The OHL Precedence Choice noticed some main adjustments in 2026 however one factor remained the identical: London-area gamers heard their names known as in massive numbers from begin to end.
The draft was held in individual for the primary time since 2000, going down in Kingston.
To place that into perspective, each single participant who heard their title known as that day has since accomplished their hockey profession.
Dustin Brown’s quantity 23 hangs within the rafters in Los Angeles after being retired by the Kings.
He was chosen twenty sixth total that day.
The London Jr. Knights noticed two of their gamers chosen inside the primary 29 picks and ten chosen total.
After the 12 months that the Jr. Knights had underneath Danny Syvret it was a remaining reward for a workforce that made the ultimate 4 of the OHL Cup.
Add them to Delhi, Ont.’s Roman Vanacker of the Brantford 99ers and greater than 10 per cent of these picks had space ties.
Drew Bate went sixth total to Saginaw and whereas he admits to being a London Knights fan all his life, that modified shortly when he pulled the Spirit jersey over his head.
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“I grew up following the Knights however I’ve to say that Saginaw is the place it’s at proper now,” Bate mentioned with an excellent massive smile.
Vanacker was subsequent with the twenty third decide. His brother Marek is a Chicago Blackhawks prospect who simply completed his OHL profession with the Brantford Bulldogs.
Roman says his older brother instructed him to “soak as a lot in as you possibly can as a result of it goes by quick.”
Vanacker needs to be “an affect participant within the OHL.”
It’s one thing he has been all through his life at different ranges. Vanacker was the captain of the Brantford 99ers and led them in scoring in 2025-26.
Hulking winger Finley Butler went to the Guelph Storm with decide 29. Butler is six toes 5 inches tall and already 216 kilos and turned 16 in March.
The Sarnia Sting chosen Wyatt Finch within the fifth spherical. Finch has had a implausible rise in hockey over the previous few seasons.
He made an enormous dedication to his sport and made Triple-A, and from there, he has continued to get higher and higher to the purpose that he performed in six video games for the London Nationals this previous season as a 15-year-old and had a objective and an help. Finch was additionally one of many main playoff scorers on the Huron-Perth Lakers as a defenceman.
Three extra London Jr. Knights heard their names known as within the seventh and eighth rounds.
Cameron Jolicoeur of Sarnia, Ont., was chosen by the Windsor Spitfires with the 126th decide.
Londoner Jake Readings went to Ottawa with the 139th decide and Niagara drafted Quinn Roberts at quantity 144.
Within the tenth spherical, the Brampton Steelheads took London Jr. Knights winger Lucas Enwright. Enwright additionally performed in two video games with the Komoka Kings of the Higher Ontario Hockey League final season.
Elgin-Middlesex Canucks centre Cooper Cote went to the Kitchener Rangers within the eleventh spherical.
Londoner Luke McLean was chosen by the Guelph Storm in Spherical 13. He was with the Huron-Perth Lakers in 2025-26.
A second member of the Elgin-Middlesex Canucks was drafted within the thirteenth spherical because the Soo Greyhounds picked goaltender and Londoner Kaden Harper at 253.
Jett Luchanko’s youthful brother Jace went to one in all Jett’s former groups within the Brantford Bulldogs within the thirteenth spherical.
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