The Western Hockey League completed the first round of its 2026 Prospects Draft on Wednesday evening, May 6.

With the first-overall pick, Kelowna Rockets selected forward Madden Daneault, currently playing for Red Deer U15 AAA Rebels.

Three players who list Surrey as hometown were picked in the first round including right-winger Parker McMillan (#2), defenceman Eli Vickers (#3) and Nathan Roberts (#23).

McMillan, currently with Yale Hockey Academy U15 Prep, went to Wenatchee Wild, who traded up to acquire the high-scoring winger. In the Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL), he piled up 41 goals and 50 assists over just 25 regular-season games, then cranked out 10 more points in three games during the league’s Western Championships in Penticton.

“Parker just has that blend of size and competitiveness and hockey sense and physical abilities that, for us, was an absolute no-brainer,” said Leigh Mendelson, Wenatchee Wild director of scouting, in a post on oursportscentral.com.

Having acquired the third-overall pick, Vancouver Giants added Vickers, now with Delta Hockey Academy U15 Prep. A smooth-skating defenceman, Vickers led all U15 prep blueliners with 62 points in 30 games.

“First and foremost, Eli Vickers is a real fine young man,” raved Giants head scout Terry Bonner. “He does everything really, really well. He wants the puck. He makes plays…and he’s second to none in his work ethic for the game. His awareness is really good. He angles, contains and finishes checks really well [and has] good gap control. He just plays hard.”

At #23, Swift Current Broncos chose Roberts, who also plays defence for Delta Hockey Academy U15 Prep.

Of the 23 players selected in the draft, 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, 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.

The second round of the 2026 WHL Prospects Draft happens Thursday, May 7. Full results are posted on chl.ca/whl/draft/whl/2026.

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