Futures Watch: Flint Firebirds’ 2026 Draft Class and New Faces
As the 2026-27 OHL season approaches, the Flint Firebirds are preparing for a new campaign. We spoke with Head Scout Mike Oliverio and Luc Lobsinger, Director of Goaltending Development, about the club’s 2026 draft class and the new faces fans should keep an eye on heading into the upcoming season.
2026 Draft Class Revisit:
Player Spotlight: Chase Schulberger
Profile: 6’1”, 187lbs, right-shot defenceman
Hometown: Quakertown, PA
Birthdate: Nov 9, 2010
Drafted: 1st Round, 15th Overall (2026 OHL Priority Selection)
2025-26 Stats (Woodbridge Wolfpack Premier 15’s): 15 GP, 3G, 8A, 11 PTS
Selected 15th overall in the 2026 OHL Priority Selection, Chase Schulberger spent the 2025-26 season with the Woodbridge Wolfpack 15U AAA program, recording 11 points (3-8–11) in 15 games. The Quakertown, Pennsylvania native was recently named to the USA Hockey National Team Development Program’s Under-17 Team for the 2026-27 season.
“Chase is a big-body right-handed defenseman who moves extremely well. He has a strong understanding of the intangibles of the game and already plays the style our coaching staff works to instill in all our players. The fact that he plays that way at his age should lead to a smooth transition to the next level of hockey.” – Mike Oliverio
Player Spotlight: Cole Guizzetti
Profile: 5’6”, 151lbs, left-shot forward
Hometown: Sault Ste. Marie, ON
Birthdate: Jun 20, 2010
Drafted: 3rd Round, 52nd Overall (2026 OHL Priority Selection)
2025-26 Stats (Upper Canada College Blues U16): 59 GP, 37G, 46A, 83 PTS
Selected 52nd overall in the 2026 OHL Priority Selection, Cole Guizzetti captained the Upper Canada College Blues U16 program during the 2025-26 season. The 5-foot-6 forward recorded 83 points (37-46–83) in 59 games before adding seven points (3-4–7) in six games at the 2026 OHL Cup.
“Cole is a very explosive player with a high hockey IQ. He competes hard all over the ice, and consistently wins puck battles, despite his size. His style of play epitomizes what it means to be a Firebird, and he fits the mould of what we want to develop. Cole is a very exciting player to watch.” – Mike Oliverio
Player Spotlight: Emry Lowe
Profile: 6’0”, 155lbs, left-shot forward
Hometown: Brantford, ON
Birthdate: Oct 7, 2010
Drafted: 3rd Round, 57th Overall (2026 OHL Priority Selection)
2025-26 Stats (Brantford 99ers U16 AAA): 30 GP, 29G, 27A, 56 PTS
Selected 57th overall in the 2026 OHL Priority Selection, Emry Lowe spent the 2025-26 season with his hometown Brantford 99ers U16 AAA program. In 30 games, he recorded 56 points (29-27–56) before adding five points (4-1–5) in four games at the 2026 OHL Cup.
“Emry plays a 200-foot game with good size and a great compete level. He outworks opponents all over the ice and brings high IQ and skill to his game, which makes him a tremendous threat in all three zones.” – Mike Oliverio
Player Spotlight: Martins Klaucans
Profile: 6’0”, 191lbs, left-shot forward
Hometown: Riga, LAT
Birthdate: Jul 8, 2008
Drafted: 1st Round, 28th Overall (2026 CHL Import Draft)
2025-26 Stats (Sherbrooke Phoenix): 50 GP, 4G, 7A, 11 PTS
Selected 28th overall in the 2026 CHL Import Draft, Martins Klaucans has spent the past two seasons playing in North America, most recently with the Sherbrooke Phoenix of the QMJHL. The Riga, Latvia, native recorded 11 points (4-7–11) in 50 games with the Phoenix last season. Internationally, Klaucans has represented Latvia at the U18 level in each of the past three seasons and at the U20 level in each of the past two.
“Martins is a high-character player who plays with pace. Whether tracking opponents or gaining the offensive zone, he is always moving his feet. His compete level is what sets him apart from others at the World U18’s.” – Mike Oliverio
Other members of the 2026 class include:
| PLAYER | POSITION | HOMETOWN | DOB | 2025-26 TEAM | DRAFTED |
| Colby Arnold | G | St. Louis, MO | Mar 19, 2010 | St. Louis Blues AAA 15’s | 4th round, 73rd overall |
| Declan McCotter | RW | St. Marys, ON | Jan 28, 2010 | Huron-Perth Lakers U16 AAA | 4th round, 77th overall |
| Jacob Laplante | LD | Ottawa, ON | Jul 27, 2010 | Eastern Ontario Wild U16 AAA | 4th round, 78th overall |
| Lucas Cranney | LD | Ajax, ON | Jan 6, 2010 | Markham Majors U16 AAA | 4th round, 81st overall |
| Jackson Zinkie | C | Ajax, ON | Jun 12, 2010 | Toronto Jr. Canadiens U16 AAA | 5th round, 98th overall |
| Cameron Evans | LW | Pittsburgh, PA | Apr 3, 2010 | Shattuck-St. Mary’s Sabres 15’s | 5th round, 101st overall |
| Lukas Butler | G | Whitby, ON | Sep 24, 2010 | York-Simcoe Express U16 AAA | 6th round, 110th overall |
| Will Cameron | LW | Toronto, ON | May 18, 2010 | Toronto Marlboros U16 AAA | 8th round, 156th overall |
| Kai Milne-Ross | LD | Bowmanville, ON | Jun 23, 2010 | Central Ontario Wolves U16 AAA | 9th round, 176th overall |
| Jacob Bertucci | LD | King City, ON | Oct 13, 2010 | York-Simcoe Express U16 AAA | 10th round, 189th overall |
| Beckett Jancevski | C | Harrow, ON | Oct 24, 2010 | BioSteel Sports Academy U16 AAA | 11th round, 216th overall |
| Colby Smith | C | Whitby, ON | Aug 25, 2010 | Whitby Wildcats U16 AAA | 12th round, 236th overall |
| Matthew Pittman | LD | Toronto, ON | Oct 28, 2008 | Don Mills Flyers U18 AAA | 1st round, 15th overall (U18) |
| Quinn Young | RW | Greely, ON | Oct 28, 2009 | Upper Canada Cyclones U18 AAA | 2nd round, 35th overall (U18) |
| Tomas Selic | RW | Bratislava, SVK | May 08, 2009 | Brno Kometa Jr. B | 1st round, 43rd overall (Import) |
2026 New Faces:
*Note: Player additions are current as of publication. Team signings remain ongoing, and this section will be updated throughout the offseason as additional players are signed and trades are completed.
Player Spotlight: Lucas Nutting
Profile: 5’11”, 185lbs, right-shot defenceman
Hometown: London, ON
Birthdate: Apr 5, 2009
Drafted: 2nd Round, 33rd Overall (2025 OHL Priority Selection)
2025-26 Stats (Elmira Sugar Kings): 38 GP, 14G, 26A, 40 PTS
Originally selected 33rd overall in the 2025 OHL Priority Selection, Lucas Nutting spent the 2025-26 season with the Elmira Sugar Kings of the GOHL, recording 40 points (14-26–40) in 38 games from the blueline. The London, Ontario native also made his OHL debut with the Firebirds in January.
“Lucas had a tremendous season in Elmira as one of the top-scoring defensemen. He developed very well and took full advantage of the ice time he had last season. We’re very excited to see what he can do in the lineup in Flint this year.” – Mike Oliverio
Player Spotlight: Carter Beauchesne
Profile: 5’11”, 168lbs, left-shot forward
Hometown: Ottawa, ON
Birthdate: Feb 19, 2009
Drafted: 5th Round, 90th Overall (2025 OHL Priority Selection)
2025-26 Stats (Smiths Falls Bears): 52 GP, 27G, 34A, 61 PTS
Originally selected 90th overall in the 2025 OHL Priority Selection, Carter Beauchesne spent the 2025-26 season with the Smiths Falls Bears of the CCHL, recording 61 points (27-34–61) in 52 games. His standout rookie campaign earned him CCHL Rookie of the Year and Top Prospect honours, while he also made his OHL debut with the Firebirds in December.
“Carter was one of the top rookie scorers in the league last year and had a great season. He made the most of his playing time in the CCHL and showed great development. Carter earned high praise from his coaching staff with Smiths Falls and became an impact player. We’re really excited about what we saw from him and are expecting to see him grow into an impact player in Flint as well.” – Mike Oliverio
Player Spotlight: Trenten Bennett
Profile: 6’8”, 207lbs, goaltender
Hometown: Kitchener, ON
Birthdate: Apr 1, 2006
Acquired: June 2, 2026
2025-26 Stats (Owen Sound Attack): 27 GP, 3.93 GAA, .896 SV%
A Kitchener, ON native, Trenten Bennett was originally selected by the Owen Sound Attack in the 14th round, 274th overall, of the 2022 OHL Priority Selection. The 6-foot-8 netminder spent parts of two seasons with the Attack, appearing in 33 regular-season games and posting a 3.69 GAA and .901 SV%. Following a strong season with the Kemptville 73’s of the CCHL, Bennett was selected by the New Jersey Devils in the fourth round, 99th overall, of the 2025 NHL Draft.
“Obviously, Trenten is a bit of a unicorn at the position with his size. The range he has in his limbs is something no other goalie in our league can bring to the table. He skates well for a bigger guy and has good economy of movement in the crease. We really feel he’s just scratching the surface of his potential and are very excited to add him to our group, and to get him working with Goaltending Coach Rob Liddell and our entire coaching staff.” – Luc Lobsinger, Director of Goaltending Development
Player Spotlight: Simon Belohorsky
Profile: 6’1”, 175lbs, right-shot forward
Hometown: Liberec, CZE
Birthdate: Oct 18, 2008
Acquired: June 10, 2026
2025-26 Stats (Guelph Storm): 34 GP, 9G, 4A, 13 PTS
Simon Belohorsky appeared in 34 games with the Guelph Storm during the 2025-26 campaign, recording 13 points (9-4–13) in his rookie OHL season. The Liberec, Czechia native was originally selected by Guelph in the second round of the 2025 CHL Import Draft and has represented Czechia internationally, most recently at the 2026 IIHF U18 World Championship, where he scored three goals in six games.
“Simon brings an exciting mix of high-end skill and hockey IQ. Our staff feels his ceiling is high with plenty of untapped potential. He is very good at protecting the puck and is a patient player, which gives him the ability to excel at a puck possession game.” – Mike Oliverio
Player Spotlight: Jude Bray
Profile: 5’10”, 161lbs, left-shot defenceman
Hometown: Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON
Birthdate: May 4, 2008
Signed (FA): Aug 10, 2026
2025-26 Stats (Sherwood Park Crusaders): 31 GP, 7G, 23A, 30 PTS
A native of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Jude Bray was acquired by the Firebirds in a trade with the Brantford Bulldogs on Jan. 1, 2026. Originally selected by the Kitchener Rangers in the 10th round of the 2024 OHL Priority Selection, Bray spent the past two seasons with the Sherwood Park Crusaders of the BCHL, recording 52 points (9-43–52) in 81 games. He posted 30 points (7-23–30) in 31 games during the 2025-26 season and is committed to Penn State University.
“Jude is a smooth skater with high-end skills on the defensive end. He has very good instincts and likes to join the rush to add to the offence. Jude is also a very skilled passer and can quarterback a power play.”
Additional new faces include:
| PLAYER | POSITION | HOMETOWN | DOB | 2025-26 TEAM | DRAFTED/ACQUIRED |
| Liam Edgcumbe | G | Grimsby, ON | May 6, 2008 | Pelham Panthers (GOHL) | Aug 3, 2026 (FA) |
| Cooper Williams | LW | Pinckney, MI | Apr 18, 2007 | Bismarck Bobcats (NAHL) + Lincoln Stars (USHL) | June 11, 2026 (FA) |
| Zack Bleick | LD | Cleveland, OH | Sept 4, 2008 | Flint (8 GP) | June 15, 2025 (FA) |
With a mix of high-upside draft picks and several additions with experience at the junior level, the Firebirds will have plenty of new faces competing for roles heading into the 2026-27 season. Flint’s incoming group adds depth across the lineup, with a combination of skill up front, mobility on the blueline and added options in goal as the club prepares for a new campaign.
____________________________________________________________________________________
FloHockey remains the exclusive streaming home of the Ontario Hockey League, delivering more than 680 regular-season games throughout the year, plus complete coverage of the OHL playoffs.
Subscribers can stream games live or watch on demand from anywhere, ensuring they never miss a goal, save, or highlight during the 2026-27 season.
Whether you’re following your hometown team or tracking prospects across the league, FloHockey provides comprehensive coverage of every OHL club all season long.
Loading ...