Americans Complete 2026 WHL Prospects Draft, Add 10 Players
WHL Tri-City Americans

Americans Complete 2026 WHL Prospects Draft, Add 10 Players

Published on May 7, 2026 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Tri-City Americans News Release


Kennewick, WA. - The 2026 WHL Prospects Draft wrapped up Thursday afternoon with the Tri-City Americans made 10 selections over the two-day event, drafting five forwards, four defensemen and one goaltender.

With their first pick on Wednesday, at sixth overall, the Americans drafted forward Kenzo Gibson from North Vancouver, British Columbia. He played the 2025-26 season with the Burnaby Winter Club U15 team, leading them in scoring 58 points (34-24-58) in just 23 games. He also served as the team's captain.

During the CSSHL playoffs Gibson scored twice and added two assists in four games. At the John Reid U15 Tournament he posted an additional seven points (4-3-7) in five games.

For the first time in 25 years the Americans held two picks in the first round, using their second one at 19th overall to select forward Ethan Zhang from Plano, Texas. He became the first Texan to be taken in the first round of the WHL Prospects Draft since 2011 when Everett selected Seth Jones 11th overall.

Zhang spent the 2025-26 season with the Dallas Stars 14U AAA program, racking up 87 points (36-51-87) in 51 games.

Day two of the 2026 WHL Prospects Draft began Thursday morning, and the Americans' first pick on day two came at 37th overall in the second round. They used it to draft defenseman Lincoln Baschuk from the Northern Alberta Xtreme U15.

Standing at 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds, Baschuk posted 23 points (3-20-23) in 29 games during the 2025-26 season. The right-shot defenseman is a native of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

Two picks later the Americans looked to the Midwest and selected forward Colton Nash from Minnetonka, Minnesota 39th overall. Playing for the Minnetonka Bantam AA this season, Nash racked up a staggering 150 points (70-80-150) in 53 games in Minnesota. He was a finalist for the Minnesota Bantam Player of the Year.

At 61st overall the Americans selected another defenseman, taking St. George's School defender John Main. Serving as their captain for the 2025-26 season, Main scored 23 points (3-20-23) in 30 games with the U15 team.

With the 76th overall pick the Americans drafted a player with NHL bloodlines by adding forward Kane Strudwick from OHA Edmonton U15. Strudwick skated in 27 games last season scoring 34 points (10-24-34) and suited up for one game with OHA Edmonton's U17 team, scoring a goal. His father, Jason, played 674 NHL games from 1995-2011.

At 99th overall the Americans took a teammate of Strudwick's by drafting forward Steven Leavitt, also from OHA Edmonton U15. The 6-foot-1, Sherwood Park, Alberta native recorded 43 points (25-18-43) in 24 games with OHA Edmonton U15 this past season.

With their second fifth-round pick at 111th overall, Tri-City drafted 6-foot-2 defenseman Brady Piec from Rink Hockey Academy Winnipeg's U15 team. In 26 games last season Piec gathered 17 points (4-13-17), while also scoring a goal with two assists in three games with RHA Winnipeg's U17 team.

The Americans held the 122nd overall pick heading into the draft but traded it to the Kelowna Rockets in exchange for a 2027 sixth-round pick (Seattle).

With their seventh-round pick at 141st overall the Americans took their lone goaltender of the draft, adding Alexandre Montembeault from the Calgary International Hockey Academy U15 program.

After going 9-5-1 with a 3.79 goals against average and .891 save percentage during the regular season, Montembeault turned up his game in the CSSHL playoffs by going 3-0, allowing just four goals on 95 shots, to backstop CIHA to the U15 Prep Championship. He made 34 saves in the Championship game to lift CIHA over Edge School Prep with a 4-2 win.

With their final pick of the draft the Americans added a teammate of Nash's by selecting defenseman Max Aldrich from Minnetonka Bantam AA. In 53 games Aldrich recorded 40 points (6-34-40).

The Americans would like to welcome all 10 players and their families to the Americans organization.

Check out the Tri-City Americans Statistics

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Western Hockey League Stories from May 7, 2026


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