How the OHL Draft Works
The OHL Priority Selection is a major part of how teams across the league build for the future. Every year, organizations spend countless hours scouting and evaluating young players in preparation for draft weekend.
For the Sarnia Sting, the 2026 OHL Priority Selection represents another opportunity to add talent and continue shaping the next generation of Sting players.
This year’s event will be especially exciting, as the Ontario Hockey League returns to a live, in-person draft for the first time since 2000. The 2026 OHL Priority Selection presented by Real Canadian Superstore will take place June 12–13 at Slush Puppie Place.
Round 1 begins Friday, June 12 at 7 p.m., while Rounds 2–15 continue Saturday, June 13 beginning at 9 a.m.
What is the OHL Priority Selection?
The OHL Priority Selection is the league’s annual draft where teams select eligible young players from Ontario and parts of the United States. For the Sting, it is an important part of building the roster for the future.
The primary OHL Priority Selection consists of 300 picks spread across 15 rounds. Each of the 20 OHL teams receives 15 selections to help build out their prospect pools and protected lists.
What picks do the Sting have?
The Sarnia Sting currently hold 14 selections in the 2026 OHL Priority Selection, including the fourth overall pick.
This table was last updated June 5th, 2026.
| Round | Pick | Overall |
| 1 | 4 | 4 |
| 2 | 10 | 30 |
| 3 | 2 | 42 |
| 5 | 19 | 99 |
| 6 | 5 | 105 |
| 7 | 4 | 124 |
| 8 | 19 | 159 |
| 8 | 20 | 160 |
| 9 | 4 | 164 |
| 11 | 4 | 204 |
| 12 | 4 | 224 |
| 13 | 4 | 244 |
| 14 | 4 | 264 |
| 15 | 4 | 284 |
Who is eligible to be drafted?
Players are eligible if they are:
- Playing for an Ontario-based U16 AAA team
- Playing in the Great North U18 League
- Playing in eligible NOHA U16 tournaments
- Playing for eligible U.S. AAA programs
For the 2026 OHL Priority Selection, players born in 2010 are eligible.
How does the draft order work?
The order of selection is based on the previous OHL regular season standings.
Teams that missed the playoffs enter a lottery for the first four selections. After that, the remaining order follows the standings in reverse order, meaning teams with fewer points select earlier while stronger regular season teams pick later.
That same order remains in place throughout all 15 rounds unless picks are traded.
How much time do teams have to make picks?
Teams have five minutes to make selections in Rounds 1–3 and three minutes per pick from Round 4 onward.
A live countdown clock is displayed during the draft, and teams can use one timeout if they need extra time to finalize a selection. If a team fails to make a pick in time, the team can lose that selection.
Can teams trade draft picks?
Yes. OHL teams are allowed to trade draft picks before the OHL Priority Selection during the league’s trade window, which opens June 2 and closes June 11.
Teams often move picks as part of larger trades to either acquire players for the current roster or gain additional selections to help build for the future. Because of this, the team making a selection may not always be the team that originally owned the pick.
Are there other drafts?
In addition to the OHL Priority Selection, the offseason also includes the OHL U18 Priority Selection on June 8 and the CHL Import Draft on June 30. Both events give teams additional opportunities to add talent and continue building their rosters for the future.
Building the future of the Sting
For the Sting scouting staff, the OHL Priority Selection is the result of months of preparation and evaluation. Scouts spend the season identifying players who fit the organization both on and off the ice.
Matt Hogan said the Sting look for four main qualities in prospects: compete level, hard skill, hockey IQ, and character.
As draft weekend approaches, the Sarnia Sting will look to continue building toward the future by adding players who fit the organization’s identity and long-term vision. With months of preparation behind the scouting staff and hockey operations department, the OHL Priority Selection remains an important step in shaping the next generation of Sting hockey.
