NHL Draft 2026

[herman]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2059039216143626522

With the subsequent media availabilities etc., it's clear even if the on-ice talent and performance shakes out similarly, Gavin McKenna is head and shoulders above Ivar Stenberg at media handling, or Sauce, if you prefer the colloquialism, and that is a pretty important distinguishing requirement for this market at this caliber of attention.

I also like that he has the self-awareness (or has really good advisors) to key in on his shortcomings so early in his development. This is reminiscent of other 1st overall picks who just sort of drill in on their games and get better: Crosby faceoffs, McDavid on defensive off-puck play and shooting, Matthews changing his shot completely after his draft season, defensive off-puck play in yr 2, and adding one-timers in yr 3.

 

[herman]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2079533581353783480

I respect this

 

[Bender]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2079533581353783480

I respect this

I mean, there's some there that I have no idea still who he's talking about. Feels a little early to declare being right or wrong on some of them.

 

[mr grieves]

I was just thinking, related to the draft and the absurd luck of getting McKenna: are there any other cases where a team had a .650+ point percentage over the prior 3 seasons and then drafted first overall?

 

[cw]

I was just thinking, related to the draft and the absurd luck of getting McKenna: are there any other cases where a team had a .650+ point percentage over the prior 3 seasons and then drafted first overall?

Habs were pretty close before they drafted Lafleur
(I'm a little vague on this)
They never had a really down season like the Leafs before the draft
Sam Pollack fleeced a CA team for the 1st overall pick in a trade
There may be more. That was a famous one

 

[rjd]

Habs were pretty close before they drafted Lafleur
(I'm a little vague on this)
They never had a really down season like the Leafs before the draft
Sam Pollack fleeced a CA team for the 1st overall pick in a trade
There may be more. That was a famous one

Correct. Pollack fleeced the Golden Seals for the first overall pick. Then they traded with the Kings during the season to make their team better so that they wouldn't finish last. It was some pretty shrewd management.

Also, the Habs drafted first overall despite winning the cup the year before.

 

[cw]

Correct. Pollack fleeced the Golden Seals for the first overall pick. Then they traded with the Kings during the season to make their team better so that they wouldn't finish last. It was some pretty shrewd management.

Also, the Habs drafted first overall despite winning the cup the year before.

Lafleur was key to their 4 Cup dynasty run
1977 .825 win% only 8 regular season losses in 80 game season
Lafleur 136 pts, Won the Art Ross, Hart, Conn Smythe & Pearson
Robinson won the Norris, Dryden the Vezina
They were one of the best teams I ever saw - a lot of Hall of Famers in all positions
The 1976–77 Montreal Canadiens roster featured nine future Hockey Hall of Famers (plus head coach Scotty Bowman):

Player / Personnel Position Hall of Fame Induction Year
Ken Dryden Goaltender 1983
Yvan Cournoyer Forward (Captain) 1982
Bob Gainey Forward 1992
Guy Lafleur Forward 1988
Jacques Lemaire Forward 1984
Steve Shutt Forward 1993
Guy Lapointe Defenseman 1993
Larry Robinson Defenseman 1995
Serge Savard Defenseman 1986
Scotty Bowman Head Coach 1991

Only Salming and one other cracked the 1st All Star team
If memory serves me correctly, in one of those seasons, I think Sittler-Salming et al had a good regular season against them (again, vague recollection -don't feel like looking it up - which was also the case with the 1993 Habs if the high stick got called ) They were a good team unlucky to encounter the Canadiens & Islander dynasties.