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Potential first-round prospects who won't go in top five of NHL Draft

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From Cayman Islands prodigy to twin brothers, these are potential first-round prospects who won't go in top five of 2026 NHL Draft

By Alex Wiederspiel | Last updated Jun 26, 2026 4:53 PM ET

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The NHL Draft isn't the most efficient way to find talent.

Historically, teams won't even get to the end of the first round before they start coming into the dart-throwing section of the draft, hoping that the scouting and development staffs know something that others don't.

Potentially franchise-altering players will ultimately be found outside of the top 10 picks. Some of them have already overcome significant adversity to get to this point. Some will face other obstacles once they are drafted.

Here are the most compelling players in the 2026 NHL Draft.

At 5-foot-9-inches, Swedish center Viggo Bjorck is a short king

The list of centers in the NHL shorter than 5-foot-10-inches is not long. The list of centers who play at the top of their team's lineup at that height is even shorter: Brayden Point, Marco Rossi and Logan Stankoven.

His height might be the only thing holding him back from being taken at the very top of the draft. Bjorck is one of the most accomplished draft-eligible players in Sweden's history, putting up historic numbers as a 16-year-old in the Swedish U20 league. As a draft-eligible 17-year-old, he earned the rare honor of serving as Team Sweden's top center at the men's World Championships. Elite Prospects describes Bjorck as "hyper competitive and highly intelligent," two traits that help him overcome size.

I don't know if Viggo Bjorck is big enough to become an NHL center, but the kid is a baller.

Wouldn't be surprised if he's the Sabres' pick at 4 if they keep it. pic.twitter.com/1DwtLmDF1k
— Lance Lysowski (@LLysowski) June 24, 2026

Fans loved hard-working Matt Cullen, but his son is an entirely different player

Wyatt Cullen, son of former grinding center Matt Cullen, could potentially crash the top 10 picks because of his dynamic skill and tremendous skating. There are only a couple of impact wingers in this draft, but the belief is that Cullen is likely going to be one of them. He was just 5-foot-5 when he first arrived in the U.S. National Team Development Program. A major and unexpected growth spurt now has him standing at 6-foot-1 while still drawing stylistic comparisons to Jack Hughes.

Jaxon Cover's Hollywood ending?

He's not a lock to go in the first round, but winger Jaxon Cover's path to the NHL starts in the Cayman Islands. His island had no hockey rink, so he started playing roller hockey. It wasn't until he was 14 that he finally got on actual ice. Now he might wind up becoming a first-round pick in the NHL Draft.

"Even if you had told me two years ago, much less my younger self, I probably wouldn't have believed you."

Hear from @LondonKnights forward Jaxon Cover as he reflects on his journey and prepares for the start of the #NHLDraft. pic.twitter.com/w1iGMfvl44
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) June 26, 2026

Twin brothers have plenty of doubters

Only one of Liam and Marcus Ruck may go in the opening round. Marcus Ruck may not be drafted until the second round, but there are plenty of teams that have stockpiled enough draft picks to potentially find a way to draft the first set of twin brothers since Daniel and Henrik Sedin stole the hearts of Vancouver fans. Part of the intrigue comes from their raw offensive talent — the brothers both surpassed 100 points as 17-year-old first-time draft-eligible players for the Western Hockey League's Medicine Hat Tigers. The high-end production has not guaranteed a first-round slot for either player.

Undersized defenseman with a chip on their shoulder

Certainly, the league is aware that undersized defensemen can find a home in the NHL. Still, there are always doubts about these players. Ryan Lin, Tommy Bleyl and Xavier Villanueve all measured in under 6-foot-0. They're also three of the most productive players at their level. Two of them could go Friday night — possibly all three. Can one of these players become the next short king sensation, like Montreal's Lane Hutson?

The 2026 NHL Draft begins on Friday at 7 p.m.

Alex Wiederspiel

Alex Wiederspiel is a professional play-by-play broadcaster and co-host of Locked On NHL Game Night, recapping the full slate of NHL games in 30 minutes for fans three nights a week.

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