Malhotra, Lawrence Selected in First Round of 2026 NHL Draft
June 26, 2026 | Men's Ice Hockey
BUFFALO - Incoming freshman Caleb Malhotra and rising sophomore Tynan Lawrence of the Boston University men's ice hockey team were both selected in the first round of the 2026 National Hockey League Draft on Friday night at KeyBank Center.
Malhotra was selected third overall by the Vancouver Canucks and Lawrence was taken 11th overall by the St. Louis Blues.
This is the fourth straight year that at least one Terrier was taken in the first round of the NHL Draft. Twenty-nine Terriers have been selected in the first round, including 14 in the top 11.
Malhotra is the seventh Terrier to be chosen in the top five and the first since Macklin Celebrini was picked first by the San Jose Sharks in 2024. Malhotra will skate at BU after a stellar season with the Brantford Bulldogs of the Ontario Hockey League. In 67 regular-season games, Malhotra scored 29 goals and added 55 assists for 84 points en route to earning CHL All-Rookie honors. He then led the team in playoff scoring with 13 goals and 26 points in 15 contests. Malhotra's father, former NHL player Manny, is the Canucks head coach.
Lawrence joined the Terriers in January and totaled seven points (2g, 5a) in 18 games. He notched his first collegiate goal at Providence on Jan. 23 and ended the season with a point in four of his final five games, including a goal and an assist in the Hockey East quarterfinals. Lawrence then notched six points (2g, 4a) for Canada at the 2026 IIHF U18 Men's World Championship. Prior to arriving on Comm Ave, Lawrence shined for the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the USHL. He was the 2025 Clark Cup MVP after leading Muskegon to that year's title.
Day two of the NHL Draft will begin at 11 a.m. ET on ESPN+ and NHL Network.
