The Calgary Hitmen have selected eight players in the 2026 WHL Prospects Draft, adding five forwards, two defensemen, and one goaltender to their organization. The team made its first selection in the second round, trading up to pick goaltender Owen Ryan 36th overall. Ryan, a 6-foot-2 netminder from White Bear Lake, Minnesota, posted a 0.949 save percentage and 1.34 goals-against average in 23 games with St. Thomas Academy High School.
Draft Class Overview
The Hitmen focused on bolstering their forward group, selecting five forwards in total. Among them was Easton Mattersdorfer, a center from the Lethbridge Golden Hawks U15 AAA team, who recorded 88 points in 34 games. Charlie Fox, also a center, was taken in the third round after amassing 95 points with Mount St. Charles Academy 14U. Other forward selections included Koen Braunberger (fifth round), Joey Stewart (seventh round), and Theodore Kim (eighth round).
Defensive Additions
On defense, the Hitmen selected Nash Tomchuk and Stephen Belde. Tomchuk, a right-handed defenseman from the Regina Monarchs U15 AA, tallied 27 points in 26 games. Belde, a left-handed defenseman from the Minnesota Loons, contributed 20 points in 14 games.
“We’re thrilled with the quality of prospects we have added to our organization at all positions,” said Calgary Hitmen Director of Scouting Gary Michalick. “Despite not owning a first-round pick, we were able to add talented prospects from both Canada and the U.S. that were very high on our draft board. This draft class has the potential to be a core group of Hitmen players moving forward. We’re excited to welcome these players and their families to Calgary and look forward to seeing the impact they’ll make.”
Players eligible for the 2026 WHL Prospects Draft were born in 2011 and reside in specific regions, including 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 draft remain eligible to be listed by WHL clubs.
