The Kelowna Rockets will pick first in the 2026 WHL Prospects Draft.
The Kelowna Rockets will pick first in the 2026 WHL Prospects Draft. The 2026 Memorial Cup acquired the pick that ended up winning the draft lottery from the Lethbridge Hurricanes. The first round of the 2026 WHL Prospects Draft will be held on Wednesday, May 6, while the remainder is scheduled for Thursday, May 7.
As for the rest of the top five, the Vancouver Giants will select second and fourth overall. The Wenatchee Wild get the third pick while the Victoria Royals will pick fifth. Both the Giants and Royals will pick twice in the top 10, as Victoria will also pick seventh overall.
Many players drafted first overall have gone on to have not just successful WHL careers, but also have become stars in the NHL. Some notable names include Connor Bedard, Mathew Barzal, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jay Bouwmeester. As for recent first overalls, Gavin McKenna and Daxon Rudolph are projected first-round picks for the 2026 NHL Draft, while Landon DuPont is a projected top pick in 2027.
Make sure you bookmark THN's WHL site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
The Hockey News