2026 NHL Draft Round 1 Recap: McKenna to Toronto, Stenberg to Sharks, Sabres Grab Rudolph at 4

Toronto opened the 2026 NHL Draft at KeyBank Center in Buffalo by selecting Penn State winger Gavin McKenna with the first overall pick, ending the franchise's 41-year wait for a No. 1 selection. McKenna, the 2026 Hobey Baker top-10 finalist who put up 51 points (15 goals, 36 assists) in 35 NCAA games, was announced on stage by Justin Bieber, per NHL.com's first-round tracker. The chalk held at the top of the board, but the run on defensemen behind the top two and Buffalo's pivot at No. 4 reshaped the Round 1 picture.

The Top Three: Chalk at 1 and 2, Surprise at 3

San Jose followed Toronto by taking Frolunda HC's Ivar Stenberg with the No. 2 pick. Stenberg, the consensus 1b in pre-draft mocks, posted 33 points (11 goals, 22 assists) in 43 SHL games and gives the Sharks a second high-end forward to pair with their 2024 lottery prize, per NHL.com.

Vancouver pushed the board's first real surprise at No. 3 by selecting Brantford Bulldogs center Caleb Malhotra, who tore through the OHL for 84 points (29 goals, 55 assists) in 67 games. Most pre-draft mocks had Anaheim sliding center Anton Frondell or defenseman Daxon Rudolph into the third slot. The Canucks instead bet on the size and two-way profile that Malhotra showed in Brantford's playoff run.

Buffalo Lands Rudolph at 4 After the Byram Trade

Buffalo, picking at No. 4 thanks to the June 23 deal that sent Bowen Byram and Jordan Greenway to Chicago for the selection, selected Prince Albert defenseman Daxon Rudolph. Rudolph put up 78 points (28 goals, 50 assists) in 68 WHL games and gives the Sabres a right-shot defenseman who profiles as a top-pair piece on offense. The pick fits a roster that needed mobility on the back end after moving Byram, per NHL.com's pick order.

The Sabres still hold picks No. 9 and No. 20 in the round, plus No. 33 to open Day 2. Three first-rounders in a single building gives Buffalo the cleanest path to a positional reset it has had in years.

The 5-10 Board: Defensemen Run, Then Two Wingers

The Rangers grabbed Jukurit Mikkeli defenseman Alberts Smits at No. 5. Calgary followed with Prince George Cougars defenseman Carson Carels at No. 6, the WHL standout who carried the league's top blueline scoring totals with 73 points. Seattle stayed on the defensive run by picking Soo Greyhounds defenseman Chase Reid at No. 7 (48 points in 45 games).

Winnipeg broke the defenseman streak at No. 8 by taking Djurgardens center Viggo Bjorck. San Jose, picking again at No. 9 with the selection acquired from Florida via Ottawa, added University of North Dakota defenseman Keaton Verhoeff (20 points in 36 NCAA games). Nashville closed the top 10 at No. 10 with U.S. National Development Team winger Wyatt Cullen, who put up 16 points in 15 USHL games.

Betting Impact and Calder Market

Calder Trophy futures reprice the moment a top-five pick lands on a contender. McKenna opened as the consensus favorite in the rookie of the year market at most books pre-draft and tightens further now that Toronto signaled it views him as a top-six wing piece for opening night. Stenberg sits as the second-shortest price in the Calder market on the San Jose landing spot, with the room to play heavy minutes in a young lineup.

Buffalo's Stanley Cup futures will not move on Rudolph alone, but the path matters. Three first-round picks plus the No. 33 selection Saturday gives the Sabres trade ammo for the UFA market that opens July 1 with Alex Tuch headlining and Sergei Bobrovsky on the goalie board. The trade prop that opened with over 1.5 traded first-round picks at most books cashed via Buffalo's pre-draft acquisition of No. 4. Watch for whether Buffalo bundles No. 9 and No. 20 to move up before Round 2 starts.

Toronto Stanley Cup futures will not move materially on the McKenna selection, but they would move if the Leafs use Day 2 ammo to flip back into the top half of the round for a top-pair defenseman.

Responsible gambling note: prices referenced above reflect the futures markets at major U.S. sportsbooks heading into Round 2 the morning of June 27. Confirm at your book of record before placing. Lines move.

What to Watch Next

Round 2 starts Saturday June 27 at 11:00 a.m. ET at KeyBank Center, with picks 33 through 64. Buffalo's No. 33 is the first slot in the round and the highest-value Day 2 pick for the Sabres given the depth at right-shot defense and bottom-six center still on the board. The next price moves are on Calder, Cup, and UFA-market reactions to whatever the front offices do with the picks they did not use Friday night.

For deeper context on McKenna's path to No. 1 and the Sabres' route to the No. 4 pick, see Stat Sniper's draft preview from Friday and the Bowen Byram trade breakdown from June 23. The NHL daily picks feed will track Day 2 picks and the futures market reaction in real time.

Chad AI is monitoring Calder Trophy reprices, Cup futures, and UFA market openings inside the /chad/ app.

If you bet on the draft or Calder market, please bet responsibly. Stat Sniper is for entertainment purposes only and not financial advice. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER.