With the 76th overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, the Maple Leafs selected Swedish right-shot defenseman Måns Gudmundsson from Färjestad BK.
If you were wondering when the Leafs would dip into Sweden for a pick — after recent (early-days) hits with center Tinus-Luc Koblar and goalie Dennis Hildeby in the past four drafts, on top of the success stories historically — they’ve made their first selection out of Mats Sundin’s homeland with the 6’3, 185-pound Gudmundsson.
Gudmundsson spent the vast majority of the 2025-26 season with Färjestad’s U20 team, recording 25 points in 35 games before adding five points in seven playoff games.
The Leafs picked three defensemen in their first four picks on day two, with Gudmundsson (a righty) following left shots Alexander Bilecki and Ethan MacKenzie.
Måns Gudmundsson’s pre-draft rankings:
- Ranked #61 by ELITEPROSPECTS.COM
- Ranked #42 by TSN/CRAIG BUTTON
- Ranked #42 by THN/KENNEDY
- Ranked #91 by MCKEEN’S HOCKEY
- Ranked #63 by DAILY FACEOFF
- Ranked #18 by NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING (EU Skaters)
- Ranked #51 by SPORTSNET/BUKALA
- Ranked #82 by HPR/MALLOY
Måns Gudmundsson Scouting Report
via The Hockey Prospect Blackbook (BUY NOW)
Gudmundsson is a good-sized, right-handed defenseman who moves and distributes the puck well. He’s not likely to be a power-play option at the next level — his shot from the point is average — but he can make positive plays with the puck on his stick in transition and in the offensive zone.
His path to the NHL is as a stay-at-home defenseman who can move pucks efficiently while bringing a physical element to the game. We saw significant physical growth this season, with him adding close to 15 pounds since last summer. He was previously tall and lanky but now looks stronger, more powerful, and more assertive. His skating has improved as well — there’s more power in his stride, and that should continue to develop given that he’s still far from physical maturity.
He still needs to improve his footwork, as he can get caught flat-footed in the neutral zone, which was a recurring issue throughout the season. He’s not an explosive athlete, so recovering when caught out of position doesn’t come easily. His decision-making is generally sound, but processing plays more quickly would elevate his game and remains another area for improvement.
There are some similarities to fellow Swedish defenseman Theodor Hallqvist, Minnesota’s second-round pick in 2025 — a player we were high on last year. Both are raw prospects with plenty of runway: stay-at-home defenders who possess underrated puck skills and good physicality. Gudmundsson’s performances in international competition were a mixed bag. He struggled at the Five Nations tournaments in November and February, but looked solid at the World Juniors on the smaller ice before finishing the season with a strong showing at the U18 World Championship in April.
We think he could develop into a third-pairing, right-shot defenseman who brings a physical presence while moving the puck well enough to handle NHL minutes if everything breaks right in his development.
Måns Gudmundsson Video
Måns Gudmundsson Statistics
| Season | Team | Lge | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | Farjestads Jr. | Swe-Jr | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| 2025-26 | Farjestads Jr. | Swe-Jr | 35 | 1 | 24 | 25 | 10 | -3 |
| 2025-26 | Farjestads BK Karlstad | SweHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
