Five New Import Players to Watch in 2026–27

Egor Shilov, Oleg Kulebiakin, Marek Danicek…

It happens every year: QMJHL teams are always able to add high-end players thanks to the Canadian Hockey League’s Import Draft, and these players quickly establish themselves among the league’s stars.

The 2026 draft took place on June 30, and a few names have already caught fans’ attention during preseason games. Who are they? There are several, and some will break out during the 2026–27 season, but in this article, we’re highlighting just five players to keep an eye on.

The Victoriaville Tigres, among others, greatly benefited from the impact of their import players last season. Both drafted in 2025, Shilov (82 points) and Alexey Vlasov (80 points) finished in the top 10 in QMJHL scoring.

Victoriaville’s Shilov (Colorado Avalanche, 2nd round), Halifax’s Kulebiakin (Tampa Bay Lightning, 2nd round), and Gatineau netminder Danai Shaiikov (New York Rangers, 3rd round) all ended up being selected in the first three rounds of the 2026 NHL Draft.

In fact, the QMJHL will be even more worth watching when it comes to the 2027 NHL Draft class. Beyond players like Alexis Joseph, Carter Meyer, and Malik L’Italien, some European prospects have very intriguing profiles, with a few of them even being considered in the first round.

Here’s a look at today’s five.

 

2nd overall, Halifax Mooseheads: Paul Sintschnig, left wing, Austria

At age 16, Paul Sintschnig achieved an extremely rare feat by spending the 2025–26 season in the ICEHL, Austria’s top professional league. In fact, with seven points in 32 games, he holds the league record for a player under 17 in both categories. Playing notably on the same line as former NHLer Brett Ritchie, he even appeared in a few games with the Austrian national team. Baie-Comeau Drakkar forwards Jonathan Oschgan (20th overall) and David Waschnig (63rd overall) had the same privilege, but they were 17 and 18 years old, respectively.

Despite his young age, Sintschnig displayed surprising speed and physical strength against much more experienced opponents. He has a good understanding of the game, is responsible in his own zone, and puts in excellent effort. The Austrian will be one to watch with the Mooseheads, especially since the team also drafted his fellow Villacher SV teammate, Nico Uschan, in the second round (81st overall).

 

5th overall, Rimouski Océanic: Maxmilian Mares, center, Czechia

Maxmilian Mares gave a first glimpse of what he can bring to his new team last month at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup. He impressed scouts so much that he is now considered a potential first-round prospect for the 2027 NHL Draft. As a 6-foot-6 center, he tied for the scoring lead for Czechia with six points in four games.

The Rimouski Océanic’s first-round pick—fifth overall in the 2026 CHL Import Draft—causes a lot of headaches on the ice. Not only is he physically imposing, but he’s also strong in the faceoff circle and excels at driving the net, where he has a knack for pouncing on loose pucks.

Mares is fast, has good hands, and loves to disrupt the opposition with hard hits. He should be a good fit for the Bas-Saint-Laurent team’s philosophy.

 

35th overall, Shawinigan Cataractes: Vladimir Shtyrkhunov, defenseman, Russia

It was considered a risky pick in the draft, but one that ultimately paid off for the Shawinigan Cataractes, as Vladimir Shtyrkhunov is now in the Mauricie region. Considered the best defenseman in an excellent Russian draft class in 2027, he tied for seventh in scoring among MHL blueliners last season, with 32 points in 55 games.

Although he is small in stature, this d-man is dynamic with the puck. He excels at clearing the zone, is very agile, and uses his high IQ to create scoring opportunities—whether by taking shots himself or finding open teammates. Shtyrkhunov’s physical strength in scrambles in front of the net remains a question mark, but he covers his zone well and is active with his stick. He’s a pleasure to watch when on the ice.

 

53rd overall, Moncton Wildcats: Yegor Rybkin, goaltender, Russia

Yegor Rybkin is the import player selected by a QMJHL team that was taken the highest in the NHL Draft in 2026, having been picked in the third round (89th overall) by the Los Angeles Kings last June. At 6 feet 6 inches, his size is clearly his most intriguing attribute. And who knows—he might have been selected even higher if his season hadn’t ended in November due to an injury.

For such a big-bodied goaltender, Rybkin is very quick on his feet. He moves well and uses his strong push-offs to make excellent glides from post to post. The Russian always reads the play well and covers his net effectively, especially thanks to the strong positioning of both his glove and blocker.

 

78th overall, Chicoutimi Saguenéens: Patriks Plumins, goaltender, Latvia

Like Rybkin, Patriks Plumins was also selected in the most recent NHL Draft, in the fourth round (114th overall) by the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Latvian netminder particularly caught the attention of scouts at the most recent World Under-18 Championship, where he was named the tournament’s top goaltender. Playing for a team with limited depth, he finished second in save percentage (.947) and fifth in goals-against average (1.62).

At 6 feet 3 inches, Plumins has an excellent frame. But he also possesses good technique to limit openings in his net, is quick on his feet, and reads the play well in front of him. He also added valuable experience during the Maple Leafs’ rookie camp.

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Honorable mentions: Matyas Cancik (Saint John, 14th overall), Jonathan Oschgan (Baie-Comeau, 20th overall), Artyom Mate (Charlottetown, 32nd overall), Artem Glukhikh (Gatineau, 41st overall), Jiko Laitinen (Moncton, 72nd overall)