Five Prospects With Rising Stock For The 2026 NHL Draft

We're starting to get into NHL draft season earnestly here, and there has been a ton of movement since the start of the year. While that's always true to an extent, it feels like we're seeing bigger drops and rises than in previous campaigns.

Since I like to keep things positive, let's focus on the risers. Here are five players who really helped their own stock for 2026.

Blake Zielinski, C, Des Moines (USHL)

After a slow start, Blake Zielinski took off after the World Jr. A Challenge. From then on, he was one of the better players in the USHL this season, even though he didn't have a lot of talent surrounding him.

The Providence College commit has good offensive hockey sense and has rounded out his game, which will help him moving forward, as well.

Alexander Bilecki, D, Kitchener (OHL)

Alexander Bilecki took off in the middle of the season and did so on one of the best teams in the nation. He's smart, he can skate, and he's just scratching the surface, which is why scouts are excited about him.

They believe there's more offense to come for the puckmover, and the potential is great because Bilecki still needs to get stronger and fill out his frame.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

The Hockey News

This story was originally published April 26, 2026 at 12:18 PM.