When you're the consensus No. 1 pick in an NHL Draft class, you expect to sit comfortably at the top of every ranking. But The Athletic's Corey Pronman just threw a major curveball into the 2026 draft conversation.

Pronman has ranked Gavin McKenna as his No. 4 prospect — a bold move that puts three defensemen ahead of the Canadian winger. McKenna is widely expected to hear his name called first overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs, so this ranking is raising eyebrows across the hockey world.

So, who jumped ahead? Pronman slots Chase Reid at No. 1, followed by Albert Smits and Keaton Verhoeff. McKenna is the first forward on the list, with Swedish winger Ivar Stenberg rounding out the top five.

"Given how close the evaluations are, my approach is always to lean toward the defensemen," Pronman explained. "I realize saying that will ruffle some feathers, but I owe it to my readers to tell them what I think, even if it's unpopular."

It's not that Pronman doubts McKenna's talent. Far from it. He calls McKenna a player with "off-the-charts puck skills, vision and overall offensive creativity." He praises his skating, his ability to generate chances with pace, and his elite playmaking — projecting him as "a top-line winger who can run a power play."

But there are cracks in the consensus. Pronman notes McKenna "can be pushed to the outside too much" and isn't overly physical. Still, coaches play him heavily at every level.

To be fair, Pronman groups all four players — Reid, Smits, Verhoeff, and McKenna — in his "Tier 1," suggesting they're close in overall value. But for a player many consider the surest thing in the draft, being ranked outside the top three is enough to make you pause.

Whether this is a hot take or a sign of things to come, one thing is clear: the 2026 draft class might not be as cut-and-dried as everyone thought.