Ottawa 67's Build for the Future with Balanced 2026 OHL Draft Haul
Ottawa's junior hockey club had a productive 2026 OHL Priority Selection, coming away with 14 picks that touched every position on the ice — and keeping a couple of local kids home in the process.
The 67's organization selected nine forwards, three defencemen, and two goalies, a balanced haul that reflects a deliberate effort to shore up depth across the entire roster rather than targeting one area of need.
Two Local Players Stay in Ottawa
Perhaps the most exciting element of this year's draft for the Ottawa faithful: two local players were selected, meaning a pair of area kids will get to chase their OHL dreams in front of family, friends, and the TD Place faithful.
For players from the Ottawa region, getting drafted by the 67's carries a special weight. They don't have to uproot their lives and move to a billet family in a distant city — they get to develop in their own backyard, in an organization with one of the richest histories in the CHL. That kind of continuity can make a real difference in a teenage player's development.
A Balanced Blueprint
The breakdown of the draft class tells a clear story about where the organization sees its needs. Nine forwards give the 67's plenty of options to build out their offensive depth chart over the next few years. Three defencemen add to what the team hopes will be a sturdy blue line, while the selection of two goalies signals the organization isn't taking the crease for granted.
In the OHL, roster turnover is constant — players age out, get traded, or move on to pro hockey every season. Building a steady pipeline through the draft is how franchises sustain competitiveness year over year, and Ottawa's 14-pick haul gives the 67's meaningful options heading into the 2026-27 season and beyond.
What to Watch Next
Draft picks don't guarantee anything in junior hockey — development takes time, and not every selected player will crack the active roster right away. But the combination of positional balance and local talent injection is exactly the kind of draft philosophy that keeps fan engagement high and organizational depth strong.
For Ottawa hockey fans, the arrival of local draftees to the 67's roster is always a feel-good story. Watching a kid from Kanata, Barrhaven, or Gloucester put on the 67's red and black for the first time hits differently than seeing an out-of-town prospect find his footing.
Keep an eye on training camp this fall — that's when the real competition for roster spots begins, and where some of these freshly minted picks will get their first taste of OHL life.
Source: Ottawa Citizen. Original article by the Ottawa Citizen sports desk.
