Adam Levac was suspended for eight games for his reckless actions back on Jan. 30. Will NHL teams question his character ahead of the 2026 draft because of it?
Peterborough Petes forward Adam Levac (10). Credit: Natalie Shavers/OHL ImagesThe OHL handed out one of its biggest suspensions in league history earlier this year. Back in November, the league suspended Brampton Steelheads defenseman Luke Dragusica for the remainder of the season for a vicious slash to the head.
Well, recently, the OHL was met with more controversy.
On Feb. 4, the league suspended Peterborough Petes forward Adam Levac eight games for slew-footing Ottawa 67’s defenseman Kaleb Dietsch, along with the intentional punches to the head of Dietsch after he fell to the ice.
The full details of the league’s reasoning behind his suspension can be found here.
There’s no denying it, what Levac did was reckless, dangerous, and really was a display of negligence to the safety of his opponent. It warranted a lengthy suspension, despite having no previous history of discipline or even being seen as a dirty player.
Levac is eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft. He had only 10 points (6 goals, 4 assists) in 57 games during his 2024-25 rookie season, and there wasn’t much hype around him heading into his draft season.
NHL Central Scouting (NHLCS) graded him as a C-rated prospect in their preliminary rankings back in October. In their recent midterm rankings, NHLCS rated him the 89th-best North American skater. He’s caught the eyes of several scouts, and at this rate, it would be surprising if his name went uncalled.
NHL scouts place a high premium on “character” when it comes to drafting. This play was far out of character for Levac. Will scouts call him out during the interview process before the draft regarding his decision-making on this play? Or will they sweep this under the rug?
One scout I talked to had the following to say on the matter:
“As horrid and dangerous as that play was, I don’t see it hurting his draft stock. Levac is a player who has impressed with his work ethic this year, pushing up the Peterborough lineup. Scouts are going to focus more on his growth and development this year as a player, more than a poor choice that isn’t part of a pattern of poor behaviour or attitude.”
It’s important to remember that Levac is only 17 years old. It was a reckless play, absolutely, but this should be chalked up to nothing more than an extremely poor decision during a heated moment.
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