The Wisconsin Badgers are poised to have another first-round pick in the NHL draft later this month. Defenseman Logan Hensler is being mocked in the first round of all the latest mock drafts and even appears in the top 15 players on the ESPN NHL Draft Big Board. For a defensive-hungry team, he could even crack into the top 10 of the draft.
Right now, Hensler is participating in the NHL Draft Combine, which will assess the skills of all the top players and allow scouts to see how they perform under certain conditions and with specific skills.
Wisconsin's Logan Hensler is potentially a first-round pick
The last time that Wisconsin had a first-round pick in the NHL Draft was only a couple of years ago in the 2023 NHL Draft when Charlie Stramel was selected 21st overall by the Minnesota Wild. The Badgers are known for NHL talent, with even two players currently in the Stanley Cup Finals playing for the Edmonton Oilers.
While Henlser projects to be a top-20 pick, that won't be anywhere near the highest-ever Wisconsin Badger pick in an NHL Draft. In the 2000 draft, the Atlanta Thrashers selected Dany Heatley 2nd overall.
Where's Hensler projected in the latest mock drafts?
Yahoo Sports: 17th overall to the Montreal Canadians
The Athletic: 23rd overall to the Nashville Predators
SB Nation: 26th overall to the Nashville Predators
He's mostly projected around the 20th position in the draft as there are a few defensemen rated higher than him. It will be interesting to see how the draft shakes out, but many of the teams towards the top are projected to chase down goal-scorers.
According to the ESPN Big Board, Logan Hensler is currently rated as the 15th-best player and the fourth-best defenseman in the NHL Draft.
The NHL Draft takes place June 27-28 in Los Angeles.