With 4 of the top 6 picks in 2025, it was a formidable year for OHL draft-eligible talent. This year, the OHL will follow it up with another sensational class, with multiple future top-line or top-pair options. Though there may not be a super star up top like Matthew Schaefer or Michael Misa, it appears to be a very deep class for the OHL. 

Chase Reid (RHD) – Soo Greyhounds: 35GP 15G 23A 38PTS

Leading the way for OHL draft-eligibles in 2026 is Chase Reid of the Soo Greyhounds. Reid has been a man on a mission since being cut from the United States U18 team last season. He started 2024-2025 in the NAHL, before making the jump to the OHL, where he was immediately the top defender on the Greyhounds, playing up to half the game on some nights. He has a solid frame at 6’2” and moves very well for his size. His offensive game is very well balanced, with a strong shot to go alongside his good vision. There is an argument for Reid being the most well-balanced offensive defenceman in the class. His defensive game could still use some work, and he is susceptible to the odd lapse of judgment or turnover, but that is to be expected when progressing through leagues as fast as Reid has. His development reminds me in a way of Artyom Levshunov, and he too will make the jump to Michigan State in the future. His sensational play in the OHL earned Reid a selection to the United States World Junior team, where he was thrust into the number one defenceman role for the States following a scary injury to Cole Hutson. Reid did not look out of place at all, racking up 4 points in 5 games. In a draft class with so many great defenders (Verhoeff, Villeneuve, Lin, Rudolph, Smits, Carels, Piiparen, etc.), Reid appears to be gaining steam in draft discussion, with some outlets having him surpass Verhoeff as the best defender in the class. With his skillset and production, it is easy to see why. 

Ethan Belchetz (LW) – Windsor Spitfires: 38GP 25G 15A 40PTS

Narrowly behind Reid is Ethan Belchetz, the first overall pick in the 2024 OHL Priority Selection. Standing at 6’5” and nearly 230 pounds, Belchetz is a force to be reckoned with on the ice. He knows how to use his frame to his advantage, with a strong ability to win puck battles and shield the puck once he has it. As you would expect, he is very effective along the boards, but he can also make plays in transition. Like many players his size, he is not the most explosive skater from a standstill, but he can move quite well when he reaches top speed. Belchetz is an imposing net-front presence, and he is not afraid to rip the puck either. Though he is not as much of a bruiser as he could be, the way he produces resembles a less snarly Tom Wilson. So far in his OHL career, Belchetz has been a very streaky producer with 13 scoreless games and 12 multi-point games from his 38 appearances this season. When he is on, like his 6-point third career OHL game, he is nearly unstoppable, and even when the numbers are not coming, he can make an impact in the physical and cycle games. With his frame and skillset, Belchetz is the match made in heaven to develop alongside a top young centerman.

Caleb Malhotra (C) – Brantford Bulldogs: 39GP 20G 33A 53PTS

Speaking of top-centerman, Caleb Malhotra has easily taken the title of the top OHL draft-eligible centerman in 2026. The son of former NHLer and AHL Calder Cup-winning coach Manny Malhotra, Caleb has proven professional hockey roots. The Boston University commit is a very projectable two-way centerman who already plays a very detailed game for his age. Malhotra skates well on the rush and has great vision to find teammates. His compete is arguably the best among top OHL draft prospects, earning him a role on Brantford’s penalty kill. He is a natural leader, serving as team captain at the CHL vs USA top prospects showdown and as an assistant captain for Team East at the Connor McDavid Top Prospects Game. Malhotra’s 2026 numbers have been the very best amongst OHL draft-eligibles, but he has had the advantage of playing on the OHL’s most loaded team in Brantford. His NHL offensive ceiling is likely not as high as his stats may suggest, but the reliability in his game makes it hard to see a reality where he does not pan out to be an effective NHLer. With a shortage of centers in the 2026 class, Malhotra could be one of the most highly coveted prospects on draft night.

Ryan Roobroeck (LW) – Niagara IceDogs: 40GP 22G 25A 47PTS

Ryan Roobroeck is one of the hardest prospects to read in the 2026 class. He entered the season as one of the highest-rated skaters, but public consensus has begun to soften on Roobroeck after a slow start to the season. With all the changes in Niagara, I would not hold that on Roobroeck. Like Belchetz, Roobroeck is a skilled winger with a good frame at 6’4”. The London native applied for exceptional status after torching Alliance U16 AAA, but he did not receive the honours. Regardless, he had a strong rookie season in 2023, finishing second in true rookie scoring with 51 points, while leading them in goals with 28. Like 2025 6th overall pick Porter Martone, Roobroeck has a late birthday, giving him an extra season in the OHL prior to being drafted. His pre-draft totals were higher than those of Martone, as he led the IceDogs in points with 87. After a coaching change in the offseason, Roobroeck came out to a much slower start this season, but has caught fire as of late, with his 13-game point streak finally being snapped last weekend. Unlike Belchetz, he does not use his size as much as he could, but his talent level is arguably better, with an NHL-level shot and great hands. The knock on Roobroeck comes in his consistency, as when he is not producing, he does not make the most impact. Roobroeck is still tasked with penalty killing for Niagara and was selected as an alternate captain at the Connor McDavid Top Prospects Game. If a team can unlock more of an assertive and physical game from Roobroeck, he could be one of the best players in the entire class.

Adam Novotny (LW) – Peterborough Petes: 31GP 20G 16A 36PTS

Adam Novotny caught eyes at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where he helped Czechia reach the finals with 5 points in 5 games before returning to the podium at the U-18s with 6 more points in 5 matchups. This season, Novotny joined the Peterborough Petes after playing professionally in Czechia last year. He started the season slow, as he transitioned to North America, but he found his stride down the stretch, and by the World Juniors, he had taken over the team lead in scoring. Novotny skates well, allowing him to play with a ton of pace. Now back in junior, he has been able to flash his offensive capabilities in 2025-26. Novotny has a quick release and strong hands. In Peterborough, Novotny has not had the strongest supporting cast around him, but he proved his ability to play well off others at the 2026 Connor McDavid Top Prospects Game, where he found the back of the net twice. It will be exciting to see what the Petes’ addition of Kieron Walton, the league’s second leading scorer, will do for Novotny’s offence the rest of the season. Like Malhotra, there are some question marks about how high his offensive ceiling will be at the NHL level, but his forechecking, pace, and penalty killing will make him an impactful player.

Nikita Klepov (RW) – Saginaw Spirit: 40GP 23G 27A 50PTS

One of the more polarizing prospects in the 2026 OHL class is Nikita Klepov. The Florida native made the jump from the USHL to OHL this season, joining the Saginaw Spirit alongside fellow Russian-American Egor Barabanov. The duo has been one of the best in the entire CHL this season, with both scoring over a point per game. In a draft with fewer flashy offensive toolsets, Klepov is the exception. The Michigan State commit has excellent vision, great hands, and a strong enough shot. He is surgical on the power-play, finding passing lanes and getting to high danger areas. Klepov’s 5 on 5 play is also quite strong for a winger of his size and archetype, and he handles the puck well in transition. He competes fairly well and is one of just three skaters on the Spirit to have a positive +/- rating. Klepov has also proven his ability to produce in big games, as he helped lead the States to their 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup Championship, and looked dominant at the Connor McDavid Top Prospects Game with a goal and two assists. What he lacks in physicality, he makes up for in creativity. Klepov’s archetype may not be the most desired by NHL management, but if a team takes a gamble on his talent, he could be one of the most rewarding prospects in the class.

Adam Nemec (LW) – Sudbury Wolves: 4GP 1G 3A 4PTS

Adam Nemec was a late addition to the OHL draft class after joining his 2026 World Junior teammate Jan Chovan on the Sudbury Wolves. The young brother of 2022 New Jersey Devils’ 2nd overall pick Simon started the year in Slovakia’s top division, where he scored just over a half point per game as a freshly 18-year-old. Despite Sudbury tearing down at the deadline, it has been a smooth transition to the OHL for Nemec with 4 points in his first 4 games. He is not the toolsiest player, but he uses his high-level hockey sense to get open and find the danger areas. Both at the World Juniors and in the OHL, he has been very effective near the net front on the power play, giving opposing goalies an extra option to worry about on the backdoor. Nemec is a decent skater and puck carrier, and has solid finishing ability in the zone. He has shown his ability to produce against men, and now will have more of an opportunity to develop and show off his talent against junior competition.  

Vladimir Dravecky (RHD) – Brantford Bulldogs: 31GP 6G 14A 20PTS

Vladimir Dravecky is one of the rare cases where he saw his role shrink going from Europe to the OHL. The Czech defenceman played number 1 minutes for Rogle’s J20 team in 2024-25, before joining the loaded Brantford Bulldogs this season. In Brantford, Dravecky now plays behind two NHL first-round picks in Adam Jiricek and Ben Danford, on one of the most stacked blue lines in recent memory. When given chances for the Bulldogs, Dravecky has produced very well, like his 7-game streak at the start of the year, where he recorded 11 points. He is a very mobile defenceman who loves to jump into plays from the line. Dravecky showed his ability to quarterback a power play early on, with his good playmaking and hard shot. Like Reid, Dravecky is prone to risk-taking, which can lead to highlight reel goals or turnovers. The key for Dravecky will be finding the balance at the next level.

Brooks Rogowski (RW/C) – Oshawa Generals: 27GP 6G 16A 22PTS

Brooks Rogowski is one of the most boom-or-bust prospects in the class. At 6’6” and 230 pounds, Rogowski has a frame that teams dream of. It is rare to see a player of his size skate as well as Rogowski can, and he has hands you would expect to see on a smaller winger. With Oshawa rebuilding this season, Rogowski has been relied upon in all aspects of the game, including both special teams. The concerns with Rogowski are the ways he does and does not use his frame. At 6’6”, you would expect him to establish himself as a physical presence, but he does not use his size as well as Ethan Belchetz. Luckily, Rogowski will be taking his talents to Michigan State post-draft, which has proven to be a great destination for players to bulk up. Like Dean Letourneau in 2024, the team that selects Rogowski will need to be patient with his development.

Jaxon Cover (LW) – London Knights: 40GP 9G 20A 29PTS

Jaxon Cover is probably the most interesting story in the 2026 NHL Draft. Growing up in the Cayman Islands, Cover started his hockey career with roller hockey, where he became a star. He only started playing ice hockey at age 13 where he played AA before quickly being called up to York-Simcoe’s AAA program. Cover blossomed into a star with the Express, finishing 4th in team scoring during his OHL draft year. After spending most of 2024-25 with St. Andrew’s College prep school, Cover made the full transition to the OHL this season. It is a rare down year for the London Knights, after three straight OHL finals appearances. Despite not having star players around him, Cover leads the team in scoring following the trade deadline. As you would expect for someone with so little ice hockey experience, Cover is one of the rawest top prospects in recent memory. The talent is there with sensational stickhandling and maneuverability, but he is still very much learning the high-level game of hockey. If Cover can put it all together, he could be one of the biggest steals in the class.

HM: Thomas Vandenberg

HM: Beckham Edwards

HM: Alessandro Di Iorio

HM: Pierce Mbuyi

HM: Braidy Wassilyn

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