When the final pick is announced in the NHL Draft this June, the attention will turn to 2026.
Nationally, that means Gavin McKenna. The Medicine Hat Tigers forward from Whitehorse, Yukon, in Canada is the consensus No. 1 pick. He dazzles with his skill. He had 41 goals and 129 points in 56 games in the WHL this season. It felt like I saw one of his highlights every day on Instagram.
But what about in New England? How do things look?
For starters, it’s far out. USA Hockey’s Select 17 Camp will give the first big glimpse of many of these players. Then comes the actual season, when everything changes.
There should be a first-round pick, which is always the first big question. After that, I’d select two more players as definite draft picks. Things open up from there.
This class has a slew of big defensemen, who are always sought after by NHL teams. There’s also the uncertainty of where these players will suit up next season. Do some of these players stay in prep or skip town early for the QMJHL?
Anything and everything will impact their stock.
This list is long because so much is unclear. I expect these rankings to look different a year from now. This isn’t necessarily in the order of best players right now. It’s more about projecting these players the same way NHL teams will over the next 12 months.
1. Casey Mutryn
U.S. NTDP U-18, 7/5/2008, F, right shot, 6-2/190
Hometown: Norwell, Mass.
NCAA: Boston College
Just over a year out, Mutryn has all the traits of a first-round pick. He’s a classic power forward, has a high motor and is a true 200-foot center. His motor never stops. He also has all the traits of a breakout player with the NTDP’s U-18 team next season. He led the U-17 team in points per game this season at 0.70 after notching 32 points in 46 games. He also spent time with the U-18 team. If he continues to improve next season, he should be a first-round pick.
2. Will Bent
Halifax Mooseheads, 3/12/2008, F, right shot, 6-1/196
Hometown: Dover, Mass.
NCAA: Providence College
Midway through this past season, Bent made the move to Mount St. Charles’ 16-U team to the QMJHL’s Halifax Mooseheads. In 28 games for Halifax, Bent had five goals and eight points after posting 36 goals in 23 games for Mount. He’s a good skater who can drive play off the wing. He uses his frame well to protect pucks. For him to be picked in the upper half of the draft, he will need to be more productive in the QMJHL. That shouldn’t be a huge issue for the 17-year-old.
3. Rian Chudzinski
Dexter Southfield, 12/30/2007, F, right shot, 6-0/172
Hometown: Needham, Mass.
NCAA: Boston University
Chudzinski dominated prep hockey this winter, leading Dexter Southfield with 52 points and carrying his team to the Elite 8 championship game. The Boston University commit is a speedy, powerful skater with a wicked shot and play-driving skill. He comes up in the biggest moments and never shies away from taking on other teams’ top players (both in matchups and physicality). He will play for the QMJHL's Moncton Wildcats next season. He projects as a second- or third-round pick.
4. Brian McFadden
Thayer, 1/8/2008, D, right shot, 6-5/181
Hometown: Holbrook, Mass.
We got to see only 14 games of McFadden at Thayer this past winter due to injury. In those 14 games, however, McFadden was a force with nine points. He’s a dynamic two-way defenseman who skates well, has a phenomenal stick and moves pucks well. He also has phenomenal hands, which can be rare for a big defender. He can handle taking on other top players in his own zone. His biggest area of development will be fine-tuning his offensive impact. If he can put up a good amount of points wherever he plays next season, he could be as high as a third-round pick.
5. Myles Brosnan
Dexter Southfield, 10/19/2007, D, right shot, 6-1/190
Hometown: Winchester, Mass.
Brosnan was one of the most productive defensemen in prep this winter, scoring nine goals and 36 points in 28 games. While those numbers are nice, they don’t do his game justice. He always seems to have the puck and might be the best two-way defender in this ranking right now. He is an expert breakout artist and quarterbacks a power play with poise. He also has a quick, accurate shot that he gets off well. He’s slated to be back at Dexter next season.
READ MORE: Will men’s college hockey recruiting change due to a recent trend?Â
6. Sullivan Martin
Seacoast Performance Academy 16-U, 2/20/2008, D, right shot, 6-4/220
Hometown: Essex Junction, Vt.
NCAA: Vermont
I told you there were some big defensemen in this story. Martin is a force on defense. At 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, Martin makes life difficult on opposing forwards. He can lay the body and cuts off lanes to the net for opponents. The knock on him is his feet can be heavy. What shouldn’t be overlooked is his offensive production. At the 16-U level this season, he had 11 goals and 43 points in 54 games. The season before, he notched 42 points at the 15O level.
7. David Bosco
Belmont Hill, 2/8/2008, F, right shot, 6-0/170
Hometown: Winchester, Mass.
Bosco has been a consistent, high producer in prep the past two seasons. He led Belmont Hill with 47 points this past season and scored 18 goals as a freshman and as a sophomore. He has a high level of skill, a great release on his shot and a high offensive IQ. If he continues to round out his play away from the puck and in his own zone, he should be someone NHL teams track throughout the season.
8. Nolan Duskocy
Bishop Kearney Selects 16-U, 1/26/2008, F, right shot, 6-2/174
Hometown: Ellington, Conn.
NCAA: Massachusetts
Duskocy has been a consistent producer for BK Selects since he was at the 14U level. This past season, he scored 36 goals and notched 71 points in 58 games. Even more impressive is how productive he’s been at USA Hockey Select 15 and 16 camps the past two summers. At Select 15s, he put up five points in four games, and at Select 16s, he scored four goals and tallied eight points in five games. While Duskocy has work to do with his skating, his size should make him intriguing to NHL scouts.
9. Kaiden Donia
Groton, 1/16/2008, D, right shot, 6-5/183
Hometown: Townsend, Mass.
Donia got into the national discussion when he was invited to NTDP Evaluation Camp in 2024. While he didn’t make the team, he was picked by the Lincoln Stars in the second round (19th overall) of the USHL’s Phase 1 Draft. He skates well for his size and can contribute offensively. For him to move up draft boards next year, he will need to up his offensive output and show improvements with his hockey IQ.
10. Will Manchuso
St. Mark’s, 1/8/2008, F, left shot, 6-0/175
Hometown: Stow, Mass.
Of all the players in this story, I could see Manchuso moving up the most. The No. 1 thing NHL scouts look for is skating, and Manchuso is a fantastic skater with a powerful stride. He can drive play down the middle and had 12 goals and 37 points in 30 games for St. Mark’s this past season. To ensure he gets the most consideration next season, he will need to be one of the most dominant players in prep. Sure, that’s a tall ask, but that’s what it takes to be drafted out of prep.
11. Mason St. Louis
Brunswick, 1/16/2008, F, right shot, 5-11/155
Hometown: Old Greenwich, Conn.
NCAA: Dartmouth
St. Louis is a high hockey IQ center, and it’s not a huge surprise as to why. His father is Montreal Canadiens head coach and Hockey Hall of Famer Martin St. Louis. Mason St. Louis just wrapped up a highly successful first season in prep with 20 goals and 53 points in 33 games. As a center, he’s a great set-up man and is consistently making offense happen. He projects to be back at Brunswick next season and likely will be one of the best players in the region.
12. Spencer Thornborough
Governor’s Academy, 6/22/2008, F, left shot, 6-0/180
Hometown: Boxford, Mass.
Thornborough’s past two seasons at Governor’s have been hampered a bit by injury. Even with that, he notched 20 points in 16 games this past winter. He’s a power forward who can play anywhere in the lineup. Wherever he plays next season, the keys to rising on draft boards will be offensive production and showing how his skating can lead to his effectiveness on every shift.
READ MORE:Â 7 takeaways from the 2025 NHL Draft
13. Hampus Vandenberg
Brunswick, 4/24/2008, D, right shot, 6-2/180
Hometown: Riverside, Conn.
NCAA: Princeton
Vandenberg quietly posted a great junior season at Brunswick, scoring four goals and tallying 21 points in 35 games. He’s a stout two-way defenseman who has intriguing size for NHL teams to track. The Princeton commit didn’t make Select 15 or 16 camp, but made Select 17 Camp out of the New England District region for this year. If he has a strong showing in Buffalo, he should get some NHL eyes next season.
14. Jude Herron
Charlottetown Islanders, 4/29/2008, F, right shot, 5-10/165
Hometown: Fort Kent, Maine
NCAA: Maine
Herron opted for a challenge this past season, moving from South Kent, where he had 26 points in 22 16U games, to the Charlottetown Islanders of the QMJHL. He notched 11 goals and 15 points in 40 QMJHL games, which is solid production for a then-16-year-old playing in one of the best junior leagues. If his production continues to climb next season, he should get some recognition from NHL scouts.
15. Oskar Drabczynski
Avon Old Farms, 2/13/2008, D, left shot, 6-0/185
Hometown: Easton, Conn.
NCAA: Harvard
Drabczynski is an expert puck-moving defenseman. He scored four goals and tallied 21 points in 27 games with Avon Old Farms this past season. He’s a great skater who effortlessly executes breakouts and can facilitate in the offensive zone. To get more NHL attention, he will need to strengthen his play in the defensive zone while boosting his offensive production even more.
16. Brady Sloper
Belmont Hill, 5/21/2008, D, right shot, 6-2/198
Hometown: North Andover, Mass.
Sloper fits into the category of big defensemen. He’s purely a shutdown defenseman and was picked early in the USHL Phase 2 Draft, going in the fourth round to the Lincoln Stars. He followed that up by being picked in the third round of the QMJHL Draft earlier this month. He had five points in 32 games for Belmont Hill this past season but was more known for his good stick and physicality. He’s definitely a longshot to get drafted but if he’s as physical as he can be, he will get some NHL attention.
17. Indiana Grossbard
Avon Old Farms, 12/21/2007, F, right shot, 5-10/160
Hometown: Wilton, Conn.
NCAA: Dartmouth
Grossbard doesn’t have the size that NHL scouts look for, but the skill and compete certainly are there. He led Avon Old Farms in goals (26) and points (42) this past season. He’s slated to be back at Avon Old Farms next season. So, what could he do to rise on draft boards? Another big jump in production certainly would help. Rounding out his game away from the puck and continuing to get bigger and stronger would help, too.
BEHIND THE SCENES: Inside Teddy Mutryn's wait for his NHL Draft call
18. Jacoby Weiner
Kent, 6/19/2008, G, catches right, 6-4/240
Hometown: Riverside, Conn.
NCAA: Harvard
Goalies are hard to project for the NHL Draft. Weiner is on here due to his can’t-miss size at 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds. He had a rough first prep season at Kent with a 3.77 goals-against average and a .892 save percentage. If his numbers improve in Moncton, which is where he's slated to play next season, he should get some NHL attention.
