Final Order Set for Tuesday's 2026 CHL Import Draft
Published on June 29, 2026 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL) News Release
TORONTO, ON - The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) announced today the finalized draft order for the 2026 CHL Import Draft, which will take place tomorrow, Tuesday, June 30, at 11 a.m. ET.
The Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) will select first overall, followed by the Halifax Mooseheads of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), who acquired the second overall selection in a trade with the Baie-Comeau Drakkar. The Lethbridge Hurricanes of the Western Hockey League (WHL) will select third overall, while the Guelph Storm of the OHL, hosts of the 2027 Memorial Cup presented by Kubota, will round out the top four after acquiring the fourth overall selection in a trade with the Erie Otters.
Halifax's move into the No. 2 spot is one of several recent changes reflected in the finalized order, which is listed in full below.
For the second straight year, the CHL Import Draft will consist of three rounds as the CHL enters its second season with three import player spots available on each club's roster. As a reminder, new rules are in effect for this year's draft: 20-year-old import players are eligible to be selected in any round, while 16-year-old import players may only be selected in the first round.
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. If a 16-year-old import player is released to another level of hockey during the regular season or deleted from a club's roster, that club will be limited to two import players for the remainder of the regular season and playoffs.
The Mooseheads have selected within the top three on three previous occasions in CHL Import Draft history, but 2026 marks the first time Halifax will make the second overall selection. At last year's CHL Import Draft, the Mooseheads selected Oleg Kulebiakin ninth overall before adding Finnish forward Jasu Mensonen in the second round at No. 70. Kulebiakin went on to lead Halifax with 73 points in 64 games during the 2025-26 season before being selected 52nd overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning at the 2026 NHL Draft, while Mensonen added 33 points in 64 contests.
Halifax has built one of the CHL Import Draft's strongest track records for developing high-end international talent, with alumni including Jakub Voracek, 2017 first-overall NHL Draft pick Nico Hischier, Timo Meier, Ladislav Nagy, Filip Zadina and 2026 Stanley Cup champion Nikolaj Ehlers.
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. At the 2026 NHL Draft in Buffalo, 22 players previously selected through the CHL Import Draft were chosen by NHL clubs, including 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 2,310 players from outside Canada and the United States have been selected through the annual event. The draft has helped bring many 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 capture their second championship in franchise history.
Fans and media can follow the 2026 CHL Import Draft and view full results beginning tomorrow at 11 a.m. ET at chl.ca/draft.
Finalized Order of Selections for the 2026 CHL Import Draft
First Round Second Round Third Round
No. Team No. Team No. Team
1 Oshawa Generals 62 Brantford Bulldogs (from Oshawa) 123 Oshawa Generals
2 Halifax Mooseheads (from Baie-Comeau) 63 Baie-Comeau Drakkar 124 Baie-Comeau Drakkar
3 Lethbridge Hurricanes 64 Lethbridge Hurricanes 125 Lethbridge Hurricanes
4 Guelph Storm (From Erie) 65 Erie Otters 126 Erie Otters
5 Rimouski Océanic 66 Saint John Sea Dogs (from Chicoutimi via Rimouski) 127 Rimouski Océanic
6 Everett Silvertips (from Swift Current) 67 Swift Current Broncos 128 Swift Current Broncos
7 Brampton Steelheads 68 Brampton Steelheads 129 Brampton Steelheads
8 Gatineau Olympiques 69 Drummondville Voltigeurs (from Gatineau) 130 Gatineau Olympiques
9 Vancouver Giants 70 Vancouver Giants 131 Vancouver Giants
10 Sarnia Sting 71 Sarnia Sting 132 Sarnia Sting
11 Victoriaville Tigres 72 Moncton Wildcats (from Victoriaville) 133 Victoriaville Tigres
12 Tri-City Americans (from Wenatchee) 73 Medicine Hat Tigers (from Everett via Wenatchee) 134 Wenatchee Wild
13 Brantford Bulldogs (From Sudbury) 74 Kitchener Rangers (from Sudbury) 135 Sudbury Wolves
14 Saint John Sea Dogs 75 Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (from Saint John) 136 Saint John Sea Dogs
15 Moose Jaw Warriors 76 Moose Jaw Warriors 137 Moose Jaw Warriors
16 Saginaw Spirit 77 Saginaw Spirit 138 North Bay Battalion (from Saginaw)
17 Val-d'Or Foreurs 78 Chicoutimi Saguenéens (from Saint John via Val-d'Or) 139 Val-d'Or Foreurs
18 Regina Pats (from Red Deer) 79 Red Deer Rebels 140 Red Deer Rebels
19 Erie Otters (from Guelph) 80 Guelph Storm 141 Guelph Storm
20 Baie-Comeau Drakkar (from Halifax) 81 Halifax Mooseheads 142 Halifax Mooseheads
21 Swift Current Broncos (from Tri-City) 82 Calgary Hitmen (from Tri-City) 143 Tri-City Americans
22 Owen Sound Attack 83 Owen Sound Attack 144 Owen Sound Attack
23 Chicoutimi Saguenéens (from Cape Breton) 84 Shawinigan Cataractes (from Cape Breton) 145 Cape Breton Eagles
24 Red Deer Rebels (from Regina Pats) 85 Regina Pats 146 Regina Pats
25 Niagara IceDogs 86 Niagara IceDogs 147 Niagara IceDogs
26 Sherbrooke Phoenix 87 Sherbrooke Phoenix 148 Sherbrooke Phoenix
27 Victoria Royals 88 Penticton Vees (from Victoria) 149 Victoria Royals
28 Flint Firebirds (from Kingston) 89 Flint Firebirds (from Kingston) 150 Kingston Frontenacs
29 Québec Remparts 90 Québec Remparts 151 Québec Remparts
30 Portland Winterhawks 91 Swift Current Broncos (from Portland) 152 Portland Winterhawks
31 Saginaw Spirit (from North Bay) 92 North Bay Battalion 153 North Bay Battalion
32 Charlottetown Islanders 93 Charlottetown Islanders 154 Charlottetown Islanders
33 Kelowna Rockets (from Seattle) 94 Seattle Thunderbirds 155 Seattle Thunderbirds
34 Soo Greyhounds 95 Soo Greyhounds 156 Soo Greyhounds
35 Shawinigan Cataractes 96 Shawinigan Cataractes 157 Cape Breton Eagles (from Shawinigan)
36 Spokane Chiefs 97 Spokane Chiefs 158 Spokane Chiefs
37 Peterborough Petes 98 Peterborough Petes 159 Peterborough Petes
38 Newfoundland Regiment 99 Newfoundland Regiment 160 Newfoundland Regiment
39 Kamloops Blazers 100 Kamloops Blazers 161 Kamloops Blazers
40 London Knights 101 London Knights 162 London Knights
41 Gatineau Olympiques (from Drummondville) 102 Newfoundland Regiment (from Drummondville) 163 Drummondville Voltigeurs
42 Saskatoon Blades 103 Saskatoon Blades 164 Saskatoon Blades
43 Flint Firebirds 104 Kingston Frontenacs (from Flint) 165 Kingston Frontenacs (from Flint)
44 Saint John Sea Dogs (from Blainville-Boisbriand) 105 Blainville-Boisbriand Armada 166 Blainville-Boisbriand Armada
45 Brandon Wheat Kings 106 Brandon Wheat Kings 167 Brandon Wheat Kings
46 Windsor Spitfires 107 Windsor Spitfires 168 Windsor Spitfires
47 Rouyn-Noranda Huskies 108 Rouyn-Noranda Huskies 169 Rouyn-Noranda Huskies
48 Calgary Hitmen 109 Everett Silvertips (from Calgary) 170 Calgary Hitmen
49 Barrie Colts 110 Barrie Colts 171 Barrie Colts
50 Rimouski Océanic (from Chicoutimi) 111 Chicoutimi Saguenéens 172 Chicoutimi Saguenéens
51 Edmonton Oil Kings (from Kelowna) 112 Seattle Thunderbirds (from Kelowna) 173 Kelowna Rockets
52 Ottawa 67's 113 Ottawa 67's 174 Ottawa 67's
53 Moncton Wildcats 114 Moncton Wildcats 175 Moncton Wildcats
54 Saskatoon Blades (from Prince George) 115 Prince George Cougars 176 Prince George Cougars
55 Kitchener Rangers 116 Kitchener Rangers 177 Sudbury Wolves (from Kitchener)
56 Edmonton Oil Kings 117 Edmonton Oil Kings 178 Kelowna Rockets (from Edmonton)
57 Brantford Bulldogs 118 Sudbury Wolves (from Brantford) 179 Oshawa Generals (from Brantford)
58 Victoria Royals (from Penticton) 119 Penticton Vees 180 Penticton Vees
59 Medicine Hat Tigers 120 Medicine Hat Tigers 181 Medicine Hat Tigers
60 Prince Albert Raiders 121 Prince Albert Raiders 182 Prince Albert Raiders
61 Everett Silvertips 122 Everett Silvertips 183 Everett Silvertips
Ontario Hockey League Stories from June 29, 2026
- Final Order Set for Tuesday's 2026 CHL Import Draft - OHL
- Six Spirit Players Receive NHL Development Camp Invites - Saginaw Spirit
- Two Kitchener Rangers Selected in 2026 Upper Deck NHL Entry Level Draft - Kitchener Rangers
- Attack Set for 2026 CHL Import Draft - Owen Sound Attack
- 12 Windsor Spitfires Players Invited to NHL Development Camps - Windsor Spitfires
- Rangers Send 15 Players to NHL Development Camps - Kitchener Rangers
- 4 Knights Selected at 2026 NHL Draft, Extending 58-Year Draft Streak - London Knights
- Andrew Robinson and Caden Harvey Selected by Edmonton Oilers in 2026 NHL Draft - Windsor Spitfires
- Two-Game Packs for Seaway Shootout Now on Sale - Fans Save 20 Percent for a Limited Time - OHL
- Five Attackers Heading to NHL Summer Development Camps - Owen Sound Attack
- Bulldogs Sign UConn Commit Forward Jack Torr - Brantford Bulldogs
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