New for this year’s draft, 20-year-old import players will be eligible to be selected in any round, while 16-year-old import players may only be selected in the first round.

Your Charlottetown Islanders will make the 32nd overall selection in the 2026 CHL Import Draft, set for Tuesday, June 30, at 11 a.m. ET. The Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) hold the first overall selection, followed by the Baie-Comeau Drakkar of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) and the Lethbridge Hurricanes of the Western Hockey League (WHL).

(See the complete draft order below.)

The Islanders also own the 93rd overall selection in the second round and the 154th overall pick in the third round.

Charlottetown enters this year’s draft with all three import roster spots available, President and General Manager Scott Harris and the Islanders with an exciting opportunity to add impact talent to the lineup ahead of the 2026-27 season.

“The Import Draft is one of the best opportunities to add high-end talent to your organization. This is a draft we’re really excited about. Having three import spots available gives us a unique opportunity to be aggressive. My extensive background in NHL scouting has allowed me to develop a strong network internationally and we’re going to lean on that experience throughout this process,” said President & General Manager Scott Harris. “We believe there are some difference-makers available, and we’re looking forward to bringing that type of talent to Charlottetown.”

The club’s import roster opens following the departures of forwards Ivan Ryabkin and Nikita Voyaga. Ryabkin made an immediate impact after being selected 21st overall by the Islanders in the 2025 CHL Import Draft, joining the team midway through the season and quickly establishing himself as one of the league’s most dynamic offensive players. The Russian forward finished the regular season with 13 goals and 29 assists for 42 points in just 20 games, before adding four goals and five assists for nine points in six playoff games. Ryabkin has since re-joined the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League, helping the club reach the Calder Cup Finals.

With a clean slate of import positions available, the Islanders have the flexibility to make a significant splash in this year’s draft and continue building an exciting young roster.

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 removed 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.

The Islanders have found success through the CHL Import Draft over the years. In 2020, Charlottetown selected Jakub Brabenec with the 35th overall pick, while in 2017, the club selected Nikita Alexandrov with the 50th overall selection. Most recently, the Islanders struck gold with Ryabkin in 2025, whose remarkable production in a short span showcased the impact an elite import player can have on a team’s success.

The CHL Import Draft has 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), along with recent 2026 Stanley Cup champions Andrei Svechnikov (Barrie Colts / OHL) and Nikolaj Ehlers (Halifax Mooseheads / QMJHL).

Since the first CHL Import Draft was held in 1992, more than 2,300 players from outside Canada and the United States have been selected through the annual event.

Fans can follow along with the 2026 CHL Import Draft and view the complete results here beginning at 11 a.m. ET on Tuesday, June 30.

Order of Selections for the 2026 CHL Import Draft (as of June 23rd)

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