Erie Otters Select Forward Luka Arkko #65 Overall in 2026 CHL Import Draft
OHL Erie Otters

Erie Otters Select Forward Luka Arkko #65 Overall in 2026 CHL Import Draft

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


Erie, Pennsylvania -- The Erie Otters have made their second selection in the 2026 CHL Import Draft and it's a big one.

With the #65 selection in the 2025 CHL Import Draft, the Erie Otters have selected Finnish forward Luka Arkko from the Pelicans U20 Program.

The native of Lahti, Finland spent last season split between the Pelicans U18 and U20 program, the bulk of his time coming with the latter. In a combined 46 games between the two programs, Arkko collected 33 points (17G+16A).

The 6'3 2008-born forward also spent time with the Finnish National Team, where with their U18 program in 14 games he picked up 11 points (6G+5A).

He is noted as a power forward, who plays an intelligent game and goes to the hard areas to make plays.

Otters Director of Hockey Operations Scott Grieve spoke on the addition of Arkko and what he brings to the organization.

"The Otters are thrilled welcome Luka and the Arkko family to the Otters," Grieve said. "Luka is a player who we have watched for months and believe he will fit in seamlessly with our group. He adds size and tenacity to our forward group. Luka was recently selected in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft by Detroit and we look forward to seeing Luka in an Otters uniform next season."

Arkko also heard his named called this past weekend at the 2026 NHL Entry Draft where he was selected in the sixth round, #175 overall, by the Detroit Red Wings. This makes him the second player the rostered by an NHL team expected to join the Otters in 2026-27 alongside defenseman Lucas Ambrosio who was drafted Saturday by the Los Angeles Kings.

He becomes the second Finnish player the Otters have taken in the CHL Import Draft alongside defenseman Julius Saari whom was selected by Erie 93rd overall last season and played in all 68 games for the Otters.

Arkko is the second player the Otters have taken today after they selected forward Paul Schuster with the 19th overall pick earlier.

The CHL Import Draft - first implemented in 1992 - provides the opportunity for the Ontario, Quebec, and Western Hockey Leagues to break outside of their region-locked North American scouting waters to find hockey talent abroad. This is the only draft every year that involves all three Major Junior hockey leagues simultaneously and collaboratively, and is the only crossover between leagues outside of the Memorial Cup. As well, this is the final CHL event of the 2025-26 season, with the end of the Import Draft marking the official start of the new season across the league(s). This season, teams are allowed to carry up to three import players, expanding the draft to three rounds from the previous two. This was the first time in franchise history that the Otters held the 19th pick in the draft.

Last season, the Otters held three players whom they selected in the CHL Import Draft, goaltender Noah Erliden (2024, 30th overall), forward Alex Misiak (2025, 32nd overall) and defenseman Julius Saari (2025, 93rd overall), the latter of which will be back with the club this season as an Alternate Captain. ALL-TIME CHL IMPORT DRAFT SELECTIONS (incl. 2026 pick):

2023 1 1 Martin Misiak 6.02 198 9/30/2004 RW Youngstown Phantoms Slovakian

2007 1 2 Jaroslav Janus 6 187 9/21/1989 G Bratislava Slovan Jr. Slovakian

2012 1 3 Oscar Dansk 6.02.5 187 2/28/1995 G Brynas IF Jr. Swedish

2008 1 4 Edgar Rybakov 6.01 185 5/2/1991 C Moscow HC CSKA-2 Lithuanian

2013 1 5 Andre Burakovsky 6.01 178 2/9/1995 LW Malmo IF Redhawks Swedish

1998 1 5 Nikita Alexeyev 6.06 227 12/27/1981 RW Krylia Sovetov Moskva-2 Russian

2022 1 5 Ondrej Molnar 5.11 161 2/8/2005 LW Nitra HK Slovakian

2019 1 8 Marat Khusnutdinov 5.09 154 7/12/2002 C Podolsk Vityaz U18 Russian

2003 1 12 Ilya Yakolev 6.02 180 7/24/1986 F Chelyabinsk Traktor-2 Russian

2018 1 12 Petr Cajka 6 163 12/11/2000 C Zug EV Jr. Czech

2006 1 12 Stanislav Polodna 6 176 4/3/1989 RW Ceske Budejovice Jr. Czech

2026 1 19 Paul Schuster 5.1 185 7/6/2009 RW RB Juniors Austrian

1996 1 21 Arvids Rekis 6 216 1/1/1979 RD Dubuque Fighting Saints Latvian

2020 1 22 Alexei Kolosov 6 165 1/4/2002 G Team Belarus U20 Belarusian

2005 1 28 Ivan Maximkin 6.02 183 3/5/1988 LD Togliatti Lada-2 Russian

2000 1 28 Lubor Dibelka 6.03 183 2/22/1983 RW Zlin Jr. Czech

2010 1 29 Timofey Tankeev 6.02 180 2/17/1993 F St. Louis Jr. Blues Russian

2024 1 30 Noah Erliden 5.1 167 9/9/2005 G HV71 Swedish

2011 1 31 Sondre Olden 6.04 180 8/29/1992 LW Modo Jr. Norwegian

2004 1 31 Vladimir Tyufyakov 6.02 195 5/17/1987 LW Novosibirsk Sibir U18 Russian

2025 1 32 Alex Misiak 6 183 6/22/2007 LW Waterloo Black Hawks Slovakian

2021 1 33 Jiri Tichacek 5.09 170 1/30/2003 LD Rytiri Kladno Jr. Czech

2009 1 36 Ramis Sadikov 5.02 220 2/26/1991 G Rus Moskva Russian

2011 1 37 Vladimir Tkachyov 6 182 10/5/1993 C Kazan Irbis Russian

2001 1 46 Alexander Karaulchuk 6.01 187 7/27/1983 C Kiev Sokol Ukranian

2014 1 48 Anton Karlsson 6.01.25 187 8/3/1996 LW Vastra Frolunda HC Jr. Swedish

2015 1 49 Erik Cernak 6.03.5 211 5/28/1997 RD Kosice HC Slovakian

1996 1 50 Vadim Sharapov 5.1 179 1/13/1978 LW CSKA Moskva-2 Russian

2002 1 51 Tomas Galasek 6.02 225 9/9/1985 LW Olomouc Jr. Czech

2016 1 53 German Poddubnyi 5.1 142 6/9/1999 C Philadelphia Jr. Flyers 16U Russian

2001 1 53 Michal Kokavec 6.05 209 3/1/1983 LW Zilina Jr. Slovakian

2017 1 57 Stephane Patry 5.1 161 2/18/2000 LW Geneve-Servette Jr. Swiss

1999 1 59 Ivan Huml 6.02 198 9/6/1981 RW Rytiri Kladno U20 Czech

2012 2 62 Artem Kuleshov 5.11 162 4/20/1995 LD Moscow Krylya Sovetov U17 Russian

2026 2 65 Luka Arkko 6.03 212 1/14/2008 LW Pelicans U20 Finnish

2005 2 70 Christian Olsen 6.02 202 10/8/1987 RW Malmo IF Redhawks Jr. Danish

2014 2 71 Igor Vladykovskyi 6.02 200 7/1/1995 F Springfield Jr. Blues American

2009 2 71 Viktor Perezhogin 6.01 190 4/1/1992 LW Omsk Avangard Junior Russian

2015 1 75 Jakob Mayenschein 5.11 167 4/1/1997 C Landshut EV Jr. German

2020 2 82 Artyom Kulakov 6.02 174 2/14/2003 LD St. Petersburg Spartak U17 Russian

2021 2 90 Juraj Slafkovsky 6.03 216 3/30/2004 RW TPS Turku U20 Slovakian

2025 2 93 Julius Saari 6.02 187 3/7/2007 LD Jokerit Finnish

The Erie Otters are thrilled to welcome Luka Arkko home to the Flagship City and are looking forward to having him join the team in the fall.

Check out the Erie Otters Statistics

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from June 30, 2026


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