2026 NHL Draft – Top 10 OHL Prospects – The Hockey Writers – NHL Entry Draft

Every year, the Ontario Hockey League will take centre stage as they have an abundance of top talent that’ll be eligible for the NHL Entry Draft. Last season saw the New York Islanders take Matthew Schaefer first overall and the San Jose Sharks drafted Michael Misa right after him. 

This year’s crop for the 2026 NHL Draft is no different as there are once again a number of quality prospects that can hear their name called on draft day. From another potential top defender and centreman to a lot of interesting depth options further down the draft board, the OHL will have a number of players be selected early and often. Here are the top 10 prospects from the OHL based on NHL’s Central Scouting list.

10. Jaxon Cover, RW, London Knights

Central Scouting Ranking: 29^th (among NA Skaters)

Jaxon Cover was a late bloomer as he didn’t play competitive hockey until he was 13 while starting off playing inline hockey. Despite not going the path the other players have gone, Cover has continued to elevate his play and standout as a potential late-first, early second-round pick. He had a great rookie season with 20 goals and 52 points in 67 games and is committed to Penn State next season. 

Cover’s a raw player, but there are a lot of qualities to like with his game. He’s a tremendous and agile skater, he has great puck control and his hands are among some of his strengths. He’s a competitor and will not give up on plays, showing great compete and energy evey shift. He needs to develop more, but the upside is definitely there as he’s aware of what he needs to do to generate and create on the ice.

9. Ryan Roobroeck, LW, Niagara Ice Dogs

Central Scouting Ranking: 28^th (among NA Skaters)

There were high expectations for Ryan Roobroeck coming into this season, seeing as he had 41 goals and 87 points in his second OHL season. That wasn’t the case and even though he had 58 points in 49 games played, he wasn’t his dominant self and was inconsistent with his production, engagement and overall play.

That alone is a big reason why many have him lower in their rankings, going from a potential top-10 pick, to being a selection in the second or third round. While that is a cause for concern, Roobreock can still be a game changer when he’s engaged with his competitive side, finding the shooting lanes and the back of the net. When he gets to those areas, he is tough to stop as he has a swift release and puck skills. The upside has always been there, but the consistency hasn’t.

8. Adam Nemec, LW, Sudbury Wolves

Central Scouting Ranking: 27^th (among NA Skaters)

The younger brother of New Jersey Devils defenseman Simon Nemec, Adam made the move from HK Nitra to gain more minutes in the OHL and it looks like it has worked out for the better. After putting up 15 points in 28 games in Slovakia, Nemec put up 35 points in 31 games, making the move of his time and improving his draft stock. 

Nemec is a highly skilled and smart playmaking centre with great defensive awareness. He can spot passing lanes and seams very well and does a great job at opening lanes up for his teammates in order to make well executed plays. He has great speed, can dictate the pace of the game as he is always involved when he has the puck on his stick. He has a strong work ethic and knows when to prioritize defense to come back and take away an opportunity.

7. Ryder Cali, C, North Bay Battalion

Central Scouting Ranking: 25^th (among NA Skaters)

I took more of a note with Ryder Cali at the OHL Top Prospects Game and came away impressed with his performance as I had him as an honourable mention.  

What stood out was his competitive nature and heavy style to setup a forecheck. He was always the first one to establish and start an attack and always came out on top with possession. He can outmuscle anyone with ease and is always attacking the net to create havoc. You need to be aware of when he’s on the ice because he will always be a thorn in your side and will always play with an edge.

6. Brooks Rogowski, C, Oshawa Generals 

Central Scouting Ranking: 21^st (among NA Skaters)

Brooks Rogowski is a tower on skates at 6-foot-7, 235 pounds and he uses that frame every time he’s on the ice. He fell just shy of a point per game with the Oshawa Generals with 42 points in 46 games as he was one of few bright spots on a team that struggled all season. 

Rogowski is a strong skater and has good mobility for a player of his stature. When you have the frame that he has, you expect the engagement and physical aspects to be present and it is. He’s physical, drives to the middle and fends off defenders well and has the skillset to go along with it. He’s a strong two-way presence, playing in all situations and can play a responsible defensive game as well. He has continued to standout at every showcase event. He does the little things well and it makes him successful. 

5. Adam Novotny, LW, Peterborough Petes

Central Scouting Ranking: 14^th (among NA Skaters)

It was a bit of a slow start to his season, but Adam Novotny quickly adjusted, picked up the production and was a reliable and important player for the Peterborough Petes. He led the way offensively for the team, finishing the season with 34 goals and 31 assists in 58 games and while the production picked up, his overall game never missed a beat.

Novotny’s work ethic, compete and drive are all factors that make him successful. He possesses great physical attributes, showing great body positioning and absorbing contact in board battles in order to get the puck. He has great goal scoring instincts as he is successful from anywhere on the ice; be it from far out or in tight on the goal. He’s very patient with the puck, showing great management and doesn’t force plays. He shows great awareness and is able to step up and anticipate plays to break them up.

4. Ethan Belchetz, LW, Windsor Spitfires

Standing a towering 6-foot-5, 228 pounds, Ethen Belchetz is an absolute force on the ice as a power forward. He had a strong draft season with 34 goals and 59 points in 57 games, but has missed the postseason with a broken clavicle. Given his style of play, teams should be lining up to draft him. 

Belchetz is a unicorn in terms of his blend of physical stature and offensive skillset. He’s fierce in battles for the puck, especially along the boards or down low below the goal. He can easily bully his way to the danger areas, showing great strength and puck protection skills for quality scoring chances. He can produce and he’s a player that will make your life miserable when he comes barrelling on the attack and battling for the puck. Teams love that combination of size and skill and Belchetz brings that on a consistent basis.

3. Nikita Klepov, RW, Saginaw Spirit

Central Scouting Ranking: 8^th (among NA Skaters)

Nikita Klepov was lights out the best forward offensively in the OHL this season. As a rookie, he had 97 points, leading the league and was a fixture at both even strength and on the power play. Although his playoffs ended early, he still added another five points in four games.  

Klepov has some of the best offensive IQ and instincts and although there are some questions about his play away from the puck, he can put up points consistently. He’s extremely deceptive with his puck control and handling, making quick moves in tight flawlessly and attacking the middle effectively. He controls the pace of the play and is tough to contain given how swift he moves. He can bide his time and then attacks with the puck or turn on the jets for loose pucks and quickly swoop in to regain possession. He can make the most difficult moves look simple and is unpredictable with what he’s going to do next. 

2. Caleb Malhotra, C, Brantford Bulldogs 

Central Scouting Ranking: 6^th (among NA Skaters)

While this draft class is short on talent up the middle, Caleb Malhotra is definitely the top one to be taken early and this season showed it. He finished 12^th overall in league scoring with 84 points in 67 games and was second in rookie scoring behind only Klepov. From the beginning of the season to the playoffs where he has 25 points in 13 games, Malhotra has continued to exceed expectations. 

Malhotra’s playmaking, smarts and awareness is among some of the best in this class. The way he processes the game, attention to detail and the pace he plays at is at an extremely high level, making highly skilled and deceptive plays. He can easily fool defenders with his hands and movements, opening things up easily and spotting seams flawlessly. That allows him to excel away from the puck as he’s quick to pressure opponents and battle for possession. He’s a great playmaker and just as lethal of a shooter as well. He’s competitive and has a winning mindset every time he steps on the ice.

1. Chase Reid, RD, Soo Greyhounds

Central Scouting Ranking: 2^nd (among NA Skaters)

As the season went on, Chase Reid kept making himself known as the top prospect to come out of the OHL. He has an impressive 40 points in 39 games last season as he made his way from the Bismarck Bobcats from the NAHL. This season had 48 points in 45 games and although he missed some games due to injury, he cemented himself as the top defensive prospect in the draft. 

Reid’s game is built on his high-octane pace and puck movement as a two-way, puck moving defender. He’s an extremely quick and fluid skater on the back-end, showing great confidence to lead an attack on the rush or breakout quickly. He’s aggressive when attacking head on and cycling in the offensive zone, getting into shooting lanes with ease or opening up lanes with his passing. He’s just as effective defensively, showing great poise, active stick and defends rushes well. That aggressive nature can get him caught, but still shows great smarts and anticipation.