Pats Set for 2026 WHL Prospects Draft with Ninth Overall Pick
Regina, Sask. – The Regina Pats are set for the 2026 WHL Prospects Draft, which begins with the opening round on Wednesday, May 6, before rounds two through 12 continue on Thursday, May 7.
Round one will be streamed live on Victory+ beginning at 6 p.m. MDT, while rounds two through 12 will get underway Thursday at 10 a.m. Fans can follow the full draft at: https://chl.ca/whl/draft/whl/
The Pats enter the draft holding the ninth overall selection in the first round, along with two second-round picks at No. 31 and No. 35, plus a third-round selection at No. 62. Regina also owns two sixth-round picks and two ninth-round selections.
Historically, top-10 picks in the WHL Prospects Draft have often developed into cornerstone players for their respective franchises. Recent ninth overall selections include Tij Iginla, chosen by the Seattle Thunderbirds in 2021 before becoming a first-round pick of the Utah Mammoth, and Liam Ruck, who was selected ninth overall by the Medicine Hat Tigers in 2023 and went on to finish second in WHL scoring this past season.
The Pats have selected inside the top 10 in each of the last two drafts, taking Maddox Schultz first overall in 2025 and Liam Pue third overall in 2025. Regina also added Logan Henry with the 23rd overall pick last year.
This year’s ninth overall selection gives the Pats another opportunity to add a key building block, as the 2011-born age group is widely regarded as a strong and deep draft class.
Regina also possesses significant future draft capital, including three second-round picks and three third-round picks in the 2027 WHL Prospects Draft, giving General Manager Dale Derkatch added flexibility to move up the board if needed. In total, the Pats currently hold 39 draft picks over the next three years.
With no first-round pick in 2027, this year’s opening-round selection becomes especially important as the organization continues to build toward the future.
The 2026 draft will also mark the first time in franchise history that the Pats will make the ninth overall selection.
