The 2025-26 hockey season is now in full swing, with the NHL getting its first games out of the way. Hockey watching for scouts and fans interested in the next wave of players to join the professional ranks got started a little earlier, with the Canadian Hockey League member leagues, the NCAA, and European leagues launching their campaigns in September.
The 2026 draft class has plenty of intrigue at the top, with a potential superstar in Gavin McKenna plying his trade in the NCAA this season. Beyond the Yukon native, the talent in this year’s crop of prospects should make a stout top of the draft in June.
Every week, this column will break down at least three top performers for this upcoming draft.
Xavier Villeneuve | LD | Blainville-Boisbriand Armada
Xavier Villeneuve has started the 2025-26 campaign in the QMJHL exactly how those who have watched him would expect: by piling up points. The 5-foot-11 rearguard helped the Armada to a pair of wins over Newfoundland with seven points (one goal, six assists) in the last week of play.
Villeneuve picked up a secondary assist on St. Louis Blues’ 2025 first-rounder Justin Carbonneau’s second goal of the contest as Blainville built an early two-goal advantage. Blainville sailed to a 10-4 win in that contest, with Villeneuve getting credit for the team’s ninth goal late in the second period.
In the second game of a back-to-back against Newfoundland, the Laval native continued to help Blainville fill the opponent’s net. The 18-year-old had helpers on all five of Blainville’s goals in a 5-2 win. Villeneuve leads his squad in average ice time so far in this campaign with 22:23 minutes per game and is scoring one and a half points per game.
Vladimír Dravecký | RD | Brantford Bulldogs
Vladimír Dravecký was drawing attention to himself as a potential player to watch during his 2024-25 season when he was nearly a half-point-a-game player in Sweden’s J20 Nationell and played in three SHL games for Rogle. He’s made a smooth transition to North America, jumping on a contending team with Brantford in the OHL.
Dravecký opened up his scoring for the week, jumping up on the rush and firing a quick shot that beat Niagara’s goalie cleanly to get his team back within one. He added an assist later in the game as Brantford came back from down 2-0 to win 7-4.
The right-handed defenseman added the cherry on top against Sudbury as Brantford took the contest 6-0. Less than five minutes into the third period, Dravecký took a feed from 2025 Seattle Kraken first-round pick Jake O’Brien and wired a shot through traffic for the 6-0 advantage.
Dravecký closed out his week with a three-assist performance against Ottawa, handing the 67s their first loss of the season in an 8-5 decision.
Carson Carels | LD | Prince George Cougars
Carson Carels is another name to watch in the 2026 class of rearguards. The 6-foot-2, 194 pounder already has good size and has shown a knack for offense from the back end.
The Cypress River, Manitoba, native has gained the trust of the Prince George staff and played over 30 minutes in two of three games this past week. He shot the puck a lot, with 11 shots in games against Kelowna and Tri-City.
He picked up two assists as his team fell 5-4 to Kelowna in the week’s opener. He was left off the scoresheet in the first game of a back-to-back with Tri-City. In the second contest, with Prince George trailing by one late in the second, Carels jumped up in play onto a rebound in front of the Tri-City net and fired a backhand behind the keeper. He also had a pair of assists as Prince George fell 4-3.