While the World Juniors is ramping up, Tynan Lawrence isn’t there. He will get his games in down the line. The 17-year-old is back in action after the USHL holiday break. The Muskegon Lumberjacks star has 13 points in nine games, and he’s hoping to win another Clark Cup.
I think Lawrence is the top center in the 2026 NHL Draft. That doesn’t make him first overall. He’s top-five for me, all day long. I’ll have a list out shortly after the World Juniors.
Lawrence has a great wrist shot. He’s an excellent skater and passes well. He’s very good in transition. He wins puck battles. Making smart decisions around the net and making players around him better are attributes of NHL future stars.
“We can read off each other, you know, if I’m going really fast one way, I can draw attention, and maybe that opens up another guy who can keep up and get open,” Lawrence stated. “So, I think it opens up a lot, especially with my linemates around me.”
I think the value system of NHL GMs has changed. Does that mean it changes my rankings? No, I don’t do this in hopes of an NHL team drafting the player in this slot. That’s a mock draft. I just rank the players with future NHL success in mind. That’s the goal, but where a team drafts a player can be volatile and at times, unpredictable, that has been magnified the past few years.
Being the best center doesn’t make you the top pick. He might be the top pick on some teams’ boards, but for me, he has to outshine most of the field, and then the center factor comes in.
Factors that are looked at are the strength of the league the player plays in, and the team they play for. Playing in the postseason matters too. Tournaments are a great proving ground as well. All of it factors in and that’s why rankings will change as a season rolls on. Is the World Juniors a huge grade? Yes, but in Lawrence’s case, he won’t be dinged by not playing in it. His age and extra runway bode well for his future success.
According to InStat, Lawrence is 54% on draws, and he’s averaging over 20 minutes of ice time. That’s impressive since he missed some time this season. He plays a lot on the penalty-kill, and he averages eight shots per game! I still think he’s a 50-50 passer or shooter and I am seeing an uptick in physicality.
Let’s see how he looks later this season.
