No matter how a team performs during the regular season, every fan base can look forward to the draft. It offers a glimpse into the future and, ideally, the group of players that will eventually help lead a franchise to an Ed Chynoweth Cup championship.

For the Tri-City Americans, this year’s draft carried significant importance. The organization is building one of its strongest prospect pools in years, and the club appears positioned to become a serious contender in the near future. The Americans also held two first-round selections for the first time in more than 19 years, picking sixth and nineteenth overall, while also owning two second-round picks, giving them four selections inside the top 40.

Although draft classes cannot truly be evaluated for several years, Tri-City addressed several organizational needs and, on paper, assembled one of its strongest classes in recent memory.

6th Overall — Kenzo Gibson

In my mock draft, I had Kenzo Gibson going to Tri-City at sixth overall, and the fit always made sense.

Gibson appears tailor-made for the style the Americans want to play. At 6-foot and 185 pounds, he already possesses good size while playing a physical, hard-working game. He also demonstrated leadership qualities by serving as captain of Burnaby Winter Club’s U15 program during the 2025-26 season.

Playing in the CSSHL U15 division, Gibson recorded 58 points in 23 games, including 34 goals.

This marks the second consecutive year that General Manager Bob Tory used the organization’s earliest selection on a forward as the Americans continue addressing their offensive struggles. During the 2025-26 season, Tri-City finished with the second-fewest goals among WHL clubs.

Gibson’s combination of skill, leadership, and physicality makes him an ideal fit for the Americans’ identity and gives him an excellent opportunity to develop into an impactful player.

19th Overall — Ethan Zhang

With the elimination of the U.S. Priority Draft, American players entered the WHL Prospects Draft alongside talent from Western Canada. Tri-City took advantage of the expanded player pool by selecting Ethan Zhang with its second first-round pick.

Zhang, one of the highest-rated American prospects available in this draft, stands at 6-foot-3 and 176 pounds at just 14 years old. He spent the season with Dallas Stars Elite 14U AAA, producing 87 points in 51 games, including 36 goals.

His size immediately stands out, but scouts also praise his skating ability and offensive upside. As he continues to mature physically, Zhang projects as a power forward capable of creating traffic around the net while using his speed to generate offense.

If his development continues on its current path, he could become a difficult player for opposing defenses to contain.

37th Overall — Lincoln Baschuk

Tri-City selected its first defenseman of the draft at 37th overall with Lincoln Baschuk.

Defense is currently one of the strongest areas within the organization’s prospect pipeline, but adding another quality blueliner with one of four top-40 selections is a no brainer.

Baschuk fits the mold of many defensemen the Americans have targeted in recent years. At 6-foot-3 and 192 pounds, he combines size with a reliable two-way game. He finished second among defensemen on his team with 23 points in 29 games.

Scouts highlight his breakout ability, an area where Tri-City struggled during the 2025-26 season. Improved puck movement from the defensive zone was a clear organizational need, and Baschuk’s strengths could eventually help address that issue at the WHL level.

39th Overall — Colton Nash

Tri-City returned to the United States with the 39th overall pick, selecting Minnesota forward Colton Nash.

Playing for Minnetonka Bantam AA, Nash was one of the team’s primary offensive drivers. He recorded more than 150 points in 50 games, including an impressive 72 goals.

Remarkably, he did not lead his team in either goals or points.

Scouts view Nash as a dynamic offensive player with the ability to impact the game in several ways. His scoring ability, creativity, and offensive instincts give him the potential to become an important contributor for the Americans in the future.

61st Overall — John Main

Tri-City added another leader to its prospect pool by selecting defenseman John Main at 61st overall.

Main served as captain of St. George’s School U15 Prep in the CSSHL, recording 23 points in 30 games while finishing second among the team’s defensemen in scoring.

His offensive growth was significant. During the 2024-25 season with Pacific Coast Academy, he produced just nine points in 23 games before nearly tripling that total during his draft year.

Main projects as a composed, intelligent defenseman whose steady play could eventually translate well to the WHL.

76th Overall — Kane Strudwick

The Americans returned to the forward position in the fourth round by selecting Kane Strudwick.

At 6-foot and nearly 200 pounds, Strudwick already possesses impressive physical strength. Playing for OHA Edmonton U15 in the CSSHL, he recorded 34 points in 27 games and added five points in five games at the Alberta Cup.

His physical tools give him the potential to become an effective player in board battles and net-front situations.

Strudwick also brings NHL bloodlines. His father, Jason Strudwick, played 674 NHL games with the New York Rangers, New York Islanders, Vancouver Canucks, and Chicago Blackhawks after spending his junior career with the Kamloops Blazers, where he won two WHL championships.

99th Overall — Steven Leavitt

Another OHA Edmonton product, Steven Leavitt became Tri-City’s fifth forward selection of the draft.

Leavitt produced 43 points in 24 games and is regarded as an energetic player with a strong work ethic and explosive skating ability.

His motor and pace fit the identity the Americans have emphasized throughout this draft, and he could become an effective depth contributor if his development continues.

111th Overall — Brady Piec

Tri-City selected its second defenseman of the draft by choosing Brady Piec from Oakbank, Manitoba, which has a population of just over 5,000.

Playing for Rink Hockey Academy Winnipeg, Piec recorded 17 points in 26 games while also earning time with the U17 team, where he collected three points in three games.

At 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds, Piec adds more size to the organization’s blue line depth. His long-term projection appears to be that of a shutdown defenseman capable of playing a reliable defensive role.

141st Overall — Alexandre Montembeault

After not holding a sixth-round selection, the Americans opened the seventh round by selecting their lone goaltender pick of the draft, Alexandre Montembeault.

The Calgary native played for Calgary IHA U15 Prep, splitting duties during the regular season while posting a 9-5-1 record, an .851 save percentage, and a 3.79 goals-against average.

His strongest performances came in high-pressure situations. During the CSSHL playoffs, Montembeault went 3-0 with a .958 save percentage and a 1.33 goals-against average.

He also recorded a .926 save percentage during the Alberta Cup and posted a .911 save percentage at the John Reid Memorial Tournament.

While seventh-round picks are often longshots, Montembeault has already demonstrated an ability to elevate his game when it matters most and was definitely worth taking a chance on here.

165th Overall — Max Aldrich

Tri-City concluded its draft by selecting defenseman Max Aldrich.

A teammate of Colton Nash at Minnetonka Bantam, Aldrich enjoyed an excellent season, recording 40 points in 53 games while finishing second among the team’s defensemen in scoring.

Finding a defenseman with offensive upside in the later rounds is great to see, and Aldrich possesses the tools to eventually develop into a WHL-caliber player, but it will like with Montembeault be a battle to actually break into the team.

Recap

The Americans entered the 2026 WHL Prospects Draft with several clear objectives, particularly improving their offensive depth and continuing to add size throughout the organization.

Tri-City selected five forwards among its ten picks while adding multiple players with significant physical tools and offensive upside. The organization also reinforced an already promising defensive pipeline and took a chance on a goaltender who has shown the ability to perform in important games.

It will be several years before this draft class can be properly evaluated, but on paper, the Americans addressed key organizational needs and assembled one of their strongest prospect classes of the decade.

For a fan base eager to see the club return to contention, the future appears increasingly promising.

No matter how a team performs during the regular season, every fan base can look forward to the draft. It offers a glimpse into the future and, ideally, the group of players that will eventually help lead a franchise to an Ed Chynoweth Cup championship.

For the Tri-City Americans, this year’s draft carried significant importance. The organization is building one of its strongest prospect pools in years, and the club appears positioned to become a serious contender in the near future. The Americans also held two first-round selections for the first time in more than 19 years, picking sixth and nineteenth overall, while also owning two second-round picks, giving them four selections inside the top 40.

Although draft classes cannot truly be evaluated for several years, Tri-City addressed several organizational needs and, on paper, assembled one of its strongest classes in recent memory.