General Manager Jim Nill and Director of Amateur Scouting Joe...
General Manager Jim Nill and Director of Amateur Scouting Joe McDonnell concluded the 2026 NHL Draft by selecting five players on Saturday.
2026 DRAFT CLASS
Dallas Stars General Manager Jim Nill and Director of Amateur Scouting Joe McDonnell concluded the 2026 NHL Draft by selecting five players on Saturday: Jakub Vaněček, Ryan Brown, Anton Emil Wilde Larsen, Jasper Kuhta and Mikhail Cherepanov.
Vaněček, 18, spent the 2025-26 campaign with the Tri-City Americans of the WHL. The six-foot-one, 191-pound defenseman posted 35 points (14-21—35) in 59 regular-season games with four power-play goals and two game-winning goals.
Brown, 18, started the 2025-26 season with the Sarnia Sting of the OHL, serving as the team's alternate captain, appearing in 34 regular-season games (6-17—23) before being traded to the London Knights (OHL). The native of Newmarket, Ontario played in 33 regular-season games (16-24—40) for the Knights with a plus/minus rating of plus-seven.
Wilde Larsen, 18, appeared in 13 regular-season games with the Frederikshavn White Hawks (Denmark) during the 2025-26 campaign, posting a 4.80 goals-against average and .850 save percentage.
Kuhta, 19, registered 63 points (32-31—63) in 62 regular-season games with the Ottawa 67's (OHL) during the 2025-26 season, carrying a plus/minus rating of plus-25. His 32 goals led the team, while his 63 points tied for second. The six-foot-two, 199-pound center also appeared in nine playoff games, recording seven points (2-5—7) and one game-winning goal.
Cherepanov, 18, posted 31 points (5-26—31) in 56 regular-season games with the New Hampshire Mountain Kings (NAHL) during the 2025-26 campaign. The six-foot-two, 188-pound defenseman ranked third on the team in scoring (31) while topping all defensemen. Cherepanov is a native of Yekaterinburg, Russia.
