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.

“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.”

“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.”

“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."

“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.”

“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.

The series will mark the first-ever meetings between the Frontenacs and Armada, giving fans a unique opportunity to see two clubs from different CHL member leagues square off on the ice.

The Frontenacs will host the Armada at Slush Puppie Place on Sunday, November 22nd at 2:05 p.m. before making the trip to Quebec for the return matchup on Sunday, January 17th at 3:00 p.m. in Blainville-Boisbriand.

The OHL/QMJHL Crossover continues to provide exciting interleague competition and a chance for players, coaches, and fans to experience new opponents and environments. For Kingston, the matchup presents an opportunity to test themselves against one of the QMJHL’s established franchises while adding a new chapter to the club’s history.

The OHL has officially announced home openers around the league, and your Kingston Frontenacs will open their 2026-27 home schedule on Sunday, September 20th at 3:05pm when the black and gold return to the ice in front of their home crowd for the first time this season, facing off against the Ottawa 67's.

Fans are encouraged to arrive early and make a day of it, as the annual FanFest Tailgate Party will kick off at 12:00pm outside of Slush Puppie Place on The Tragically Hip Way. The pre-game celebration will feature family-friendly activities, entertainment, games, food, and the opportunity for fans to reconnect with fellow Frontenacs supporters ahead of puck drop.

The home opener promises to be one of the most exciting days on the Kingston sports calendar, as the Frontenacs begin their quest for another successful season in front of a packed hometown crowd.

Additional details regarding FanFest Tailgate Party activities, game-day promotions, and ticket information will be announced shortly.

Mark your calendars and join us on Sunday, September 20 as the Kingston Frontenacs return home for the start of another unforgettable season of Frontenacs hockey.

The trio brings a blend of upside, size, and positional depth as the Frontenacs continue building for the future.

Leading the class is right-shot defenseman Presley Kelly-Wright, a 5-foot-11 blueliner from Ottawa Myers Automotive U18 AAA. Kelly-Wright enjoyed a productive season from the back end, showcasing his ability to contribute offensively while playing significant minutes in all situations. His strong puck-moving ability and offensive instincts helped him emerge as one of the top-scoring defensemen on his club, recording 26 points in 21 games during league play.

"I was very excited to see Kelly-Wright fall to us at the 10th overall pick," said Frontenacs Director of Player Personnel Bob Breckles. "He's a dynamic, two-way defenceman with elite, high-end skating and he defends well in his own end. We can't wait to have him out at Development Camp to see how he fits in." continued Breckles.

Kingston's second selection, Owen Bienstman, adds a promising young goaltender to the organization. The Tilbury, Ontario native stands 6-foot and catches left, providing the Frontenacs with another athletic option between the pipes. Bienstman spent the season with the Elgin Middlesex Canucks U18 AAA program and has shown the size and technical foundation that teams covet in developing netminders.

"Owen is a goalie with great size and a winning pedigree in Elgin-Middlesex this season," said Frontenacs General Manager Kory Cooper. "He has a great presence in the net nad never gives up on a play." continued Cooper.

Rounding out the class is defenseman Cole Coughlin of the North Shore Whitecaps U18 AAA. At 6-foot-2 and nearly 180 pounds, Coughlin brings a physical presence to the blue line. A left-shot defender from Belleville, Ontario, he combines his size with strong mobility and projects as a player capable of making an impact at both ends of the ice as he continues his development.

"Cole is a big strong defender that has a lot of intagibles," said Frontenacs Director of Player Personnel Bob Breckles. "He has a lot of character and physicality that we could certainly use on the backend." continued Breckles.

While each player arrives with a unique skill set, the common theme throughout Kingston's 2026 U18 Priority Selection class is versatility. Adding two defensemen with different styles and a goaltender with considerable upside provides the organization with valuable depth and long-term development pieces.

"Ryan is a very strong skater with good instincts on both sides of the puck." said Frontenacs General Manager Kory Cooper. "He has good size and can play down the middle or on the wing, adding flexibility for our forward group. We're excited to see how he fits in our lineup."

"McCuaig has been a hard-working player since he arrived in Kingston. Camden was seeking a new opportunity for an expanded role and we are glad we were able to provide him with that. We'd like to thank Camden for his dedication during his time here and we wish him the best of luck in this new opportunity." continued Cooper. "Adding the additional third round pick for next season gives us more draft capital and balances out our draft board as we had more picks than we would have liked for the draft this week."

Dever joined the Frontenacs at the trade deadline this past season and quickly became a valuable veteran presence in the lineup. The Belleville, ON native finished his overage campaign with 26 points (9G, 17A) between the Frontenacs and Ottawa 67's, bringing a responsible two-way game, leadership, and experience to the Black and Gold.

Over five OHL seasons, Dever appeared in 213 regular-season games, recording 95 points while earning a reputation as a dependable forward in all situations.

The Frontenacs organization would like to congratulate Jack on his commitment to Carleton University and thank him for his dedication and contributions throughout his OHL career. We wish him continued success with the Ravens and in the next chapter of his hockey journey.