The 2025–26 hockey season continues to roll on, and several top prospects for the 2026 NHL Draft are already turning heads with strong performances across their respective leagues. From the OHL to the WHL and the NCAA, young talents are showcasing the skill, poise, and consistency that scouts crave at this stage of their development. Niagara’s towering center Ryan Roobroeck is beginning to find his offensive rhythm, Vancouver’s smooth-skating blueliner Ryan Lin continues to prove his all-around value on the back end, and Penn State freshman Gavin McKenna—the early favorite to go first overall—has wasted little time making an impact at the collegiate level.
Here’s a closer look at how each of these rising stars is shaping their early-season narrative.
Ryan Roobroeck | C | Niagara Ice Dogs (OHL)
Niagara Ice Dogs center Ryan Roobroeck has made himself a name to watch for the 2026 NHL draft ever since he joined the Ice Dogs in 2023. Despite starting his draft year slowly offensively, the 6-foot-4, 216-pound player quickly gained momentum, scoring six points (three goals and three assists) in just three games.
The London, ON native started the weekend showing off how dangerous he can be on the power play with a pair of goals while on the man advantage in a 6-3 win over the Brampton Steelheads. Despite being held to just one shot on goal against the Kingston Frontenacs, Roobroeck used his excellent mobility and puck skills to maneuver into the Kingston zone on a one-man break-in and leave the puck for a one-timer to pick up an assist.
He concluded the weekend with a goal and an assist, helping Niagara defeat Brampton 5-1. With the Ice Dogs leading 3-1 with less than eight minutes to play in the game, Roobreock helped put the game closer to out-of-reach territory for the Steelheads as he tried a toe-drag shot and popped home his own rebound to make it 4-1.
Ryan Lin | RD | Vancouver Giants (WHL)
Ryan Lin had an impressive rookie season in the WHL for Vancouver in 2024-25, positioning himself well to be one of the top defensemen in the 2026 class. His impressive start to the 2025-26 campaign, with 19 points (three goals, 16 assists) in 15 games, should continue to establish him as an elite player in the class.
Lin was excellent at delivering the puck to his teammates with six assists in three games. Lin isn’t a physically imposing presence at 5 feet 11 inches, 176 pounds, but isn’t afraid of the physical game, averaging 1.5 hits a game this season. He had four hits and an assist in a 5-3 win over the Kamloops Blazers on Sunday. The Giants’ leader in average ice time, with 24:44 a game, should continue to play a big role going forward this season.
Gavin McKenna | LW | Penn State (NCAA)
It was only a matter of time before Gavin McKenna found his way into this column. The longtime presumptive number one pick in the 2026 class started his college hockey career with a ton of eyeballs on him and, despite not reaching the heights of some other recent freshmen, performed well.
Playing in a back-to-back weekend with Stonehill, McKenna helped the Nittany Lions pick up two wins with a goal and an assist in both contests. In the friday game, Penn State trailed 2-1 with just under 12 minutes to play when McKenna found some free ice and wired a one-timer to tie the game with his first goal at home. In the second game, McKenna showed off his power play prowess by playing some pitch and catch with his teammates before firing a perfect one-timer for his second goal of the weekend.