With the 2026 NHL Draft just around the corner, pundits are looking to get their final predictions across the line. While the consensus is that the Toronto Maple Leafs will take Gavin McKenna first overall, that is hardly set in stone.
As such, there could be some stunners coming down in the top-five picks, leading to plenty of drama.
Let’s take a look at three plausible stunners in the top-five selections of the 2026 NHL Draft.
Top 3 Stunners in 2026 NHL Draft
Gavin McKenna slides to #4, heads to Sabres
This first stunner hinges on two assumptions. One, the Maple Leafs don’t pick McKenna first. The second, the Buffalo Sabres keep their pick.
Both situations are not cast in stone at the moment. The likeliest scenario is that McKenna goes first. And there’s also a serious chance that the Sabres trade the fourth pick of the 2026 NHL Draft.
But if nothing else materializes, it’s hard to see the Sabres passing on McKenna if he is still on the board at #4. The team would love to add a scoring winger who could immediately replace the departed Alex Tuch.
If that’s the case, the Sabres might be praying for the first three teams to pass on the skilled winger. Otherwise, whoever ends up with the fourth-overall pick could end up reaping the benefits of two other stunners.
Sharks Trade Second-Overall Pick to Maple Leafs
The San Jose Sharks, who hold the second-overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, choose to weaponize it to acquire Matthew Knies (and possibly Morgan Rielly) from the Maple Leafs.
The trade in and of itself would be a stunner. But the next move would be even more stunning. With the second-overall pick, the Maple Leafs choose Ivar Stenberg.
Stenberg checks off a lot of boxes for Toronto, setting the club up for a quick turnaround. The addition of a high-end prospect, plus other possible top-tier pieces (Connor Hellebuyck?), could put Toronto in a position to turn things around immediately.
But that might not be the only Maple Leafs’ stunner in the coming days.
What to read next:
Toronto Takes Defenseman with First Pick of 2026 NHL Draft
The Toronto Maple Leafs go against the grain with the first-overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. With the first pick, the Leafs take defenseman Chase Reid.
The shell-shocked Leafs Nation sees their beloved team land a franchise defenseman, passing on McKenna. While passing on McKenna would leave fans speechless, it actually makes sense that the organization targets a defenseman.
It’s clear that the biggest need the Maple Leafs have is a defenseman, and not a scoring winger. Plus, the organization convinces Reid to turn pro immediately, hoping to replicate the success Matthew Schaefer had in New York last season.
With Reid and Stenberg as 1-2 picks in the 2026 NHL Draft, the Maple Leafs could have the makings of a fantastic core for years to come.
As for those moves actually happening, they might not be so likely. Even if the Leafs have the first two picks, they would likely be McKenna and Reid or Reid and McKenna. The order wouldn’t matter so long as both prospects land in Toronto.
2026 NHL Draft: 3 Stunners in Top 5 Picks