[{"id":69149,"date":"2026-06-30T14:27:01","date_gmt":"2026-06-30T18:27:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl-attack\/?p=69149"},"modified":"2026-06-30T14:27:01","modified_gmt":"2026-06-30T18:27:01","slug":"attack-add-size-skill-and-international-experience-in-2026-chl-import-draft","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl-attack\/article\/attack-add-size-skill-and-international-experience-in-2026-chl-import-draft","title":{"rendered":"Attack Add Size, Skill and International Experience in 2026 CHL Import Draft"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]The Owen Sound Attack added two promising international players to the organization’s future on Wednesday, selecting Slovak defenceman Roderik \u010cern\u00e1k in the first round (22nd overall) and Russian left winger Mikhail Melikov in the second round (83rd overall) of the 2026 CHL Import Draft.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The annual Import Draft allows Canadian Hockey League clubs to strengthen their rosters by selecting elite players from outside North America, and the Attack used both selections to address key areas with a talented blueliner and a dynamic offensive forward.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

2026 CHL Import Draft Selections<\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Round 1 Pick 23<\/span><\/i> – <\/span>Roderik Cernak | RD | Slovakia<\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

With their first-round selection, Owen Sound chose 6-foot-3 Slovak defenceman Roderik \u010cern\u00e1k, a smooth-skating, two-way defender regarded as one of the top young blueline prospects in Slovakia.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u010cern\u00e1k spent the 2025-26 season developing in HC Slovan Bratislava’s U20 program while also gaining experience against older competition. Known for his size, mobility and poise with the puck, the right-shot defender plays a mature, reliable game in all three zones.\u00a0 He finished the regular season with 14 points (4 goals + 10 assists).\u00a0 Cernak also played in four games at this year’s Hlinka Gretzky cup representing Team Slovakia\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe are incredibly excited to select Roderik Cernak. Cernak is a large, strong, and physical, right-handed shot defenseman, that addresses a need on our D-Core. We feel that he will be a challenge for opposing teams to play against and make the Attack better next season,\u201d said Team President and General Manager Tyler Nother.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

His ability to break the puck out efficiently, close gaps defensively and contribute offensively from the back end makes him an intriguing addition to the Attack blue line. \u010cern\u00e1k has also represented Slovakia internationally, gaining valuable experience against many of the world’s top players in his age group.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u010cern\u00e1k comes to the Scenic City as a player with significant upside and the potential to make an immediate impact.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Round 2 Pick 83 <\/span><\/i>– <\/span>Mikhail Melikov | LW | Russia<\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In the second round, the Attack selected skilled Russian forward Mikhail Melikov, adding another offensive weapon to the organization’s prospect pool.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Born in Moskva, RUS., Melikov played 60 games this past season with the MHK Dynamo Moskva where he completed the regular season with 35 goals and 87 total points. Melikov led the MHL in points (87), assists (52), and was fourth in goals (35).<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMikhail Melikov was the top producing player in the MHL last season in Russia. We feel that Mikhail is a proven goal scorer, has tremendous offensive instincts, and has the ability to become a top producing player in our league, and will complement our returning forward group,\u201d said Nother.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Melikov is an intelligent, creative forward who combines strong puck skills with excellent vision and offensive instincts. Comfortable playing both centre and wing, he has consistently demonstrated the ability to create scoring opportunities for both himself and his teammates.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Throughout his development in Russia, Melikov has earned a reputation for his hockey IQ, quick release and ability to produce in key situations. His competitiveness and willingness to play in all situations make him a well-rounded forward with exciting offensive potential.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Attack believe Melikov’s skill set and offensive creativity fit well within the organization’s up-tempo style of play and provide another exciting piece for the club’s future.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]The Owen Sound Attack added two promising international players to the organization’s future on Wednesday, selecting Slovak defenceman Roderik \u010cern\u00e1k in the first round (22nd overall) and Russian left winger Mikhail Melikov in the second round (83rd overall) of the 2026 CHL Import Draft.   The annual Import Draft allows Canadian Hockey League clubs…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":637,"featured_media":69150,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"article","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[185],"tags":false,"class_list":["post-69149","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-article","category-185","description-off"],"acf":[],"featured_image":["https:\/\/media.chl.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2026\/06\/30142619\/chlimportdraftweb.jpg",1366,768,false],"hide_from_app_feed":false,"video":false,"gallery":null,"ht_game_id":0,"target_video":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl-attack\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69149","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl-attack\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl-attack\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl-attack\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/637"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl-attack\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=69149"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl-attack\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69149\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":69151,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl-attack\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69149\/revisions\/69151"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl-attack\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/69150"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl-attack\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=69149"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl-attack\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=69149"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl-attack\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=69149"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":69137,"date":"2026-06-29T16:00:16","date_gmt":"2026-06-29T20:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl-attack\/?p=69137"},"modified":"2026-06-29T15:45:32","modified_gmt":"2026-06-29T19:45:32","slug":"attack-set-for-2026-chl-import-draft","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl-attack\/article\/attack-set-for-2026-chl-import-draft","title":{"rendered":"Attack Set for 2026 CHL Import Draft"},"content":{"rendered":"

OWEN SOUND, ON\u00a0\u2013 Fresh off seeing four players selected in the 2026 NHL Draft, the Owen Sound Attack now turn their attention to the next opportunity to add elite international talent when the Canadian Hockey League conducts its annual CHL Import Draft on Tuesday beginning at 11am.<\/p>\n

The Import Draft has become an important avenue for organizations across the CHL to identify and recruit some of the world’s top young hockey talent. As of last season, teams are now permitted to carry a maximum of three import players on their roster, and as such are permitted to make a maximum of three picks in the draft.\u00a0 With the Attack\u2019s recent signing of 2025 CHL Import pick Lucian Bernat, the Bears will be eligible to make a maximum of two picks at this year\u2019s CHL Import Draft.\u00a0 They hold the 23rd<\/sup>, 83rd<\/sup> and 144th<\/sup> overall picks for the upcoming draft.<\/p>\n

Throughout franchise history, the Attack have built an impressive tradition of identifying and developing elite international talent through the CHL Import Draft. Since 2000, the organization has selected players from Slovakia, Czechia, Finland, Latvia and Belarus, many of whom have gone on to successful professional careers, including the NHL.<\/p>\n

Among the most notable imports in franchise history are\u00a0Andrej Sekera (Slovakia), who played over 800 NHL games after beginning his North American career in Owen Sound;\u00a0\u0160tefan Ru\u017ei\u010dka (Slovakia), one of the organization’s first impact imports and a prolific scorer;\u00a0Tomas Kana (Czechia), a dependable two-way forward;\u00a0Damir Sharipzyanov (Russia), who has gone on to become one of the KHL’s top defencemen;\u00a0Petrus Palmu (Finland), an electrifying offensive talent and NHL Draft pick of the Vancouver Canucks;\u00a0Maksim Sushko (Belarus), who represented Belarus internationally and played in the NHL for the Philadelphia Flyers;\u00a0Art\u016brs Gavrus (Latvia),\u00a0Richard Berzins (Latvia),\u00a0Milan Doczy (Slovakia),\u00a0Stepan Mach\u00e1\u010dek (Czechia)\u00a0and, most recently,\u00a0Serv\u00e1c Petrovsk\u00fd (Slovakia), who helped lead the Attack during his three seasons in Owen Sound before signing a professional contract.<\/p>\n

RECENT CHL IMPORT DRAFT RULE CHANGES<\/strong><\/p>\n

Under updated rules announced last week 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\u2019s roster, that club will be limited to two import players for the remainder of the regular season and playoffs.<\/p>\n

Fans can follow the 2026 CHL Import Draft through the CHL’s live tracker (click here)<\/a> or through the Attack\u2019s Struyk Energy Systems social media feeds by following @AttackOHL as the next generation of international stars officially begins their journey with your Owen Sound Attack.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

OWEN SOUND, ON\u00a0\u2013 Fresh off seeing four players selected in the 2026 NHL Draft, the Owen Sound Attack now turn their attention to the next opportunity to add elite international talent when the Canadian Hockey League conducts its annual CHL Import Draft on Tuesday beginning at 11am. The Import Draft has become an important avenue…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":226,"featured_media":69143,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"article","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[185],"tags":false,"class_list":["post-69137","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-article","category-185","description-off"],"acf":[],"featured_image":["https:\/\/media.chl.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2026\/06\/29154436\/Facebook-Post-2026-CHL-Import-Draft-Preview.png",1920,1080,false],"hide_from_app_feed":false,"video":false,"gallery":null,"ht_game_id":0,"target_video":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl-attack\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69137","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl-attack\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl-attack\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl-attack\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/226"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl-attack\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=69137"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl-attack\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69137\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":69144,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl-attack\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69137\/revisions\/69144"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl-attack\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/69143"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl-attack\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=69137"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl-attack\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=69137"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl-attack\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=69137"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":69135,"date":"2026-06-29T10:00:59","date_gmt":"2026-06-29T14:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl-attack\/?p=69135"},"modified":"2026-06-29T10:55:22","modified_gmt":"2026-06-29T14:55:22","slug":"five-attackers-heading-to-nhl-summer-development-camps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl-attack\/article\/five-attackers-heading-to-nhl-summer-development-camps","title":{"rendered":"Six Attackers Heading to NHL Summer Development Camps"},"content":{"rendered":"

OWEN SOUND, ON \u2013 The Owen Sound Attack are proud to announce that six current players and one alumnus will be headed to NHL Summer Developments Camps this week.<\/p>\n

Leading the way are four current Attack players selected in the 2026 NHL Draft. Forward\u00a0Pierce Mbuyi\u00a0will attend the Pittsburgh Penguins Development Camp after being selected by the club, while import forward\u00a0Lucian Bernat\u00a0heads to the Vancouver Canucks Development Camp. Defenceman\u00a0Cole Zurawski\u00a0will participate in the Florida Panthers Development Camp, and forward\u00a0Wesley Royston\u00a0has been invited to the Montr\u00e9al Canadiens Development Camp.<\/p>\n

The Attack will also be represented by defencemen Elliot Arnett who has received an invite to Tampa Bay Lightning Development Camp, forward Harry Nansi who will be attending the Toronto Maple Leafs Development Camp, and alumnus Landen Hookey who will be attending the Ottawa Senators Development Camp.<\/p>\n

NHL Development Camps take place this week and provide drafted players and invited prospects with their first opportunity to work directly with NHL coaching, player development, strength and conditioning, and medical staffs. Throughout the week, players participate in on-ice skill sessions, fitness testing, classroom instruction, and scrimmages designed to prepare them for professional hockey.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

OWEN SOUND, ON \u2013 The Owen Sound Attack are proud to announce that six current players and one alumnus will be headed to NHL Summer Developments Camps this week. Leading the way are four current Attack players selected in the 2026 NHL Draft. Forward\u00a0Pierce Mbuyi\u00a0will attend the Pittsburgh Penguins Development Camp after being selected by…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":226,"featured_media":69139,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"article","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[185],"tags":[{"term_id":728,"name":"Elliot Arnett","slug":"elliot-arnett","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":728,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":1,"filter":"raw","term_order":"0"},{"term_id":720,"name":"Lucian Bernat","slug":"lucian-bernat","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":720,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":3,"filter":"raw","term_order":"1"},{"term_id":677,"name":"Wesley Royston","slug":"wesley-royston","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":677,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":11,"filter":"raw","term_order":"40"},{"term_id":656,"name":"Cole Zurawski","slug":"cole-zurawski","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":656,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":15,"filter":"raw","term_order":"56"},{"term_id":553,"name":"Pierce Mbuyi","slug":"pierce-mbuyi","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":553,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":26,"filter":"raw","term_order":"146"},{"term_id":377,"name":"Landen Hookey","slug":"landen-hookey","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":378,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":11,"filter":"raw","term_order":"445"}],"class_list":["post-69135","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-article","tag-elliot-arnett","tag-lucian-bernat","tag-wesley-royston","tag-cole-zurawski","tag-pierce-mbuyi","tag-landen-hookey","category-185","description-off"],"acf":[],"featured_image":["https:\/\/media.chl.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2026\/06\/29093646\/2026-NHL-Summer-Development-Camp.png",1536,1024,false],"hide_from_app_feed":false,"video":false,"gallery":null,"ht_game_id":0,"target_video":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl-attack\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69135","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl-attack\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl-attack\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl-attack\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/226"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl-attack\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=69135"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl-attack\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69135\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":69142,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl-attack\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69135\/revisions\/69142"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl-attack\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/69139"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl-attack\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=69135"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl-attack\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=69135"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl-attack\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=69135"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":69132,"date":"2026-06-27T22:08:23","date_gmt":"2026-06-28T02:08:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl-attack\/?p=69132"},"modified":"2026-06-28T09:29:04","modified_gmt":"2026-06-28T13:29:04","slug":"four-bears-taken-at-2026-nhl-draft","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl-attack\/article\/four-bears-taken-at-2026-nhl-draft","title":{"rendered":"Four Bears Taken at 2026 NHL Draft"},"content":{"rendered":"

BUFFALO, NY<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\u2013<\/strong> The Owen Sound Attack celebrated another successful NHL Draft weekend as four current players heard their names called during the\u00a02026 NHL Draft, held June 26-27 in Buffalo, New York.<\/p>\n

Attack Captain and forward\u00a0Pierce Mbuyi\u00a0kicked it off for the Attack being selected by the\u00a0Pittsburgh Penguins in the 3rdround, 86th overall.\u00a0 Then import forward\u00a0Lucian Bernat\u00a0started a frenzy of players being selected in the 6th round when he was taken by the\u00a0Vancouver Canucks 176th overall.\u00a0 Five picks later forward\u00a0Cole Zurawski\u00a0was heard his name called by the\u00a0Florida 181st overall and then nine picks later winger Wesley Royston was selected by the\u00a0Montr\u00e9al Canadiens190th overall, further strengthening the Attack’s long-standing reputation as one of the Ontario Hockey League’s premier development organizations.<\/p>\n

The quartet joins an impressive list of Attack players who have heard their names called the NHL Draft, continuing the organization’s tradition of preparing players for the next level.<\/p>\n

“On behalf of the Owen Sound Attack, we would like to congratulate Pierce, Lucian, Cole, Wes, and their families on being selected in the 2026 NHL Draft,” said Attack President and General Manager Tyler Nother. \u00a0“This is a tremendous accomplishment and a testament to the hard work, dedication, and commitment each of these young men has shown throughout their time with our organization.”<\/p>\n

“As we turn our focus to the next chapter of Owen Sound Attack hockey, we’re proud to be building a player-first organization that is committed to developing elite talent both on and off the ice. Our goal is to consistently produce talent for the National Hockey League.\u201d<\/p>\n

“We’re excited to welcome everyone back to the Bayshore in late August, and to begin a new chapter in the development of the next generation of Owen Sound Attack players.”<\/p>\n

Interesting Connections<\/h3>\n

Mbuyi becomes the first Attack player to be selected by the Penguins since Jaden Lindo in 2014, while Bernat becomes the first Attack player since 2017 to go to the Canucks, when they selected Jonah Gadjovich and Petrus Palmu.\u00a0 Zurawski and Royston join organizations with direct alumni connections.\u00a0 Zurawski will join a Panthers organization that features the previously mentioned Gadjovich, while Royston will get the opportunity to learn the ropes under the tutelage of former Attack Captain and current Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki.<\/p>\n

The foursome of Attack players will now prepare themselves for summer development camps, which will be announced by their NHL teams in the coming days and weeks.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

BUFFALO, NY\u00a0\u2013 The Owen Sound Attack celebrated another successful NHL Draft weekend as four current players heard their names called during the\u00a02026 NHL Draft, held June 26-27 in Buffalo, New York. Attack Captain and forward\u00a0Pierce Mbuyi\u00a0kicked it off for the Attack being selected by the\u00a0Pittsburgh Penguins in the 3rdround, 86th overall.\u00a0 Then import forward\u00a0Lucian Bernat\u00a0started…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":226,"featured_media":69133,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"article","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[185],"tags":[{"term_id":720,"name":"Lucian Bernat","slug":"lucian-bernat","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":720,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":3,"filter":"raw","term_order":"1"},{"term_id":677,"name":"Wesley Royston","slug":"wesley-royston","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":677,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":11,"filter":"raw","term_order":"40"},{"term_id":656,"name":"Cole Zurawski","slug":"cole-zurawski","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":656,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":15,"filter":"raw","term_order":"56"},{"term_id":553,"name":"Pierce 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NHL Draft Media Availability: Pierce Mbuyi \u2013 Pittsburgh Penguins"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":226,"featured_media":69131,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"video","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[459],"tags":[{"term_id":553,"name":"Pierce 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NHL Draft Preview: Owen Sound Attack Well Represented"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Owen Sound Attack enter the 2026 NHL Draft with one of the deepest groups of draft-eligible talent the organization has had in several years. Headlined by forwards Pierce Mbuyi, Cole Zurawski, Wesley Royston and Lucian Bernat, the Attack could see multiple players hear their names called in Buffalo, while several others have positioned themselves as intriguing late-round selections or free-agent camp candidates.<\/p>\n

With five first-time eligible players drawing legitimate NHL interest and a former NHL draft pick joining the organization in Ryerson Leenders, NHL scouts have spent plenty of time in Owen Sound throughout the season.<\/p>\n

The Headliners<\/strong><\/p>\n

Pierce Mbuyi \u2013 LW<\/strong><\/p>\n

Pierce Mbuyi enters the draft as Owen Sound’s top prospect after a rookie season that saw him with the OHL Rookie of the Year and following that up with a breakout season that showcased his combination of speed, offensive instincts and competitiveness. Ranked 56th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings, Mbuyi projects as a player who could be selected in the second through fourth rounds depending on how teams value his offensive upside.<\/p>\n

His ability to create offense off the rush, attack defenders one-on-one and contribute in all situations has made him one of the most watched Attack players throughout the year.<\/p>\n

Projected Draft Range:<\/strong>\u00a0Rounds 2-4<\/p>\n

Cole Zurawski \u2013 RW<\/strong><\/p>\n

If there was a player whose stock climbed steadily throughout the season, it was Cole Zurawski. His consistent offensive production, high hockey IQ and responsible two-way game earned him the 59th ranking among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting.<\/p>\n

Zurawski has developed into a reliable top-six winger capable of playing in all situations. His compete level and versatility should appeal to NHL organizations looking for dependable middle-six projections.<\/p>\n

Projected Draft Range:<\/strong>\u00a0Rounds 2-4<\/p>\n

Lucian Bernat \u2013 LW<\/strong><\/p>\n

Although recently signed by the Attack after being selected in the 2025 CHL Import Draft, Lucian Bernat already arrives with NHL interest following his development in Europe. His international experience and offensive instincts make him an intriguing longer-term NHL prospect.<\/p>\n

His strong performance with his club team in Finland combined with outstanding performances for Slovakia on the international stage, garnered him the 39th<\/sup> ranking amongst international skaters in NHL Central Scouting\u2019s final draft rankings.<\/p>\n

Projected Draft Range:<\/strong>\u00a0Rounds 2-4<\/p>\n

Wesley Royston \u2013 RW<\/strong><\/p>\n

At 6-foot-4, Wesley Royston possesses the size NHL teams covet. Combined with improving offensive production and a physical style of play, Royston climbed into NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings at 80th among North American skaters.<\/p>\n

His ceiling will depend on continued offensive development, but his frame, reach and willingness to play a power game give him intriguing long-term upside.<\/p>\n

Projected Draft Range:<\/strong>\u00a0Rounds 4-6<\/p>\n

Players Looking to Climb Draft Boards<\/strong><\/p>\n

Julian Brown \u2013 D<\/strong><\/p>\n

Julian Brown has quietly developed into another prospect attracting NHL attention. His skating and offensive creativity have earned regular viewings from scouts earning himself the 169th<\/sup> ranking among North American Skaters by NHL Central Scouting.<\/p>\n

Brown projects as a player capable of earning consideration in the later rounds.<\/p>\n

Projected Draft Range:<\/strong>\u00a0Rounds 6-7 \/ Free Agent Camp<\/p>\n

Elliot Arnett \u2013 D<\/strong><\/p>\n

One of Owen Sound’s most dependable blueliners, Elliot Arnett combines mobility with strong defensive awareness. While landing 220th<\/sup> in NHL Central Scouting’s final North American rankings, he has remained on NHL scouting radars throughout the season and could hear his name called late in the draft or earn multiple development camp invitations.<\/p>\n

Projected Draft Range:<\/strong>\u00a0Rounds 6-7 \/ Free Agent Camp<\/p>\n

Could Ryerson Leenders Be Drafted Again?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Goaltender Ryerson Leenders presents one of the more unique stories surrounding the Attack entering draft weekend.<\/p>\n

Originally selected by the Buffalo Sabres in the seventh round (219th overall) of the 2024 NHL Draft, Leenders’ NHL rights have since expired, making him eligible to be selected again in 2026 under NHL draft rules.<\/p>\n

Now joining Owen Sound after a successful OHL career to date, Leenders offers NHL clubs an experienced goaltender with international experience and over 100 OHL games under his belt. Should a team believe his development trajectory continues upward, he could become one of the rare players selected twice in the NHL Draft.<\/p>\n

Unranked But Worth Watching<\/strong><\/p>\n

Not every NHL player is selected from a published ranking list. Several Attack players have positioned themselves as intriguing late-round possibilities.<\/p>\n

Nicholas Sykora<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sykora’s work ethic, skating ability and dependable two-way play have earned attention throughout the season. Even if not drafted, he profiles as a strong candidate for NHL rookie and development camp invitations.<\/p>\n

Cole Crawford<\/strong><\/p>\n

Crawford brings versatility and consistency to Owen Sound’s lineup. Players with his hockey sense and willingness to play in multiple roles often receive serious consideration late in the draft.<\/p>\n

Matthew Koprowski<\/strong><\/p>\n

Koprowski continues to develop physically while showing steady improvement. His size and projectable game could make him an attractive developmental selection or free-agent invite.<\/p>\n

Owen Sound’s Draft History<\/strong><\/p>\n

Since relocating from Guelph in 1989, the Attack have developed numerous NHL players.<\/p>\n

Some notable Owen Sound alumni selected in the NHL Draft include:<\/p>\n