Frontenacs bolster prospect pool with Prud’homme, Vanacker, Roche among others at 2026 OHL Priority Selection
Kingston, ON – The Kingston Frontenacs added another promising group of young players to the organization during the 2026 OHL Priority Selection, continuing to build for the future while hosting one of the most historic draft weekends in league history.
Held on home turf inside of Slush Puppie Place, the 2026 OHL Priority Selection marked the Ontario Hockey League’s first in-person draft since 2000, with Kingston serving as host for the league-wide event. Prospects, families, team personnel, and fans gathered throughout the weekend to celebrate the next generation of OHL talent.
Leading the way for the Frontenacs was first round selection Logan Prud’homme, chosen 10th overall on Friday evening. The highly-skilled forward joins the organization after a standout season with Upper Canada College; bringing a combination of size, offensive ability, and long-term potential to Kingston’s prospect pool.
“It’s rare you get a player with his combination of size, skill, and athleticism,” said Kingston Head Scout Aaron Van Leusen. “He scored some big goals in big moments this year and we believe he has a very high ceiling. He’s a player that has a lot of maturity and is a leader both on and off the ice. He doesn’t rest on his talent and puts the work in to continually improve his game.”
Over the course of the draft, the Frontenacs focused on adding talent across all positions, selecting players who fit the organization’s commitment to skill, character, competitiveness, and hockey sense. The draft class features a diverse mix of forwards, defencemen, and a goaltender who will look to develop within the organization over the coming years.
Brantford 99ers forward Roman Vanacker came in at pick 23, the first name on the board for the Frontenacs to kick off day two of the festivities. The brother of Brantford Bulldogs forward and Chicago Blackhawks first round pick Marek Vanacker is lauded for his goal scoring prowess and tenacious skating.
“He was the captain of his team in Brantford and dragged them into the fight each game with his compete,” said Van Leusen. “His play away from the puck creates a lot of turnovers and transition opportunities. Inside the blueline he’s an equally strong playmaker and goal scorer.”
The Delhi, ON native isn’t just impressive on the ice. During the pre-draft interview process, General Manager Kory Cooper was blown away with his character and leadership.
“When we asked his coaches and support staff about his character we were blown away by the answers we received,” said Cooper. “Everyone we spoke to said Roman is of very high character and takes care of his teammates both on and off the ice. He wore the C for a reason with the 99ers and is quite an impressive player.”
Later in the second round the Frontenacs took towering defenceman Shane Roche from the Toronto Marlboros. Standing at 6’3”, Roche can bring a little bit of everything from the blueline.
“He is a tall left shot defender that is rangy as he has good feet and transitions well for his size,” said Van Leusen. “He was very consistent with his first pass and getting the puck moving north. Inside the offensive zone, he showed great poise and an ability to get his shot on net or hit an open teammate through a seam.”
Rounding out the first three rounds, the Frontenacs selected mobile defenceman Gavin Godick from the Don Mills Flyers; rounding out their first three rounds with two forwards and two defencemen.
“Gavin is a right shot defenceman that has a good touch for the puck,” said Van Leusen. “He moves well laterally in the offensive zone and can open up a lot of shooting and passing lanes. Most importantly he can defend hard and is tough to beat 1 on 1.”
The 2026 draft class joins a young and exciting core already in place in Kingston, providing further optimism for the future of the franchise. As these prospects begin their journey with the Frontenacs, fans can look forward to watching the newest members of the organization develop and work toward wearing the black and gold at the OHL level.
With another successful draft weekend complete, the Frontenacs have taken an important step toward strengthening the organization’s future while helping deliver a memorable and historic event for the Ontario Hockey League.
Frontenacs Draft Results: 2026 Frontenacs Draft Tracker
Full 2026 OHL Priority Selection: Results Page
For media inquiries, contact:
Abbey Johnson
Manager of Communications and Fan Experience
Kingston Frontenacs Hockey Club
(613) 328-6787
