106 CHL-Developed Players Selected at 2026 NHL Draft
OHL Ontario Hockey League

106 CHL-Developed Players Selected at 2026 NHL Draft

Published on June 27, 2026 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL) News Release


BUFFALO, NY - The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) is proud to announce that 106 players developed across the Western Hockey League (WHL), Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) were selected across seven rounds of the 2026 NHL Draft at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, representing the most of any development league in the world.

The CHL's 106 selections were its highest total in 16 years, dating back to 2010, and marked the first time since 2013 that the CHL reached the 100-pick mark at the NHL Draft. In the seven-round era, which began in 2005, the 2026 NHL Draft now stands as the CHL's fourth-highest total, trailing only 2008 (110), 2005 (109) and 2010 (107).

The CHL's impact was felt immediately, with Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL) alumnus Gavin McKenna selected first overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs. McKenna became the 43rd CHL-developed player selected No. 1 overall since 1969, giving the CHL the first overall pick for the second straight NHL Draft and the third time in the last four years, following Matthew Schaefer in 2025 and Connor Bedard in 2023.

McKenna's selection opened a first round that once again showcased the CHL at the very top of the Draft. In total, 16 CHL-developed players were selected in Round 1, accounting for 50 per cent of the opening round. CHL players represented six of the first 10 selections and three of the first four, with McKenna going No. 1 to Toronto, Brantford Bulldogs (OHL) forward Caleb Malhotra going No. 3 to the Vancouver Canucks, and Prince Albert Raiders (WHL) defenceman Daxon Rudolph going No. 4 to the Buffalo Sabres.

The opening round also highlighted one of the CHL's strongest defensive groups in recent memory. Seven CHL-developed defencemen were selected in the first round, while 13 blueliners came off the board across the opening two rounds. In all, 36 CHL defencemen were chosen over the two-day Draft, alongside 57 forwards and 13 goaltenders, underscoring the positional depth produced by the WHL, OHL and QMJHL.

The strength of the 2026 class carried well beyond the first round. The CHL had 32 players selected through two rounds, its most in 11 years and highest total since 36 were chosen across the opening two rounds in 2015. Through three rounds, the CHL's 47 selections matched its best three-round showing since 2015, while its 61 players selected through four rounds were also its most since 2015.

By the end of Round 6, the CHL had already surpassed its full 2025 NHL Draft total, with 94 selections. The CHL ultimately had at least 12 players chosen in each of the seven rounds, something that had only happened once before in the seven-round era, in 2005. The league also set a seven-round era high with 59 players selected from Rounds 4 through 7, including 45 from Rounds 5 through 7 and 29 over the final two rounds.

The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) led all three CHL Member Leagues with 47 selections, its highest total since 2016 and one shy of its seven-round era high. The Western Hockey League (WHL) followed with 39 selections, its highest total since 2010, while also producing the first overall pick in McKenna. The Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) reached 20 selections for the first time since 2021 and produced multiple first-round picks for the second straight NHL Draft.

In total, the CHL's 106 selections came from 51 different clubs, with 19 OHL clubs, 19 WHL clubs and 13 QMJHL clubs represented. The Medicine Hat Tigers and Ottawa 67's led all CHL clubs with five players selected, followed by the Guelph Storm, London Knights, Saginaw Spirit and Soo Greyhounds, who each had four. Edmonton, Portland, Prince Albert, Saskatoon and Vancouver each produced three selections from the WHL, while Moncton and Québec led the QMJHL with three selections apiece.

All 32 NHL clubs selected at least one CHL-developed player at the 2026 NHL Draft. The Colorado Avalanche, New York Rangers and Toronto Maple Leafs led all NHL clubs with six CHL selections each, while the Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings and Vegas Golden Knights each selected five. In total, 13 NHL clubs selected at least four CHL players, further demonstrating the league-wide demand for talent developed across the WHL, OHL and QMJHL.

The 2026 NHL Draft also reinforced the impact of the CHL USA Prospects Challenge, with 11 of the 16 CHL-developed first-round selections having competed in the 2025 edition of the event. The two-game showcase continues to provide a best-on-best platform for NHL Draft-eligible players from across the CHL against the U.S. National Under-18 Team.

From the first overall pick to the final rounds, the 2026 NHL Draft served as another clear reminder of the CHL's unmatched role in developing NHL talent. With high-end skill at the top of the Draft, record-setting depth in later rounds, representation across every position, and selections from every NHL organization, the WHL, OHL and QMJHL once again stood at the centre of hockey's global development landscape.

106 CHL-developed players in the 2026 NHL Draft

*denotes players who competed in the 2025 CHL USA Prospects Challenge

FIRST ROUND (16)

1. Gavin McKenna (Medicine Hat Tigers / WHL, LW) - Toronto Maple Leafs

3. Caleb Malhotra (Brantford Bulldogs / OHL, C)* - Vancouver Canucks

4. Daxon Rudolph (Prince Albert Raiders / WHL, D)* - Buffalo Sabres

6. Carson Carels (Prince George Cougars / WHL, D)* - Calgary Flames

7. Chase Reid (Soo Greyhounds / OHL, D)* - Seattle Kraken

9. Keaton Verhoeff (Victoria Royals / WHL, D) - San Jose Sharks

15. Nikita Klepov (Saginaw Spirit / OHL, RW)* - Anaheim Ducks

16. Maddox Dagenais (Québec Remparts / QMJHL, C)* - St. Louis Blues

17. Ethan Belchetz (Windsor Spitfires / OHL, LW)* - Utah Mammoth

21. Ryan Lin (Vancouver Giants / WHL, D)* - San Jose Sharks

22. Liam Ruck (Medicine Hat Tigers / WHL, RW)* - Pittsburgh Penguins

23. JP Hurlbert (Kamloops Blazers / WHL, RW)* - Detroit Red Wings

24. Adam Novotný (Peterborough Petes / OHL, LW)* - Vancouver Canucks

27. Maksim Sokolovskii (London Knights / OHL, D) - Philadelphia Flyers

31. Tommy Bleyl (Moncton Wildcats / QMJHL, D) - Nashville Predators

32. Jaxon Cover (London Knights / OHL, LW) - Ottawa Senators

SECOND ROUND (16)

33. Brooks Rogowski (Oshawa Generals / OHL, RW) - Vancouver Canucks

34. Xavier Villeneuve (Blainville-Boisbriand / QMJHL, D)* - Chicago Blackhawks

35. Ryan Roobroeck (Guelph Storm / OHL, LW)* / developed over the last three seasons with the Niagara IceDogs - Chicago Blackhawks

36. Chase Harrington (Spokane Chiefs / WHL, LW)* - Calgary Flames

37. Matias Vanhanen (Everett Silvertips / WHL, LW) - New Jersey Devils

39. Markus Ruck (Medicine Hat Tigers / WHL, C) - Pittsburgh Penguins

43. Egor Shilov (Victoriaville Tigres / QMJHL, C)* - Colorado Avalanche

46. Liam Lefebvre (Cape Breton Eagles / QMJHL, RW) / developed over the last season with the Chicoutimi Saguenéens - Los Angeles Kings

48. Ryder Cali (North Bay Battalion / OHL, C) - Florida Panthers

50. Mathis Preston (Vancouver Giants / WHL, RW)* - Anaheim Ducks

52. Oleg Kulebiakin (Halifax Mooseheads / QMJHL, LW) - Tampa Bay Lightning

53. Brek Liske (Everett Silvertips / WHL, D) - Philadelphia Flyers

57. Timofei Runtso (Victoria Royals / WHL, D) - Montréal Canadiens

59. Jakub Vanecek (Tri-City Americans / WHL, D) - Dallas Stars

60. Alexander Bilecki (Kitchener Rangers / OHL, D) - Toronto Maple Leafs

64. Ben MacBeath (Calgary Hitmen / WHL, D) - New York Rangers

THIRD ROUND (15)

65. Joe Iginla (Vancouver Giants / WHL, RW) - Calgary Flames

67. Danai Shaiikov (Gatineau Olympiques / QMJHL, G) - New York Rangers

68. Zachary Lansard (Regina Pats / WHL, RW) - Carolina Hurricanes

69. Ethan MacKenzie (Edmonton Oil Kings / WHL, D) - Toronto Maple Leafs

72. Adam Nemec (Sudbury Wolves / OHL, LW) - Ottawa Senators

73. Zach Olsen (Saskatoon Blades / WHL, RW) - Toronto Maple Leafs

74. Beckett Hamilton (Red Deer Rebels / WHL, RW) - Colorado Avalanche

77. Charlie Morrison (Québec Remparts / QMJHL, D)* - New York Rangers

79. Michal Orsulak (Prince Albert Raiders / WHL, G) - Detroit Red Wings

82. Rian Chudzinski (Moncton Wildcats / QMJHL, RW) - Anaheim Ducks

86. Pierce Mbuyi (Owen Sound Attack / OHL, LW) - Pittsburgh Penguins

91. Louis-Félix Bourque (Drummondville Voltigeurs / QMJHL, C) - Ottawa Senators

92. Ben Wilmott (Barrie Colts / OHL, C) - Vegas Golden Knights

94. Alessandro Di Iorio (Sarnia Sting / OHL, C)* - Columbus Blue Jackets

95. Sean Burick (Penticton Vees / WHL, D) - Vegas Golden Knights

FOURTH ROUND (14)

97. Yaroslav Bryzgalov (Medicine Hat Tigers / WHL, LW) - Vancouver Canucks

100. Egor Barabanov (Saginaw Spirit / OHL, C) - Calgary Flames

101. Tyus Sparks (Spokane Chiefs / WHL, RW) - Washington Capitals

102. Spencer Bowes (Ottawa 67's / OHL, LW) - New York Rangers

103. Thomas Vandenberg (Ottawa 67's / OHL, C) - Los Angeles Kings

108. Adam Levac (Peterborough Petes / OHL, C) - Detroit Red Wings

111. Parker von Richter (Barrie Colts / OHL, D) - Pittsburgh Penguins

112. Kayden Lemire (Prince George Cougars / WHL, RW) - Minnesota Wild

113. Jonah Sivertson (Prince Albert Raiders / WHL, RW) - Vegas Golden Knights

117. Brayden Klimpke (Saskatoon Blades / WHL, D) - Montréal Canadiens

120. Marek Sklenicka (Seattle Thunderbirds / WHL, G) - Philadelphia Flyers

124. Olivers Murnieks (Saint John Sea Dogs / QMJHL, C) - Buffalo Sabres

125. Ryder Fetterolf (Ottawa 67's / OHL, G) - Carolina Hurricanes

126. Tobias Tvrznik (Wenatchee Wild / WHL, G) - Colorado Avalanche

FIFTH ROUND (16)

131. Finn Kearns (Sudbury Wolves / OHL, D) - Seattle Kraken

133. Andrew Robinson (Windsor Spitfires / OHL, D) - Edmonton Oilers

135. Alexandre Taillefer (Québec Remparts / QMJHL, D) - Winnipeg Jets

137. Filip Ruzicka (Brandon Wheat Kings / WHL, G) - Minnesota Wild

141. Vladimir Dravecky (Guelph Storm / OHL, D) / developed over the last season with the Brantford Bulldogs - New York Islanders

142. Parker Snell (Edmonton Oil Kings / WHL, G) - Columbus Blue Jackets

143. Beckham Edwards (Sarnia Sting / OHL, C)* - Detroit Red Wings

146. Eric Frossard (Guelph Storm / OHL, D) - Anaheim Ducks

147. Florent Houle (Sherbrooke Phoenix / QMJHL, RW) - Utah Mammoth

150. Carter Stevens (Guelph Storm / OHL, RW) - St. Louis Blues

151.Harris Pangretitsch (Soo Greyhounds / OHL, D) - Ottawa Senators

153. Giorgos Pantelas (Brandon Wheat Kings / WHL, D)* - Los Angeles Kings

155. Ryan Brown (London Knights / OHL, LW) - Dallas Stars

157. Jacob Vandeven (London Knights / OHL, D) - Boston Bruins

158. Cooper Williams (Saskatoon Blades / WHL, C) - Toronto Maple Leafs

159. Will McLaughlin (Portland Winterhawks, WHL, D) - Vegas Golden Knights

SIXTH ROUND (17)

162. André Mondoux (Kingston Frontenacs / OHL, D) - New York Rangers

163. Darian Anderson (Flint Firebirds / OHL, RW) - New York Rangers

165. Zachary Jovanovski (Guelph Storm / OHL, G)* - Carolina Hurricanes

169. Brody Pepoy (Saginaw Spirit / OHL, RW) - Toronto Maple Leafs

171. Lars Steiner (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies / QMJHL, G) - St. Louis Blues

172. Luke Wilfley (Portland Winterhawks / WHL, C) - New Jersey Devils

174. Jake Gustafson (Portland Winterhawks / WHL, C) - San Jose Sharks

177. Alex Kostov (Flint Firebirds / OHL, C) - Los Angeles Kings

179. Benjamin Cossette Ayotte (Val-d'Or Foreurs / QMJHL, D) - Nashville Predators

180. Caden Harvey (Windsor Spitfires / OHL, RW) - Edmonton Oilers

181. Cole Zurawski (Owen Sound Attack / OHL, RW) - Florida Panthers

185. Jonas Woo (Medicine Hat Tigers / WHL, D) - Columbus Blue Jackets

186. Stepan Shurygin (Saginaw Spirit / OHL, G) - Tampa Bay Lightning

188. Dylan Dumont (Drummondville Voltigeurs / QMJHL, RW) - Buffalo Sabres

190. Wesley Royston (Owen Sound Attack / OHL, RW) - Montréal Canadiens

191. Matthew Minchak (Kingston Frontenacs / OHL, G) - Vegas Golden Knights

192. Noah Kosick (Seattle Thunderbirds / WHL, C) - Anaheim Ducks

SEVENTH ROUND (12)

195. Shawn Carrier (Halifax Mooseheads / QMJHL, LW) - Colorado Avalanche

197. Jasper Kuhta (Ottawa 67's / OHL, C) - Dallas Stars

198. Rylan Singh (Guelph Storm / OHL, D) - Seattle Kraken

199. Noa Ta'amu (Edmonton Oil Kings / WHL, D) - Winnipeg Jets

201. Alexander Karmanov (North Bay Battalion / OHL, D) - San Jose Sharks

203. Colin Fitzgerald (Soo Greyhounds / OHL, C) - St. Louis Blues

214. Ondrej Ruml (Ottawa 67's / OHL, D) - Colorado Avalanche

215. Alexandre Raymond (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies / QMJHL, G) - Colorado Avalanche

217. Louis-Antoine Denault (Newfoundland Regiment / QMJHL, G) - Florida Panthers

218. Max Vilen (Moncton Wildcats / QMJHL, D) - Tampa Bay Lightning

222. Quinn McKenzie (Soo Greyhounds / OHL, C) - New Jersey Devils

223. Lucas Ambrosio (Erie Otters / OHL, D) - Los Angeles Kings

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from June 27, 2026


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