Spokane’s Preston top CHL player in Button’s latest 2026 NHL Draft rankings
Photo credit: Larry Brunt
The Spokane Chiefs’ Mathis Preston is the highest ranked CHL player in Craig Button’s latest rankings for the 2026 NHL Draft.
TSN’s Director of Scouting has the Chiefs forward at no. 6 on his latest list. In three games this year, Preston has seven points (three goals) while as a rookie a year ago he tallied 23 goals and 45 points in 54 games. He scored nine more times in the postseason as the Chiefs reached the WHL Championship Series.
Preston is closely followed by Niagara’s Ryan Roobroeck and no. 7 and Windsor’s Ethan Belchetz at no. 8.
“They are such a great example of big player skill development,” said Button of the pair. “They are a byproduct of the rule changes that occurred back in 2005. Those big players used to be told just bang around, dump the puck in, go hit, do whatever you want.
“These two players have skill and when you’re 6-foot-4, 6-foot-5 and you have skill? That’s imposing. They’re fascinating players.”
The Top 10 is rounded out by Kitchener’s Oscar Hemming. In total, Button lists 18 CHL players within his current Top 32.
The 2026 NHL Draft will take place next June in a yet to be determined location.
| Ranking | Name | CHL club |
| No. 6 | Mathis Preston | Spokane Chiefs (WHL) |
| No. 7 | Ryan Roobroeck | Niagara Ice Dogs (OHL) |
| No. 8 | Ethan Belchetz | Windsor Spitfires (OHL) |
| No. 10 | Oscar Hemming | Kitchener Rangers (OHL) |
| No. 11 | Ryan Lin | Vancouver Giants (WHL) |
| No. 12 | Chase Reid | Soo Greyhounds (OHL) |
| No. 14 | Adam Novotny | Peterborough Petes (OHL) |
| No. 15 | Carson Carels | Prince George Cougars (WHL) |
| No. 17 | Caleb Malhotra | Brantford Bulldogs (OHL) |
| No. 19 | Daxon Rudolph | Prince Albert Raiders (WHL) |
| No. 20 | Cooper Williams | Saskatoon Blades (WHL) |
| No. 22 | Liam Ruck | Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL) |
| No. 24 | Thomas Vandenberg | Ottawa 67’s (OHL) |
| No. 25 | Xavier Villeneuve | Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (QMJHL) |
| No. 26 | Olivers Murniecks | Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL) |
| No. 29 | Beckham Edwards | Sarnia Sting (OHL) |
| No. 30 | Colin Fitzgerald | Peterborough Petes (OHL) |
| No. 31 | Chase Harrington | Spokane Chiefs (WHL) |
