2026 NHL Draft: 10 top-producing CHL prospects you need to know

Mar 25, 2026, 11:00 EDTUpdated: Mar 29, 2026, 23:36 EDT

Credit: Liam Ruck (Cherie Morgan/WHL)

Earlier this month, we broke down 10 draft prospects out of the NCAA you need to know.

Today, we’re looking a little north to check out 10 of the most productive prospects out of the CHL. It was a particularly strong year for WHL forwards, with six of the top 10 draft eligibles coming from out west.

The Medicine Hat Tigers had the best representation with three players, including a pair of twins at the top. The Saginaw Spirit also boasted the top two players out of the OHL, with both expected to go fairly high in the draft this season.

In the lead-up to the NHL Draft, we’ll have more on the top CHL prospects. But today, with the playoffs now in full swing, we wanted to give you a glimpse into the top producers out of the Canadian major junior ranks this year:

1. Markus Ruck, C (Medicine Hat Tigers, WHL)

68GP: 21G, 87A, 108P

Markus’ twin, Liam, is getting most of the love from scouts for his play-driving and goal-scoring abilities. But Markus is a special playmaker – he works as hard as anyone you’ll find in junior hockey. He loves to do the dirty work to make plays happen, no matter who he’s looking for on the ice. Markus has obvious chemistry with his brother, but he can also dazzle on his own. Markus has quickly established himself as one of the biggest risers for the draft and is in the first-round conversation at this point.

2. Liam Ruck, RW (Medicine Hat Tigers, WHL)

68GP: 45G, 59A, 104P

And then, there’s Liam. Medicine Hat lost a lot of offense with the departures of Gavin McKenna and Cayden Lindstrom, among others, but Ruck made up for it. He loves to shoot from anywhere and does an excellent job of getting the puck where it needs to be. He led all draft eligibles with 45 goals, and that’s good for seventh in the country. Ruck is extremely dangerous around the net with a variety of quality shot choices at his disposal. Many scouts think Ruck will be available in the top 20 – but snagging both twins would be the brightest thing any team could do at the draft.

3. J.P. Hurlbert, RW (Kamloops Blazers, WHL)

68GP: 42G, 55A, 97P

No CHL rookie was as lethal as Hurlbert, who recorded 42 goals and 97 points with Kamloops. He’s an exceptionally skilled forward who, at one point, was so far ahead in the WHL scoring race that nobody was in the same area code. The University of Michigan commit has a great one-touch shot that he routinely unleashes on the power play. He’s also an exceptionally smart puck-mover who has very little difficulty getting it where it needs to be against players his own age. My two pre-season concerns – his play away from the puck and his lack of high-end speed – remain issues. But overall, he’s a safe bet for the first round.

4. Nikita Klepov, RW (Saginaw Spirit, OHL)

67GP: 37G, 60A, 97P

Teams love productive wingers, and Klepov meets every requirement. The projected first-round pick is a tremendous playmaker, and maybe one of the best in the CHL. But he’s also a stout shooter and wasn’t far off from reaching the 40-point barrier. It was surprising, given he only put up 31 points in the USHL the year prior. The Michigan State University commit plays with a ton of finesse, but he’s physically strong, too. He’s just an OK skater, but Klepov should still go high because magic tends to happen when he’s in control of the puck on the attack.

5. Philippe Veilleux, LW (Val-d’Or Foreurs, QMJHL)

64GP: 43G, 53A, 96P

Offense has never been an issue for Veilleux. He had 87 points in his draft year and followed that up with 43 goals and 96 points in his third QMJHL campaign. At 5-foot-10, Veilleux’s smaller frame has definitely not helped his case to get drafted. He’s just simply not physically built to take on tougher competition. But with the puck, he’s smart and continues to find ways to exploit defensemen with his quick decision-making. His shot is clearly dangerous, given his 80+ goals over the past two years. There’s an argument to be made that his puck play deserves to get him drafted in one of the later rounds this year – we’ll see.

6. Egor Barabanov, C (Saginaw Spirit, OHL)

68GP: 28G, 63A, 91P

Klepov’s rise helped get Barabanov on the map after getting passed over twice. The midsized forward was a modest producer in the USHL, but cracked past the 90-point mark in his first OHL season. The 19-year-old finished the regular season with 14 points in his final nine games while displaying a high level of confidence and adaptability down the stretch. He’s always moving and looking to create offense, and I think he’s one of the more underrated playmakers in this draft class. Barabonov does need to work a bit better in the defensive zone – it feels like he can trail a bit too much and lacks that 200-foot game. But with the puck, he’s as competent as you’ll find.

7. Lukas Sawchyn, RW (Edmonton Oil Kings, WHL)

68GP: 27G, 61 A, 88P

Another re-entry prospect, Sawchyn was one of the most dominant playmakers in the WHL this year. The Arizona State University commit is money on the power play – he’s not much of a shooter, but he can find scoring chances like it’s nothing. Sawchyn can play with anyone in any situation – he’s dynamic. His skating has also come a long way since his USHL days – he’s quicker and a better backwards skater. At 5-foot-10 with very little going for him in the physical department, Sawchyn will have a tough path forward to make the NHL. But at the very least, he has the raw hockey sense that should allow him to have a solid AHL career.

8. Matias Vanhanen, LW (Everett Silvertips, WHL)

62GP: 21G, 66A, 87P

Vanhanen found instant chemistry with fellow Finn Julius Miettinen, and the pair couldn’t stop producing. Vanhanen was one of the WHL’s premier setup guys, showing excellent heads-up hockey sense every time he hit the ice. If it wasn’t for him, Everett’s offense would be significantly less lethal – Vanhanen seemed to be the primary play-producer. There’s no question that he’ll get drafted in his second year of eligibility, but scouts aren’t completely sure what type of player he’ll be at the next level. He lacks any sort of physical play, and he’s not all too quick, either. But, man, his puck play is truly remarkable. Don’t be surprised if he’s taken in the top 90.

9. Jonas Woo, RHD (Medicine Hat Tigers, WHL)

56GP: 29G, 57A, 86P

Bryce Pickford received all the love on Medicine Hat’s blueline thanks to a 45-goal season. But Woo actually outproduced him, giving the Tigers a high-end, playmaking blueliner who could dominate on the power play. He was always a decent puck-mover, but he had just 77 points combined in the two prior seasons. So to finish with nearly 90 this year was absolutely bonkers. At 19, he’s an older prospect and currently in his last year of draft eligibility. Being 5-foot-10 doesn’t help (his brother, Jett, is also an undersized defender), which is why Jonas hasn’t been selected yet. But given how smaller blueliners have seen some more prominence in recent years, you have to think a team will take a chance on him in the latter rounds… right?

10. Félix Lacerte, RW (Shawinigan Cataractes, QMJHL)

62GP: 38G, 48A, 86P

Passed over twice before, it’ll be interesting to see if Lacerte goes undrafted again. He’s got excellent vision and a great shot release, making himself Shawinigan’s primary offensive driver. The 19-year-old is a slick puckhandler who can take over a game in ways very few QMJHLers can. He even finished with eight points over his final three games. Lacerte can be a bit streaky, but he was the most skilled forward Shawinigan has had over the past two years, and he boasts an outstanding shot. He needs to round out his game to avoid being just another junior goal-scorer who can’t produce at the next level. At least Lacerte will be able to bulk up when he heads to the University of Vermont next year.

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