A preseason look at the top 2026 NHL draft forward prospects coming out of the WHL

The draft generates tons of hype around the NHL every single year. Whether it be someone who devotes their life to the draft, not even waiting for the current one to finish, or someone who just hears names and decides based on that, hype will always come. For years, a giant producer of NHL talent has been the WHL. Forwards or defencemen, the WHL can supply NHL teams with their wants.

The WHL was supposed to have way more hype than usual thanks to Gavin McKenna, but due to new NCAA rules, McKenna went to college. A tough blow to the WHL pools. However, the league still has a great group of forwards to watch in preparation for June. So, let’s take a peek at the top forwards coming out of the WHL this season.

Mathis Preston

A top-three pick from the 2023 WHL draft, Mathis Preston is destined to be a weapon for the Spokane Chiefs this season. The flair of his shot and hands really stood out, leading to some early success. On a stacked Chiefs team, Preston wasn’t destined to have this absolutely insane year, but he still did his best. He dealt with some injuries throughout the year and suited up for a total of 54 games. In those games, he would score 23 goals and 22 assists for 45 points, placing seventh on the team. The playoffs saw him add nine additional goals and 16 points in 20 games.

When it comes to offensive threats in this draft, Preston is near the top. His top skills are definitely his shot, puck skills, and skating. If you want a goal-scorer, Preston is who to target. His shot is powerful, accurate, and versatile. A powerful wrist-shot, smooth snap-shot, or a cannon of a one-timer, Preston can deliver on all.

Preston is amazing at confusing his opponents with great puck movement. He can move around fluidly thanks to his deceptiveness and create highlight reel goals with silky hands. Preston has incredible speed that allows him to burn his opponents and leave them in the dust. A good option in transition and the ability to immediately jump into the rush, thanks to his speed.

At the Hlinka Cup, Preston would be among Canada’s best players, putting up four goals and seven points in five games as Canada won bronze. With tons of hype already, this performance has given Preston another boost into there being confidence of him being a top-end forward for 2026.

Cooper Williams

A second-round pick from the 2023 WHL draft that has stood out fast is Cooper Williams of the Saskatoon Blades. The Blades were in need of someone to take a step forward, and Williams did just that. In 68 games this year, he scored 21 goals and 57 points, placing second on the team. He also finished second in rookie scoring, only behind Landon DuPont. Williams would be named Rookie of the Month in March and was a nominee for Rookie of the Year.

He brings a full package of skills, even at 17 years old. He’s got an amazing sense for the game, which allows him to be impactful both offensively and defensively. In the offensive end, he uses his smarts to properly position himself to be on the receiving end of high-quality chances. He has a shade of that knack for goal-scoring you really want in a player. A deadly, accurate wrist shot that can be utilized at any distance, plus some drives for rebounds and in tight plays.

Williams has hands that add deceptiveness to his game and make his shots or passes much less predictable. Defensively, he keeps cool under pressure and tends to keep his feet constantly moving. He uses that same sense from the offensive end to stay in proper position for his assignment. Williams is developing into one of those centres that a coach trusts in every area.

Once again, Williams suited up for Canada at the Hlinka Cup. He only played in three of their games and didn’t record a point until scoring the opening goal in the bronze medal game. He sits in the 20s to 30s very early on in draft scouting. As the season begins, he’s the type of player I’d make safe bets on rising pretty fast.

Liam Ruck

Soon enough, the draft will have twins to build hype around for the first time in a while. Starting off on the right wing with Liam Ruck. Ruck quickly flashed his goal-scoring talents and by season’s end he had accumulated 25 goals. Additionally, he would total out to 41 points, doing so in 61 games. Ruck was on a very good Medicine Hat Tigers team and his great rookie year was big help to their success. The Tigers would go on to become WHL champions with Ruck adding six goals and 10 points in their 18 game run.

Liam is the goal-scoring threat of the Ruck twins. If it wasn’t obvious by his rookie-leading 25 goals, Ruck packs the knack of a goal-scorer. The main driver for him is his constant motor. Ruck is always buzzing around the ice, always looking to make impactful play. He glides quietly into scoring positions, zips around the offensive zone trying to find space, or battles in the dirtier areas to generate.

Whether it be a nice shot in motion or fishing in front of the net, Ruck does well with finding the back of the net. He’s got a fantastic work ethic that keeps him mobile all throughout the ice. It gives him an incredibly rounded game and tons of trust in the defensive end.

Liam Ruck had a pretty solid Hlinka Cup with his two goals and four points in Canada’s five games. He played behind a heavy lineup in Medicine Hat and could really take off this season. With most of the top guys gone, the Ruck brothers could explode for the Tigers.

Markus Ruck

Moving onto the other half of the twins, Markus Ruck centres his brother and brings a more composed and playmaking style of hockey. Ruck didn’t find as much success as his brother on the stat sheet in his rookie year, but he was still a strong contributing piece for the dominant Tigers. In 62 games, Ruck put up eight goals and 29 points, being the playmaker to his brother’s goal-scoring. The playoffs saw him add four points in 14 games en route to the Tigers becoming champions.

Being a hard worker runs in the Ruck family. Markus generates his results through motor and work ethic. Another never-stopping forward, Ruck torments the offensive zone with constant movement and always looking for a play to make. He distributes the puck incredibly well, staying composed and not letting outside pressure reach him.’

While not flashy, he makes effective plays that keep the offensive alive and see the puck land on his teammates’ sticks. Ruck applies the same motor in the defensive end, even more so than his brother. He hunts down the puck, adding tons of pressure to his opponents. Knowing his assignments is a key contributor to Ruck’s defensive success, and he constantly fights to get in lanes. He portrays the willingness to engage in battles and not be afraid of those who are bigger than him.

The Hlinka Cup was another opportunity for Markus Ruck to display his talents, and that he did. In five games, he produced three assists for Canada. Just like his brother, Markus was stuck behind some great players in Medicine Hat. But now that they’re gone, Markus and his brother may just jump up the draft board.

J.P. Hurlbert

A new face to the WHL this season will be Texas-born forward J.P. Hurlbert. Just a few days ago, Hurlbert decided to sign with the team that drafted him in the 2023 U.S. Prospects draft, the Kamloops Blazers. Hurlbert played his prior season with the USNTDP. Across all the games he played for the program, he would produce 34 goals and 68 points in a total of 90 games. He would actually lead the USHL team in points with his 31.

The American forward brings an offensive game that I’m sure the Blazers will be happy to welcome. To begin, Hurlbert has a great set of hands with smooth puck control. He brings deceptiveness with the fluidity of his puck movements, often leaving opponents dazed after the play he just made. Quick hands allow him to fake out goals and generate great offensive chances for his team.

Hurlbert brings dual-threat capabilities with his shot and playmaking that are certain to see improvements this year. He packs an accurate wrist shot that often beats goalies and some nifty passes that create dangerous chances for his team. Hurlbert is a little hard-nosed and plays with some edge. He’s always hunting for the puck and doesn’t shy away from the dirtier areas.

The signing of Hurlbert is great for both the Blazers and himself. Hurlbert will have a big opportunity in Kamloops with no clear top player quite yet. Joining Nathan Behm and Tommy Lafreniere could bode well for the team and raise Hurlbert stocks high.

Chase Harrington

Chase Harrington isn’t quite like the other players on this list. Being a late-born 2007 player, Harrington was drafted in the 2022 WHL draft and had his rookie season in 2023–24. This means he has a year of WHL experience on everyone in this list. His rookie year saw him produce six goals and 22 points in 61 games which isn’t anything too crazy. However, big steps were made for 2024–25. Harrington would improve to 19 goals and 50 points in 68 games. He added an additional 14 points in 20 games on the Spokane Chiefs’ playoff run.

A very well-balanced offensive winger is often what Harrington is seen as. He’s a very intelligent player in the offensive zone, often setting the tempo rather than letting the play come to him. Whether he’s looking to distribute a pass or set up in a goal-scoring spot, Harrington views the developing and strategically plans what to do and how to execute.

On the rush or through a cycle, Harrington plays with pace and quickness, often allowing him to step into the right positions. It’s much more often that you see him using his speed to move around the zone and attempt to create plays rather than him sitting back and slowly waiting to get engaged. Pairing Harrington with Preston could create a very dangerous duo for the Chiefs as they both play a similar style of offence.

Being older than most draft prospects, it will be interesting to see how Harrington’s season goes. Most usually want to see more out of the older prospects to ensure it’s not just thanks to the extra experience. Harrington won’t be any different. Spokane will be looking for new top players next year and Harrington could for sure be one to step into the spotlight.

Riley Boychuk

The second overall pick from the 2023 WHL draft, Riley Boychuk, is an intriguing prospect heading into next year. Second overall puts a lot of focus on a player, but as of right now, Boychuk seems to be getting surpassed by those selected after him. He didn’t have a bad rookie season, but it took him a while to really get going. He would finish the year with 14 goals and 29 points in 63 games with the Prince Albert Raiders. The playoffs saw him add five more points in the extra 11 games.

Boychuk has tons of talent in his game, and the key is seeking more comfort inside the WHL. He brings the dynamism of most shifty playmakers, leading with his hands and creativity. Attempts at high-level passes can be seen, with some solid success rates. He’s already shown to be pretty efficient at the simple passes that can do quite a lot when utilized correctly. His hands can shine through and develop into nice-looking plays. Shooting took some steps as the year went on, and it could possibly lead to dual-threat territory. Boychuk rounds off his skill with his agility, which adds that extra bit of flair to his game.

A big year is needed for Boychuk if he wants to reclaim the same success as second overall in the WHL draft. One strong focus should be to build comfort in his size; often, Boychuk would be out-muscled or rush plays due to the fear of physicality. It didn’t help that he was mainly deployed in the bottom-six, which should change this season. Boychuk will have a chance to become a main weapon on the Raiders offensive and if he succeeds, he jump up the ranks.

Joe Iginla

With a last name I’m not many sure have heard of, Joe Iginla brings great intrigue to the rivalry city of his WHL team. Drafted with the 12th overall pick in the 2023 WHL draft by the Edmonton Oil Kings, Iginla played his rookie season this past year. Iginla didn’t have the best season with the Oil Kings. In the 61 games he suited up for, he only scored nine goals and 16 points. During the playoffs, Iginla faced healthy scratches, only playing three of the seven games while producing zero points.

Iginla feels like a scorer waiting to burst. He has tons of untapped talent currently and has flashed such of a great goal-scoring threat. His hands are smooth which has allowed him to generate good bunches of offence and move around the zone with some ease. The shot is very reminiscent of goal-scorers. His shot has great accuracy and even some decent power behind it, but he just hasn’t seemed to put that together yet. His edgework and speed look pretty good when he is comfortable, yet consistency is still a problem.

One of the prospects with the most eyes on him will be Joe Iginla. The trend in the Iginla family seems to be not breaking out until your draft season and it’ll be interesting to see if Joe follows. Iginla may not be a top prospect now but Flames fans will always have interest in his career. If Iginla can put his talents together and string in some consistency, we might just see another late WHL bloom in the family.

Another good set of forwards from the WHL

The WHL continues its trend of producing quality forwards for NHL teams to pick from. In the 2026 draft, Mathis Preston will very likely be the far best option thanks to his goal-scoring abilities and amazing skating. A rookie of the year nominee can be found in Cooper Williams who I could really see climb up high by the time June rolls around. The Ruck twins will certainly generate hype thanks to being the first solid set of hockey twins in some time. Hurlbert, Harrington, Boychuk, and Iginla all have something to prove and present as the types of prospect that you see skyrocket or fade away into the late rounds. The 2026 bunch will for sure be fun to watch as the WHL season begins very soon.