Sportsvival continues to scout the top players available in the 2026 NHL Draft, searching for prospects who could eventually make an impact at the highest level. Few players improved their draft stock more during the 2025-26 season than Moncton Wildcats defenseman Tommy Bleyl. The smooth-skating, right-shot blueliner went from being an intriguing prospect to one of the biggest breakout players in junior hockey. His historic offensive production, skating ability and confidence with the puck have placed him directly in the first-round discussion.
Sportsvival believes Bleyl would be an especially interesting selection for the Pittsburgh Penguins. In our latest 2026 NHL Mock Draft, Sportsvival has the Penguins selecting Bleyl in the first round, giving Pittsburgh a skilled young defenseman who could eventually become an important part of its power play and transition game.
Background
Tommy Bleyl was born on December 1, 2007, in Schenectady, New York, and grew up nearby in Glenville. His introduction to hockey came at an early age when he attended a skating session with his older sister. After seeing children come onto the ice with hockey equipment, Bleyl immediately knew he wanted to play.
He began his development with the Schenectady Chargers before advancing through the Tri-Albany Titans, Mid Fairfield Rangers, Albany Academy and Cushing Academy programs. His father made countless long drives to practices, games and tournaments, helping Bleyl receive the coaching and competition needed to develop into a legitimate NHL prospect.
Bleyl helped Cushing Academy win a New England prep championship during the 2024-25 season. He initially planned to continue his career with Dubuque in the USHL, but the change allowing Canadian Hockey League players to maintain NCAA eligibility opened another path.
Moncton aggressively recruited Bleyl, and the young defenseman chose the Wildcats because of their coaching, facilities and development program. The decision could not have worked out much better.
Bleyl immediately became one of the QMJHL’s most productive defensemen and established himself as one of the biggest surprises in the entire 2026 draft class. He is expected to return to Moncton for the 2026-27 season before joining Michigan State University for the 2027-28 season.
Measurements
Position: Defenseman
Shoots: Right
Height: 6-foot
Weight: Approximately 170 pounds
Date of Birth: December 1, 2007
Hometown: Glenville, New York
Current Team: Moncton Wildcats, QMJHL
College Commitment: Michigan State University
2025-26 Statistics
Regular Season: 63 games, 13 goals, 68 assists, 81 points, plus-58
Playoffs: 21 games, 6 goals, 22 assists, 28 points
Bleyl’s 81 regular-season points established a new QMJHL record for points by a rookie defenseman, breaking a mark that had stood since 1978. His 68 assists led the entire league, not just defensemen or rookies.
His production did not disappear when the playoffs began. Bleyl added 28 points in 21 postseason games and led all QMJHL defensemen in playoff scoring. He also led every player in the league with 22 postseason assists.
Bleyl was named the CHL Rookie of the Year and became only the fourth defenseman ever to receive that honor. He also won the QMJHL’s Sidney Crosby Trophy as Rookie of the Year, the Émile Bouchard Trophy as Defenseman of the Year and the Raymond Lagacé Trophy as Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Only Bleyl and Dmitry Kulikov have won both QMJHL Rookie of the Year and Defenseman of the Year during the same season.
Skating and Mobility
Skating is the foundation of Bleyl’s game and the primary reason Sportsvival believes he has legitimate first-round upside.
He is an explosive and extremely fluid skater who can quickly accelerate away from forecheckers. Bleyl is comfortable changing directions, escaping pressure and carrying the puck through the neutral zone. His edgework allows him to move laterally across the offensive blue line without losing control or balance.
Bleyl does not need to immediately pass the puck when pressure arrives. He can use his feet to create additional time, wait for coverage to move and then attack the opening. That patience makes him especially dangerous on controlled breakouts and offensive-zone possessions.
His skating also helps him defensively. Bleyl can maintain tight gaps through the neutral zone, recover when a play moves behind him and reach loose pucks before opposing forwards establish their forecheck.
Offensive Skill Set
Bleyl is one of the most talented puck-moving defensemen available in the 2026 draft.
He sees the ice extremely well and can deliver accurate passes through multiple layers of coverage. He recognizes when to make the simple first pass, when to stretch the ice and when to carry the puck himself. His ability to change the angle of a play makes him difficult to defend.
On the power play, Bleyl can operate as the primary quarterback. He walks the blue line, moves defenders with his eyes and feet and creates passing lanes for teammates. His passes are placed in areas where shooters can release the puck quickly instead of having to stop and settle it.
Bleyl also does an excellent job getting shots through traffic. His shot is not overpowering, but he changes his release point and understands when to shoot for a rebound, deflection or scoring chance around the net.
He is at his best when playing with pace. Bleyl can collect the puck behind his own net, accelerate through the neutral zone and create an offensive-zone entry without requiring assistance from his forwards.
Defensive Game
Bleyl is often labeled as an offensive defenseman, but his defensive game made noticeable progress throughout his first season in Moncton.
He uses positioning, anticipation and an active stick to break up plays. Bleyl can close quickly on a puck carrier and is aggressive enough to challenge entries before the opposing forward reaches the dangerous areas of the ice.
His mobility allows him to defend while moving forward instead of constantly retreating toward his own net. Bleyl reads developing plays well and can disrupt possession before an opponent becomes established in the offensive zone.
He became more reliable around the net and along the boards as the season progressed. Moncton trusted him against talented opposing forwards during the playoffs, showing that he was not being used only in favorable offensive situations.
Bleyl is never going to be a punishing, physically dominant defenseman. His defensive success will come from winning races, maintaining proper positioning and moving the puck out of danger before extended pressure develops.
Strengths
Bleyl is one of the best-skating defensemen in the class. His acceleration, balance, lateral movement and edgework all project well to the professional level.
He can lead a breakout with his passing or skating. Bleyl consistently turns defensive-zone possessions into controlled offensive attacks.
Bleyl reads pressure quickly and rarely appears rushed with the puck. He understands where his teammates are going and can identify openings before they fully develop.
His 68 regular-season assists were not accidental. Bleyl has excellent vision and consistently places the puck in areas where teammates can immediately make another play.
Bleyl has the mobility, passing ability and composure to eventually develop into an NHL power-play quarterback.
Competitiveness
Despite not being a large defenseman, Bleyl competes hard and wants to be involved in important situations. His performance during the postseason strengthened his argument as a first-round prospect.
Areas for Improvement
Strength
Bleyl needs to add muscle before he is ready to handle NHL forwards. Stronger opponents can still move him away from the front of the net or pin him along the boards.
Defending the Cycle
His skating can prevent many entries, but when opponents establish possession below the goal line, Bleyl can have difficulty ending the play physically.
Decision-Making Under Pressure
Bleyl’s confidence is normally an advantage, but he occasionally tries to create a difficult play when a simple pass would be safer. He must learn when NHL-level pressure requires a quicker decision.
Shot Development
Bleyl gets pucks through traffic, but adding velocity to his point shot would make him a more dangerous scoring threat and force penalty killers to challenge him more aggressively.
Overall Defensive Consistency
His defensive game improved considerably, but it must continue progressing. NHL teams will want to see that Bleyl can defend top players consistently and not simply outscore his mistakes.
NHL Projection
Bleyl projects as a puck-moving, top-four NHL defenseman who could eventually run a team’s power play.
His skating should allow him to move through the professional levels, while his offensive intelligence gives him a chance to produce points from the back end. He has the tools to become a second-pair defenseman who drives transition and receives significant offensive-zone minutes.
Bleyl’s floor will depend on how much strength he adds and how reliable he becomes defensively. Even if he does not develop into a top power-play quarterback, his mobility and puck-moving ability could still make him a useful third-pair defenseman.
His ceiling is much higher. Bleyl has the potential to become the type of modern defenseman who controls games by keeping the puck moving in the right direction.
NHL Comparison
Sportsvival Comparison: Jamie Drysdale
The comparison is based on style rather than guaranteeing the same career outcome.
Like Drysdale, Bleyl is a mobile, right-shot defenseman whose game is built around skating, transition and puck movement. Both players can escape pressure, lead the rush and create offense from the blue line despite not possessing an especially large frame.
Bleyl may ultimately become a little more pass-oriented, while Drysdale has shown more willingness to attack as a shooter. Bleyl will face similar questions involving strength, durability and defensive play against larger NHL forwards.
Projected Draft Range
Sportsvival Projection: Mid-to-Late First Round
There are teams that could place Bleyl closer to the beginning of the second round because of his size and the offensive nature of the QMJHL. However, it only takes one organization to believe his skating and production are too valuable to pass up.
Bleyl’s final ranking of 17th among North American skaters, record-setting regular season and outstanding playoff performance have strengthened his first-round case.
Sportsvival has Bleyl being selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round of our latest mock draft. Pittsburgh would be betting on his skating, offensive ceiling and ability to eventually run a power play.
Why Bleyl Fits the Penguins
The Penguins need to continue adding young players who can eventually take on meaningful NHL roles. Bleyl would provide Pittsburgh with a right-shot defenseman whose strengths match the direction of the modern game.
He can retrieve the puck, beat the forecheck and move play toward the offensive zone. That skill becomes even more valuable for a team that wants to play with speed and create offense off the rush.
Bleyl would not need to be rushed into the NHL. Pittsburgh could allow him to return to Moncton, continue adding strength and then develop further at Michigan State. That extended development path would give him time to improve defensively without taking away the creativity that makes him special.
There is risk involved because Bleyl is not a large, shutdown-style defenseman. However, first-round selections should also be about finding players with a trait that separates them from the rest of the class. Bleyl’s skating is that trait.
A future Penguins blue line featuring a dynamic puck mover capable of creating controlled exits and running a power play would be extremely valuable. Bleyl would give the organization a prospect with the potential to fill that role.
Final Thoughts
Tommy Bleyl entered the 2025-26 season as a player searching for an opportunity. He will leave it as a record-setting defenseman and a legitimate candidate to hear his name called during the first round of the NHL Draft.
His skating, intelligence and playmaking ability give him an exciting offensive ceiling. Bleyl can control possession, create clean zone exits and change the direction of a game from the back end. He still needs to get stronger and continue developing defensively, but those are areas that can improve with additional time and coaching.
The production is impossible to ignore. Bleyl did not simply score against junior competition during the regular season. He continued producing when the games became more physical and more important.
Sportsvival believes the Penguins should strongly consider Bleyl if he is available when they make their first-round selection. That is why our latest mock draft sends the Moncton defenseman to Pittsburgh.
The Penguins would be selecting more than an offensive defenseman. They would be selecting one of the best skaters in the class, a record-setting rookie and a player whose best hockey may still be several years ahead of him.