This upcoming week, the Los Angeles Kings will get to witness the top prospects in the 2026 NHL Draft class competing in the combine in Buffalo, NY, this offseason.
To start off this series of the top draft prospects for the Kings to know in the 2026 class, we're looking at the center position with the forward group before the combine this week. We'll be ranking the top prospects in the 2026 draft at each position group, including center, winger, defenseman, and goalie.
These are the top center prospects to know before the 2026 NHL Draft
The Kings pick 17th overall in the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft, just outside the lottery. With Anze Kopitar retired and the organization lacking elite center depth in the prospect pipeline, this year's center class could be particularly important for Los Angeles.
We're also just a few weeks away from the start of the 2026 draft. The first round of the 2026 draft will take place on June 26.
Here's a look at our ranking of the top 10 best center prospects in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft class.
10. Ryder Cali (North Bay, OHL)
North Bay center Ryder Cali is one of the fastest risers in this draft class.. He quickly rose up draft boards after making the jump to play in the OHL with North Bay this past year. Cali also had a strong showing at the 18U World Championships this year.
He's had a winding path to the 2026 draft. Cali failed to make the roster for the North Bay Battalion in the OHL last year. He made the team as a rookie this season, scoring double-digit goals and 37 total points for North Bay.
It was less than just a couple of years ago that Cali was playing junior hockey in Canada. He's now a potential first-round draft pick in the 2026 draft after an impactful rookie season with North Bay in the OHL and a great showing in the 18U World Championships.
The combination of his rapid development and offensive upside makes him an intriguing prospect, but the relatively short track record against top competition keeps him just outside the top tier of centers in this draft class.
9. Maddox Dagenais (Quebec, QMJHL)
At 6-foot-4 and 200-pounds, Quebec Remparts forward Maddox Dagenais has the physical build and the skill set necessary to be an offensive force in the NHL in the future. Dagenais scored nearly 40 points in the second half of the season in the QMJHL for Quebec.
The former first overall pick in the 2024 QMJHL Draft, Dagenais is one of the most gifted offensive playmakers in the league in this past couple of years. He's a notable power forward who makes his presence known in the offensive zone and with the puck on his stick on the ice.
Dagenais' combination of size, offensive skill, and long-term upside gives him one of the highest ceilings among centers outside the top five of this draft class.
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