The NHL has announced that the 2026 NHL Draft and NHL Scouting Combine will be held in Buffalo, New York. The two-day event takes place on Friday June 26 and Saturday June 27 at the KeyBank Center in downtown Buffalo. This is the fourth time the city has held the event, which will be decentralized once again. The Sabres currently have a pick in round one, four (2), five, six (2), and seven.
2026 NHL Draft location and times
The Sabres scouting combine will be held at the LECOM Harborcenter, something the organization has done the past 10 years. This is an event where prospects go through a series of tests to see where they are physically and mentally.
The NHL Draft will once again be a two-day event that takes place on June 26 and 27. On Friday, June 26, the draft will air the first round at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN, ESPN+, SN< and TVAS. Rounds 2-7 will take place on Saturday, June 27 beginning at 10 a.m. on NHLN, ESPN+, and SN.
Many expect the top overall pick to be Gavin McKenna. McKenna is 18 years old, is 6-foot-0 and 165 pounds, and an explosive offensive machine. He has been at the top of the central scouting list for teh 2026 NHL Draft since last season. He is currently playing for Penn State University of the NCAA (National COllegiate Athletics Association) where is has four goals and 15 assists for 19 points in 18 games.
Closing in on McKenna is Ivar Stenberg, a 5-foot-11 and 183-pound forward currently playing for Frolunda in the Swedish Hockey League. Stenberg is the best overall European player and is ranked first among international skaters. For Frolunda, he has six goals and 18 assists for 24 points in 25 games. He is equally as talented as McKenna and could slide into the top overall pick.
The Draft is quickly approaching and will be here before we know it. A weekend of dreams being realized, teams making trades to get their guy, and for organizations to possibly rebuild through the draft. This is a fun two-day event that can change a young man's life and an organizations too. The easy work is done but now the hard work begins.