{"time":1782529905200,"blocks":[{"id":"u_p_MsPi6i","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Hello and welcome to The Hockey News OHL's coverage of the 2026 NHL draft."}},{"id":"WI7QBRvh4V","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"This feed will update live with every player from across the league being selected, or potential alumni being dealt in trades."}},{"id":"W7wGlPp8a9","type":"header","data":{"text":"End of first round ","level":2,"linkUrl":"","anchor":""}},{"id":"MEjDxUvGnu","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Thank you for tuning into The Hockey News OHL's coverage of the first round of the 2026 NHL draft. Tune in tomorrow for our day two coverage!"}},{"id":"vcrz4IjY8D","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Players such as Ryder Cali, Brooks Rogowski and more should hear their names called pretty early in the second round, and a few dozen more OHLers will hear their names called by the end of the day."}},{"id":"ScOy47fiEf","type":"header","data":{"text":"Pick 32 (Ottawa Senators): Jaxon Cover ","level":2,"linkUrl":"","anchor":""}},{"id":"-eoDRY9YZ0","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Both London Knights end up going in round one, as Cover heads out to the Ottawa Senators with the final pick of the first round."}},{"id":"uVXBCS57E2","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"The Cayman Islands-born, super skilled winger had 20 goals and 52 points in 67 games in his first full OHL season."}},{"id":"Fy616qsKka","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Cover has a ton of 1v1 skill, outstanding hands and a really strong shot. He's committed to Penn State for the future, after he's done developing in London."}},{"id":"XMkDtGj9DT","type":"header","data":{"text":"Pick 27 (Philadelphia Flyers): Maksim Sokolovskii","level":2,"linkUrl":"","anchor":""}},{"id":"vRo3wuBNRd","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"The Philadelphia Flyers love drafting from the London Knights, and they do that again with Maksim Sokolovskii, the massive 6-foot-8 blueliner who improved immensely as the season went on."}},{"id":"uIUAkVT7Su","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"The Kazakh-born Russian uses his size to be punishing and physical, while also being adept at winning battles and retrieving pucks in the defensive zone."}},{"id":"BRWluvzaol","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Sokolovskii is a bit of a project, but is someone who has the potential to be a mean shutdown defenseman in the NHL."}},{"id":"mGaB6gVN7X","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Read our full draft profile here."}},{"id":"3b2crFn54I","type":"header","data":{"text":"Pick 24 (Vancouver Canucks): Adam Novotny","level":2,"linkUrl":"","anchor":""}},{"id":"bxhtbvzfcm","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"The Canucks go back to the OHL well, taking Peterborough winger Adam Novotny with their second first-round pick."}},{"id":"iP0r2Ih91s","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Novotny is a centre-driven power forward who loves to bang bodies down low and get in front to score goals from the home plate area."}},{"id":"FOTPmxsdIK","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"The Czech import forward had 34 goals and 65 points in 58 games in his draft year, his first in the OHL."}},{"id":"7IvwuO1uGb","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Read our full draft profile here."}},{"id":"twp60VKmxr","type":"header","data":{"text":"Pick 17 (Utah Mammoth): Ethan Belchetz ","level":2,"linkUrl":"","anchor":""}},{"id":"gFM1PzYXs7","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Another OHLer that has fallen a bit this year, the Utah Mammoth step up to grab Belchetz to keep him from falling any further."}},{"id":"OqsrtHMmXu","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"The 6-foot-5, 230-pound winger fits the Mammoth profile like a glove, with his size and speed being what they've coveted throughout the years."}},{"id":"YpAkg5QCbF","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Belchetz is a power forward who put up 34 goals and 59 points in 57 games in his draft year with the Windsor Spitfires, and is part of the OHL's train to Michigan State University next season."}},{"id":"T5iaxXTUI1","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Read our full draft profile here ."}},{"id":"ZIKAlhB-n5","type":"image","data":{"caption":"The Utah Mammoth traded up to draft Ethan Belchetz, a big and skilled power forward from the Windsor Spitfires. (Photo: Terry Wilson/OHL Images)","withBorder":false,"withBackground":false,"size":"full","alignment":"center","linkUrl":"","file":{"url":"https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/14f6ebb3-6ff4-4471-b9d2-add1d5c4b017.jpeg","width":1714,"height":1368}}},{"id":"Snr0jdR0aI","type":"header","data":{"text":"Pick 15 (Anaheim Ducks): Nikita Klepov","level":2,"linkUrl":"","anchor":""}},{"id":"WyfL0-RpNh","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"The OHL's points leader is off the board, with Klepov heading to the Anaheim Ducks, who trade former Bulldog Mason McTavish for a pair of picks to select him at 15."}},{"id":"b3zMWojsuD","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"The American/Russian dual national is an active and dynamic offensive forward with a ton of deception, and put up a massive 97 points in 67 games this season with the Saginaw Spirit."}},{"id":"Inhc_9DHt2","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Like Reid and Malhotra, Klepov is heading to school next season, joining Michigan State University."}},{"id":"XGUmTiiqKS","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Read our full draft profile here."}},{"id":"-LKVY-JRe0","type":"header","data":{"text":"Pick 7 (Seattle Kraken): Chase Reid ","level":2,"linkUrl":"","anchor":""}},{"id":"m44E7_MjAU","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"After falling quite a bit further than expected, the Soo Greyhounds star Reid is off the board now, the first OHL blueliner to be selected in this year's class."}},{"id":"0cgKlQRwHg","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"The 6-foot-2, 194-pounder and newest member of the Seattle Kraken is a dynamic offensive defenseman who can do so much with the puck, carrying it up and around the ice."}},{"id":"oQ1uGv1AJ7","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"The Kraken historically haven't drafted defensemen at the front first round, but jump at the dynamic Reid, who now becomes the pillar of the future of their blue line."}},{"id":"YEHhKPI6AX","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Reid is expected to head to the NCAA's Michigan State University for the 2026-27 campaign."}},{"id":"VnhckTvsUr","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Read our full draft profile here."}},{"id":"dilNIu5jBT","type":"image","data":{"caption":"Chase Reid became the fourth defenseman off the board in the 2026 NHL draft, heading to Seattle. (Photo: Terry Wilson/OHL Images)","withBorder":false,"withBackground":false,"size":"full","alignment":"center","linkUrl":"","file":{"url":"https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/0dd2b1c8-3771-44ef-9959-3acd77e33f98.jpeg","width":2892,"height":2301}}},{"id":"sP5vIvHlwb","type":"header","data":{"text":"Pick 3 (Vancouver Canucks): Caleb Malhotra","level":2,"linkUrl":"","anchor":""}},{"id":"B82UApvimq","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"After a few rumours they may pivot to Reid, it's Caleb Malhotra who joins his father Manny in the Vancouver Canucks organization."}},{"id":"lHqvC1lBhG","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Malhotra was a big riser as the year went along, developing into the top forward on a Brantford Bulldogs team that went to the Eastern Conference final, scoring 84 points in 67 regular season games and 26 in 15 playoff games."}},{"id":"QnCH1_pSPR","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"The 6-foot-2 centre is expected to head to Boston University of the NCAA for next season, departing the OHL."}},{"id":"uSkGbeMWpq","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Read our full draft profile here."}},{"id":"pPY4QGZb69","type":"header","data":{"text":"7:00 p.m. ET: The stage is set","level":2,"linkUrl":"","anchor":""}},{"id":"_YJ973Wa12","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"The 2026 NHL draft is now underway at the KeyBank Centre in Buffalo. Enjoy the show!"}},{"id":"Vc0BAQYBJN","type":"header","data":{"text":"6:30 p.m. ET: What to expect tonight","level":2,"linkUrl":"","anchor":""}},{"id":"Utbucb6sa0","type":"image","data":{"caption":"Brantford centre Caleb Malhotra is expected to be the top centre off the board tonight. (Photo: Brandon Taylor/OHL Images)","withBorder":false,"withBackground":false,"size":"full","alignment":"center","linkUrl":"","file":{"url":"https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/50a1dfb8-27ce-4f64-992d-12257f8b5b14.jpeg","width":6994,"height":4663}}},{"id":"HDAEigI12P","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"The action should get going quickly for OHL players, with Brantford centre Caleb Malhotra and Soo defenseman Chase Reid both expected to be top-five picks."}},{"id":"05FaZrs3rP","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Otherwise, Windsor winger Ethan Belchetz's range is expected to be between 8th-15th, with Peterborough winger Adam Novotny coming into play around pick 12 and last through the teens."}},{"id":"JP77HFhleW","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"In the back end of the first round, expect to hear names like big London blueliner Maksim Sokolovskii, Saginaw winger and league leading scorer Nikita Klepov, Oshawa centre Brooks Rogowski and North Bay centre Ryder Cali likely selected tonight."}},{"id":"SObwebj1Gz","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"There's also an outside shot at London winger Jaxon Cover or Guelph's recent trade addition Ryan Roobroeck being picked tonight, as well."}},{"id":"be638Dv3q0","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Never want to miss out on any OHL news? Make sure to bookmark THN's OHL site."}},{"id":"xdNjM9STF4","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Also follow @roryyarthur on X/Twitter for more updates."}},{"id":"ed73bPmqM8","type":"header","data":{"text":"Read more ","level":1,"linkUrl":"","anchor":""}},{"id":"Ur-ulImvNj","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Bulldogs Pull From USHL Again, Grabbing Physical Defender Jean-Samuel Daigeneault"}},{"id":"wDVUXCTk2O","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Attack Sign Big Slovak Import Lucien Bernat "}},{"id":"gj6yjx1Xrt","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Spirit Sign Top American Goaltender, 2026 NHL Draft Prospect Brady Knowling"}},{"id":"hiRS1CJOXv","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Storm Continue To Load Up Ahead Of 2027 Memorial Cup, Adding Ryan Roobroeck From IceDogs "}},{"id":"nI0-_rrfx9","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Knights Sign Top USHL Forward Thomas Zocco As Overager"}}],"version":"2.31.6"}

Flint & Sudbury First Round Draft Picks Cole Zurawski & Luca Blonda Sign OHL Scholarship & Development Agreements