Vancouver Giants Forward Mathis Preston Selected by Anaheim in 2nd Round of NHL Draft
Buffalo, NY – The Vancouver Giants are thrilled to announce that 17-year-old forward Mathis Preston (Penticton, B.C.) has been selected by the Anaheim Ducks with the 50th overall pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.
Preston becomes the 12th Giant ever to be selected in the top-50 picks of an NHL Draft.
“Pure joy. I’m super excited,” Preston said to the media after getting picked. “Heard nothing but great things [about Anaheim]. Great place to play and super fun to watch. I’m so excited and so thankful.”
During the 2025-26 Western Hockey League season, the 5-foot-11 right-shot forward recorded 12 points (4G-8A) in 10 games with Vancouver and 32 points in 36 games with the Spokane Chiefs. He missed significant time due to a lower-body injury that he suffered on January 10, but returned in time to deliver a standout performance for Canada at the 2026 IIHF U-18 World Championship, where he recorded two goals and four assists in five games.
The @AnaheimDucks select Mathis Preston with the 50th overall pick 🤩 Preston was the 33rd-ranked prospect on our final 2026 NHL Draft rankings 🔥
Read more about his game here: https://t.co/fqNCB8j0zM pic.twitter.com/fbDqgYob0j
— Elite Prospects (@eliteprospects) June 27, 2026
“On behalf of the Vancouver Giants, we congratulate Mathis and his family on his selection by Anaheim in the NHL Draft,” Giants Assistant Coach Wacey Rabbit said. “Mathis is an immensely talented player with the work ethic to match. He made an immediate impact when he returned to our lineup in March and carried that momentum into a strong performance with Canada at the U-18 World Championship. We think he has the opportunity to be a top WHL player for us next season, and we look forward to continuing to foster his development alongside the Ducks.”
Preston was acquired by the Giants from the Chiefs in January, and was originally the 3rd overall pick by Spokane in the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft.
The moment Mathis Preston became a member of the @AnaheimDucks! @WHLGiants | #FlyTogether | #NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/vRMrEAYC7E
— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) June 27, 2026
Internationally, Preston has represented Canada four times, most recently at the 2026 IIHF U-18 World Championship, where he won a Bronze medal. Preston also won Bronze at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, Gold at the 2024 U17 World Challenge (Canada White) and played for Canada at the 2023 Youth Olympic Games.
The 2026 NHL Entry Draft continues today from Buffalo. You can follow along here.
WHAT THE SCOUTS SAY:
“Another guy I thought was going to sneak into the first round. Love his two-way energy…He ended the season on a high note representing Canada at the U-18 worlds. Energy, compete, two-way guy, can play up and down the lineup, [can] rip a puck from the weakside flank on the power play. I really love his character. I’m really happy for him as well. He book-ended his season. He was really good at the Hlinka Gretzky [Cup] last summer and then he was really good for Canada at the Worlds. A little uneven in between, but speed, tenacity and this: he knows how to put the puck in the net.” – Jason Bukala, live on the Sportsnet broadcast
“Mathis Preston is the king of upside in this class…When you watch him on the ice, though, he’s a high-paced, high-skill winger who is like a knife through butter in transition at times. Preston is always looking to make an impact offensively, using his snappy shot and slick passing to generate scoring chances. He has all of the potential in the world to be one of the most effective offensive players in this draft class. While he has fallen down many lists, his ability to be a true game-breaker is too enticing in my opinion.” – Tony Ferrari (The Hockey News)
“He’s an undeniably talented player who could become a top-six threat down the line. Preston has a remarkable shot and often wastes no time firing in the back of the net from the slot. It’s NHL-ready right now – something very few 17/18-year-olds can claim. Preston consistently finds open space, but he can also create those opportunities with his skating. He’s fast, can start and stop on a dime and can often skate himself out of dangerous situations.” – Steven Ellis (Daily Faceoff)
“Preston is one of the fastest skaters in the draft class, combining fully-extended strides with rapid-fire crossovers to blaze around defenders. With hands that match, he dangles opponents, often in creative ways, and masks his release with quick handling. Speaking of his shot, it too is lethal. Preston fires with power and precision at full speed, without even breaking stride. He requires no wind-up, fires off the catch, and doesn’t need much to find a corner…If Preston keeps developing his change-of-pace game, playmaking, and inside play, he could become a second-line scorer.” – Elite Prospects Draft Guide
NOTES:
- Preston is the 42nd Giants player to ever be drafted to the NHL.
- Preston was selected with the exact same pick (50th) as Giants great Milan Lucic was 20 years ago
- Preston becomes the first ever Vancouver Giant to be selected by the Anaheim Ducks
- The Vancouver Giants have had at least one player selected in the NHL Draft in 21 of their 25 years of existence
