The Vancouver Canucks enter the 2026 NHL Entry Draft with 10 picks. Leading up to the draft, we at The Hockey News will profile a different prospect who the Canucks could take with each of their picks. Today's prospect is Vancouver Giants right winger Mathis Preston, who Vancouver could select 24th overall. If the Canucks want to add some local talent, Preston could be their guy. The 17-year-old winger is from Penticton, BC and has spent his entire junior career in the WHL [https://thehockeynews.com/whl]. Preston split the season between the Giants and the Spokane Chiefs, where he recorded 44 points in 46 games. After Preston's season was complete, he played for Team Canada at the U18s. He recorded a point in four of the five games and finished tied for second on Team Canada with a total of six during the tournament. Preston has represented Canada on multiple occasions, including at the 2024 U17 World Challenge, where he won a Gold Medal. Preston's ability to generate offence is why he is considered a highly-touted prospect. He is a strong playmaker who can create chances through his shooting and passing along the perimeter. Regardless of whether the puck is on his stick or not, Preston is always moving in the offensive zone, which allows him to create space not just for himself, but for teammates. As for the transition game, Preston often leads the charge into the offensive zone. His speed creates matchup problems for some defenders, which allows him to beat them along the boards for carry entries into the zone. Preston is also not shy about using his teammates while transitioning through the neutral zone, as he can deliver accurate passes to linemates who are crossing the blue line with speed. An underrated part of Preston's game is his ability to win puck battles along the boards. Listed at 5'11", 173lbs, he understands how to use body positioning to shield the puck and kick it loose to teammates waiting off to the side. This applies at both ends of the ice, as Preston can create turnovers at a high rate. With the right development path, Preston has the chance to become an offensive producer at the NHL level. He is a strong skater, possesses a dangerous shot and has the hockey sense to be an impactful playmaker. If available when Vancouver selects at 24, adding BC-born Preston to their prospect pool would be a smart decision by the organization Mathis Preston of the Vancouver Giants (Photo Credit: Rob Wilton/Vancouver Giants) [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/18b0cf2a-372f-4ecb-9c2e-106193611f50.jpeg] Mathis Preston of the Vancouver Giants (Photo Credit: Rob Wilton/Vancouver Giants) Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News [https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqBwgKMK-q0gsw7sXpAw/sections/CAQqEAgAKgcICjCvqtILMO7F6QMwr-DfCA?hl=en-CA&gl=CA&ceid=CA%3Aen] for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks]. 2026 NHL Draft Prospect Profiles: Chase Reid [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/players/vancouver-canucks-2026-nhl-draft-target-chase-reid] Gavin McKenna [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/players/vancouver-canucks-2026-nhl-draft-target-gavin-mckenna] Keaton Verhoeff [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/players/vancouver-canucks-2026-nhl-draft-target-keaton-verhoeff] Caleb Malhotra [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/players/vancouver-canucks-2026-nhl-draft-target-caleb-malhotra] Maddox Dagenais [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/players/vancouver-canucks-2026-nhl-draft-target-maddox-dagenais] Ben MacBeath [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/players/vancouver-canucks-2026-nhl-draft-target-ben-macbeath] Liam Ruck [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/players/vancouver-canucks-2026-nhl-draft-target-liam-ruck] Markus Ruck [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/players/vancouver-canucks-2026-nhl-draft-target-markus-ruck] William Håkansson [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/players/vancouver-canucks-2026-nhl-draft-target-william-hakansson] Ivar Stenberg [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/players/vancouver-canucks-2026-nhl-draft-target-ivar-stenberg] Jaxon Cover [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/players/vancouver-canucks-2026-nhl-draft-target-jaxon-cover] For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free [https://thehockeynews.store/products/print-subscription?_gl=1*twovkp*_ga*MTk0NDM0Mzk0OS4xNzQ2MjQ0ODA2*_ga_ZET34ZFCGX*czE3NjEyNTE0MDEkbzU3MCRnMSR0MTc2MTI1MjA1MyRqNjAkbDAkaDA.]. 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