- Toronto holds the No. 1 pick for the first time since taking Auston Matthews in 2016
- The 2026 draft runs June 26-27 in Buffalo, the same city where the Leafs landed Matthews
- Read below for the full top of the order and the McKenna-Stenberg debate at No. 1
The Toronto Maple Leafs are back at the top of the draft board.
The NHL released the order for the 2026 Upper Deck Draft this week, and Toronto sits at No. 1 for the first time since 2016. That was the year the Leafs grabbed Auston Matthews, and the draft was held in Buffalo. So is this one, after Toronto won the lottery last month.
Toronto’s account has been rolling out draft-day throwbacks all week:
The draft runs June 26-27 at KeyBank Center, with the first round Friday night at 7 p.m. ET. It’s only the third time Toronto has held the top pick. Wendel Clark went first in 1985, Matthews in 2016, and now this.
Who they take is the interesting part. Penn State winger Gavin McKenna and Frolunda forward Ivar Stenberg have scouts split at No. 1. McKenna gets the praise for his vision and playmaking. Stenberg, the top-ranked international skater, brings the shot and the production.
Take a look at what Stenberg did in the SHL this past season:
San Jose picks second for the second year in a row. The Sharks landed Michael Misa in that spot in 2025.
Vancouver comes in at No. 3. That’s the highest the Canucks have drafted since they took Daniel and Henrik Sedin at No. 2 and No. 3 in 1999. The Sedins run Vancouver’s hockey operations now as co-presidents, so they’ll oversee this one. The Canucks hold pick No. 24 as well.
Vancouver is even throwing a party for it:
St. Louis walks in with the most ammo. The Blues own 12 picks total, three of them in the first round at 11, 15 and 29.
Two quirks close out the order. The champion Hurricanes don’t pick until No. 31. Vegas forfeited the No. 63 selection as a penalty for breaking playoff media rules.
The last time the Leafs picked first in Buffalo, they walked out with a franchise center. They get another swing on June 26.
