Month: June 2026

NHL Draft 2026: Which Teams Made the Biggest Moves on Draft Night?

June 27, 2026 / NationalTeamsOfIceHockey

The opening round of the 2026 NHL Draft offered plenty of surprises, bold trades, and franchise-defining decisions as teams looked to reshape their futures. While every organization entered the draft with a plan, some emerged with significantly stronger prospect pools than others.

One of the biggest stories of the night belonged to the San Jose Sharks. Already possessing one of hockey’s brightest collections of young talent, the Sharks continued to invest heavily in their rebuild by selecting highly skilled forwards and adding another elite defensive prospect. Their aggressive approach, including moving up the draft board to secure additional talent, demonstrated a clear commitment to building a championship contender through youth.

Toronto also generated excitement after selecting consensus top prospect Gavin McKenna with the first overall pick. The dynamic forward has been viewed as a potential franchise player thanks to his offensive creativity, skating ability, and hockey IQ. Pairing McKenna with Toronto’s existing core gives the organization another cornerstone for the future and immediately strengthens one of the NHL’s most promising prospect systems.

Gavin McKenna 2026 #1 Pick

Several other clubs quietly enjoyed productive evenings. The Seattle Kraken continued adding depth throughout their lineup with selections aimed at strengthening both their defense and forward group. Winnipeg focused on skill and speed, while the St. Louis Blues addressed organizational needs by targeting players with high offensive ceilings and long-term development potential.

Not every franchise left the draft with positive reviews. The Chicago Blackhawks drew attention after choosing to trade away a premium first-round selection rather than adding another elite young prospect. By acquiring an established NHL defenseman instead, Chicago prioritized immediate roster improvement over long-term prospect development. While the move could pay dividends in the short term, it also carries the risk of passing on a player who could become a future star.

Nationality breakdown of the 32 first-round selections:

Canada: 17 players
United States: 7 players
Sweden: 4 players
Finland: 2 players
Czechia: 1 player
Slovakia: 1 player

Regional breakdown:

Canadians: 17 (53.1%)
Americans: 7 (21.9%)
Europeans: 8 (25.0%)

The numbers illustrate Canada’s continued dominance in developing elite NHL prospects, accounting for more than half of the first-round selections. Meanwhile, Europe remained an increasingly important source of high-end talent, particularly from Sweden and Finland, whose development systems continue to produce NHL-ready players. The United States also maintained its strong presence, reflecting the continued growth of collegiate and junior hockey programs south of the border.

As development camps begin and prospects prepare for the next stage of their careers, the true impact of the 2026 NHL Draft will take years to evaluate. However, early impressions suggest that organizations willing to invest aggressively in young talent—particularly San Jose and Toronto—may have positioned themselves for long-term success.

While draft-night grades often change over time, the 2026 first round will be remembered for bold decisions, unexpected trades, and several franchises taking significant steps toward shaping their future.

Trailblazer Retires: Pierre-Édouard Bellemare Hangs Up Skates After Historic Career

June 21, 2026 / NationalTeamsOfIceHockey

Pierre-Édouard Bellemare, the trailblazing French forward whose decade-long NHL career helped pave the way for future generations of French hockey players, has officially announced his retirement at age 41.

Over the course of 10 seasons in the NHL, Bellemare became a fixture of defensive consistency and versatility. He appeared in 700 regular-season games—the most by any French-born player in NHL history—registering 138 points (64 goals, 74 assists). Known for his relentless work ethic and value as a bottom-six forward, he played for five different franchises: the Philadelphia Flyers, Vegas Golden Knights, Colorado Avalanche, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Seattle Kraken.

700 NHL games. A pioneer Pierre-Édouard Bellemare retires has a Kraken and French Icon.

Beyond his NHL contributions, Bellemare remained a fiercely loyal leader for the French national team. His international resume is distinguished by his longevity and commitment, having represented France in 12 IIHF World Championships. He capped off his storied career in early 2026 by serving as captain for Team France during his first and only appearance at the Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina.

Bellemare’s legacy extends far beyond the stat sheet. As a pioneer for French hockey, he proved that a player from a non-traditional hockey market could not only reach the highest level of the sport but thrive there for a decade. He concludes his playing days having left an indelible mark on both the North American professional landscape and the program of his home nation.

The 2026 NHL Draft: A Defining Weekend in Buffalo

June 13, 2026 / NationalTeamsOfIceHockey

As the hockey world turns its attention toward Buffalo, New York, the stage is set for the 2026 Upper Deck NHL Draft. Held at the KeyBank Center on June 26–27, 2026, this event marks a pivotal moment for teams looking to reshape their futures with a deep and talented prospect pool.

NHL Draft will be in Buffalo, New York

The Road to the Draft

Following the NHL Draft Lottery on May 5, 2026, the Toronto Maple Leafs secured the first overall pick. After a highly successful scouting combine in early June, all signs point to Toronto using that selection to bolster their top-six forward group. The draft will continue to utilize a decentralized format, with teams operating from their home markets, while top prospects gather in person in Buffalo to hear their names called.

Top Prospects to Watch

Scouting reports highlight a class rich in high-IQ playmakers and elite defensive talent. Here are the top 10 North American prospects according to the final rankings:

Rank	Player	Position	Previous Club (League)
1	Gavin McKenna	LW	Penn State (BIG10)
2	Chase Reid	D	Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)
3	Carson Carels	D	Prince George (WHL)
4	Keaton Verhoeff	D	North Dakota (NCHC)
5	Daxon Rudolph	D	Prince Albert (WHL)
6	Caleb Malhotra	C	Brantford (OHL)
7	Tynan Lawrence	C	Boston University (H-EAST)
8	Nikita Klepov	RW	Saginaw (OHL)
9	Ethan Belchetz	LW	Windsor (OHL)
10	Ilya Morozov	C	Miami (NCHC)

Draft Order: The Top 10

The first round is set to be a significant shake-up for the bottom of the league standings:

Toronto Maple Leafs
San Jose Sharks
Vancouver Canucks
Chicago Blackhawks
New York Rangers
Calgary Flames
Seattle Kraken
Winnipeg Jets
Florida Panthers
Nashville Predators

What to Expect

While Gavin McKenna is widely projected to go first overall to the Maple Leafs, the real intrigue begins at pick No. 2, where the San Jose Sharks are expected to focus on strengthening their blue line, potentially with standout defenseman Chase Reid. Further down the order, teams are weighing the merits of high-end Forwards like Caleb Malhotra, Tynan Lawrence and Ivar Stenberg all of whom impressed scouts with their competitive two-way games and intelligence.

As the draft begins on June 26, the focus will shift from projections to execution. For these young athletes, the weekend in Buffalo is the culmination of years of development—and for the 32 NHL franchises, it is a critical opportunity to build the foundation for their next championship window.

Patrik Eliáš and Richard Král Join the Czech National Men’s Hockey Team Staff

June 13, 2026 / NationalTeamsOfIceHockey

The Czech national men’s ice hockey team has finalized its new coaching and management staff for the upcoming two-year period. On Wednesday, June 3, 2026, the Executive Committee of the Czech Ice Hockey Association officially appointed NHL legend Patrik Eliáš as General Manager and former representative forward Richard Král as an assistant coach.

The new leadership structure is as follows:

Role	Name
General Manager	Patrik Eliáš
Head Coach	Zdeněk Moták
Assistant Coach	Pavel Gross
Assistant Coach	Richard Král
Goalkeeper Coach	Jaroslav Kameš

All members of the staff have signed two-year contracts to lead the national program through the next cycle of international competition.

New new coaching and management staff for Czechia men’s National Team.

A Strong Addition to the Management

Patrik Eliáš, a two-time Stanley Cup champion, brings a wealth of experience to the role of General Manager. Having spent his entire 20-season NHL career with the New Jersey Devils, Eliáš recorded 1,025 points in 1,240 games, making him the second-highest scoring Czech player in NHL history.

“Patrik is a personality recognized not only in our country,” stated Association President Alois Hadamczik. “He has an overview of players in the NHL and, thanks to his work in the Czech Republic in recent years, also of the players here at home. He possesses strong management skills, and I believe he will be an asset to Czech hockey.”

Strengthening the Coaching Staff

Richard Král joins the team as an assistant coach, working alongside head coach Zdeněk Moták and assistant Pavel Gross. Král, a former elite center in the Czech Extraliga, remains one of the most productive players in the league’s history. He has previously held head coaching roles at clubs including Pardubice and Mladá Boleslav.

Hadamczik noted that the selection of Král was specifically driven by the coaching staff: “Richard Král was chosen by coaches Moták and Gross. They clearly described his role on the national team, and on that basis, he was approved by the executive committee.”

The team will also benefit from the continued expertise of Jaroslav Kameš, who will serve as the Goalkeeper Coach, ensuring specialized development for the netminders at the international level.

Looking Forward

The new management and coaching structure represents a significant step for the national team as it prepares for the next two seasons. With this leadership team in place, the focus now shifts toward building a squad capable of maintaining success on the international stage.

Restructuring the IIHF World Championship: The 2027-2028 Format

June 2, 2026 / NationalTeamsOfIceHockey

Following the system changes announced at the IIHF Annual Congress in Zurich for the 2026-2027 season, the International Ice Hockey Federation is implementing a major structural overhaul for the 2027-2028 season in the lower divisions.

The most significant change is the merger of Division I/A and Division I/B. Division I will now function as a single, unified tier. The tournament will be organized into four groups (A, B, C, and D), hosted across two cities.

IIHF restructures world Championship lower divisions

Competition Structure

Unique Cross-Group Play: Teams will not face opponents from their own group. Instead, teams in Group A will play the three teams in Group B, while teams in Group C will play the three teams in Group D.
Standings: Despite playing opponents from a different group, rankings will be calculated based on the results within each specific group (A, B, C, and D).
Playoffs: The top two teams from each group will advance to semifinals (A1 vs. A2, B1 vs. B2, C1 vs. C2, and D1 vs. D2).
Promotion: The winners of the two gold-medal finals will earn promotion to the elite tier.
Relegation: The third-placed teams will face off in a double-leg format (A3 vs. B3 and C3 vs. D3). The results will be combined into a four-team general ranking, with the bottom-ranked team relegated to Division II/A.

How the New Format Works: An Example

To visualize this, imagine Group A (Team 1, Team 2, Team 3) and Group B (Team 4, Team 5, Team 6).

The Matches:
- Team 1 plays Team 4, Team 5, and Team 6.
- Team 2 plays Team 4, Team 5, and Team 6.
- Team 3 plays Team 4, Team 5, and Team 6.
- Note: Team 1 never plays Team 2 or Team 3 during the group stage.
The Standings:
- Group A standings are calculated solely based on how Teams 1, 2, and 3 performed in their matches against Teams 4, 5, and 6.
- If Team 1 earns 7 points and Team 2 earns 6 points, Team 1 takes the top spot in Group A, and Team 2 takes second.
Advancing:
- Team 1 (A1) would then face the second-place team from Group A (A2/Team 2) in the semifinal.
- The winners of these semifinals move to the gold-medal games to fight for promotion to the elite tier.
Relegation Battle:
- If Team 3 (A3) finishes last in Group A, they will play a two-game series against the third-place team from Group B (B3). This series helps determine who ends up in the “bottom four” ranking that decides which nation is relegated to Division II/A.

Luxembourg Names Anthony Mortas as First-Ever National Coach

June 1, 2026 / NationalTeamsOfIceHockey

Luxembourg ice hockey has taken a significant step forward in its long-term development with the appointment of Anthony Mortas as the Luxembourg Ice Hockey Federation first-ever National Coach.

The newly created position is a cornerstone of the federation’s Vision 2030 strategy, an ambitious project designed to strengthen player development, improve coaching standards, and enhance the competitiveness of Luxembourg’s national teams on the international stage.

For a country that has seen steady growth in participation and club development in recent years, the appointment signals a commitment to building a more structured and unified national team program.

Creating the National Coach role is an important step in aligning our development pathway and strengthening the connection between our youth and senior national teams,” the federation stated as part of its Vision 2030 initiative.

Bringing International Experience to Luxembourg

Mortas arrives in Luxembourg with an extensive hockey résumé spanning both playing and coaching careers.

A former French international, he competed at the highest levels of European hockey and represented France at the 1998 and 2002 Winter Olympic Games. During his professional playing career, he featured prominently in France’s Ligue Magnus with clubs including Reims and Amiens, establishing himself as one of the country’s respected players of his era.

Following his retirement, Mortas transitioned behind the bench, beginning a coaching career that saw him rise through the ranks of the Amiens Gothiques organization. After serving as an assistant coach, he eventually became Head Coach in the Ligue Magnus, gaining valuable experience in player development and high-performance environments.

Most recently, Mortas led the Morzine-Avoriaz program, further adding to his coaching credentials before accepting the challenge of helping guide Luxembourg’s national hockey structure.

A Unified National Team Pathway

One of Mortas’ primary responsibilities will be creating greater continuity between Luxembourg’s U18, U20, and Senior National Teams.

Historically, smaller hockey nations often face challenges in maintaining consistency as players move through different age categories. By centralizing technical oversight, the FLHG hopes to establish a shared philosophy that supports athletes throughout their development and prepares them more effectively for international competition.

The role will also strengthen collaboration between the federation, national team staff, local clubs, and individual players, ensuring that development objectives remain aligned across all levels of the program.

Looking Toward the Future

While the appointment will have an immediate impact on national team operations, its significance extends beyond a single tournament cycle.

For Luxembourg, the creation of the National Coach position represents an investment in the long-term future of the sport. As participation continues to grow and the federation pursues the objectives outlined in Vision 2030, Mortas will play a key role in helping shape the next generation of Luxembourg internationals.

The move reflects a broader ambition within Luxembourg hockey: to build a sustainable development model capable of raising standards, strengthening international competitiveness, and creating a clear pathway from youth hockey to the senior national team.

With Anthony Mortas now in place as the federation’s first National Coach, Luxembourg has taken another important step in its evolution as an emerging hockey nation.