The Canadian Hockey League has finalized the selection order for the 2026 CHL Import Draft, scheduled for Tuesday, June 30, at 11 a.
m. ET.
The draft introduces modified age regulations for international prospects across its three member leagues.
The Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League secured the first overall selection. The Halifax Mooseheads moved into the second spot following a trade with the Baie-Comeau Drakkar.
The Lethbridge Hurricanes and Guelph Storm round out the top four selections.
The draft consists of three rounds to accommodate a league maximum of three import players per roster.
New Age Eligibility Rules
League officials instituted updated eligibility criteria for this edition.
Twenty-year-old import players can be selected in any round, while 16-year-old international players are restricted strictly to the opening round.
CHL franchises face a limit of one 16-year-old import player per season.
Clubs that release or delete a 16-year-old prospect during the regular season will see their roster capacity restricted to two import players for the remainder of the year and playoffs.
Trade Activity and Team Strategies
Several teams adjusted their draft assets through trades prior to the deadline.
The Medicine Hat Tigers acquired the 73rd overall pick from the Everett Silvertips in exchange for a 2030 sixth-round selection.
The Saint John Sea Dogs climbed to the 66th overall spot by trading their 78th pick and a 2027 eighth-round selection to the Chicoutimi Saguenéens.
Cape Breton Eagles General Manager Sylvain Couturier announced that his franchise will completely bypass its third-round selections at No. 145 and No. 157.
The team has already reached its European roster capacity.
The Eagles filled their three international slots by retaining Adam Klaus and acquiring German tournament partners Maxim Schäfer and Elias Schneider through earlier trades.
"We're not going to be drafting with (Maxim) Schäfer, (Elias) Schneider and Adam Klaus returning," said Couturier.
"We had to trade Maxime Sauthier, a guy who we really liked, because we had no room."
The front office prioritized the existing chemistry between the newly acquired German players who previously competed together at the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship.
"They know each other really well and they played together," said Couturier.
"We thought it was a really good fit for us to bring both of them on board.
Schneider had over a point per game in Shawinigan in his first year, so we know he's going to bring offence."
The asset management strategy involved leveraging draft picks from previous deals.
"When the Schäfer deal happened and we knew that Schneider was available, we knew it was going to cost us a good Euro like (Maxime) Sauthier, but the return of a second-round pick was a good return for us and we used that from Val-d'Or to pick (Samuel) Nowlan," said Couturier.
The executive expressed satisfaction with the team's broader recruitment efforts. "For now, most of the announcements that we've made, we're very happy," said Couturier.
"I think we have nine or 10 Americans right now, so we're very excited about that. We like the invites that we have.
It's going to be a very competitive camp."
Meanwhile, the Medicine Hat Tigers complemented their draft preparations by signing forward Max Osgood, their 2026 first-round pick from the domestic WHL Prospects Draft.
Team management projected high expectations for the newly signed forward, who recorded 43 points in 20 games with the U14AAA Little Caesars program.
"Osgood is a smart, agile forward with quickness and slippery skill. He's hard on pucks, possesses strong vision, and reads the ice well.
A detail-oriented player who competes at both ends of the rink," said Bobby Fox, Assistant General Manager of the Medicine Hat Tigers.
The coaching staff emphasized the familial significance of the signing, as the prospect is the son of former NHL goaltender and three-time Stanley Cup champion Chris Osgood.
"Max is an elite two-way player that we expect to be a big part of our future," said Willie Desjardins, Head Coach and General Manager of the Medicine Hat Tigers.
"The Osgood name is a special name in Tigers history and we are really excited to have Max sign with us."
The annual draft serves as a primary developmental pathway for international athletes.
Twenty-two former import draft selections were taken by NHL franchises during the 2026 NHL Draft in Buffalo.
Real-time draft results and complete tracking for all three rounds remain available to fans and media through the official CHL digital platform.
