The Buffalo Sabres are set to host the National Hockey League draft in June, as announced by commissioner Gary Bettman. The event will showcase highly touted prospect Gavin McKenna as its focal point.
Bettman unveiled the news alongside Sabres executives, including team owner Terry Pegula, at a press briefing prior to Buffalo’s home match against the Florida Panthers. Speaking about the decision, Bettman praised Buffalo as a great sports city and hockey market with passionate and knowledgeable fans. He emphasized the exceptional reception the league receives in the area, highlighting the strong organizational support and ownership.
The two-day draft is scheduled for June 26-27 and will follow a decentralized format for the second consecutive year. The setup involves prospects and their families attending the draft while teams make their selections from their respective home bases.
KeyBank Center, the Sabres’ home arena, will host the draft in Buffalo, a change from the previous year when the event took place at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
Buffalo has been the venue for the NHL’s pre-draft combine since 2015 and will once again welcome the league’s top prospects this spring. This marks the fourth occasion that the Sabres will host the draft, second only to Montreal’s 27 times. The most recent draft held in Buffalo was in 2016 when Auston Matthews was selected first overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Gavin McKenna, the highly anticipated prospect from Penn State, is expected to be the top pick in the 2026 draft. The announcement coincided with NHL Central Scouting releasing its midseason rankings, with McKenna leading the list of North American prospects.
Regarded as a “generational talent,” McKenna, an 18-year-old forward from Whitehorse, Yukon, transitioned to college hockey after a successful stint in the Canadian Hockey League. McKenna has made a significant impact at Penn State, ranking among the top NCAA freshmen in scoring.
Terry Pegula, a Penn State alumnus, played a pivotal role in establishing the Nittany Lions’ hockey program and arena. Reflecting on McKenna’s potential, Pegula expressed pride in the young player’s development and the emergence of promising prospects from the region.
McKenna’s impressive performance at the recent world junior championships, where he contributed to Canada’s bronze medal, further solidified his status as a top prospect. His remarkable achievements in junior hockey and transition to college competition highlight his potential as a future star in the NHL.