2026 NHL Draft Recap & Free Agent Preview

The 2026 NHL draft just ended, and the free agent frenzy is about to explode—teams across the Pacific Division are already buzzing with new talent. The Flames, Canucks, Kraken, and Ducks all selected seven players each, with Calgary adding Russian stars, a goalie, and even Joe Iginla, son of a legend. San Jose, in rebuild mode, landed big with Ivan Stenberg and Keaton Verhoeff. Vancouver made history with four top-two picks and players from eight nations. Seattle shocked fans by taking Chase Reid first-round, their first defenseman ever, while Edmonton snagged Latvian center Rūdolfs Bērzkalns late in the second round. Standouts include 7’1” Alexander Karmanov (Sharks), four Latvians drafted, and Kazakhstan’s first-ever first-round picks—this draft is rewriting the NHL’s future. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/8c09e3ebeea89805