8. Yegor Shilov (Victoriaville, QMJHL)
The 18-year-old talented offensive Russian forward, Yegor Shilov, is draft-eligible this year after making the move from Russia to play in the QMJHL this past year. Shilov finished in the top 10 in the QMJHL this season in total points and in the top 20 in goals scored. He also led all rookies in goals and points scored this past season for Victoriaville.
Shilov is one of the brightest and highest-upside prospects in this draft class from Russia. He is a zoned-in playmaker in the zone and in transition with the puck on his stick.
The knock against Shilov is that his offensive production can be inconsistent. He also needs to develop as a skater at the next level.
If Shilov can improve his skating and become more consistent offensively, he has the talent to outperform this ranking and emerge as one of the steals of the first round.
7. Ilya Morozov (Miami University, NCAA)
This past year, Moscow, Russia, native center Ilya Morozov made the move to the NCAA at Miami University at just 17 years old. He was the youngest player in college hockey at the start of this past season.
He proved he could handle the elevated competition, playing around 20 minutes on the ice per night on Miami University's top forward line this past season. Morozov helped Miami University increase its win total from three victories to 18 this season.
The 6-foot-3 and 205-pound center has great size, length, and a non-stop motor on the ice. He regularly wins puck battles and isn't afraid to play physically to skate through the puck and help generate turnovers in the defensive and neutral zones.
Morozov's combination of size, maturity, and two-way reliability gives him one of the highest floors among centers outside the top tier of this draft class.
He's got a great mix of size, physicality, and two-way versatility at the center position. The maturity he showed in his game and the trust he was given at Miami University shows that Morozov deserves to be a first round pick in the 2026 draft.
6. Jack Hextall (Youngstown, USHL)
This past season, forward Jack Hextall scored 58 points in just under 60 games played for the Youngstown Phantoms in the USHL. He showed out while playing in a top-six role offensively for the Phantoms this past season.
Hextall's offensive instincts and playmaking ability helped make him one of the most productive centers in the USHL this season. While he may not possess the elite upside of some players ranked ahead of him, his combination of skill, effort, and consistency gives him a strong chance to become an NHL regular.
His size, competitiveness, motor, and offensive skill set make Hextall capable of being a late first-round pick with a high floor and a defined role at the next level.
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