Overview
- Gary Bettman announced the draft will return to Buffalo for a fourth time, using the decentralized format with prospects on site and teams drafting from their home markets.
- NHL Central Scouting’s mid-term lists place Gavin McKenna as the top North American skater and Ivar Stenberg atop the international group.
- Round 1 airs June 26 on ESPN and ESPN+ in the U.S. and Sportsnet in Canada, with Rounds 2–7 on June 27 on NHL Network and ESPN+ in the U.S. and Sportsnet in Canada.
- After mixed reviews of last year’s pace, the league is weighing changes reported by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, including dropping the separate virtual team call, using a single media interviewer, and shortening player walk-ups.
- Buffalo has hosted the NHL Scouting Combine since 2015 and previously staged the draft in 1991, 1998, and 2016, with local tourism officials offering a conservative $2.6 million economic-impact estimate based on league personnel alone.