Vermirovsky, Kovar selected in 2026 CHL Import Draft
ROUND 1
With their 1st Pick (35th Overall) of the 2026 CHL Import Draft, the Soo Greyhounds welcomed DAVID VERMIROVSKY to the organization.
The 17-year old right catching netminder played last season (2025-26) for HC Dynamo Pardubice of the Czechia U20 league.
In 27 regular season games he compiled a 13-14 record to go along with a 3.23 GAA and .904 SV%.
He later went 5-7 in the post-season with a 2.72 GAA and .913 SV%.
Internationally, David represented Czechia at the U18 level.
Born in Cordoba, Spain, the 6.05, 181 lbs Vermirovsky has spent most of his life in Czechia.
He was the #3 ranked European goaltender on the NHL Central Scoutings Mid-Term Rankings for last weekend’s NHL draft.
ROUND 2
With their 2nd Round Selection (95th overall), the Greyhounds selected forward MELICHAR KOVAR out of the HC Dynamo Pardubice program.
The 17-year old Pardubice, CZE native appeared in 37 regular season games with the U17 club where he recorded 29 goals and 32 assists, good for a team-leading 61 points.
He averaged a point-per-game in the playoffs with 6 goals and 4 assists in 10 games played.
He also appeared in 7 games with the Dynamo U20 club – as a teammate with the Hounds 1st Round Selection David Vermirovsky.
The 6.04, 205 lb winger was a member of Team Czechia at the 2025 World Under 17 Hockey Challenge.
The Greyhounds will now ‘Pass’ on their 3rd Round Selection.
Oshawa to select first overall; Halifax moves into No. 2 spot following trade with Baie-Comeau
The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) announced today the finalized draft order for the 2026 CHL Import Draft, which will take place tomorrow, Tuesday, June 30, at 11 a.m. ET.
The Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) will select first overall, followed by the Halifax Mooseheads of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), who acquired the second overall selection in a trade with the Baie-Comeau Drakkar. The Lethbridge Hurricanes of the Western Hockey League (WHL) will select third overall, while the Guelph Storm of the OHL, hosts of the 2027 Memorial Cup presented by Kubota, will round out the top four after acquiring the fourth overall selection in a trade with the Erie Otters.
Halifax’s move into the No. 2 spot is one of several recent changes reflected in the finalized order, which is listed in full below.
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. As a reminder, new rules are in effect for this year’s draft: 20-year-old import players are eligible to be selected in any round, while 16-year-old import players may only be selected in the first round.
CHL clubs may carry a maximum of one 16-year-old import player per season. 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’s roster, that club will be limited to two import players for the remainder of the regular season and playoffs.
The Mooseheads have selected within the top three on three previous occasions in CHL Import Draft history, but 2026 marks the first time Halifax will make the second overall selection. At last year’s CHL Import Draft, the Mooseheads selected Oleg Kulebiakin ninth overall before adding Finnish forward Jasu Mensonen in the second round at No. 70. Kulebiakin went on to lead Halifax with 73 points in 64 games during the 2025-26 season before being selected 52nd overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning at the 2026 NHL Draft, while Mensonen added 33 points in 64 contests.
Halifax has built one of the CHL Import Draft’s strongest track records for developing high-end international talent, with alumni including Jakub Voracek, 2017 first-overall NHL Draft pick Nico Hischier, Timo Meier, Ladislav Nagy, Filip Zadina and 2026 Stanley Cup champion Nikolaj Ehlers.
The CHL Import Draft has long served as an important pathway for international players to develop in the WHL, OHL and QMJHL before later hearing their names called at the NHL Draft. At the 2026 NHL Draft in Buffalo, 22 players previously selected through the CHL Import Draft were chosen by NHL clubs, including first-round selections Nikita Klepov (Saginaw Spirit, OHL / Anaheim Ducks), Adam Novotný (Peterborough Petes, OHL / Vancouver Canucks) and Maksim Sokolovskii (London Knights, OHL / Philadelphia Flyers).
Other CHL Import Draft alumni selected at the 2026 NHL Draft included Matias Vanhanen (Everett Silvertips, WHL / New Jersey Devils), Egor Shilov (Victoriaville Tigres, QMJHL / Colorado Avalanche), Oleg Kulebiakin (Halifax Mooseheads, QMJHL / Tampa Bay Lightning), Jakub Vanecek (Tri-City Americans, WHL / Dallas Stars), Danai Shaiikov (Gatineau Olympiques, QMJHL / New York Rangers), Adam Nemec (Sudbury Wolves, OHL / Ottawa Senators), Michal Orsulak (Prince Albert Raiders, WHL / Detroit Red Wings), Yaroslav Bryzgalov (Medicine Hat Tigers, WHL / Vancouver Canucks), Marek Sklenicka (Seattle Thunderbirds, WHL / Philadelphia Flyers), Olivers Murnieks (Saint John Sea Dogs, QMJHL / Buffalo Sabres), Tobias Tvrznik (Wenatchee Wild, WHL / Colorado Avalanche), Filip Ruzicka (Brandon Wheat Kings, WHL / Minnesota Wild), Vladimir Dravecky (Guelph Storm, OHL / New York Islanders), Lars Steiner (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, QMJHL / St. Louis Blues), Stepan Shurygin (Saginaw Spirit, OHL / Tampa Bay Lightning), Jasper Kuhta (Ottawa 67’s, OHL / Dallas Stars), Alexander Karmanov (North Bay Battalion, OHL / San Jose Sharks), Ondrej Ruml (Ottawa 67’s, OHL / Colorado Avalanche), and Max Vilen (Moncton Wildcats, QMJHL / Tampa Bay Lightning).
Since the first CHL Import Draft was held in 1992, more than 2,310 players from outside Canada and the United States have been selected through the annual event. The draft has helped bring many 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), who captured the award for the second time in his career during the 2025-26 season, as well as recent 2026 Stanley Cup champions Andrei Svechnikov (Barrie Colts / OHL) and Nikolaj Ehlers (Halifax Mooseheads / QMJHL), who helped the Carolina Hurricanes capture their second championship in franchise history.
Fans and media can follow the 2026 CHL Import Draft and view full results beginning tomorrow at 11 a.m. ET at chl.ca/draft.
Finalized Order of Selections for the 2026 CHL Import Draft
| First Round | Second Round | Third Round | |||
| No. | Team | No. | Team | No. | Team |
| 1 | Oshawa Generals | 62 | Brantford Bulldogs (from Oshawa) | 123 | Oshawa Generals |
| 2 | Halifax Mooseheads (from Baie-Comeau) | 63 | Baie-Comeau Drakkar | 124 | Baie-Comeau Drakkar |
| 3 | Lethbridge Hurricanes | 64 | Lethbridge Hurricanes | 125 | Lethbridge Hurricanes |
| 4 | Guelph Storm (From Erie) | 65 | Erie Otters | 126 | Erie Otters |
| 5 | Rimouski Océanic | 66 | Saint John Sea Dogs (from Chicoutimi via Rimouski) | 127 | Rimouski Océanic |
| 6 | Everett Silvertips (from Swift Current) | 67 | Swift Current Broncos | 128 | Swift Current Broncos |
| 7 | Brampton Steelheads | 68 | Brampton Steelheads | 129 | Brampton Steelheads |
| 8 | Gatineau Olympiques | 69 | Drummondville Voltigeurs (from Gatineau) | 130 | Gatineau Olympiques |
| 9 | Vancouver Giants | 70 | Vancouver Giants | 131 | Vancouver Giants |
| 10 | Sarnia Sting | 71 | Sarnia Sting | 132 | Sarnia Sting |
| 11 | Victoriaville Tigres | 72 | Moncton Wildcats (from Victoriaville) | 133 | Victoriaville Tigres |
| 12 | Tri-City Americans (from Wenatchee) | 73 | Medicine Hat Tigers (from Everett via Wenatchee) | 134 | Wenatchee Wild |
| 13 | Brantford Bulldogs (From Sudbury) | 74 | Kitchener Rangers (from Sudbury) | 135 | Sudbury Wolves |
| 14 | Saint John Sea Dogs | 75 | Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (from Saint John) | 136 | Saint John Sea Dogs |
| 15 | Moose Jaw Warriors | 76 | Moose Jaw Warriors | 137 | Moose Jaw Warriors |
| 16 | Saginaw Spirit | 77 | Saginaw Spirit | 138 | North Bay Battalion (from Saginaw) |
| 17 | Val-d’Or Foreurs | 78 | Chicoutimi Saguenéens (from Saint John via Val-d’Or) | 139 | Val-d’Or Foreurs |
| 18 | Regina Pats (from Red Deer) | 79 | Red Deer Rebels | 140 | Red Deer Rebels |
| 19 | Erie Otters (from Guelph) | 80 | Guelph Storm | 141 | Guelph Storm |
| 20 | Baie-Comeau Drakkar (from Halifax) | 81 | Halifax Mooseheads | 142 | Halifax Mooseheads |
| 21 | Swift Current Broncos (from Tri-City) | 82 | Calgary Hitmen (from Tri-City) | 143 | Tri-City Americans |
| 22 | Owen Sound Attack | 83 | Owen Sound Attack | 144 | Owen Sound Attack |
| 23 | Chicoutimi Saguenéens (from Cape Breton) | 84 | Shawinigan Cataractes (from Cape Breton) | 145 | Cape Breton Eagles |
| 24 | Red Deer Rebels (from Regina Pats) | 85 | Regina Pats | 146 | Regina Pats |
| 25 | Niagara IceDogs | 86 | Niagara IceDogs | 147 | Niagara IceDogs |
| 26 | Sherbrooke Phoenix | 87 | Sherbrooke Phoenix | 148 | Sherbrooke Phoenix |
| 27 | Victoria Royals | 88 | Penticton Vees (from Victoria) | 149 | Victoria Royals |
| 28 | Flint Firebirds (from Kingston) | 89 | Flint Firebirds (from Kingston) | 150 | Kingston Frontenacs |
| 29 | Québec Remparts | 90 | Québec Remparts | 151 | Québec Remparts |
| 30 | Portland Winterhawks | 91 | Swift Current Broncos (from Portland) | 152 | Portland Winterhawks |
| 31 | Saginaw Spirit (from North Bay) | 92 | North Bay Battalion | 153 | North Bay Battalion |
| 32 | Charlottetown Islanders | 93 | Charlottetown Islanders | 154 | Charlottetown Islanders |
| 33 | Kelowna Rockets (from Seattle) | 94 | Seattle Thunderbirds | 155 | Seattle Thunderbirds |
| 34 | Soo Greyhounds | 95 | Soo Greyhounds | 156 | Soo Greyhounds |
| 35 | Shawinigan Cataractes | 96 | Shawinigan Cataractes | 157 | Cape Breton Eagles (from Shawinigan) |
| 36 | Spokane Chiefs | 97 | Spokane Chiefs | 158 | Spokane Chiefs |
| 37 | Peterborough Petes | 98 | Peterborough Petes | 159 | Peterborough Petes |
| 38 | Newfoundland Regiment | 99 | Newfoundland Regiment | 160 | Newfoundland Regiment |
| 39 | Kamloops Blazers | 100 | Kamloops Blazers | 161 | Kamloops Blazers |
| 40 | London Knights | 101 | London Knights | 162 | London Knights |
| 41 | Gatineau Olympiques (from Drummondville) | 102 | Newfoundland Regiment (from Drummondville) | 163 | Drummondville Voltigeurs |
| 42 | Saskatoon Blades | 103 | Saskatoon Blades | 164 | Saskatoon Blades |
| 43 | Flint Firebirds | 104 | Kingston Frontenacs (from Flint) | 165 | Kingston Frontenacs (from Flint) |
| 44 | Saint John Sea Dogs (from Blainville-Boisbriand) | 105 | Blainville-Boisbriand Armada | 166 | Blainville-Boisbriand Armada |
| 45 | Brandon Wheat Kings | 106 | Brandon Wheat Kings | 167 | Brandon Wheat Kings |
| 46 | Windsor Spitfires | 107 | Windsor Spitfires | 168 | Windsor Spitfires |
| 47 | Rouyn-Noranda Huskies | 108 | Rouyn-Noranda Huskies | 169 | Rouyn-Noranda Huskies |
| 48 | Calgary Hitmen | 109 | Everett Silvertips (from Calgary) | 170 | Calgary Hitmen |
| 49 | Barrie Colts | 110 | Barrie Colts | 171 | Barrie Colts |
| 50 | Rimouski Océanic (from Chicoutimi) | 111 | Chicoutimi Saguenéens | 172 | Chicoutimi Saguenéens |
| 51 | Edmonton Oil Kings (from Kelowna) | 112 | Seattle Thunderbirds (from Kelowna) | 173 | Kelowna Rockets |
| 52 | Ottawa 67’s | 113 | Ottawa 67’s | 174 | Ottawa 67’s |
| 53 | Moncton Wildcats | 114 | Moncton Wildcats | 175 | Moncton Wildcats |
| 54 | Saskatoon Blades (from Prince George) | 115 | Prince George Cougars | 176 | Prince George Cougars |
| 55 | Kitchener Rangers | 116 | Kitchener Rangers | 177 | Sudbury Wolves (from Kitchener) |
| 56 | Edmonton Oil Kings | 117 | Edmonton Oil Kings | 178 | Kelowna Rockets (from Edmonton) |
| 57 | Brantford Bulldogs | 118 | Sudbury Wolves (from Brantford) | 179 | Oshawa Generals (from Brantford) |
| 58 | Victoria Royals (from Penticton) | 119 | Penticton Vees | 180 | Penticton Vees |
| 59 | Medicine Hat Tigers | 120 | Medicine Hat Tigers | 181 | Medicine Hat Tigers |
| 60 | Prince Albert Raiders | 121 | Prince Albert Raiders | 182 | Prince Albert Raiders |
| 61 | Everett Silvertips | 122 | Everett Silvertips | 183 | Everett Silvertips |
