Giants Select Vickers & Jugnauth in First Round of WHL Prospects Draft
WHL Vancouver Giants

Giants Select Vickers & Jugnauth in First Round of WHL Prospects Draft

Published on May 6, 2026 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Vancouver Giants News Release


Ladner, B.C. - The Vancouver Giants made two selections in the first round of the 2026 WHL Prospects Draft on Wednesday, taking defenceman Eli Vickers from Delta Hockey Academy U15 Prep with the third overall pick and then selecting forward Brayden Jugnauth from the U18 Okanagan Rockets with the fourth overall pick.

The Giants began the evening by trading down, sending the second overall selection in 2026 to Wenatchee in exchange for the third overall pick in 2026, a first-round pick in 2030, a second-round pick in 2027 and a second-round pick in 2028.

The Giants then used the third overall pick to take Vickers, a 5-foot-9 smooth-skating defenceman who was named the Top Defenceman in the U15 Prep division of the CSSHL this past season. He led all U15 prep blueliners with 62 points in 30 games, thanks to 22 goals and 40 assists.

"First and foremost, Eli Vickers is a real fine young man," Giants Head Scout Terry Bonner said. "He does everything really, really well. He wants the puck. He makes plays...and he's second to none in his work ethic for the game. His awareness is really good. He angles, contains and finishes checks really well [and has] good gap control. He just plays hard."

The left-shot rearguard finished fifth among all U15 prep skaters in points. Having been part of Delta's 2025 CSSHL Western Championship team, Vickers had 98 points in 65 career U15 Prep games, second-most all-time among defensemen.

The Surrey native was ranked as the top defenceman by Elite Prospects in their 2026 WHL Draft rankings.

"Arguably the best skater in the draft class, he's extremely fluid, elite off his edges, and explosive across the rink. That mobility powers his defensive game, eliminating plays with tight gaps," EP's ranking said. "Vickers is also a high-end thinker, scanning, anticipating, and reading plays. He's a strong playmaker, finding high-value passing lanes, and a highly skilled handler...Vickers projects as a top-pair defenceman. His game is as plug-and-play as they come, too."

Jugnauth is a cerebral centre who was named the U18 player of the year in the BC Elite Hockey League (BCEHL) this past season after producing 58 points (32G-26A) in 34 games. He added nine goals and nine assists for 18 points in just six playoff games, helping the Rockets win back-to-back U18 Championships as a 14-year-old.

"We really felt that he was one of the top forwards available in the draft, so we're really excited to get him in that spot," Giants Director of Scouting Kelly Kursteiner said. "He's an elite level player. He had an outstanding year at the U18 level. He does some very highly skilled things. He's a great skater. He can really score. So we're really excited to get him."

Jugnauth's 32 goals led the BCEHL and his 58 points were second. Jugnauth and the Rockets captured their second straight Pacific Regional Championship, advancing to the TELUS Cup National Championship where they reached the semifinal, largely thanks to Jugnauth's 11 points in seven games (6G-5A).

The Kelowna native was ranked 3rd overall by Elite Prospects in their 2026 WHL Draft rankings.

"Jugnauth is able to control games with his brain," EP's ranking said. "It starts away from the puck, as he's always open, intercepting breakouts and spacing the ice. With possession, he's a deadly shooter, firing off the catch, off the rush, and from sharp angles. Plus, he's a skilled playmaker who creates time and space with dishes, particularly in transition. While Jugnauth's not an explosive skater, his relatively thin frame suggests he has a lot more room to develop. His stock has skyrocketed this season, jumping from 14th on our first ranking to a surefire top-five pick and looking like a future first-line centre."

The second round of the 2026 WHL Prospects Draft takes place online on Thursday morning, starting at 8 a.m. PT.

The Giants hold the 26th overall pick, 33rd overall pick and 49th overall pick, plus additional picks in Round 7 and beyond.

All draft results are available or at Vancouvergiants.com. All picks will also be announced on the Giants social media channels.

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Western Hockey League Stories from May 6, 2026


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