Getting Set for the 2026 OHL Priority Selection Draft

Graphic for the 2026 OHL Priority Selection Draft taking place in Kingston, Ontario. (Graphic: The Ontario Hockey League)

The Ontario Hockey League will hold its first in-person Priority Selection Draft since 2000.

The draft will take place at the former K-Rock Centre, turned Leon's Centre, now Slush Puppie Place in Kingston, Ontario.

Round 1 starts on Friday night at 7 p.m., and Rounds 2-15 will commence on Saturday morning at 9 a.m.

Kingston gets the return of the in-person Priority Selection Draft, in partnership with Tourism Kingston and the Kingston Frontenacs, after the OHL franchise put in an unsuccessful bid for the 2027 Memorial Cup.

The Guelph Storm ended up being selected as the host of the CHL's top tournament next year.

The Oshawa Generals have the first overall draft pick, and the Ottawa 67's will select 18th.

Here are some of the things we are keeping an eye on over at This is OSN.

With no Kade O'Rourke, who goes number 1?

One of the big stories initially coming into this year's OHL Priority Selection Draft was about someone who will not be selected.

For a while, it seemed like American-born defenseman Kade O'Rourke would be the slam dunk number 1 pick in the draft. Scouts raved about his performance in the OHL Cup, where he tallied 4 goals and 6 assists in 7 games played in the tournament. His Toronto Jr. Canadiens U-16 AAA team eventually fell in the final to the Detroit HoneyBaked.

O'Rourke was praised for his all-around ability, hockey IQ, and size coming in at a listed 6'1, 181 lbs. All of this wrapped in a player that had turned 15 years old this year.

In order to qualify for the OHL Priority Selection Draft, Hockey Canada needed to grant exceptional status to O'Rourke. If granted, he would have been the first pure-born American to receive that status from Hockey Canada.

His request was denied. No reason has been reported as to why this was the case.

Now the question becomes who will be the first selection off the board and become a member of the Oshawa Generals.

On the OHL's Consensus Ontario Top-100 prospect list, the number 1 ranked player is centre Tanner Adams of the U-16 Hill Academy AAA program.

Adams scored 34 goals and added 54 assists in 52 games played in the NAPrepHL U16.

He also appeared in a couple of games with the Timmins Rock of the NOJHL, getting two assists in his three appearances.

Rounding out the top 5 includes two members of the Vaughan Kings U-16 AAA program, including the top-ranked defenceman.

Centreman Kane Cloutier and defenceman Adrian Sgro come in at numbers 2 and 3.

The 4th and 5th ranked slots are occupied by centres Arjun Nanubhai of the Mississauga Senators U-16 AAA program and Ottawa's Logan Prud’Homme of the Upper Canada College U-16 AAA program.

What will the Ottawa 67's do?

It was a year that exceeded expectations for the Ottawa 67's.

After not making the playoffs the year before, the team is coming off a 2025-26 season that saw them finish with a 47-15-6 record during the regular season and reach the Eastern Conference semi-finals before being eliminated by the Barrie Colts.

Head Coach Dave Cameron signed a two-year extension with the 67's for his efforts, keeping him under contract with the team until at least the 2027-28 season.

Entering his first priority draft as General Manager for the 67's, Jan Egert has been keeping his cards close to his chest on what the team has been scouting for when it comes to players.

Egert took over for James Boyd during the 2025-26 season.

He did mention in interviews with the media with the Ottawa 67's there would be a focus on the best available player as opposed to looking to fill one position.

It should be noted that the team will be without Nepean's Thomas Vandenberg, who has committed to Providence College for the 2026-2027 season in the NCAA.

Vandenberg finished his season with 25 goals and 25 assists in 59 games played during the season and is eligible for the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.

The 67's will be selecting 18th overall in the first round.

Who are the Ottawa-area players and teams to keep an eye on?

The previously mentioned Logan Prud’homme comes in on the OHL's Consensus Ontario Top-100 prospect list as the highest-ranked Ottawa-area born player.

Prud'homme finished his season with 44 goals and 52 assists in his 69 games played with Upper Canada College.

The 15-year-old comes in at 6'7 and 220 lbs.

As far as Ottawa-based teams, represented in the draft include the Eastern Ontario Wild, Ottawa Jr. 67's, Ottawa Myers Automotive, Ottawa Valley Titans, and the Upper Canada Cyclones.

Of those teams, there are five players in the OHL's Consensus Ontario Top-100 prospect list.

The highest-ranked player among them is centre Alexandre Saulnier, making the list at number 50.

He finished his season with the Ottawa Jr. 67's with five goals and 19 assists in 17 games played.

Other players ranked in the Top-100 include right winger Cole Krottner of the Ottawa Valley Titans, defenceman Leo Hendriks of the Eastern Ontario Wild, right winger Brody Schulz of Ottawa Myers Automotive, and centre Jacob Tysick of the Ottawa Valley Titans.

In total, there are 76 players from the five Ottawa-area AAA programs that are eligible for this year's priority draft.

Coverage

The 2026 OHL Priority Selection Draft will be broadcast on YourTV as well as additional coverage on RogersTV. It will be streamed online through FloHockey’s social media platforms, including YouTube, Facebook, and X.

This is OSN will be on location at Slush Puppie Place to bring ongoing coverage of the draft. Make sure to subscribe to the OSN YouTube channel and keep tuned in to ThisisOSN.com for the latest.