June 2026. It feels like it’s not for a long time, right?
But that’s how we felt about June 2024 and June 2023 and June 2022 … you get it.
The 2026 NHL Draft isn’t for another two years. Still, there’s a pretty good idea of who some of the top New England prospects will be for the event.
Players born from Jan. 1, 2006, to Sept. 15, 2008, will be eligible to be selected. We will include players only in their first year of eligibility in this story.
The class is strong. Multiple candidates are on track to be legitimate NHL prospects in the 12 months leading up to this draft.
So, are there any first-round picks? That’s hard to tell so far out. But there certainly are a handful who might have a case.
Players are listed alphabetically. Let’s dive in.
Will Bent
Mount St. Charles 15O, 3/12/2008, F, right shot, 6-1/190
Hometown: Dover, Mass.
Bent scored an invite to the U.S. National Team Development Program Evaluation Camp. While he wasn’t selected for the team, he’s an early, high-end candidate for the 2026 NHL Draft. He has good size and strong skill that help him be a force in the offensive zone. Most recently, he scored 51 goals and tallied 93 points in 58 games for Mount St. Charles this winter. If he stays on track, he should be a draft pick come 2026.
David Bosco
Belmont Hill, 2/8/2008, F, right shot, 5-10/150
Hometown: Winchester, Mass.
Like Bent, Bosco also participated at the U.S. NTDP Evaluation Camp and didn’t make the team. The Belmont Hill product is a terrific facilitator and has great vision on passes. After being a standout for the Boston Junior Eagles 14-U team last year, he continued his upward trajectory when he posted 18 goals and 37 points in 31 games as a freshman for Belmont Hill.
Gavin Callahan
Mount St. Charles 15O, 4/12/2008, D, left shot, 6-0/165
Hometown: Lexington, Mass.
Callahan is a reliable two-way defenseman. He makes smart puck plays and can shut down high-end offensive talent. He’s not super flashy, but if he continues to develop like he has, he could develop into a player NHL teams covet in 2026.
Kaiden Donia
Groton, 1/16/2008, D, right shot, 6-5/175
Hometown: Townsend, Mass.
Donia is intriguing due to his size. That was the biggest reason why he got an invite to NTDP Evaluation Camp this spring. That’s also the biggest reason why he will have NHL eyes on him during his draft year. Big guys have to prove they can’t play. He’s raw and still developing, but he very much can play. It will be fascinating to see how he develops at Groton next year.
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Oskar Drabczynski
Mid Fairfield 15O, 2/13/2008, D, left shot, 5-10/181
Hometown: Easton, Conn.
At the moment, I would put Drabczynski as my top defenseman in this class. He’s a strong skater and he’s confident with the puck on his stick. He’s calm under any kind of forechecking pressure and his head is always up. When he makes those first passes, he showcases great vision. The tools are there for him to be a player NHL teams will want to consider in 2026.
Sullivan Martin
Seacoast Performance Academy, 2/20/2008, D, right shot, 6-4/205
Hometown: Essex Junction, Vt.
Martin falls under the same category as Donia — these are big guys. Martin plays a very heavy game, using his stick and body to separate opposing players from the puck. The biggest areas of growth over the next two years will need to be his skating and puck play, but those should come as he becomes more comfortable in his big frame.
Casey Mutryn
St. Sebastian’s, 7/5/2008, C/RW, right shot, 6-0/180
Hometown: Norwell, Mass.
It’s still two years away, but Mutryn is the most likely candidate to be a first-round pick in this class. His speed and vision are elite. He plays a strong 200-foot game, too. He proved he could be a No. 1 center on a St. Sebastian’s team that finished in the Elite 8. If he pops with the NTDP over the next two years, which he very well could do, he’s a surefire Day 1 pick.
Brady Sloper
Belmont Hill, 5/21/2008, D, right shot, 6-1/175
Hometown: North Andover, Mass.
Sloper is raw, but he’s long been one of the top ’08 defenders in Massachusetts. He has a good stick and defends well. The big thing for him will be to continue improving his skating, which will help him get more NHL looks come 2026.
Danick St. Pierre
Seacoast Performance Academy 15O, 5/13/2008, F, left shot, 6-1/165
Hometown: North Hampton, N.H.
St. Pierre is coming off a strong season with Seacoast Performance Academy, scoring 31 goals and totaling 62 points in 67 games. He also made USA Hockey’s Select 16 Camp from the New England District. He has good hands and can make things happen in the offensive zone using his vision and strong skating.
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Spencer Thornborough
Governor’s Academy, 6/22/2008, F, left shot, 6-0/170
Hometown: Boxford, Mass.
Over the past 12 months, Thornborough got invited to the Youth Olympics, won a gold medal there and attended NTDP Evaluation Camp. He didn’t make the team, but his combination of size and speed make him a threat any time he has the puck. He had a good freshman season at Governor’s Academy, scoring six goals and tallying 15 points in 18 games. A big jump in production as a sophomore will put him higher on the radar for 2026.
Jacoby Weiner
Mid Fairfield, 6/19/2008, G, catches right, 6-3/220
Hometown: Riverside, Conn.
If it’s early for forwards and defensemen, the sun has barely risen for goalies. It’s no secret that goaltenders take a while to develop. But Weiner has the size and mobility to attract a lot of attention. It’s not crazy to think he could be a goalie taken when the 2026 NHL Draft rolls around. He will play for Kent this winter.
