NAHL Players Prepare for 2026 NHL Draft
The 2026 NHL Entry Draft begins today, June 26, 2026, at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. The first round kicks off at 7:00 PM ET on ESPN. Round two through seven will commence the following day, June 27, 2026, starting at 11:00 AM ET on NHL Network and ESPN+. The North American Hockey League will have full coverage of any picks on nahl.com and on the NAHL’s social media channels.
North American players born between January 1, 2006, and September 15, 2008, are eligible for selection in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. International players born in 2005 are eligible for the draft if they are undrafted. Additionally, players originally selected in the 2024 NHL Draft who were not signed by their drafting NHL team and who were born after June 30, 2006, are eligible to re-enter the draft.
NHL scouts, including those from NHL Central Scouting, have been to league events like the NAHL Showcase back in September, the NAHL Top Prospects Tournament in February, and the NAHL Robertson Cup Championship in May.
This past April, the NHL Central Scouting Final Rankings were released for the 2026 NHL Draft and several NAHL players, both past and present, were on the list as players who could potentially be selected in Buffalo, New York.
Players from the 2025-26 season:
#37 Kaenan Smith, G, Janesville Jets: The 17-year-old netminder hailing from the State of Hockey is in his first season of playing in the NAHL. He joined the Jets after playing at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup for Team USA over the summer. He helped Team USA secure the gold medal at the event, marking the first time Team USA has won gold in 22 years. The 6-foot-2 goaltender just wrapped up his rookie season, playing 35 games in the blue paint for Janesville. He featured 18 wins, notching a .901 save percentage in his first season. The ‘08 netminder was selected as a Top Prospect for the 2026 Top Prospects Tournament at the USA Hockey Arena. Smith backstopped the Selects White to a 3-2 come-from-behind win against the U.S. National Team Development Program. His work in net was recognized this season, earning Midwest Division Star of the Week honors on February 2, 2026, and earning runner-up honors three times. For his work in September, the University of Minnesota-Duluth commit was named as the runner-up for Goaltender of the Month.
#100 Joseph Erickson, F, Wisconsin Windigo: The 6-foot-4 righty from Mound, Minnesota is in his first season of playing junior hockey. After playing high school hockey at the Blake School in Minnesota, he joined the Windigo for his first year of juniors. The ‘08 skater hit the ice in six contests, tallying two goals.
Players from the 2024-25 season:
#2 Chase Reid, D, Bismarck Bobcats (Soo Greyhounds/OHL): Taking the hockey world by storm, the 18-year-old from Michigan was named as one of the top prospects for the upcoming 2026 NHL Draft. The former Bobcat ranks second overall in the Final Rankings. He played with the Bobcats last season in 18 games, tallying six goals and six assists. His dominance from the blue line continued in the OHL with the Soo Greyhounds. Reid this year got the honor of representing the United States at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship. The blueliner featured four points, scoring two goals while making two assists.
#48 Timofei Runtso, D, St. Cloud Norsemen (Victoria Royals/WHL): Looking to be a potential selection in the second round, Runtso played a full season in the League of Opportunity for the Norsemen during his 2024-25 campaign. The 6-foot-2 blueliner laced up in 53 games for the Minnesota-based team. During his rookie season, the California native scored eight goals while making 19 assists for St. Cloud. One of his best contests last year was a three-point night against the Watertown Shamrocks. Runtso tallied two goals while making an assist in the 4-3 overtime victory. One of his tallies was the overtime game-winner for the Norsemen. His ability from the blue line in his rookie season earned him the honor as a Top Prospect for the Selects Gold roster at the 2025 Top Prospects Tournament. The awards and recognition did not stop there, as Runtso also went home with the NAHL Central Division’s Rookie of the Year title.
#72 Niko Tournas, F, Danbury Hat Tricks (Moncton Wildcats/QMJHL): The 20-year-old from Redding, Connecticut, was one of the top scorers in the NAHL during the 2024-25 season. Lacing up for the Hat Tricks in his second year of junior hockey, Tournas led his team in all offensive categories. The 6-foot-2 forward featured a team-leading 39 goals, 35 assists, and 74 points. Tournas’ 39 tallies ranked him second overall in the League of Opportunity. His offensive production all season long earned him distinction with awards and opportunities. At the 2025 Top Prospects Tournament, Tournas celebrated his birthday at the USA Hockey Arena, playing for the Selects Gold roster. The Connecticut native tallied four goals in the two-day tournament. Once the season wrapped up, Tournas was named to the All-NAHL team and to the All-East Division Team.
#33 Ryan Cameron, G, Lone Star Brahmas (Cedar Rapids RoughRiders/USHL): Earning a plethora of awards for his 2024-25 rookie campaign, Cameron played a full season with the Lone Star Brahmas in the South Division. The netminder from Pennsylvania dominated in the crease for the Brahmas, featuring the best goals-against average (1.24) and best save percentage (.948) in the league for the regular season. He was named to the All-South Division Team, All-Rookie Team, and earned multiple individual awards. Cameron received the honor of the South Division’s Rookie of the Year as well as the NAHL’s Goaltender and Rookie of the Year titles. The ‘07 netminder was additionally named as a Top Prospect for the 2025 Top Prospects Tournament. Cameron played between the pipes for the Selects Gold roster at the yearly event.
#34 Roberto Leonardo Henriquez, G, Anchorage Wolverines (Green Bay Gamblers/USHL): The 6-foot-1 goaltender from Slovakia played 24 games for the Wolverines in his rookie season. Henriquez was drafted by Anchorage in the 2024 NAHL Entry Draft in the ninth round, 312th overall. In his debut year, the 18-year-old featured a 2.49 goals-against average and .923 save percentage for the Alaska-based team.
#161 Lincoln Krizizke, D, Janesville Jets (Dubuque Fighting Saints/USHL)
Players from the 2023-24 season:
#39 Charlie Morrison, D, New Hampshire Mountain Kings (Québec Remparts/QMJHL)
#169 Julian Brown, D, Philadelphia Rebels (Owen Sound Attack/OHL)
The 64th NHL Draft is set to take place this summer at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York, from June 26-27.
