Seven OHL Players included in Elite Prospects’ preliminary 2026 NHL Draft rankings
As the start of the 2025-26 OHL season has taken off this week, many scouts are already flagging players to keep an eye on as the enter their draft season in preparation for June.
Elite Prospects’ NHL analyst and prospects writer, David St. Louis, along with director of content and senior crossover scout, Cam Robinson, have each compiled preliminary lists of junior players to watch for the 2026 NHL Draft.
Here’s a look at the seven OHL players who made the list:
Ethan Belchetz – Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
- Hometown: Oakville, ON
- Drafted: 1st overall, 2024 OHL Priority Selection
- Profile: 6-foot-5, 227 lbs, left-shot winger
- Notable: Represented and captured bronze with Team Canada at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup where he posted seven points (4-3–7) over five games.
St. Louis:
“A legitimate challenge for No. 2 overall, Ethan Belchetz could be one of the NHL’s fiercest power forwards. He’s not only physical, but downright mean. Creative and highly skilled, he connected with some of the best, most deceptive passes we saw all of last season. With some growth as a skater, he could move up this ranking.”
Robinson:
“A massive power winger out of Windsor, Ethan Belchetz rounds out the top five with size, scoring touch, and a heavy downlow game. At 6-foot-5, 227lbs, the former first-overall pick in the OHL Priority draft impressed at the Hlinka this past summer and offers the rare package of massive size and skill. A unique asset. One scout said that he looks very similar to James van Riemsdyk.”
Ryan Roobroeck – Niagara IceDogs (OHL)
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- Hometown: London, ON
- Drafted: 2nd overall, 2023 OHL Priority Selection
- Profile: 6-foot-4, 216 lbs, left-shot centre
- Notable: One of the first players announced to the roster of Team CHL for the upcoming Prospects Showcase
St. Louis:
“From the circles and hashmarks, Ryan Roobroeck is often unstoppable. A skilled shooter with scoring instincts, building off his 41-goal season should be no problem. Throughout this past season, his motor, physicality, and playmaking all improved, but all three still need work. The upside is significant – especially if this is the season he moves back to centre.”
Robinson:
“Very few draft-minus-one players score 40 goals in the OHL. Ryan Roobroeck accomplished that feat last season and is looking for an even bigger encore performance. The 6-foot-4 winger landed as high as second overall on one team’s list, but like Stenberg, went unranked by another. A high-variance ranking with clear upside but some questions remain.”
Chase Reid – Soo Greyhounds (OHL)
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- Hometown: Chesterfield, MI
- Drafted: 125th overall, 2023 OHL Priority Selection
- Profile: 6-foot-2, 185 lbs, right-shot defenceman
- Commitment: Michigan State University (2027–28)
- Notable: OHL First All-Rookie Team
St. Louis:
“Possessing all the tools necessary to succeed at the NHL level, Chase Reid could continue to rise at the draft. He scored at a point-per-game rate in the OHL last season, already, displaying a booming shot and puck-carrying abilities. We’re going to focus particularly on his defensive details and playmaking game this season.”
Robinson:
“Chase Reid is a rangy, mobile defender with NHL tools splattered all over him. His explosive edgework and quick transitions let him create clean exits and push play north in a hurry. The reads can still lag behind the feet, but if his decision-making catches up, his skating and puck movement give him clear top-four potential.”
Nikita Klepov – Saginaw Spirit (OHL)
- Hometown: Deerfield Beach, FL
- Drafted: 35th overall, 2025 CHL Import Draft
- Profile: 6-feet, 181 lbs, left-shot winger
- Commitment: Michigan State University (2026–27)
- Notable: Represented and captured gold with the United States at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup where he posted six points (1-5–6) over five games.
St. Louis:
“An all-around skilled forward, Nikita Klepov should fit very well in Saginaw this season with his ability to freeze defenders, reach teammates with passes in all directions, and fire off their feeds instantly. We want to see him refine his timing and decision-making this season.”
Adam Novotný – Peterborough Petes (OHL)
- Hometown: Kobylice, CZE
- Drafted: 8th overall, 2024 CHL Import Draft
- Profile: 6-foot-1, 204 lbs, left-shot winger
- Notable: Represented Czechia at the 2025 IIHF World Juniors
St. Louis:
“In this range, Adam Novotný’s floor is among the highest. His relentless, energetic style and ability to push and make plays through contact combined with projectable physical tools already allowed him to gain over 50 games of professional experience in Czechia over the past two seasons. As he makes the jump to the OHL for his draft year, scouts will be evaluating how much higher-end offensive skill and creation ability he’ll be able to show against his peers.”
Oscar Hemming – Kitchener Rangers (OHL)
- Hometown: Vaasa, FIN
- Drafted: 56th overall, 2025 CHL Import Draft
- Profile: 6-foot-4, 190 lbs, left-shot winger
- Notable: Represented Finland at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup where he posted six points (4-2–6) in five games.
St. Louis:
“Oscar Hemming shares many qualities with his older brother, a former first-round pick by the Dallas Stars. He profiles as a shoot-first winger who can beat goalies clean from mid-range, has projectable skill, and skates well enough, but is also slightly bigger and more physical compared to his brother. He’s also among the youngest players on this board, potentially giving him more development runway as he looks to make the jump to the OHL for his draft year.”
Beckham Edwards – Sarnia Sting (OHL)
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- Hometown: Komoka, ON
- Drafted: 46th overall, 2024 OHL Priority Selection
- Profile: 6-foot-1, 181 lbs, left-shot centre
- Commitment: University of Notre Dame (2027–28)
- Notable: Represented and captured bronze with Team Canada at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup where he posted four points (2-2–4) over five games.
St Louis:
“Already a refined OHL player, Beckham Edwards times himself well with the play, catching passes in prime scoring areas and firing off of them. As he can also dangle defenders and cut inside, he could rack up goals this season. Developing his playmaking would push his upside even further.”
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