Top NHL Draft prospects enjoy welcome break at youth hockey clinic

BUFFALO -- Hours before the biggest night of their hockey lives, six of the top prospects for the 2026 Upper Deck NHL Draft found the perfect way to ease some of the tension.

Penn State forward Gavin McKenna, Frolunda forward Ivar Stenberg, Sault Ste. Marie defenseman Chase Reid, Brampton forward Caleb Malhotra, North Dakota defenseman Keaton Verhoeff and Munchen defenseman Alberts Smits joined members of the NHL Player Inclusion Coalition (PIC) for the NHL Draft Top Prospect Youth Hockey Clinic at HarborCenter.

"It was a blast," Malhotra said. "I get to be with some players here, ex-players, and the little kids. It's nice to kind of see the community and spread some joy, and be able to participate.

"When you're coming to something like this, you just get to have fun and be with the kids, and try and make their days ... it makes our days a little easier."

At times it was difficult to tell who was having more fun, the prospects or the 30 or so boys and girls, most of whom were between the ages of 5-9 and played for the Sabres Learn to Play program, Hasek's Heroes and the Niagara Junior Purple Eagles, an all-girls Learn To Play program.

"It's unbelievable, it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our local kids," Sabres director of youth hockey Ed Grudzinski said. "They might not know today who those players are, but they'll see them on the stage tonight, and in the next coming years they'll be fans of them and they'll see them as superstars in the League. And just to have that chance as a young kid, it's amazing."

Among those young kids were 7-year-old Caleb Malaney, who played goalie, and his 4-year-old sister, Mia Malaney.

Caleb stole the show with some saves that impressed Al Montoya, a former NHL goalie and member of the PIC.

"He's a young goaltender down there, taking shot after shot, and he just keeps smiling," Montoya said. "So he was bred to be a goalie."

Kevin Malaney, Caleb's father, echoed that.

"He's super excited," he said. "He's been obsessed with hockey. He's obsessed with playing goalie. And now that the Sabres are good, it's coming here, seeing the NHL players, and we're going to the draft tonight."

And like most Buffalo Sabres fans, Caleb had an opinion on who the team should select with the No. 4 pick of the draft.

"Chase (Reid)," he said.

Reid, who got a photo with Mia, is as curious as everyone else regarding what could happen when the prospects assemble at KeyBank Center on Friday (7 p.m. ET; ESPN, SN, TVAS). But having an hour or so around the youngsters was a good opportunity to relieve some of the stress.

"It's definitely good to get away from the mindset of the draft and take your mind off of everything for a little bit, and especially be out here with the little kids," Reid said. "They're always pretty fun."

The prospects did their best to make sure the youngsters had as much fun as they possibly could. It's something McKenna said never could have happened for him as a boy in Whitehorse, Yukon.

"Growing up in the north, you don't get many people coming up there," McKenna said. "Anytime I got to be out with NHL players and stuff when I was like 14, those were special moments for me. For these kids to have this, we want to be good for them. It's a pretty cool experience."

The PIC members were just as excited to see the prospects taking part. Montoya was joined by former NHL players Anson Carter, Georges Laraque, Anthony Stewart  Mark Fraser , Boston Bruins defenseman Jordan Harris, as well as retired women's hockey stars Blake Bolden and Julie Chu.

"It's a big day for them and their families today, but at the same time they're out here giving back to the game," Montoya said. "And I think that's what's great about our game is, for most of us, we understand how much hockey gave us and the friendships it's created and given us purpose so we can be back here giving back to the game. You've got the whole generation with the retirees like myself and these young guys out here paving and giving back."

After working on passing, shooting and skating drills, a few pucks were dumped out for a full-ice scrimmage packed with up-and-down action and ear-to-ear smiles.

"It was awesome," Verhoeff said. "Obviously to be out with the kids is pretty cool and exciting. It's a fun time, and to be out here with them was pretty special. Anytime you get on the ice kind of takes you away from stuff, so to be out here and have some fun with these kids is pretty awesome."