penn State and continued to show why many still believe he possesses the highest ceiling in the draft class. His offensive instincts and dynamic skating have drawn comparisons to players like Connor Bedard and Nikita Kucherov because of how dangerous he becomes with the puck on his stick.
Stenberg, meanwhile, has impressed scouts with a more polished and complete style. Playing professionally for Frölunda in Sweden, he has already proven he can excel against older competition in the SHL. Analysts rave about his mature two-way game, hockey IQ, and consistency in all three zones. Some evaluators believe his NHL readiness and reliability give him a slight edge over McKenna right now.
The contrast between the two prospects is what makes the debate so compelling. McKenna may have the greater superstar upside thanks to his elite offensive toolkit, while Stenberg looks like the safer all-around projection. In many ways, teams choosing between them will have to decide whether they value electrifying skill or complete refinement more heavily.