In April, we covered the 2025 NHL Draft prospects in New England prep hockey this past season. It's not a deep class, and there's only one player more than likely to be picked this June.
It's a trend that's been happening since 2023. That season, only two players were taken in the draft. St. Sebastian's forward Ben Merrill (Hingham, Mass.) was the only player plucked out of prep last summer.
What about next year?
A way-too-early look forecasts a better class than this season. But that hinges on one big thing: How many of these players will stay in prep?
Prospects are already departing for the USHL and BCHL at higher rates than ever. Add in the CHL ruling, which allows players to play in the CHL and still play in the NCAA, and players have three new junior leagues to pick from — the QMJHL, the WHL and the OHL.
The QMJHL has the rights to New England natives. We will likely see a slew of prep prospects opt for QMJHL teams next season.
To be eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft, players have to have been born between Jan. 1, 2006 and Sept. 15, 2008. I'm only focusing on first-year eligible players who were in prep this past season. So, this does not include every top New England prospect for the 2026 NHL Draft. This also doesn't automatically mean they will be in prep next season.
Here are the 2026 NHL Draft prospects who played in prep this past season.
