Full Breakdown
2026 NHL Scouting Combine in Buffalo Highlights Top Prospects and Draft Implications
6/7/2026, 10:14:15 PM
Event Overview
The 2026 NHL Scouting Combine took place June 1-2 at Buffalo’s KeyBank Center. Ninety invited prospects (roughly 100 total) completed fitness drills, measurements, and individual team interviews ahead of the June 26-27 draft, where the Toronto Maple Leafs hold the No. 1 overall pick after winning the lottery on May 5. Toronto’s front office, newly led by GM John Chayka and senior adviser Mats Sundin, faces the rare task of selecting first overall while targeting a playoff run.
Key Prospects & Test Highlights
Penn State forward Gavin McKenna (5-ft-11, 170 lb) posted top athletic numbers and said a Leafs selection would be “a dream come true.” OHL defenseman Chase Reid (6-ft-2½, 190 lb) met with the Chicago Blackhawks, while OHL center Caleb Malhotra, the top-ranked North American skater, placed in the top ten of four drills. Swedish forward Ivar Stenberg, ranked No. 1 among International skaters, withdrew from testing after illness following the IIHF World Championships.
Data & Statistics
Key test results: VO2 Max – Malhotra 14:09 (10th); Hemming and Orsulak tied for best at 14:43. Vertical jump – Malhotra 22.8 in (tied 5th); Preston led seven events. Pro-agility – Malhotra 4.4 s (tied 8th/10th). Pull-ups – Adam Novotny 18 (all-time high since 2015). Wingate power – Preston 17.2 W/kg (tied 2nd); Malhotra 15.9 W/kg (18th).
Official Statements & Responses
GM John Chayka stressed the “tradition, history and expectation of excellence” that accompany a first-overall pick in Toronto, praising McKenna’s small-town background. Sharks GM Mike Grier said the combine tests reveal a prospect’s “competitiveness” and willingness to push through fatigue, traits he deems essential for NHL success.
Criticism & Opposition
Scouts noted lingering doubts about McKenna’s size, though recent muscle gains have eased concerns. The VO2 Max test’s off-camera administration raised transparency questions. Injuries and illnesses forced prospects like Carson Carels and Ivar Stenberg to miss drills, limiting comparative data.
On-the-Ground Observations
Prospects described quirky interview questions from Montreal and praised Pittsburgh’s video-review sessions for encouraging honest self-assessment.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources list either “just under 100” or “90” participants, and one piece mistakenly cites the 2025 draft. The private VO2 Max test leaves a data gap, as only limited timing results are public.
Verbatim Quotes
- “It obviously would mean the world," McKenna answered.” — Gavin McKenna, Prospect
- “It's not every day you get a chance to make the first overall selection and to do in a market like Toronto with obviously the tradition, and the history and the expectation of excellence, makes it really unique,” — John Chayka, Toronto GM
- “It's just kind of sucking the soul out of you at the end there,” — Caleb Malhotra, Prospect
- “Kind of how they're willing to kind of push themselves a little bit to get the last pull-up, or the Wingate when they're dead tired.” — Mike Grier, Sharks GM
What’s Next
The draft occurs June 26-27 at Buffalo’s KeyBank Center. Teams will blend combine metrics, interviews, and scouting reports, with Toronto positioned to make a historic first-overall pick.
