WHL enters 2026 NHL Draft with four of top five North American skaters

WHL TOTALS 80 PLAYERS; CHL BOASTS 76 PER CENT OF NORTH AMERICAN PLAYERS RANKED BY NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING

Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League heads into the 2026 NHL Draft as the No. 1 development league in North America, with four of the top five skaters and 80 total players ranked by NHL Central Scouting.

NHL Central Scouting unveiled its Final Rankings for the 2026 NHL Draft on Thursday morning. The 2026 NHL Draft is scheduled to be held June 26-27 in Buffalo, N.Y.

“While a lot has changed in hockey’s development landscape, the WHL has further solidified itself as the best environment for players to be developed, scouted, and then drafted to the NHL,” commented WHL Commissioner Dan Near. “With four of the top five skaters having developed in the WHL, and nearly a 20-per-cent increase in the players ranked by NHL Central Scouting, the WHL is once again reinforced as an exceptional path to professional hockey.”

Across the member Leagues of the Canadian Hockey League, including the WHL, Ontario Hockey League, and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, a total of 197 players are ranked among the 261 players identified by NHL Central Scouting. This reinforces the CHL Member Leagues as the top development path for junior hockey players, with 75.5 per cent of North American-ranked players coming from the WHL, OHL, and QMJHL.

Four of the top five ranked North American skaters developed in the WHL, including Medicine Hat Tigers alumnus Gavin McKenna (first) and Prince George Cougars defenceman Carson Carels (third), Victoria Royals alumnus Keaton Verhoeff (fourth), and Prince Albert Raiders defenceman Daxon Rudolph (fifth).

NHL Central Scouting’s top 32 North American skaters features 12 players developed in the WHL, including JP Hurlbert of the Kamloops Blazers, Ryan Lin of the Vancouver Giants, Liam Ruck of the Medicine Hat Tigers, Ben MacBeath of the Calgary Hitmen, Markus Ruck of the Medicine Hat Tigers, Chase Harrington of the Spokane Chiefs, Jakub Vanecek of the Tri-City Americans, and Mathis Preston of the Vancouver Giants.

Five WHL netminders rank among the top 10 goaltenders in North America, including Michal Orsulak of the Prince Albert Raiders, Filip Ruzicka of the Brandon Wheat Kings, Marek Sklenicka of the Seattle Thunderbirds, Tobias Tvrznik of the Wenatchee Wild, and Harrison Boettiger of the Kelowna Rockets.

Of the 80 players developed in the WHL to be identified by NHL Central Scouting, 47 are forwards, 24 are defencemen, and nine are goaltenders.

In total, NHL Central Scouting has identified 224 skaters and 37 goaltenders from North America, with 75.5 per cent of the list having spent time developing in the member Leagues of the CHL. The WHL accounts for 30.7 per cent of the North American list, while the OHL follows at 29.1 per cent and the QMJHL contributes 15.7 per cent.

In 2025, the WHL accounted for 67 players on NHL Central Scouting’s Final Rankings. The rise from 67 players in 2025 to 80 players in 2026 represents an increase of 19.4 per cent.

Of the WHL’s 23 Clubs, 22 are represented in NHL Central Scouting’s Midterm Rankings, led by the Medicine Hat Tigers, who boast nine players. The Prince Albert Raiders follow closely with seven players ranked by NHL Central Scouting. The Edmonton Oil Kings and Portland Winterhawks both boast six players, while the Calgary Hitmen, Prince George Cougars, and Vancouver Giants all have five players ranked by NHL Central Scouting.

NHL Central Scouting’s Midterm Rankings features 197 players developed in the member Leagues of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), including 76 from the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and 41 from the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL).

Currently in its 51st year of operation, NHL Central Scouting provides evaluation and scouting of draft-eligible players to NHL member clubs. Headed by Group Vice President Dan Marr, NHL Central Scouting employs eight full-time scouts throughout North America.

Full rankings are available on NHL.com.

2025-26 NHL Central Scouting – Final Rankings – WHL Skaters

RK	Last Name	First Name	Hometown	WHL Team	Ht	Wt	Pos
1	McKenna*	Gavin	Whitehorse, Yukon	Medicine Hat Tigers (2022-25)	5’11”	170	LW
3	Carels	Carson	Cypress River, Man.	Prince George Cougars	6’2”	202	D
4	Verhoeff*	Keaton	Fort Saskatchewan, Alta.	Victoria Royals (2023-25)	6’4”	208	D
5	Rudolph	Daxon	Lacombe, Alta.	Prince Albert Raiders	6’2”	206	D
12	Hurlbert	JP	Allen, Texas	Kamloops Blazers	6’0”	185	LW
16	Lin	Ryan	Richmond, B.C.	Vancouver Giants	5’11”	177	D
20	Ruck	Liam	Osoyoos, B.C.	Medicine Hat Tigers	6’0”	176	RW
22	MacBeath	Ben	Calgary, Alta.	Calgary Hitmen	6’2”	184	D
23	Ruck	Markus	Osoyoos, B.C.	Medicine Hat Tigers	6’0”	167	C
26	Harrington	Chase	Prince George, B.C.	Spokane Chiefs	6’1”	195	LW
31	Vanecek	Jakub	Humpolec, Czechia	Tri-City Americans	6’2”	191	D
32	Preston	Mathis	Penticton, B.C.	Vancouver Giants	5’11”	177	RW
33	Hamilton	Beckett	Saskatoon, Sask.	Red Deer Rebels	5’11”	173	C
36	Olsen	Zach	Calgary, Alta.	Saskatoon Blades	6’1”	198	RW
37	Sparks	Tyus	Meridian, Idaho	Spokane Chiefs	5’11”	182	C
44	Liske	Brek	Beausejour, Man.	Everett Silvertips	6’1”	190	D
46	Pantelas	Giorgos	Victoria, B.C.	Brandon Wheat Kings	6’2”	214	D
48	Runtso	Timofei	Marina del Rey, Calif.	Victoria Royals	6’2”	185	D
50	Williams	Cooper	Calgary, Alta.	Saskatoon Blades	6’0”	166	C
52	Gustafson	Jake	San Jose, Calif.	Portland Winterhawks	6’4”	179	C
53	Sivertson	Jonah	Regina, Sask.	Prince Albert Raiders	6’3”	194	RW
54	Vanhanen	Matias	Nokia, Finland	Everett Silvertips	5’11”	174	LW
57	McLaughlin	Will	Canmore, Alta.	Portland Winterhawks	6’2”	169	D
58	Lemire	Kayden	Edmonton, Alta.	Prince George Cougars	6’4”	194	RW
60	Joudrey	Caelan	Airdrie, Alta.	Wenatchee Wild	6’4”	179	C
62	Mackenzie	Ethan	Peachland, B.C.	Edmonton Oil Kings	6’1”	189	D
66	Heger	Kyle	Eagan, Minn.	Lethbridge Hurricanes	6’1”	193	D
70	Lansard	Zachary	Ste. Anne, Man.	Regina Pats	6’0”	175	RW
74	Klimpke	Brayden	Calgary, Alta.	Saskatoon Blades	5’11”	165	D
81	Amrhein	Landon	Celina, Texas	Calgary Hitmen	6’5”	190	LW
88	Dean	Dylan	Maple Grove, Minn.	Edmonton Oil Kings	6’0”	180	C
90	Bryzgalov	Yaroslav	Minsk, Belarus	Medicine Hat Tigers	6’4”	216	LW
93	Stengrim	Kade	Brainerd, Minn.	Medicine Hat Tigers	6’4”	206	LW
99	Burick	Sean	San Clemente, Calif.	Penticton Vees	6’8”	209	D
107	Kelly	Benett	Cochrane, Alta.	Prince Albert Raiders	6’1”	187	D
109	Ta’amu	Alofa Tunoa	San Diego, Calif.	Edmonton Oil Kings	6’2”	233	D
116	Kuzma	Cameron	St. Albert, Alta.	Red Deer Rebels	6’2”	190	C
122	Varga	Kalder	Geneva, Ill.	Red Deer Rebels	5’11”	178	RW
123	Duguay	Jordan	Edmonton, Alta.	Portland Winterhawks	5’10”	174	LW
128	Kosick	Noah	Victoria, B.C.	Seattle Thunderbirds	5’11”	165	C
130	Allard	Cameron	Yorkton, Sask.	Brandon Wheat Kings	6’3”	185	D
134	Kamas	Jiri	Plzen, Czechia	Red Deer Rebels	6’1”	187	D
138	Rolsing	Darian	Speyer, Germany	Wenatchee Wild	6’6”	192	D
145	Dingman	Sawyer	Edmonton, Alta.	Swift Current Broncos	6’4”	224	LW
146	Steen	Riley	Ladysmith, B.C.	Medicine Hat Tigers	6’1”	190	D
147	Molgachev	Andrei	Magnitogorsk, Russia	Calgary Hitmen	5’10”	185	C
149	Sarkenov	Alisher	Astana, Kazakhstan	Prince Albert Raiders	6’0”	174	RW
150	O’Neill	Andrew	Fargo, N.D.	Edmonton Oil Kings	6’2”	195	C
151	Sawchyn	Lukas	Grande Prairie, Alta.	Edmonton Oil Kings	5’10”	173	C
153	Yakutsenak	Dmitri	Yaroslavl, Russia	Prince George Cougars	6’1”	201	C
154	Brown	Reed	Tempe, Ariz.	Portland Winterhawks	5’11”	161	C
156	Baumuller	Joby	Wilcox, Sask.	Brandon Wheat Kings	5’11”	191	RW
158	Souch	Brock	Edmonton, Alta.	Prince George Cougars	5’11”	168	C
162	Boychuk	Riley	Cochrane, Alta.	Prince Albert Raiders	5’10”	170	C
163	Gillespie	Brody	Vancouver, Wash.	Spokane Chiefs	6’1”	194	C
165	Pavao	Cruz	Calgary, Alta.	Tri-City Americans	5’11”	196	RW
170	Anisimov	Arsenii	Kazan, Russia	Prince George Cougars	5’11”	176	D
173	Olson	Brett	Spruce Grove, Alta.	Vancouver Giants	6’2”	190	C
176	Man	Matyas	Ostrava, Czechia	Prince Albert Raiders	6’6”	202	D
179	Woo	Jonas	Winnipeg, Man.	Medicine Hat Tigers	5’9”	175	D
183	Maze	Julien		Calgary Hitmen	5’9”	165	LW
185	McCann	Kadon	Cochrane, Alta.	Medicine Hat Tigers	6’3”	200	C
187	Evaschesen	Josh	Medicine Hat, Alta.	Kamloops Blazers	6’2”	191	LW
189	Lesiuk	Gavin	Duncan, B.C.	Lethbridge Hurricanes	6’5”	221	LW
193	Tomik	Tobias	Ilava, Slovakia	Vancouver Giants	6’0”	194	LW
199	Stewart	Nolan	Edmonton, Alta.	Victoria Royals	5’10”	168	RW
200	Iginla	Joe	Lake Country, B.C.	Vancouver Giants	5’10”	175	RW
211	Klassen	Cohen	Martensville, Sask.	Regina Pats	6’0”	177	C
221	Kuryachenkov	Stepan	Ufa, Russia	Swift Current Broncos	5’10”	143	C
222	Aura	Hunter	Kamloops, B.C.	Calgary Hitmen	5’10”	168	D
224	Brown	Nathan	Winnipeg, Man.	Portland Winterhawks	6’0”	163	LW

* = Played 2025-26 in NCAA

2025-26 NHL Central Scouting – Final Rankings – WHL Goaltenders

RK	Last Name	First Name	Hometown	WHL Team	Ht	Wt	Pos
2	Orsulak	Michal	Tremosna, Czechia	Prince Albert Raiders	6’4”	220	G
4	Ruzicka	Filip	Trinec, Czechia	Brandon Wheat Kings	6’7”	230	G
6	Sklenicka	Marek	Litvinov, Czechia	Seattle Thunderbirds	6’4”	170	G
8	Tvrznik	Tobias	Litomerice, Czechia	Wenatchee Wild	6’3”	180	G
10	Boettiger	Harrison	Wheat Ridge, Colo.	Kelowna Rockets	6’2”	189	G
19	Snell	Parker	St. Albert, Alta.	Edmonton Oil Kings	6’2”	176	G
26	Casey	Carter	Grand Rapids, Minn.	Medicine Hat Tigers	6’1”	179	G
29	Wendt	Xavier	Plymouth, Minn.	Tri-City Americans	6’0”	179	G
35	Stebetak	Ondrej	Jihlava, Czechia	Portland Winterhawks	6’2”	176	G

About the Western Hockey League

Regarded as the world’s finest development league for junior hockey players, the Western Hockey League (WHL) head office is based in Calgary, Alberta. The WHL consists of 23 member Clubs with 17 located in Western Canada and six in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. A member of the Canadian Hockey League, the WHL has been a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League for over 50 years. The WHL is also the leading provider of hockey scholarships with over 375 graduates each year receiving WHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice. Each season, WHL players also form the nucleus of Canada’s National Junior Hockey Team.