Oshawa Generals to Select First Overall in 2026 OHL Priority Selection Presented by Real Canadian Superstore

TORONTO – The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) today announced results of the 2026 OHL Priority Selection Draft Lottery, with the Oshawa Generals drawing the first overall selection.

The 13-time OHL champion Generals came away as big winners, and are poised to select first overall for the first time since 2005 when they took franchise cornerstone John Tavares, who went on to become the OHL’s all-time leading goal-scorer.

Each of the four non-playoff teams participating in the Priority Selection Lottery, the 20^th place Generals (40 percent change), 19^th place Erie Otters (30 percent change), 18^th place Brampton Steelheads (20 percent chance) and 17^th place Sarnia Sting (10 percent chance), had adjusted proportionate odds of drawing the first overall selection. The final results were determined by a computerized random number generator, with the process overseen and certified by Mr. Robert Bayne, partner with the law firm Filion Wakely Thorup Angeletti LLP.

The coveted first overall selection came down to a big reveal between the Generals and the Erie Otters, who will be selecting second overall.

The Generals played to a record of 19-45-3-1 this past season on the heels of winning back-to-back Eastern Conference titles. In addition to the first overall selection of Tavares, who was the first CHL player to be granted exceptional player status by Hockey Canada in 2005, the Generals also selected eventual NHL forward Tom McCarthy first overall in the 1977 OHA Draft.

The OHL Priority Selection presented by Real Canadian Superstore returns to an in-person experience for the first time in 25 years, being held at Slush Puppie Place in Kingston on June 12-13, 2026. Select two-day ticket packages go on sale to the public Tuesday, April 14 at 10:00am.

2026 OHL Priority Selection First Round Order of Selection:

1. Oshawa Generals
2. Erie Otters
3. Brampton Steelheads
4. Sarnia Sting
5. Sudbury Wolves
6. Saginaw Spirit
7. Guelph Storm
8. Owen Sound Attack
9. Niagara IceDogs
10. Kingston Frontenacs
11. North Bay Battalion
12. Soo Greyhounds
13. Peterborough Petes
14. London Knights
15. Flint Firebirds
16. Windsor Spitfires
17. Barrie Colts
18. Ottawa 67’s
19. Kitchener Rangers
20. Brantford Bulldogs

The 2026 OHL Priority Selection presented by Real Canadian Superstore will see the top players born in 2010 within OHL jurisdiction be selected on June 12-13.

The results of the OHL Draft Lottery also apply to the Order of Selection for both the 2026 OHL Under-18 Priority Selection on Monday, June 8th at 7:00pm, as well as the 2026 CHL Import Draft.

About the Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) has long been regarded as the number one development league in the world, continuing to serve as a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League. The OHL consists of 20 teams, with 17 located in Ontario, two in the state of Michigan and one in the state of Pennsylvania. A proud member of the Canadian Hockey League, the OHL is also a leading provider of hockey scholarships, with over 329 graduates receiving OHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice in 2024-25, resulting in a collective investment of over $42 million by OHL member teams over the past 15 years.