Oshawa Generals Hold No. 1 Pick for 2026 CHL Import Draft
OHL Ontario Hockey League

Oshawa Generals Hold No. 1 Pick for 2026 CHL Import Draft

Published on June 23, 2026 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL) News Release


TORONTO, ON - The Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) hold the first overall pick in the 2026 CHL Import Draft, set for Tuesday, June 30, at 11 a.m. ET. The Baie-Comeau Drakkar of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) currently hold the No. 2 selection, while the Lethbridge Hurricanes of the Western Hockey League (WHL) own the third overall pick. The Guelph Storm of the OHL, hosts of the 2027 Memorial Cup presented by Kubota, round out the top four after moving up in the draft order last week through a trade with the Erie Otters (see the complete draft order 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. Under updated rules for the 2026 CHL Import Draft, 20-year-old import players will be eligible to be selected in any round, while 16-year-old import players may also be selected, but only in the first round. CHL clubs may carry a maximum of one 16-year-old import player per season, and 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. CHL clubs have been permitted to trade selections in the 2027 CHL Import Draft since May 5, 2026, while 2026 selections may continue to be traded until Monday, June 29.

For the first time in the history of the CHL Import Draft, the Oshawa Generals hold the first overall pick. It also marks the first time the Generals have held a top-five selection at the event, with their only previous top-10 pick coming in 2010 when they chose Danish forward Nicklas Jensen eighth overall. Last year, Oshawa selected Onni Kalto 41st overall with its first pick in the 2025 CHL Import Draft, and the Finnish forward went on to become one of four Generals skaters to reach the 20-goal plateau, finishing with 29 points over 62 games during the 2025-26 season. Oshawa's third-round pick, Vadim Smirnov, also contributed 21 points, including 10 goals, across 61 contests. Over the years, the Generals have developed several notable import talents, including Swedish forward Tobias Lindberg, who helped Oshawa capture both the OHL Championship and Memorial Cup in 2015, Danish first-round NHL Draft pick Nicklas Jensen, Czech defenceman Jan Snopek, and recent Finnish standout Rasmus Kumpulainen.

Although the Baie-Comeau Drakkar have twice selected first overall in the history of the CHL Import Draft, 2026 marks the first time the club has held the No. 2 pick at the event. At last year's CHL Import Draft, the Drakkar used their first-round pick, 36th overall, to select Italian forward Jacopo De Luca, who became just the seventh Italian player ever chosen in the history of the draft. De Luca went on to record 25 points in 56 games during the 2025-26 season, finishing fifth in team scoring, while third-round pick Filip Vlk of Czechia added seven goals and seven assists over 55 contests. Baie-Comeau has also built a strong track record of developing talent through the CHL Import Draft, highlighted by Russian forwards Valentin Zykov and Ivan Chekhovich, who both delivered high-end offensive seasons with the Drakkar, along with Czech forward Matyas Melovsky, a 200-point producer during his time in Baie-Comeau, and Latvian defenceman Niks Fenenko, a steady presence on the club's blue line over three seasons.

The Lethbridge Hurricanes hold the third overall pick of the 2026 CHL Import Draft, marking the second time in franchise history they have held the No. 3 selection and the third time they have owned a top-three pick at the event. At last year's draft, the Hurricanes selected Czech defenceman Tomas Malinek in the second round, and he went on to record six points over 59 games during the 2025-26 season. Lethbridge also added Lithuanian forward Mykolas Skadauskas, one of just four Lithuanian players ever selected in the CHL Import Draft and one of the first two taken in 17 years, who registered six assists across 34 regular-season games. Over the years, the Hurricanes have successfully used the CHL Import Draft to add players who made an immediate impact in Lethbridge and carried that success beyond the WHL, from Slovak forward Tomas Kopecky and Swiss defenceman Luca Sbisa to Finnish goaltender Juha Metsola, who helped backstop the club to the 2008 WHL Championship Series.

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 2025 NHL Draft in Los Angeles, six CHL players selected through the CHL Import Draft were chosen by NHL clubs: Radim Mrtka (Seattle Thunderbirds, WHL / Buffalo Sabres), Max Pšenička (Portland Winterhawks, WHL / Utah Mammoth), Julius Sumpf (Moncton Wildcats, QMJHL / Chicago Blackhawks), David Lewandowski (Saskatoon Blades, WHL / Edmonton Oilers), Carlos Händel (Halifax Mooseheads, QMJHL / Montréal Canadiens), and Filip Ekberg (Ottawa 67's, OHL / Carolina Hurricanes).

The event has also helped bring a number 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 capture their second championship in franchise history.

Since the first CHL Import Draft was held in 1992, over 2,310 players from outside of Canada and the United States have been selected at this annual event.

On Tuesday, June 30, fans and media can follow along with the 2026 CHL Import Draft and view full results at chl.ca/draft.

Order of Selections for the 2026 CHL Import Draft (as of 11:00 a.m. ET on June 23)

First Round Second Round Third Round

No. Team No. Team No. Team

1 Oshawa Generals 62 Brantford Bulldogs (from Oshawa) 123 Oshawa Generals

2 Baie-Comeau Drakkar 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 Chicoutimi Saguenéens (from 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 Gatineau Olympiques 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 Everett Silvertips (from 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 Saint John Sea Dogs (from 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 Halifax Mooseheads 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 Seattle Thunderbirds 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 Drummondville Voltigeurs 102 Drummondville Voltigeurs 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 Kelowna Rockets 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

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