The National Hockey League draft in June will be hosted by the Buffalo Sabres, as announced by commissioner Gary Bettman. The event will feature highly sought-after prospect Gavin McKenna as its focal point. Bettman revealed the news alongside Sabres executives, including team owner Terry Pegula, before the Buffalo’s match against the Florida Panthers.
Buffalo, known for its strong sports culture and passionate fans, was deemed an excellent choice for the draft by Bettman. The two-day draft, scheduled for June 26-27, will follow a decentralized format for the second consecutive year. Prospects and their families will attend the event, with teams making their picks from their respective home markets.
The draft will take place at the KeyBank Center, the Sabres’ home arena, a change from the previous year’s location at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. Buffalo has been a hub for the NHL’s pre-draft combine since 2015 and will again welcome the league’s top prospects this spring.
This will be the fourth time the Sabres host the draft, trailing only Montreal, which has hosted it 27 times. McKenna, the Penn State freshman forward, is anticipated to be the top pick of the 2026 draft. NHL Central Scouting’s midseason rankings recently placed McKenna at the pinnacle of North American prospects, surpassing Keaton Verhoeff from North Dakota, while Swedish forward Ivar Stenberg leads the international player rankings.
McKenna, hailed as a “generational talent,” made headlines when he left the Canadian Hockey League to join Penn State. The 18-year-old from Whitehorse, Yukon, has quickly risen to prominence in NCAA hockey, showcasing his skills with 19 points in 18 games. Pegula, a Penn State alum, expressed excitement about McKenna’s potential, emphasizing the bright future of hockey talent emerging from the region.
Having recently contributed to Canada’s bronze medal at the world junior championships, McKenna’s impressive track record in Medicine Hat and his success at Penn State have positioned him as a top prospect for the upcoming NHL draft.
