Final order set for Tuesday’s 2026 CHL Import Draft
Oshawa to select first overall; Halifax moves into No. 2 spot following trade with Baie-Comeau
The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) announced today the finalized draft order for the 2026 CHL Import Draft, which will take place tomorrow, Tuesday, June 30, at 11 a.m. ET.
The Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) will select first overall, followed by the Halifax Mooseheads of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), who acquired the second overall selection in a trade with the Baie-Comeau Drakkar. The Lethbridge Hurricanes of the Western Hockey League (WHL) will select third overall, while the Guelph Storm of the OHL, hosts of the 2027 Memorial Cup presented by Kubota, will round out the top four after acquiring the fourth overall selection in a trade with the Erie Otters.
Halifax’s move into the No. 2 spot is one of several recent changes reflected in the finalized order, which is listed in full below.
For the second straight year, the CHL Import Draft will consist of three rounds as the CHL enters its second season with three import player spots available on each club’s roster. As a reminder, new rules are in effect for this year’s draft: 20-year-old import players are eligible to be selected in any round, while 16-year-old import players may only be selected in the first round.
CHL clubs may carry a maximum of one 16-year-old import player per season. That player cannot be traded or replaced by another import player during his 16-year-old season. If a 16-year-old import player is released to another level of hockey during the regular season or deleted from a club’s roster, that club will be limited to two import players for the remainder of the regular season and playoffs.
The Mooseheads have selected within the top three on three previous occasions in CHL Import Draft history, but 2026 marks the first time Halifax will make the second overall selection. At last year’s CHL Import Draft, the Mooseheads selected Oleg Kulebiakin ninth overall before adding Finnish forward Jasu Mensonen in the second round at No. 70. Kulebiakin went on to lead Halifax with 73 points in 64 games during the 2025-26 season before being selected 52nd overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning at the 2026 NHL Draft, while Mensonen added 33 points in 64 contests.
Halifax has built one of the CHL Import Draft’s strongest track records for developing high-end international talent, with alumni including Jakub Voracek, 2017 first-overall NHL Draft pick Nico Hischier, Timo Meier, Ladislav Nagy, Filip Zadina and 2026 Stanley Cup champion Nikolaj Ehlers.
The CHL Import Draft has long served as an important pathway for international players to develop in the WHL, OHL and QMJHL before later hearing their names called at the NHL Draft. At the 2026 NHL Draft in Buffalo, 22 players previously selected through the CHL Import Draft were chosen by NHL clubs, including first-round selections Nikita Klepov (Saginaw Spirit, OHL / Anaheim Ducks), Adam Novotný (Peterborough Petes, OHL / Vancouver Canucks) and Maksim Sokolovskii (London Knights, OHL / Philadelphia Flyers).
Other CHL Import Draft alumni selected at the 2026 NHL Draft included Matias Vanhanen (Everett Silvertips, WHL / New Jersey Devils), Egor Shilov (Victoriaville Tigres, QMJHL / Colorado Avalanche), Oleg Kulebiakin (Halifax Mooseheads, QMJHL / Tampa Bay Lightning), Jakub Vanecek (Tri-City Americans, WHL / Dallas Stars), Danai Shaiikov (Gatineau Olympiques, QMJHL / New York Rangers), Adam Nemec (Sudbury Wolves, OHL / Ottawa Senators), Michal Orsulak (Prince Albert Raiders, WHL / Detroit Red Wings), Yaroslav Bryzgalov (Medicine Hat Tigers, WHL / Vancouver Canucks), Marek Sklenicka (Seattle Thunderbirds, WHL / Philadelphia Flyers), Olivers Murnieks (Saint John Sea Dogs, QMJHL / Buffalo Sabres), Tobias Tvrznik (Wenatchee Wild, WHL / Colorado Avalanche), Filip Ruzicka (Brandon Wheat Kings, WHL / Minnesota Wild), Vladimir Dravecky (Guelph Storm, OHL / New York Islanders), Lars Steiner (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, QMJHL / St. Louis Blues), Stepan Shurygin (Saginaw Spirit, OHL / Tampa Bay Lightning), Jasper Kuhta (Ottawa 67’s, OHL / Dallas Stars), Alexander Karmanov (North Bay Battalion, OHL / San Jose Sharks), Ondrej Ruml (Ottawa 67’s, OHL / Colorado Avalanche), and Max Vilen (Moncton Wildcats, QMJHL / Tampa Bay Lightning).
Since the first CHL Import Draft was held in 1992, more than 2,310 players from outside Canada and the United States have been selected through the annual event. The draft has helped bring many future NHL standouts to the CHL, including Leon Draisaitl (Prince Albert Raiders / WHL), Zdeno Chara (Prince George Cougars / WHL), Marian Hossa (Portland Winterhawks / WHL), Mikael Backlund (Kelowna Rockets / WHL), Oliver Bjorkstrand (Portland Winterhawks / WHL), Gabriel Landeskog (Kitchener Rangers / OHL), Nikita Zadorov (London Knights / OHL), Rasmus Andersson (Barrie Colts / OHL), Olli Määttä (London Knights / OHL), Alexander Radulov (Québec Remparts / QMJHL), David Krejci (Gatineau Olympiques / QMJHL), and Nico Hischier (Halifax Mooseheads / QMJHL). That list also includes two-time Hart Trophy winner Nikita Kucherov (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies / QMJHL), who captured the award for the second time in his career during the 2025-26 season, as well as recent 2026 Stanley Cup champions Andrei Svechnikov (Barrie Colts / OHL) and Nikolaj Ehlers (Halifax Mooseheads / QMJHL), who helped the Carolina Hurricanes capture their second championship in franchise history.
Fans and media can follow the 2026 CHL Import Draft and view full results beginning tomorrow at 11 a.m. ET at chl.ca/draft.
Finalized Order of Selections for the 2026 CHL Import Draft
First Round
Second Round
Third Round
No.
Team
No.
Team
No.
Team
1
Oshawa Generals
62
Brantford Bulldogs (from Oshawa)
123
Oshawa Generals
2
Halifax Mooseheads (from Baie-Comeau)
63
Baie-Comeau Drakkar
124
Baie-Comeau Drakkar
3
Lethbridge Hurricanes
64
Lethbridge Hurricanes
125
Lethbridge Hurricanes
4
Guelph Storm (From Erie)
65
Erie Otters
126
Erie Otters
5
Rimouski Océanic
66
Saint John Sea Dogs (from Chicoutimi via Rimouski)
127
Rimouski Océanic
6
Everett Silvertips (from Swift Current)
67
Swift Current Broncos
128
Swift Current Broncos
7
Brampton Steelheads
68
Brampton Steelheads
129
Brampton Steelheads
8
Gatineau Olympiques
69
Drummondville Voltigeurs (from Gatineau)
130
Gatineau Olympiques
9
Vancouver Giants
70
Vancouver Giants
131
Vancouver Giants
10
Sarnia Sting
71
Sarnia Sting
132
Sarnia Sting
11
Victoriaville Tigres
72
Moncton Wildcats (from Victoriaville)
133
Victoriaville Tigres
12
Tri-City Americans (from Wenatchee)
73
Medicine Hat Tigers (from Everett via Wenatchee)
134
Wenatchee Wild
13
Brantford Bulldogs (From Sudbury)
74
Kitchener Rangers (from Sudbury)
135
Sudbury Wolves
14
Saint John Sea Dogs
75
Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (from Saint John)
136
Saint John Sea Dogs
15
Moose Jaw Warriors
76
Moose Jaw Warriors
137
Moose Jaw Warriors
16
Saginaw Spirit
77
Saginaw Spirit
138
North Bay Battalion (from Saginaw)
17
Val-d’Or Foreurs
78
Chicoutimi Saguenéens (from Saint John via Val-d’Or)
139
Val-d’Or Foreurs
18
Regina Pats (from Red Deer)
79
Red Deer Rebels
140
Red Deer Rebels
19
Erie Otters (from Guelph)
80
Guelph Storm
141
Guelph Storm
20
Baie-Comeau Drakkar (from Halifax)
81
Halifax Mooseheads
142
Halifax Mooseheads
21
Swift Current Broncos (from Tri-City)
82
Calgary Hitmen (from Tri-City)
143
Tri-City Americans
22
Owen Sound Attack
83
Owen Sound Attack
144
Owen Sound Attack
23
Chicoutimi Saguenéens (from Cape Breton)
84
Shawinigan Cataractes (from Cape Breton)
145
Cape Breton Eagles
24
Red Deer Rebels (from Regina Pats)
85
Regina Pats
146
Regina Pats
25
Niagara IceDogs
86
Niagara IceDogs
147
Niagara IceDogs
26
Sherbrooke Phoenix
87
Sherbrooke Phoenix
148
Sherbrooke Phoenix
27
Victoria Royals
88
Penticton Vees (from Victoria)
149
Victoria Royals
28
Flint Firebirds (from Kingston)
89
Flint Firebirds (from Kingston)
150
Kingston Frontenacs
29
Québec Remparts
90
Québec Remparts
151
Québec Remparts
30
Portland Winterhawks
91
Swift Current Broncos (from Portland)
152
Portland Winterhawks
31
Saginaw Spirit (from North Bay)
92
North Bay Battalion
153
North Bay Battalion
32
Charlottetown Islanders
93
Charlottetown Islanders
154
Charlottetown Islanders
33
Kelowna Rockets (from Seattle)
94
Seattle Thunderbirds
155
Seattle Thunderbirds
34
Soo Greyhounds
95
Soo Greyhounds
156
Soo Greyhounds
35
Shawinigan Cataractes
96
Shawinigan Cataractes
157
Cape Breton Eagles (from Shawinigan)
36
Spokane Chiefs
97
Spokane Chiefs
158
Spokane Chiefs
37
Peterborough Petes
98
Peterborough Petes
159
Peterborough Petes
38
Newfoundland Regiment
99
Newfoundland Regiment
160
Newfoundland Regiment
39
Kamloops Blazers
100
Kamloops Blazers
161
Kamloops Blazers
40
London Knights
101
London Knights
162
London Knights
41
Gatineau Olympiques (from Drummondville)
102
Newfoundland Regiment (from Drummondville)
163
Drummondville Voltigeurs
42
Saskatoon Blades
103
Saskatoon Blades
164
Saskatoon Blades
43
Flint Firebirds
104
Kingston Frontenacs (from Flint)
165
Kingston Frontenacs (from Flint)
44
Saint John Sea Dogs (from Blainville-Boisbriand)
105
Blainville-Boisbriand Armada
166
Blainville-Boisbriand Armada
45
Brandon Wheat Kings
106
Brandon Wheat Kings
167
Brandon Wheat Kings
46
Windsor Spitfires
107
Windsor Spitfires
168
Windsor Spitfires
47
Rouyn-Noranda Huskies
108
Rouyn-Noranda Huskies
169
Rouyn-Noranda Huskies
48
Calgary Hitmen
109
Everett Silvertips (from Calgary)
170
Calgary Hitmen
49
Barrie Colts
110
Barrie Colts
171
Barrie Colts
50
Rimouski Océanic (from Chicoutimi)
111
Chicoutimi Saguenéens
172
Chicoutimi Saguenéens
51
Edmonton Oil Kings (from Kelowna)
112
Seattle Thunderbirds (from Kelowna)
173
Kelowna Rockets
52
Ottawa 67’s
113
Ottawa 67’s
174
Ottawa 67’s
53
Moncton Wildcats
114
Moncton Wildcats
175
Moncton Wildcats
54
Saskatoon Blades (from Prince George)
115
Prince George Cougars
176
Prince George Cougars
55
Kitchener Rangers
116
Kitchener Rangers
177
Sudbury Wolves (from Kitchener)
56
Edmonton Oil Kings
117
Edmonton Oil Kings
178
Kelowna Rockets (from Edmonton)
57
Brantford Bulldogs
118
Sudbury Wolves (from Brantford)
179
Oshawa Generals (from Brantford)
58
Victoria Royals (from Penticton)
119
Penticton Vees
180
Penticton Vees
59
Medicine Hat Tigers
120
Medicine Hat Tigers
181
Medicine Hat Tigers
60
Prince Albert Raiders
121
Prince Albert Raiders
182
Prince Albert Raiders
61
Everett Silvertips
122
Everett Silvertips
183
Everett Silvertips
