​  The first round of the 2026 NHL Draft is in the books, and there were more international skaters taken than originally expected. The first one was the most notable, Ivar Stenberg, who was drafted second overall by the San Jose Sharks. After that, there were 15 international players of the 32 first-round picks, which is great to see.Here’s how the breakdown of the first-round looks:This is a good year so far of international representation. There were seven Swedish players taken, which is the most since the 1980s. As well as three Finnish players, two players are from Kazakhstan and one is from Russia, Czechia and Latvia. For international fans, especially from those countries, it is great to see. Players from your home country or even your city have accomplished the honour of hearing their names called on the first night of the NHL Draft. Rounds second through seven kick off tomorrow; after the draft we will break down other players who were born outside of North America.Stay updated with the most interesting International Hockey stories, analysis, breaking news, and more!Tap the star to add us to your favourites on Google News and never miss a story.Let us know what you think below.For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive, and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.      ​Read More