Four more players the Jets should target if they select 7th overall in the 2026 NHL Draft
The Jets off-season continues with the 2nd round of the NHL playoffs beginning over the weekend. Five Jets players will soon be off to Switzerland for the upcoming IIHF World Championship, while the rest of the team and staff continue their off-season routines. Although the NHL Draft is still over two months away (after the Stanley Cup is awarded), the NHL Draft Lottery is coming up tomorrow at 6 pm CDT. The Jets currently hold the 7th overall pick in the 1st round, but with some luck tomorrow they could be selecting 1st or 2nd overall.
Assuming the draft lottery doesn’t go the Jets way, here are more four players that the Jets should target at 7th overall in the 2026 NHL Draft. This is a part two to an article I wrote where I mentioned four other players who the Jets could look at with the 7th overall pick: Carson Carels, Tynan Lawrence, Viggo Bjork and Alberts Smits. Gavin McKenna is a lock to go 1st overall and Ivar Stenberg is very likely to be selected 2nd overall, but there’s still some uncertainty about who will be selected from 3 to 10, leaving the Jets with a handful of options for the 7th overall pick depending on how 3 to 6 shakes out.
Caleb Malhotra
Malhotra is projected to be selected 3rd or 4th overall in some mock drafts, but if the teams selecting 3-6 go heavy on selecting defencemen, there’s a small chance that Malhotra could be available for the Jets at 7th overall. Malhotra is a highly skilled left handed centre that has risen up the rankings after a dominant season in the Ontario Hockey League. The 17-year old forward has some size, listed at 6’2″ and 182 lbs, and he uses his size to create space in the offensive zone. In 67 games with the Brantford Bulldogs in the OHL, Malhotra scored 29 goals and 55 assists for 84 points.
Daxon Rudolph
If the Jets decide to focus on drafting a defenceman in the 1st round of the draft, Rudolph should be near the top of their list. Rudolph is one of the four or five defencemen expected to be selected between the 3rd and 10th overall picks. Rudolph is notable for his offensive skills as a versatile right shot defenceman. The 18-year old defenceman is listed at 6’3″‘ and 206 lbs. With the Prince Albert Raiders in the WHL, Rudolph scored an impressive 28 goals and 50 assists for 79 points in 68 games.
Ethan Belchetz
These last two options are left handed left wingers which could be seen as a “stretch” to select at 7th overall, but they could be options if the Jets fall to 8th or 9th overall or if they decide to trade down a a few spots. Both of these players have size, and Belchetz is listed at 6’5″ and 228 lbs. The Jets could see Belchetz as a future 2nd line winger who brings his size as a physical and scoring forward. The 18-year old left handed winger played with the Windsor Spitfires this season, and in 57 games Belchetz tallied 34 goals and 25 assists for 59 points.
Oscar Hemming
A final option that the Jets should target if they drop to 8th/9th or trade down is Oscar Hemming. Like a few other players that are projected to be selected in the 8-14 range, Hemming could fall into the later part of the first half of the first round depending on team needs. The 17-year old left handed winger from Finland is listed at 6’4″ and 193 lbs. Hemming spent some time playing in Finland before joining Boston College this season. Hemming is noted for moving well for his size while playing a strong power forward type of game. In 19 games with Boston College, Hemming scored 1 goals and 7 assists for 8 points.
Up Next
There’s still plenty of time to think about who the Jets will target with the 7th overall pick. The final NHL draft rankings should become a little more clearer by June, which should hopefully narrow down the Jets options. The 7th overall pick allows the Jets to potentially draft a top 5 talent depending on how the earlier picks unfold. The NHL Draft Lottery will take place tomorrow, May 5th, where the Winnipeg Jets will have a 6.5% chance of winning the draw for the 1st overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.
PRESENTED BY PRAIRIE TOYOTA DEALERS
The Toyota Tacoma is the ultimate power play. Its standard i-FORCE engine delivers more power than ever and a towing capacity of up to 6,400 lbs. It helps you take on challenging landscapes with confidence with its available Panoramic Multi-Terrain View Monitor that provides a live, underfloor view of the terrain you’re tackling. It even makes loading and unloading gear effortless with its available Power Liftgate. Whether it’s for early morning practice or weekend away games, the Tacoma is a teammate you can rely on. Visit your local Prairie Toyota dealer during Red Tag Days for limited-time offers.