2026 NHL Draft – 5 Underrated OHL Prospects

At each NHL Draft, there are always players who slide or are taken later than some thought they would, while others are taken later and then, five or so years down the road, look like steals for the organization that took them. The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) has a few prospects who could end up being that way at the 2026 Draft.

Pierce Mbuyi, LW, Owen Sound Attack

NHL Central Scouting Rank: 56th (Among NA skaters)

After winning the Emms Family Award (OHL Rookie of the Year) in the 2024-25 season, Pierce Mbuyi built off his strong rookie campaign with an even better draft-year season. While a lot of his offensive production came on the man-advantage, Mbuyi can impact the game in all three zones whenever he is on the ice. Being ranked at 56th among all North American skaters seems low due to the fact that he can play in all situations, while being a threat to do damage offensively and playing a responsible game defensively.

Beckham Edwards, C, Sarnia Sting

NHL Central Scouting Rank: 69th

After a strong minor hockey career, which was headlined by a 97-point season with Little Caesars ahead of the 2024 OHL Priority Selection, Beckham Edwards has not necessarily been able to live up to the goal-scoring that many believed he would be doing in the OHL. Even so, Edwards has the tools to be an impact player at the next level if he becomes more consistent.

Edwards has the potential to surprise people with where he is selected in the 2026 Draft, and he is ranked in a wide range by many in the hockey world. If an NHL team sees the potential he has and believes he can unlock another level to it, he could end up being a late second-round pick this year.

Jasper Kuhta, C, Ottawa 67s

NHL Central Scouting Rank: 95th

A player who played at a point-per-game pace (63 points in 62 games) in his first season in the OHL, Jasper Kuhta has a great mix of goal-scoring and playmaking skills in his arsenal that make it a bit of a surprise that he is ranked 95th by Central Scouting, even if he was passed on in the 2025 Draft. While the numbers he put up may seem a bit inflated for a 19-year-old, Kuhta still shows he has the game to make a difference at center.

After spending time in Finland’s top league, Liiga, in the 2024-25 season and delivering strong performances for Finland at the 2026 World Junior Championship, Kuhta has already shown he can play at a high level, and his next step will be heading to UMass for his collegiate hockey. If he is taken in the middle rounds of this year’s draft and can prove that he can perform at a high rate at the NCAA level, he has the potential to be a steal for whatever NHL team selects him.

JC Lemieux, LW, Sudbury Wolves

NHL Central Scouting Rank: 103rd

After being traded to the Sudbury Wolves from the Windsor Spitfires this season, JC Lemieux was able to put his full game on display. While being ranked 103rd among North American skaters by Central Scouting, Lemieux has the game and potential to end up being a steal in this year’s draft. In Windsor, he was buried on a deep roster and was unable to work his way into a bigger role than he had, but with Sudbury, he had more runway and took advantage of it.

With the motor Lemieux has, on top of the offensive skills that he has flashed with the Wolves, he should end up catching the eye of an NHL organization in the middle rounds at the end of the month if they believe that they can take those flashes and help turn them into a more consistent game while he continues to develop and mature his overall game.

Ryan Brown, LW, London Knights

NHL Central Scouting Rank: 184th

THW’s own Peter Baracchini has raved about Ryan Brown‘s game and has highlighted him as a potential second-day steal for whoever takes him, and there is plenty of reason to believe Peter is right. Brown looked great after being sent to the London Knights from the Sarnia Sting this season, playing at over a point-per-game pace with the Knights. He has all the makings of a bottom-six player at the NHL level, with the work ethic and overall abilities to be a pest for opponents, while also having the offensive game to make a difference.

While Brown sits at the 184th-ranked North American skater, there is a good chance he hears his name called earlier than his sixth-round grade, given the overall potential and skills he has already displayed. Organizations are always on the lookout for players who can bring energy to the lineup, and Brown is certainly one of those players, and with further development, could become a solid NHL player.

OHL Full of Talent Yet Again

The OHL will once again be represented in a big way at the 2026 Draft, and while names like Chase Reid, Caleb Malhotra, and Nikita Klepov (among others) will get the headlines, there is plenty of depth and talent coming from the league once again that will likely hear their names called at the annual event.