2026 NHL Mock Draft 2.0 Has the Board Starting to Breathe

The draft board is getting less theoretical and a lot more interesting as version 2.0 starts sorting out the real names from the summer noise. Teams are doing the usual pre-draft dance, but the gap between who scouts like and who actually goes where is where this thing gets fun. The closer you get to draft night, the more one surprise pick can wreck a dozen neat little mock-ups, and this one has that kind of tension.