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Harrison Boettiger- 2026 NHL Draft Prospect Profile – The Hockey Writers – NHL Entry Draft

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Harrison Boettiger- 2026 NHL Draft Prospect Profile – The Hockey Writers – NHL Entry Draft

Harrison Boettiger

2025-26 Team: Kelowna Rockets (WHL)
Date of Birth: Dec. 11, 2007
Place of Birth: Wheat Ridge, Colorado, USA
Ht: 6-foot-3 Wt: 194 pounds
Catches: Left
Position: Goalie
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2026 first-year eligible

Rankings

One of the goaltenders in the 2026 class who has helped their draft value has been Harrison Boettiger. After spending last season with the United States National Team Development Program (USNTDP), Boettiger decided to jump ship to the Western Hockey League (WHL), signing with the Kelowna Rockets. A shaky start with the Rockets was not exactly what the Colorado-born netminder had hoped for, but his finish to the 2025-26 regular season was great. When it was all said and done, Boettiger finished in the top ten for wins (25), goals-against average (2.83), and save percentage (.911). There is plenty to like with the young netminders’ game in the crease.

Harrison Boettiger, Kelowna Rockets (Steve Dunsmoor / Kelowna Rockets)

Beginning with his movement in the crease, Boettiger has the frame that matches up with a typical NHL goaltender (6-foot-3), and he can maneuver around well. His footwork is very quick, and he is light on his feet, allowing him to move around more like a smaller goaltender. While light on his feet, he has powerful pushes to move from one side of the crease to the other. This also helps him recover when he finds himself out of position, which does not happen often.

Positionally, Boettiger is very fundamentally sound. He has a wide stance with his butterfly style of goaltending and uses his aforementioned footwork to position himself well angle-wise. He sees the game well in front of him and anticipates plays at a high level without overcommitting, which keeps him in a good position. One area where his game could use some work is his puck control. While he is good overall with his rebound control, being able to control them a bit more with his stick would further eliminate second- or third-chance opportunities for his opponents.

Related: THW’s 2026 NHL Draft Guide

When Boettiger is struggling in the net, it seems to be when his glove hand is off. That was one of the biggest reasons for his early-season struggles with the Rockets, but he has improved in this area throughout the season. As the Rockets look to maneuver their way through the WHL playoffs and into the Memorial Cup after being named the host team for the 2026 tournament, Boettiger will be a key factor and could end up helping raise his draft value even more.

Other THW Draft Profiles

Harrison Boettiger- NHL Draft Projection

Boettiger has been one of the more impressive North American goaltenders eligible for the 2026 Draft and could be one of the first ones taken. There is no goaltender likely to go in the first round, but he could hear his name called in the second or third round.

Quotables

“I want to be known as a calm goaltender … want to give my team a sense of safety back there…If they mess up, I want to have their back. I’ll have them covered. But I can be desperate. I can make an athletic save if I have to, but I like to rely on my positioning and my skating to hit my spots and be there on time.”- Boettiger speaking on his own playing style (NHL.com)

“Knowing where shots can come from and reacting accordingly sounds simple in practice. But when goalies fall apart in the NHL, they’re often struggling with tracking plays at speed. Boettiger has always been so good at that, no matter the level. His hockey sense and active hands – keeping them up in front to take space away – are as good as you’ll find in this draft class.”- Steven Ellis, Daily Faceoff

“Boettiger plays a deep butterfly style that is great at covering the bottom of the net. He also shows great reflexes, sticking out his leg at the last second to make the pad save, and is great at getting back into position to make a second or third save after the initial stop.”- Dayton Reimer, THW

Strengths

  • Anticipates the play in front of him well
  • Fundamentally sound positionally: plays a wide-positioned butterfly style
  • Tracks the puck well on either plays or shots coming his way
  • Strong, quick footwork
  • Recovers well when he does find himself out of position

Under Construction/ Improvements to Make

  • Weak spot is his glove side: Improving glove work will help him become even tougher to beat
  • Puck control on rebounds lacks periodically: Working on his stick work, rebound control is a key area of improvement

NHL Potential

Goaltenders are always hard to determine what their true potential is at the NHL level. If Boettiger can put everything together and continue to develop his game when he goes to the University of Denver for his collegiate play, he has a chance to become an NHL starting netminder who can carry a strong workload.

Risk-Reward Analysis

Risk: 2/5 Reward: 4/5

Fantasy Hockey Potential

Goaltending: 8/10

Awards/Achievements

  • 2022 WHL US Prospect Draft (4th overall, Lethbridge Hurricanes)
  • 2024 CHL/ USA Top Prospects Challenge (USNTDP)
  • 2024 U17 WHC Silver Medal (USA)
  • 2025 CHL/ USA Top Prospects Challenge (CHL)
  • 2025 U18 WJC Bronze Medal (USA)

Harrison Boettiger Stats

Videos

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