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Nobody’s trading down. It’s super rare that anyone ever does in the top 5. Just take the player you have ranked the highest and move on to the next pick. Just going from the rankings of players I’ve watched personally over the last couple of years in the WHL, it’s a deep draft. They’ll get a good player at 24 as well.
I’m not thinking a trade down will happen but reaching is pointless. I have it McKenna Reid then Stenberg a Canuck. SJ imo won’t pass up on need in a strong D draft & plans to not be a lottery team in ‘27. Hawks could go any direction but my guess is Malhotra & they trade for a vet D. Rangers go BPA & probably Verhoeff. Flames in a good place to choose either Carels or Bjork.
As for 24oa I agree something good will fall & good chance a C. I’d like to see size & skating picked in the 2nd. Let 2027 add another elite prospect.
I’m hoping Caleb Malholtra is a smoke screen. I’ll be genuinely shocked if he goes 3rd with the brief success he’s enjoyed. I’m also not the biggest fan of the Cootes pick. He has been pretty vanilla the 5 or so times I saw him play against the Royals. But he also had no talent surrounding him until he joined Prince Albert. So you never know even if you sorta do.
Verhoeff is my guy this year. There’s enough depth in this draft to get a decent C later. Or trade Hronek for one.
Nobody’s trading down. It’s super rare that anyone ever does in the top 5. Just take the player you have ranked the highest and move on to the next pick. Just going from the rankings of players I’ve watched personally over the last couple of years in the WHL, it’s a deep draft. They’ll get a good player at 24 as well.
This what scares me. They are not very good at identifying best player. As much as I like Cootes, they passed on what most others thought were better picks and now that draft +1 is out of the way, we see the picks immediately after him look a step above already.
If they take Caleb… they’ve done it all over again most likely. You can take a elite winger or dman… and go for a C next year when they will have more and better options most likely. But I sense some tunnel vision in play.
I get it… we need character but at #3 it’s ridiculous to reach out of the top 3 for the coaches kid which is surely going to back fire at some point. Between fans, media, team mates, father son, etc etc… it’s just a bad idea especially after suffering a unhealthy room the last few years.
It’s not a stretch to imagine Tynan Lawrence who will be his team mate next season at BU will outshine him and suppress Caleb’s ice time. Tynan will already be a sophomore. Caleb may only be the 3rd best C in this draft. Pass.
Nobody’s trading down. It’s super rare that anyone ever does in the top 5. Just take the player you have ranked the highest and move on to the next pick. Just going from the rankings of players I’ve watched personally over the last couple of years in the WHL, it’s a deep draft. They’ll get a good player at 24 as well.
@LM
If Verhoeff or Carels or Malhotra are the targets then a trade down. At 3oa if SJ keeps 2oa we get Stenberg my guess. If gone then go BPA.
Keep in mind he and Carels are still 17. They’ve got plenty of time to develop. Yet they’re way ahead of the curve for their age.
He’ll have to adjust quickly facing NHL speed & pressure. I’ll be fine with whoever is picked 3oa. Strong C draft next year allows for BPA this draft. If Verhoeff or Reid our D is set for many years & picks 24 33 41 oughta be heavy on F’s.
He has a hitch every once in a while with his pivot backwards. Nothing big and probably a hangover from starting out as a Goalie and skating in goalie skates. I do it myself in player skates from time to time because there’s different pivot point between rockered skates and the flat goalie blade. It’s not a big issue because his balance is fantastic and it’s something that can be fixed with time and experience.
https://www.nhl.com/news/2026-nhl-draft-diary-keaton-verhoeff
Areas for ImprovementSkating Mechanics: Scouts remain somewhat divided on his skating. While he generates plenty of raw power and has excellent tight-area edgework, his backward skating, pivots, and open-ice acceleration require refinement to evade faster NHL-level forecheckers
