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3 best 2026 NHL draft options for the Maple Leafs at first overall originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have the best opportunity at the 2026 NHL draft as they have the first overall pick.
Oftentimes, with every draft that comes around, there is one player who is the undisputed option to select with the first overall pick, to some degree. More or less, there is a similar situation going into this year’s draft with left winger Gavin McKenna, who is deemed to have the highest ceiling of any player of the 2026 class.
However, it isn’t exactly as clear-cut as other years may be, thanks to left winger Ivar Stenberg, who is ranked as the No. 1 option by multiple draft and prospect experts.
Even outside of those two young stars, the Maple Leafs could also consider bringing in a defenseman, especially since Toronto hasn’t had a star blueliner in so many years, and successful teams often have one.
At any rate, here are the three best options for the Maple Leafs regarding their first overall pick.
3. Chase Reid, D
As mentioned, the Maple Leafs have lacked a true No. 1 defenseman for several years. While Morgan Rielly has had some big seasons for Toronto, he has never been considered a star defenseman in the NHL. And as he gets older, that case fades further away.
It would be nice for the franchise if they were able to get their hands on a D-man who could change the game from the back end, as great blueliners are so instrumental to a team’s success. Plus, the Maple Leafs already have star power up top with Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and even Matthew Knies and John Tavares as a solid supporting cast.
Not only that, Reid is a right-handed defenseman, which makes him slightly more valuable since his kind is harder to find.
MORE: Maple Leafs 2026 NHL Draft Pick: The Case For Chase Reid
2. Ivar Stenberg, LW
Stenberg is known as one of the more complete players in the draft.
The 18-year-old has shown the ability to play against grown men with his performance at the 2026 World Championship for Sweden, scoring four goals and eight points in eight games.
He has also played in Sweden’s top league, the SHL, where he scored 11 goals and 33 points for his team, Frolunda, this past year.
Stenberg may not score like McKenna in the grand scheme of their NHL careers, but that doesn’t mean Stenberg would be a bad pick at No. 1. In fact, Stenberg’s game is arguably more dimensional, with contributions defensively as well as providing elite offense.
MORE: Maple Leafs 2026 NHL Draft Pick: The Case For Ivar Stenberg
1. Gavin McKenna LW
The majority of the prospect experts say it, and his numbers from the past few seasons support it: McKenna is the best player available in the 2026 NHL draft.
Indeed, the Maple Leafs have always had top talent at the front of their roster, with Matthews and Nylander as the current example. But regardless of what Toronto already has, it would be tough to pass up on what McKenna could be in the NHL.
MORE: Drafting Gavin McKenna is the only option for the Maple Leafs at the 2026 NHL draft
His player comparable is Nikita Kucherov, who is now a two-time Stanley Cup champion, two-time Hart Trophy winner, three-time Art Ross Trophy winner, and has recorded 100 or more points across six different seasons.
If Toronto decides to go with someone else with the first overall pick and McKenna turns out to be a generational talent, the Leafs will regret that for decades, may never live it down publicly, and will be set back as a franchise.
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