2026 NHL Draft’s Casey Mutryn is one tough cookie

Every year, there’s always a healthy debate about whether a team should draft for upside or draft for NHL certainty.

For example: Marcus Nordmark is an absolute machine with the puck. He has an excellent shot and is one of the better passers in the draft, too. But with below-average skating, non-existent physicality, and a lack of defensive awareness, scouts are worried that he’s the ultimate boom-bust pick. Nordmark is either going to be a top-six winger capable of terrorizing goalies from all over the ice in the NHL, or he’s going to be confined to a solid career in the SHL instead.

And then there’s Casey Mutryn. The USA Hockey National Team Development Program forward (has experience at center and the wing) had 18 goals and 46 points in 62 games with the U-18 squad this year. By all accounts, he doesn’t project to be a high-end scorer in the NHL.

So what makes him a potential first-round pick? Everything else. His floor is high enough that scouts like him as a potential third-line player who could step up if needed. Mutryn knew at a young age he’d have to figure out how to be effective away from the puck, and it might be what ensures he has a solid NHL career.

Many fans might not like “safe” picks. But Mutryn has all the makings of a player who’ll crash and battle on every shift, giving his team a boatload of energy every time he hits the ice. And that’s why he could end up going in the first round this year.

Teddy and Casey Mutryn followed a similar pathway to this point. They both played at St. Sebastian’s prep school before getting on USA Hockey’s radar. Teddy spent most of his junior career with the USHL’s Chicago Steel, but also played in various tournaments with USA over two years before going 95th overall to the San Jose Sharks last year. Casey, meanwhile, spent two full seasons with the USNTDP, and even had a 20-game stint with the U-18 team a year ago. He was named captain of the U-18 World Championship squad, where he impressed with five points in five games. USA didn’t win gold, but Mutryn established himself as an all-around physical threat who could play with anybody and deliver similar results. By the way: teddy and Casey are both committed to Boston College.

Some scouts discount players who are a jack of all trades, but a master of none. That’s the predicament many have with Mutryn, in particular. But his high-motor, hard-working style of play is something scouts still enjoy.

If there was one element scouts really love about Mutryn, it’s his relentless energy. He plays at such a high pace, no matter the situation. For his age, Mutryn already does an excellent job of battling through traffic and along the boards to win every battle possible. He uses his frame exceptionally well to protect the puck, push defenders off balance, and consistently win puck fights. Once he wins the puck, he does a solid job of protecting the puck and getting it into a scoring lane. Mutryn’s game is best described as “playoff ready” – the type of energy teams crave when the stakes get higher.

The 6-foot-3 forward’s physicality is easy to understand. Casey’s father, Scott Mutryn, was a quarterback at Boston College before signing with the New England Patriots in 1999. Still, it’s something Casey wants to improve on. He knows he has to up the frequency of his physicality at the next level, in particular.

“Just getting bigger, faster, and stronger,” Mutryn said at the NHL Draft Combine. “Being a bigger guy and kind of growing up and putting on a lot of weight in the past few years, I think I still have a lot of room to grow, and I feel like I’m just scratching the surface of what I can be as a player.”

With the puck, Mutryn is an excellent passer. While scouts wish he’d shoot more, Mutryn’s primary instinct is to distribute. He actively scans the ice to set up plays once he gains the offensive zone, and he has shown some nice flashes of skill. Mutryn also does a decent job of drawing defenders to him before making a quick play off the boards to get the puck where it needs to be.

Defensively, there’s so much to love. Mutryn frequently strips opponents of the puck and forces turnovers in his own zone. He understands defensive positioning, gets into shooting lanes, and isn’t afraid to throw massive hits to separate opponents from the puck. Mutryn has always been known as a teammate who gives it his all every shift, and it’s because his two-way game is already advanced.

“He wants to win at all costs,” one scout said. “Mutryn does whatever it takes to win pucks at either end while being an absolute team player, no matter the linemates.”

Despite being a high motor player, Mutryn’s skating still needs work. He doesn’t have an explosive stride and lacks the high-end speed to push himself higher in an NHL lineup. It feels like he trails behind a bit too often, even if the effort is still clearly there. For what it’s worth, I don’t think his skating is too much of a detriment, and he’ll be able to overcome that based on his work ethic alone.

Some scouts have referred to Mutryn as somewhat of a Blake Coleman-style player – a heart and soul player you can rely on in a variety of roles. While the 54-point season in 2023-24 was probably more of a blip than anything, Mutryn has all the makings of a future 35-40 point forward who can kill penalties and bring the boom.

“His game is already so mature,” another scout said. “He’s not going to wow you with his offense, but he’ll do a bit of everything else that coaches love to see, like hit and win battles and come back and help defensively.”

Think of Mutryn as a heavy-duty engine with a playmaker’s transmission. He possesses the raw, bruising tools to be a solid support player in the NHL. If he can add a bit more speed and urgency to his game, while working on his finesse, Mutryn could become a very nice find for a team seeking value either late in the first or early in the second. He’s one of the top power forwards in the class – and he’s absolutely the type of player you want on your team.