Giants Select 2027 NHL Draft Prospect Botka with 2nd CHL Import Pick
Ladner, B.C. – The Vancouver Giants selected 2009-born defenceman Oliver Botka (Martin, SVK) with the 70th overall pick in the 2026 Canadian Hockey League Import Draft on Tuesday morning.
Botka, who turned 17 in April, is eligible for the 2027 NHL Draft and played for Slovakia as an underager at the IIHF U-18 World Championships, where he recorded four assists in seven games.
“Really, really good skater,” Giants Head Coach and General Manager Michael Dyck said. “Obviously offensive upside and a guy who’s going to be a good two-way guy for us.”
CLICK FOR BOTKA’S ELITE PROSPECTS PROFILE
The 6-foot-1, left-shot blueliner led all defencemen in the Slovakian U20 league in scoring this past season with 36 points (9G-27A) in 44 games for HK Nitra U20.
He produced 18 points (2G-16A) in 29 games in the U20 league as a 15-year-old during the 2024-25 season.
What the Scouts Says
Elite Prospects
“The only underage player on Slovakia’s blue line, Botka was a big standout in both games I saw. A very agile skater with good size, he made an impact at both ends of the ice. He was great on retrievals, displaying good speed that allowed him to win races even against faster top prospects like Canada’s Tynan Lawrence. Consistently stood out with the puck on his stick. Able to to get the puck off the boards and start a breakout. Frequently jumped in on rushes or carried the puck up himself. Able to use spin moves to create space and get the puck up ice. Quick hands and feet to make plays off the blue line…his raw tools and offensive upside are extremely exciting especially since he still appears to be growing and is closing in on 6-foot-2. – Janik Beichler
Daily Faceoff
“I hadn’t seen much of Botka’s game before this tournament, but count me in as a fan. The 17-year-old put up good numbers against U-20 competition this season, and he has looked like one of the most mature options on the Slovak blueline. He makes smart, calculated decisions with the puck while eating a ton of ice time.” – Steven Ellis
The full list of 2026 CHL Import Draft selections can be found by clicking here.
