ROCKETS SELECT MADDEN DANEAULT OF RED DEER U15 AAA REBELS WITH FIRST OVERALL PICK
Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League completed the first round of the 2026 WHL Prospects Draft this evening.
With the first-overall pick in the 2026 WHL Prospects Draft, the Kelowna Rockets selected forward Madden Daneault (Red Deer, Alta. / Red Deer U15 AAA Rebels).
The Wenatchee Wild traded up and acquired the second-overall selection from the Vancouver Giants. With the pick, they chose right winger Parker McMillan (Surrey, B.C. / Yale Hockey Academy U15 Prep).
Having acquired the third-overall pick, the Giants used pick to add defenceman Eli Vickers (Surrey, B.C. / Delta Hockey Academy U15 Prep). Selecting back-to-back at fourth overall, the Giants then called centre Brayden Jugnauth (Kelowna, B.C. / Okanagan Rockets U18 AAA).
Rounding out the top five, the Wenatchee Wild selected defenceman Jevin Morrison (Sylvan Lake, Alta. / Red Deer U15 AAA Rebels).
Of the 23 players selected, there were 16 forwards, six defencemen, and one goaltender chosen. Of those, eight hailed from British Columbia, seven came from Alberta, five from Saskatchewan, two from Texas, and one from Michigan.
Players eligible for the 2026 WHL Prospects Draft are 2011-born players who reside in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories, Yukon, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.
Players not selected in the 2026 WHL Prospects Draft will remain eligible to be listed by WHL Clubs at any time thereafter.
CLICK HERE for a complete list of all players selected in the 2026 WHL Prospects Draft.
The second round of the 2026 WHL Prospects Draft will commence Thursday, May 7, at 10 a.m. MT.
2026 WHL Prospects Draft – First Round
#1 – Kelowna Rockets (from Lethbridge)
Name: Madden Daneault Position: Centre Hometown: Red Deer, Alta.
Team: Red Deer U15 AAA Rebels
#2 – Wenatchee Wild
Name: Parker McMillan Position: Right Wing Hometown: Surrey, B.C.
Team: Yale Hockey Academy U15 Prep
#3 – Vancouver Giants (from Swift Current)
Name: Eli Vickers Position: Defence Hometown: Surrey, B.C.
Team: Delta Hockey Academy U15 Prep
#4 – Vancouver Giants
Name: Brayden Jugnauth Position: Centre Hometown: Kelowna, B.C.
Team: Okanagan Rockets U18 AAA
#5 – Wenatchee Wild (from Moose Jaw)
Name: Jevin Morrison Position: Defence Hometown: Sylvan Lake, Alta.
Team: Red Deer U15 AAA Rebels
#6 – Tri-City Americans
Name: Kenzo Gibson Position: Centre Hometown: North Vancouver, B.C.
Team: BWC Academy U15 Prep
#7 – Seattle Thunderbirds (from Victoria)
Name: Wyatt Jolleys Position: Centre Hometown: Calgary, Alta.
Team: Calgary CBHA U15 AAA Bisons
#8 – Kamloops Blazers (from Red Deer)
Name: Micah Montgomery Position: Centre Hometown: Edmonton, Alta.
Team: OHA Edmonton U15 Prep
#9 – Regina Pats
Name: Fletcher MacDonald Position: Goaltender Hometown: Edmonton, Alta.
Team: Edmonton CAC U15 AAA
#10 – Portland Winterhawks
Name: Cullen Stephenson Position: Right Wing Hometown: Warman, Sask.
Team: Warman Wildcats U15 AA
#11 – Seattle Thunderbirds
Name: Jax Bubnick Position: Defence Hometown: Saskatoon, Sask.
Team: Saskatoon Generals U15 AA
#12 – Spokane Chiefs
Name: Brody Antignani Position: Right Wing Hometown: Calgary, Alta.
Team: Edge School U15 Prep
#13 – Everett Silvertips (from Kamloops)
Name: Wyatt Bitz Position: Defence Hometown: Saskatoon, Sask.
Team: Saskatoon Outlaws U15 AA
#14 – Lethbridge Hurricanes (from Saskatoon)
Name: Artello Forestal Position: Centre Hometown: Edmonton, Alta.
Team: OHA Edmonton U15 Prep
#15 – Saskatoon Blades (from Brandon)
Name: Teagan Dernisky Position: Centre Hometown: Delta, B.C.
Team: Yale Hockey Academy U15 Prep
#16 – Spokane Chiefs (from Calgary)
Name: Jack Arnold Position: Right Wing Hometown: North Richland Hills, Texas
Team: Dallas Stars Elite 14U
#17 – Red Deer Rebels (from Kelowna)
Name: Danny Ramazanov Position: Left Wing Hometown: Saskatoon, Sask.
Team: Northern Albert Xtreme U15 Prep
#18 – Brandon Wheat Kings (from Prince George)
Name: Rylan Edwards Position: Centre Hometown: Regina, Sask.
Team: Northern Alberta Xtreme U15 Prep
#19 – Tri-City Americans (from Edmonton)
Name: Ethan Zhang Position: Centre Hometown: Plano, Texas
Team: Dallas Stars Elite 14U
#20 – Penticton Vees
Name: Liam Bordt Position: Right Wing Hometown: Langley, B.C.
Team: Northern Alberta Xtreme U15 Prep
#21 – Medicine Hat Tigers
Name: Max Osgood Position: Centre Hometown: Plymouth, Mich.
Team: Detroit Little Caesars 14U
#22 – Swift Current Broncos (from Prince Albert)
Name: Jacson Bradbeer Position: Defence Hometown: Maple Ridge, B.C.
Team: Yale Hockey Academy U15 Prep
#23 – Swift Current Broncos (from Everett)
Name: Nathan Roberts Position: Defence Hometown: Surrey, B.C.
Team: Delta Hockey Academy U15 Prep
About the Western Hockey League
Regarded as the world’s finest development league for junior hockey players, the Western Hockey League (WHL) head office is based in Calgary, Alberta. The WHL consists of 23 member Clubs with 17 located in Western Canada and six in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. A member of the Canadian Hockey League, the WHL has been a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League for over 50 years. The WHL is also the leading provider of hockey scholarships with over 375 graduates each year receiving WHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice. Each season, WHL players also form the nucleus of Canada’s National Junior Hockey Team.
