NOTES FROM THE 2026 UPPER DECK NHL DRAFT
A total of 223 players born in 16 countries and from 30 leagues were selected in the 2026 Upper Deck NHL Draft, which concluded Saturday at KeyBank Center in Buffalo.
* Day 1 #NHLStats Live Updates
* Day 2 #NHLStats Live Updates
QUICK HITS ON THE 2026 UPPER DECK NHL DRAFT
* A total of 97 players born outside North America were selected, which ranks second over the past 22 drafts behind 2024 (99).
* A total of 58 U.S.-born players were selected, tied with 2019 for the most over the past dozen drafts. The last year with more was 2014 when 68 U.S.-born players were selected.
* Los Angeles topped all teams with 11 selections, the most the club has made in more than 30 years (12 in 1993).
* A total of 32 goalies were selected, marking the sixth time that many netminders were chosen after 1993 (36), 2001 (34), 2004 (33), 2002 (33) and 2000 (32).
* Brooks Rogowski (No. 33 by VAN) was the first pick of Day 2. Before choosing to take the OHL path with the Oshawa Generals, Rogowski was pursuing a baseball scholarship and considered following in the footsteps of his father, Casey, and uncle, Ryan, who were selected in the MLB Draft by the Chicago White Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers, respectively. A 6’7” forward, Rogowski was part of a big trend in Buffalo that saw 22 players listed at 6’5” or taller selected – the third straight year with 20 or more players of that height drafted (31 in 2025 and 27 in 2024). Before 2024, there had never been a draft on record with 20-plus players listed at 6’5” or taller in a single year.
* Twin brothers were selected by the same team – Liam Ruck (No. 22) and Markus Ruck (No. 39) by the Penguins – for the first fifth time in NHL Draft history, with the Rucks becoming the highest-selected since Daniel Sedin (No. 2) and Henrik Sedin (No. 3) by the Canucks in 1999. The other twins picked by the same club in the same year: Justin and Drew Daniels (2008 by SJS); Matt and Mark McRae (2000 by ATL); as well as Peter and Chris Ferraro (1992 by NYR). Click here for more on the Ruck brothers.
* Joe Iginla (No. 65 by CGY) was the first pick of Round 3, selected by the franchise with whom his father, Hockey Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla, captained from 2003-04 to 2012-13. Jarome is the Flames’ all-time leader in games played, goals and points who finished his NHL career with 625-675—1,300 (1,554 GP) accumulated with five clubs. Each of Jarome’s children have now been selected in either the NHL or PWHL Draft, with Joe joining Tij Iginla (No. 6 in 2024 by UTA, the first pick in franchise history) and Jade Iginla (No. 18 in 2026 PWHL Draft by PWHL Hamilton).
* A record-setting four Latvian-born players were selected: Alberts Smits (No. 5 by NYR), Rudolfs Berzkalns (No. 58 by EDM), Patriks Plumins (No. 114 by TOR) and Olivers Murnieks (No. 124 by BUF), who was selected in a special moment on stage. That bested the previous mark of three in 2024, 2022, 2015 and 2002.
* Simas Ignatavicius (No. 40 by FLA) became the fourth Lithuanian, based on birth country or nationality, to be selected in the NHL Draft, following Darius Kasparaitis (No. 5 in 1992), Dainius Zubrus (No. 15 in 1996) and Andrey Pedan (No. 63 in 2011). Ignatavicius was born in Memphis, Tenn., but is a Lithuania national and has represented Lithuania six times on the international stage.
* Niklas Aaram-Olsen (No. 41 by VAN) became the third-highest Norwegian player drafted behind only Michael Brandsegg-Nygard (No. 15 by DET in 2024) and Stian Solberg (No. 23 by ANA in 2024).
* Doman Szongoth (No. 156 by BUF) became the fourth Hungarian player ever selected in the NHL Draft and first since Janos Vas in 2002 (No. 32 to DAL). His father, Kristóf Szongoth, played professionally in Hungary for 20 years and now serves as head coach for the Hungary National Team Development Program.
* Six Czech goaltenders were selected, the most ever in a single NHL Draft. It bested the previous high of four in 2015 when current NHLers Dan Vladar and Karel Vejmelka made up half of that cohort.
* Alexander Karmanov is listed at 7’1’’ and is the tallest player to be drafted in NHL history. The previous record is 6’9” by three players: Zdeno Chara (No. 56 in 1996), Lane Manson (No. 124 in 2002) and Braydyn Chizen (No. 204 in 2016). Karmanov is the first player born in Moldova to be selected in an NHL Draft.
TRADES ON DAY 2 OF THE NHL DRAFT
A total of 20 trades were completed Saturday through the end of Round 7, bringing the two-day total to 33 across the 2026 Upper Deck NHL Draft (13 Friday including nine announced during the draft).
* The Blackhawks acquired a second-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft (No. 35) from the Devils in exchange for a second-round pick in 2026 (No. 37) and a fourth-round pick in 2026 (No. 119).
* The Flames acquired a second-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft (No. 42) from the Hurricanes in exchange for a second-round pick in 2026 (No. 51) and a third-round pick in 2026 (No. 68).
* The Lightning acquired a second-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft (No. 52) from the Oilers in exchange for a second-round pick in 2026 (No. 58) and a fifth-round pick in 2026 (No. 133).
* The Blues acquired defenseman Brandon Carlo from the Maple Leafs in exchange for two third-round picks in the 2026 NHL Draft (Nos. 73 and 76).
* The Canadiens acquired a second-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft (No. 57) from the Hurricanes in exchange for a second-round pick in 2026 (No. 61) and a fourth-round pick in 2026 (No. 125).
* The Wild acquired a third-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft (No. 83) from the Kings in exchange for a third-round pick in 2026 (No. 89) and a fifth-round pick in 2026 (No. 153).
* The Predators acquired forward Adam Edstrom from the Rangers in exchange for forward Massimo Rizzo and a fifth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft (No. 148).
* The Capitals acquired a fourth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft (No. 101) from the Blue Jackets in exchange for a fourth-round pick in 2026 (No. 112) and a fifth-round pick in the 2028 NHL Draft.
* The Rangers acquired a fourth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft (No. 102) from the Kraken in exchange for two fifth-round picks in 2026 (Nos. 131 and 148).
* The Kings acquired a fourth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft (No. 103) from the Canadiens in exchange for a fourth-round pick in 2026 (No. 113) and a sixth-round pick in 2026 (No. 190).
* The Penguins acquired a fourth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft (No. 111) from the Bruins in exchange for a sixth-round pick in 2026 (No. 170) and a fourth-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft.
* The Wild acquired a fourth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft (No. 112) from the Blue Jackets in exchange for a fourth-round pick in 2026 (No. 121) and a sixth-round pick in 2026 (No. 185).
* The Golden Knights acquired a fourth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft (No. 113) from the Canadiens in exchange for a fourth-round pick in 2026 (No. 117) and seventh-round pick in 2026 (No. 223).
* The Avalanche acquired a fifth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft (No. 140) from the Devils in exchange for a fifth-round pick in 2026 (No. 149) and seventh-round pick in 2026 (No. 222).
* The Penguins acquired a fifth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft (No. 160) from the Predators in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the 2028 NHL Draft.
* The Maple Leafs acquired a sixth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft (No. 161) from the Canucks in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft.
* The Hurricanes acquired defenseman John Carlson from the Ducks in exchange for defenseman Kyle Masters and a sixth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft (No. 192).
* The Bruins acquired forward Ivan Ivan from the Avalanche in exchange for forward Fabian Lysell.
* The Golden Knights acquired a seventh-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft (No. 207) from the Red Wings in exchange for a seventh-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft.
* The Kings acquired a seventh-round in the 2026 NHL Draft (No. 223) from the Canadiens in exchange for a seventh-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft.
