Memorial Cup host Rockets win Draft Lottery, will pick first overall in 2026 WHL Draft

By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on March 27, 2026.

sports@medicinehatnews.com@MedicineHatNews

The Kelowna Rockets picked up a win off the ice Thursday night.

The 2026 Memorial Cup hosts won the WHL Draft Lottery, giving them the first overall pick in the upcoming WHL Draft. Kelowna acquired the draft pick from the Lethbridge Hurricanes at the 2025 trade deadline.

The Rockets traded 2005-born defenceman Caden Price to Lethbridge in exchange for 2007-born defenceman Will Sharpe, the WHL rights to their starting goaltender Harrison Boettiger (2007-born), the 2026 first-round pick as well as a fourth-round pick in 2025, a fifth-round draft pick in 2027, a sixth-round draft pick in 2025 and a conditional fourth-round draft pick in the 2025 WHL Draft.

This is the second time the Rockets will select first overall in the WHL Draft, the last coming in 1991 when they picked defenceman Adam Smith.

The projected first overall pick in the draft is Red Deer forward Madden Daneault. In 34 games at the U15AAA level this season, he had 65 goals and 149 points.

A Wenatchee Wild lottery ball was drawn during the process, resulting in Wenatchee’s first-round pick moving from fourth overall to second overall. That draft pick was traded to the Vancouver Giants by the former Winnipeg Ice in the 2023 trade for forward Zack Ostapchuk.

As a result, the Giants will select second overall.

The Wild hold the third overall pick, previously belonging to the Swift Current Broncos, acquired in the 2024 Conor Geekie trade.

The Giants and Victoria Royals (acquired from the Moose Jaw Warriors), round out the top five.

The first round of the 2026 WHL Prospects Draft will be held May 6 with the remainder of the draft to be held May 7.

The Medicine Hat Tigers hold the 21st overall pick in the 2026 draft.

This year’s draft will see U.S.-born skaters eligible alongside Canadian-born players. Previously, U.S.-born players have been selected by WHL Clubs primarily through the WHL U.S. Priority Draft, which will no longer be held.

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