Nikita Klepov drafted 15th overall by Anaheim Ducks at 2026 Upper Deck NHL Draft
Buffalo, NY – Saginaw Spirit forward Nikita Klepov was selected 15th overall by the Anaheim Ducks at the 2026 Upper Deck NHL Draft at KeyBank Center on Friday night. His selection comes as the crowning achievement in a storied U18 season, raking in OHL awards, winning an international gold medal and setting milestones with the Spirit.
“I couldn’t be happier, it’s perfect,” said Klepov. “I had everything I could have asked for this year, with the trust I got in the system, it was a special year.”
The Deerfield Beach, FL native led the OHL in scoring with 97 points (37G-60A), securing the Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy. He did so as a rookie, becoming the first player since Patrick Kane in 2007 to achieve such a feat. Klepov was also named the Emms Family Award winner as the league’s top first-year player. He is just the third player in OHL history to win both the Eddie Powers Trophy and Emms Family Award in the same season, after Kane and Jack Valiquette of the 1973-74 Soo Greyhounds.
Klepov’s selection by Anaheim marks a run of three consecutive first-round picks at the NHL Draft by Spirit players. He follows Michael Misa (2nd overall, San Jose, 2025) and Zayne Parekh (9th overall, Calgary, 2024). The Spirit have now seen six players selected from their roster in the first round of the NHL Draft (Pavel Mintyukov – 10th overall, Anaheim, 2022… Cole Perfetti – 10th overall, Winnipeg, 2020… Matthew Corrente – 30th overall, New Jersey, 2006).
In addition to the Eddie Powers Trophy and Emms Family Award, Klepov won the Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy as the league’s top-scoring right winger. He was a finalist for the Red Tilson Trophy as the league’s most outstanding player.
The OHL named Klepov to its First All-Star Team and its First All-Rookie Team. The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) placed Klepov on its Second All-Star Team and its Rookie Team.
Klepov is the second player to be drafted by Anaheim from the Saginaw Spirit, joining defenseman Pavel Mintyukov in 2022.
By March of this season, Klepov had begun to rewrite the Spirit record book. His 97 points and 60 assists each became records by a rookie in Saginaw. The 37 goals he scored tied Cole Perfetti’s rookie record, established in 2018-2019. In addition to setting or matching rookie records in Saginaw, Klepov led his rookie OHL class in goals, assists, and points.
Klepov won gold with Team USA at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, registering 1G-5A—6P in six tournament games. He also appeared in the CHL USA Prospects Challenge and the Connor McDavid OHL Top Prospects Game, where he was named Team West’s Player of the Game.
Klepov was the eighth-ranked North American Skater on NHL Central Scouting’s final list. He was the third player selected out of the Ontario Hockey League at the 2026 NHL Draft.
