114 Players Selected During the 2026 CHL Import Draft
OHL Ontario Hockey League

114 Players Selected During the 2026 CHL Import Draft

Published on June 30, 2026 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL) News Release


TORONTO, ON - The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) is proud to announce the results of the 2026 CHL Import Draft. In its 35th edition - and the second to feature three rounds - 114 players were selected from 13 countries, including 71 forwards, 32 defencemen, and 11 goaltenders.

This year's draft marked a historic step forward for the CHL's international player pathway. For the first time, 16-year-old import players were eligible to be selected in the opening round, with eight players from the 2010-born age group chosen in Round 1 - led by first overall pick Matyas Michalek of Czechia, who became the youngest player ever selected with the top pick in the CHL Import Draft. Under the updated rules, 20-year-old import players were also eligible to be selected in any round, with two chosen on Tuesday, including Gatineau Olympiques' eighth overall pick Ilya Pautov, a 2024 sixth-round pick of the Philadelphia Flyers.

The 2026 edition also continued to underline the CHL Import Draft's importance as a pathway to the NHL. A total of 19 NHL Draft picks were selected across the three rounds, including 13 players chosen at last week's 2026 NHL Draft, five selected in 2025, and one from the 2024 NHL Draft. Among those 19 NHL-drafted players were seven goaltenders.

Russia led all nations with a record 32 players selected, surpassing its previous high of 28 set just last year in 2025. Czechia followed with 30 selections, marking the fourth time in CHL Import Draft history that it has produced at least 30 picks in a single year. Finland also established a new national record with 16 selections, topping its previous high of 15 set in 2024, while Austria reached a new benchmark with six players chosen, surpassing its previous mark of four from 2019.

Selecting first overall for the first time in franchise history at the CHL Import Draft, the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) used the top pick to select Czech defenceman Matyas Michalek, a 16-year-old left-shot blueliner from Prague who is eligible for the 2028 NHL Draft.

Michalek's selection marks the highest in Generals history at the CHL Import Draft, surpassing Nicklas Jensen, who was taken eighth overall by Oshawa in 2010 before later becoming a first-round pick of the Vancouver Canucks in 2011. The pick also carried league-wide significance, as Michalek became the first 16-year-old ever selected in the CHL Import Draft following the rule change that made 2010-born players eligible in the first round only. The 6-foot-3, 192-pound defender produced 39 points (13G-26A) in 30 games with Sparta Prague's U17 team last season, then added eight points (3G-5A) in 12 playoff games to help the club capture the Czech U17 championship. Internationally, Michalek represented Czechia at both the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and the IIHF World Under-18 Championship, helping his country win bronze at the latter event.

Picking second overall for the first time in franchise history at the CHL Import Draft, the Halifax Mooseheads of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) selected Austrian forward Paul Sintschnig. Halifax acquired the No. 2 pick from the Baie-Comeau Drakkar after originally holding the 20th selection. A 17-year-old left-shot winger from Klagenfurt who is eligible for the 2027 NHL Draft, Sintschnig played across several levels during the 2025-26 season, including 32 games with Villacher SV in Austria's ICEHL, while totaling 35 points (16G-19A) over 49 games. Internationally, Sintschnig represented Austria at the IIHF World Junior Championship Division I, Group A tournament and also became one of the youngest players to debut for Austria's senior national team at 16 years old.

Rounding out the top three was the Lethbridge Hurricanes of the Western Hockey League (WHL), who selected Czech defenceman Dominick Radim Byrtus with the third overall pick. A 17-year-old left-shot blueliner eligible for the 2027 NHL Draft, Byrtus spent the 2025-26 season with HC Ocelari Trinec's U20 team, recording 12 points (4G-8A) in 23 regular-season games before adding seven assists and a plus-11 rating over 10 playoff contests. He also appeared in 22 games with HC Frydek-Mistek in Czechia's second division. Internationally, Byrtus represented Czechia at both the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and the IIHF World Under-18 Championship, where he recorded three assists in seven games and helped Czechia capture bronze.

As they prepare to host the 2027 Memorial Cup presented by Kubota, the Guelph Storm used the fourth overall pick to select Slovakian forward Timothy Kazda, a 17-year-old right winger from Ilava who is eligible for the 2027 NHL Draft. The Storm, who acquired the pick from the Erie Otters, selected inside the top five at the CHL Import Draft for the third time in franchise history. Kazda spent the 2025-26 season with the USHL's Chicago Steel, recording 41 points (22G-19A) in 59 games before being named to both the USHL All-Rookie First Team and All-Academic Team this past spring. Internationally, he represented Slovakia at the 2026 IIHF World U18 Men's Championship, where he recorded 12 points (6G-6A) in seven games, was named tournament MVP, and helped lead his country to a silver medal - matching Slovakia's best result in tournament history.

In addition to the 19 NHL Draft picks selected Tuesday, the 2026 CHL Import Draft featured 47 first-year draft-eligible prospects for the 2027 NHL Draft. Notable names included Kazda (Guelph Storm / OHL), Czech forward Michal Hartl (Chicoutimi Saguenéens / QMJHL), German centre Max Calce (Brantford Bulldogs / OHL), Finnish forward Luca Santala (London Knights / OHL), and Slovakian forward Lukas Kachlir (Edmonton Oil Kings / WHL).

A total of 55 CHL clubs made a selection during Tuesday's draft, led by 21 WHL teams that combined for 44 picks. They were followed by 17 QMJHL clubs, who selected 38 players, while 17 OHL clubs combined to draft 32 players. In total, 43 clubs made multiple selections, while 12 clubs selected one player.

The 2026 CHL Import Draft was held under updated rules that permitted 20-year-old import players to be selected in any round, while 16-year-old import players were eligible to be selected in the first round only. CHL clubs may carry a maximum of one 16-year-old import player per season. That player cannot be traded or replaced by another import player during his 16-year-old season.

The CHL Import Draft has long served as an important pathway for international players to develop in the WHL, OHL and QMJHL before later hearing their names called at the NHL Draft. Since the event's inception in 1992, 344 players selected through the CHL Import Draft have gone on to be chosen at the NHL Draft. At the 2026 NHL Draft in Buffalo, a CHL-record 22 players previously selected through the CHL Import Draft were chosen by NHL clubs, surpassing the previous high of 18 set in both 2011 and 2001. That group was led by first-round selections Nikita Klepov (Saginaw Spirit, OHL / Anaheim Ducks), Adam Novotný (Peterborough Petes, OHL / Vancouver Canucks) and Maksim Sokolovskii (London Knights, OHL / Philadelphia Flyers).

Other CHL Import Draft alumni selected at the 2026 NHL Draft included Matias Vanhanen (Everett Silvertips, WHL / New Jersey Devils), Egor Shilov (Victoriaville Tigres, QMJHL / Colorado Avalanche), Oleg Kulebiakin (Halifax Mooseheads, QMJHL / Tampa Bay Lightning), Jakub Vanecek (Tri-City Americans, WHL / Dallas Stars), Danai Shaiikov (Gatineau Olympiques, QMJHL / New York Rangers), Adam Nemec (Sudbury Wolves, OHL / Ottawa Senators), Michal Orsulak (Prince Albert Raiders, WHL / Detroit Red Wings), Yaroslav Bryzgalov (Medicine Hat Tigers, WHL / Vancouver Canucks), Marek Sklenicka (Seattle Thunderbirds, WHL / Philadelphia Flyers), Olivers Murnieks (Saint John Sea Dogs, QMJHL / Buffalo Sabres), Tobias Tvrznik (Wenatchee Wild, WHL / Colorado Avalanche), Filip Ruzicka (Brandon Wheat Kings, WHL / Minnesota Wild), Vladimir Dravecky (Guelph Storm, OHL / New York Islanders), Lars Steiner (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, QMJHL / St. Louis Blues), Stepan Shurygin (Saginaw Spirit, OHL / Tampa Bay Lightning), Jasper Kuhta (Ottawa 67's, OHL / Dallas Stars), Alexander Karmanov (North Bay Battalion, OHL / San Jose Sharks), Ondrej Ruml (Ottawa 67's, OHL / Colorado Avalanche), and Max Vilen (Moncton Wildcats, QMJHL / Tampa Bay Lightning).

Since the first CHL Import Draft was held in 1992, more than 2,400 players from outside Canada and the United States have been selected through the annual event. Over the years, the draft has helped bring a long list of future NHL standouts to the CHL, including Leon Draisaitl (Prince Albert Raiders / WHL), Zdeno Chara (Prince George Cougars / WHL), Marian Hossa (Portland Winterhawks / WHL), Mikael Backlund (Kelowna Rockets / WHL), Oliver Bjorkstrand (Portland Winterhawks / WHL), Gabriel Landeskog (Kitchener Rangers / OHL), Nikita Zadorov (London Knights / OHL), Rasmus Andersson (Barrie Colts / OHL), Olli Määttä (London Knights / OHL), Alexander Radulov (Québec Remparts / QMJHL), David Krejci (Gatineau Olympiques / QMJHL), and Nico Hischier (Halifax Mooseheads / QMJHL). That list also includes two-time Hart Trophy winner Nikita Kucherov (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies / QMJHL), who captured the award for the second time in his career during the 2025-26 season, as well as recent 2026 Stanley Cup champions Andrei Svechnikov (Barrie Colts / OHL) and Nikolaj Ehlers (Halifax Mooseheads / QMJHL), who helped the Carolina Hurricanes win their second championship in franchise history.

For full results from the 2026 CHL Import Draft, visit chl.ca/draft/chl/2026.

2026 CHL Import Draft Summary

Number of Draft Picks by League

WHL - 44

OHL - 32

QMJHL - 38

Number of Teams with a Draft Pick

WHL - 21

OHL - 17

QMJHL - 17

Teams with One Pick

WHL (4) - Tri-City, Red Deer, Portland, Prince Albert

OHL (5) - Oshawa, Guelph, Peterborough, Windsor, Ottawa QMJHL (3) - Victoriaville, Val-d'Or, Drummondville

Teams with Multiple Picks

WHL (17) - Lethbridge (3), Swift Current (3), Regina (3), Spokane (3), Saskatoon (3), Edmonton (3), Vancouver (2), Moose Jaw (2), Victoria (2), Kelowna (2), Kamloops (2), Brandon (2), Calgary (2), Medicine Hat (2), Everett (2), Penticton (2), Seattle (2)

OHL (12) - Brantford (3), Barrie (3), Kitchener (3), Brampton (2), Sarnia (2), Saginaw (2), Erie (2), Owen Sound (2), Niagara (2), Flint (2), Soo (2), London (2)

QMJHL (14) - Saint John (3), Baie-Comeau (3), Chicoutimi (3), Charlottetown (3), Shawinigan (3), Newfoundland (3), Moncton (3), Halifax (2), Rimouski (2), Gatineau (2), Sherbrooke (2), Québec (2), Rouyn-Noranda (2), Blainville-Boisbriand (2)

Teams with No Picks

WHL (2) - Prince George, Wenatchee

OHL (3) - Sudbury, North Bay, Kingston

QMJHL (1) - Cape Breton

Draft Picks by Position

Forward - 71

Defenceman - 32

Goaltender - 11

Draft Picks by Country

Russia - 32 (record high)

Czechia - 30 (third highest all-time, behind 2025 and 2007)

Finland - 16 (record high)

Slovakia - 11

Sweden - 6

Austria - 6 (record high)

Germany - 4

Latvia - 4

Switzerland - 1

Belarus - 1

Kazakhstan - 1

Ukraine - 1

Norway - 1

2026 NHL Draft picks selected in the 2026 CHL Import Draft (13)

1/9 Jakub Floris (Vancouver Giants / WHL) drafted by the Nashville Predators (4/106)

1/27 Vladimir Proskurin (Victoria Royals / WHL) drafted by the St. Louis Blues (4/123)

1/39 Mikhail Cherepanov (Kamloops Blazers / WHL) drafted by the Dallas Stars (7/219)

1/42 Martin Psohlavec (Saskatoon Blades / WHL) drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers (2/62)

1/49 Matvei Nikonovich (Barrie Colts / OHL) drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins (5/160)

1/52 Vilho Vanhatalo (Ottawa 67's / OHL) drafted by the Florida Panthers (6/168)

1/53 Yegor Rybkin (Moncton Wildcats / QMJHL) drafted by the Los Angeles Kings (3/89)

2/65 Luka Arkko (Erie Otters / OHL) drafted by the Detroit Red Wings (6/175)

2/66 Vertti Svensk (Saint John Sea Dogs / QMJHL) by the Los Angeles Kings (5/145)

2/76 Samuel Hrenak (Moose Jaw Warriors / WHL) by the Winnipeg Jets (3/71)

2/78 Patriks Plumins (Chicoutimi Saguenéens / QMJHL) by the Toronto Maple Leafs (4/114)

2/88 Noel Pakarinen (Penticton Vees / WHL) by the Vegas Golden Knights (7/207)

2/101 Juho Piiparinen (London Knights / OHL) by Vegas Golden Knights (1/29)

2025 NHL Draft picks selected in the 2026 CHL Import Draft (5)

1/10 Ivan Tkach-Tkachenko (Sarnia Sting / OHL) drafted by the Utah Mammoth (5/142)

1/24 Zeb Lindgren (Red Deer Rebels / WHL) drafted by the New York Rangers (5/139)

1/48 Jakob Leander (Calgary Hitmen / WHL) drafted by the Calgary Flames (7/208)

1/59 Arvid Drott (Medicine Hat Tigers / WHL) drafted by the Florida Panthers (6/192)

2/94 Reko Alanko (Seattle Thunderbirds / WHL) drafted Utah Mammoth (6/182)

2024 NHL Draft picks selected in the 2026 CHL Import Draft (1)

1/8 Ilya Pautov (Gatineau Olympiques / QMJHL) drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers (6/173)

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