The Western Hockey League has been incredibly successful at the top end of the NHL Draft in recent years.<\/p>\n
Connor Bedard went first overall in 2023 to the Chicago Blackhawks, which helped start a slew of high-end selections out of the Dub. Former Medicine Hat Tiger Gavin McKenna is expected to go first overall in 2026, with Landon DuPont (2027) and Maddox Schultz (2028) leading the way over the next two seasons. That doesn\u2019t include the high volume of quality picks we\u2019ve seen inside the top 10 over the past half-decade, either.<\/p>\n
But the real value comes from much deeper in the draft \u2013 the guys selected way past the obvious picks, forcing the scouts to really do their homework. Today, we\u2019re looking at five under-the-radar WHLers who have stood out early in 2025-26. These players were either drafted outside of the top 100 in their respective years, or were taken as re-entry options after previously getting passed over.<\/p>\n
So, just like we did with the OHL last week<\/a>, let\u2019s get cooking:<\/p>\n David Lewandowski, LW, Saskatoon Blades (Edmonton Oilers<\/a>) <\/p>\n Drafted 117th overall in 2025<\/p>\n I liked Lewandowski\u2019s game last year. He started it in Germany but started to figure out his game in the latter half of the season with the Blades. Now, he\u2019s on pace for 99 points \u2013 is it sustainable? We\u2019ll see. But the Blades are thriving right now, and Lewandowski has been lights out as a setup guy. His numbers were inflated by an eight-point run over two games earlier this month, but he\u2019s starting to shoot a lot more right now. Consistency is still an issue, but Lewandowski\u2019s energy and hockey sense are working for him right now. Look for Lewandowski to be on Germany\u2019s first line at the World Juniors in a few months.<\/p>\n Shea Busch, LW, Everett Silvertips (Florida Panthers<\/a>)<\/p>\n Drafted 128th overall in 2025<\/p>\n Busch split last year between the BCHL and WHL, where he put up modest numbers overall. The real draw was his power-forward game \u2013 and at 6-foot-3 and 214 pounds, it\u2019s easy to understand why. He\u2019s so good in front of the net, and it always felt like it was a matter of time until the Silvertips forward figured out the offensive part of his game, especially after a strong playoff run. Well, he\u2019s sitting with nine goals and 13 points in eight games \u2013 putting him on pace for 74 goals and 107 points. Those are bonkers numbers for a true late-bloomer who prioritized physicality over offense. More importantly, Busch looks a little faster, too. He\u2019s still not a great skater and that\u2019ll hold him back in the NHL, but he\u2019s working with more pace than he did throughout his draft campaign. <\/p>\n Bryce Pickford, RHD, Medicine Hat Tigers (Montreal Canadiens<\/a>)<\/p>\n Drafted 81st overall in 2025<\/p>\n Pickford was passed over at the 2024 NHL Draft after a quiet 17-point season in Seattle. Suddenly, he exploded for 20 goals and 47 points in 48 regular season games in Medicine Hat, and another 13 goals and 24 points in 18 playoff games. Sure, Medicine Hat was one of the top teams in the WHL \u2013 but Pickford was a big reason for that after watching his number skyrocket out of nowhere. He did that all without sacrificing his on-the-edge style of gameplay, too. Suddenly, Pickford was viewed by many as the top re-entry prospect \u2013 and the Canadiens scooped him up at No. 81. With Pickford leading the way, the Tigers haven\u2019t shown any signs of slowing down. The Edmonton, Alberta native has 11 points in 11 games, putting him on pace for 68 over the season. It feels like he\u2019ll outperform that, though \u2013 he\u2019s shooting like crazy. Seriously, he has at least five shots in each of his past eight games. The Habs might have someone here.<\/p>\n Jacob Kvasnicka, RW, Penticton Vees (New York Islanders<\/a>)<\/p>\n Drafted 202nd overall in 2025<\/p>\n Kvasnicka has been one of the WHL\u2019s most productive players \u2013 and he\u2019s doing so on the league\u2019s newest team. He\u2019s up to 16 points in 11 games, putting him on pace for just fewer than 100 points. Kvasnicka was a mid-level producer with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program last year, but he ended the year with an awesome performance at the U-18 World Championship. Kvasnicka plays with a ton of pace, but his lack of physicality and defensive abilities brought him down. Right now, though, he\u2019s looking as confident and skilled as ever, and could become a steal in an already impressive draft class <\/a>for the Islanders.<\/p>\n