3 Best Bets For the First Round of the NHL Draft

The NHL draft is almost upon us, with the first round set for 7 p.m. ET on Friday.

The BetMGM online sportsbook offers an assortment of first-round picks to choose from, including how many Americans, Swedes, and defencemen will be drafted in the first round. 

Here are my best bets for the first round of the 2026 NHL draft.

NHL Draft: Best First-Round Bets on Friday 

When I looked at how many Canadians will be picked in the first round, I quickly realized that those from the Great White North will make up the largest share. 

The totals at the BetMGM sportsbook also indicate the same, and I have the same number of Americans and Swedes selected. 

How Many Americans Will Be Picked in the First Round?

BetMGM has the total set at 6.5, and I’m backing the Over. However, the margins are razor-thin. 

I have seven Americans being drafted in my 2026 NHL mock draft, including Chase Reid, Nikita Klepov, Tommy Bleyl, JP Hurlbert, Brooks Rogowski, Jack Hextall, and Casey Mutryn. 

The first four should be near certainties to be selected in the top 32, while Rogowski, Hextall, and Mutryn are on the bubble.

The hockey odds for the Over are -143, which carry an implied probability of 58.82%.

Best bet: Over 6.5 Americans drafted in the first round

How Many Swedes Will Be Picked in the First Round?

The total is set at 5.5, which is relatively low by my assertion, also reflected by the short odds. The -250 odds for at least six Swedes to be selected represent a 71.43% implied probability. 

By my estimation, seven Swedes will have the honour of being chosen, including Ivar Stenberg, Viggo Björck, Malte Gustafsson, Elton Hermansson, Alexander Command, William Håkansson, and Marcus Nordmark. 

Only Stenberg and Björck are shoo-ins, with the former expected to be selected at No. 2 by the San Jose Sharks (-143). 

I predict the remaining five to be mid-to-late first-round picks. 

Best bet: Over 5.5 Swedes drafted in the first round 

How Many Defencemen Will Be Picked in the First Round?

The total is set at 10.5, and I’m going with the Under, which is the less likely outcome, according to the odds at BetMGM. 

The Under has +150 odds, which implies a probability of 40%. The Over has -200 odds, carrying an implied probability of 66.67%. 

It’s another tight play, though, as I predict 10 defencemen will be drafted. 

That list includes Keaton Verhoeff, Chase Reid, Carson Carels, Daxon Rudolph, Alberts Šmits, Ryan Lin, Xavier Villeneuve, Malte Gustafsson, Tommy Bleyl, and William Håkansson. 

Best bet: Under 10.5 defencemen drafted in the first round 

When Is the 2026 NHL Draft?

The NHL takes place on Friday, June 26 and Saturday, June 27, at KeyBank Center in Buffalo.