NHL Central Scouting didn't need much time to debate the top spots in its midterm ranking of the top North American skaters, a list headed by Penn State freshman forward Gavin McKenna.
"The top six players were the same for everybody," Central Scouting director Dan Marr said on the latest edition of the "NHL Draft Class" podcast. "So that's strong consensus. The order may have been a little different on (numbers) four, five and six, but for all intents and purposes our top three were the top three. We didn't spend a lot of time. Nobody wanted to put up any argument or submit anything."
McKenna has 19 points (four goals, 15 assists) in 18 NCAA games. He also helped Canada win the bronze medal at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship by finishing second among all players with 14 points (four goals, 10 assists) in seven games.
Central Scouting on Monday released its midterm rankings of the top North American skates and goalies, as well as the top International skaters and goalies, and Marr joined co-hosts Adam Kimelman and Mike G. Morreale to discuss the lists.
After McKenna on the North American skater ranking, four of the next five players are defensemen: No. 2 Keaton Verhoeff of the University of North Dakota, No. 3 Carson Carels of Prince George of the Western Hockey League, No. 4 Chase Reid of Sault Ste. Marie of the Ontario Hockey League, and No. 6 Daxon Rudolph of Prince Albert (WHL). Center Caleb Malhotra of Brantford (OHL) is No. 5.
"We were all in agreement that each of [the defensemen] plays a different game, a different style," Marr said. "And it makes them unique."
Marr also touched on what makes forward Ivar Stenberg of Frolunda in the Swedish Hockey League the No. 1-ranked International skater, the impact the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship had on the rankings, and how the move of forward Tynan Lawrence, No. 7 among North American skaters, from Muskegon of the United States Hockey League to Boston University for the second half of the season, affects how he'll be viewed.
"It's going to be neat to watch him play in that atmosphere," Marr said. "Our projection is that he'll thrive."
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