Giants add some Prest-o magic with addition of top 2026 NHL Draft-eligible forward Preston
Langley, B.C.- The B.C. boy is heading back above the border.
Projected 2026 NHL first-round pick Mathis Preston has been dealt to the Vancouver Giants, along with a conditional second-round pick in the 2029 WHL Prospects Draft.
In return, the Spokane Chiefs will receive 19-year-old defenceman Marek Howell, 2026 NHL Draft-eligible forward Tyus Sparks and a first-round pick in the 2026 WHL Prospects Draft.
Preston, a 5-foot-11, 177-pound forward, has tallied 14 goals and 18 assists for 32 points in 36 games with the Chiefs, tying for second on the team in goals and third in points.
The Penticton, B.C. product also has three game-winning goals under his belt.
🎥HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT🎥
Mathis Preston puts on a show in front of his family and friends in Penticton. @spokanechiefs | #WHLHoN | #NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/fm7lI93REO
— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) November 15, 2025
Preston was named Tempo WHL Player of the Week on December 22, 2025, after registering four points (2G-2A) and a +4 rating in a single game- tying his career his for points in one match.
He recently represented the CHL at the 2025 CHL USA Prospects Challenge, where he added a goal and two assists.
The high-tempo forward brings valuable postseason experience to the table, having reached the 2025 WHL Championship Series with Spokane.
Preston racked up 16 points (9G-7A) in 20 postseason tilts as a 16-year-old.
On the international stage, he’s won gold at the 2024 U17 World Challenge (6G-1A), a bronze at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup (4G-3A) and represented the Maple Leaf at the 2024 Youth Olympic Games (4G-2A)
Preston received an ‘A’ rating from NHL Central Scouting in the agency’s October preliminary list for the 2026 NHL Draft.
He’ll join fellow potential first-rounder and former international teammate Ryan Lin on the Giants- and at the upcoming WHL Prospects Game presented by Showpass, slated to be held at the Langley Events Centre.
Mathis Preston (@spokanechiefs) gets to the center of the ice and cuts @CHLHockey's deficit in half!
📺: CHL USA Prospects Challenge on NHL Network https://t.co/fcXvisrd5d pic.twitter.com/wBnd4GDjjl
— NHL Media (@NHLMedia) November 26, 2025
Heading south is 6-foot-4, 206-pound defenceman Marek Howell.
The Calgary, Alta. native has been putting up career-best numbers with four goals and six assists in 40 games while playing top minutes and matchups against rival teams.
Howell is two games away from hitting 200 WHL appearances and has played parts of five seasons with the Giants and Moose Jaw Warriors.
Marek Howell breaks the ice for the Giants!@WHLGiants pic.twitter.com/n2R76d0dCG
— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) December 6, 2025
He’s joined by Sparks, a 5-foot-11, 182-pound centreman.
Sparks has 16 goals and 21 assists for 37 points- good for third on the Giants in goals and assists and fourth in points.
The Meridian, Idaho product had a career-best night against Preston and the Chiefs on December 14, 2024, with a two-goal, three-assist outing and is fresh off a seven-game point streak (6G-6A).
🎥HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT🎥
Tight moves from Tyus Sparks ⚡@WHLGiants | #WHLHoN pic.twitter.com/kOaRSSrzPt
— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) March 24, 2025
Sparks received a ‘C’ rating from NHL Central Scouting back in October.
Spokane (19-19-0-0) sits one point out of a playoff position in the Western Conference and will try to gain more ground when the Chiefs visit the Victoria Royals (16-13-5-3) on Friday, January 9.
Vancouver (16-22-1-1) hosts the surging Tri-City Americans (20-14-2-0) the same day.
Both matches can be streamed for free on Victory+.
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