DRAFT PROSPECTS HOCKEY

Tag: Windsor Spitfires

  • 2026 NHL Draft Prospect Report – Ethan Belchetz (LW)

    Ethan Belchetz is a hulking winger for the Windsor Spitfires whose physicality and upside could make his potential in the NHL higher than his production in the OHL this season would indicate. His overwhelming size and strength make him a threat at the OHL level in the offensive zone, winning puck battles with ease and consistently getting to high-danger spots while fighting through checks. 

    Belchetz has great hands and vision with the puck, beating opponents one-on-one and taking advantage of his wingspan and frame to capitalize on chances in those dangerous areas. While his foot speed leaves something to be desired, he has decent top end speed once he gets going and is capable of making plays at a high pace and not looking out of place while playing with high skill linemates. He’s hard nosed and knows how to take advantage of his strength, proving himself as an elite net-front presence and not backing down from physical challenges. He’s battled inconsistency throughout this season, but he’s an athletic beast who could gain confidence and produce more as he grows into his frame and continues to develop his offensive acumen. He’s a fairly safe bet to become a heavy and effective NHL winger who should go in the top half of the first round.

  • 2026 NHL Draft Prospect Report – Ethan Belchetz (LW)

    Ethan Belchetz #61, F 

    Windsor Spitfires (OHL)

    6’5”, 227 lbs, DOB 2008-03-30

    Belchetz’s goal in this game was a strong example of his identity as an effort-driven forward. The play stemmed from his eagerness to attack inside ice rather than staying to the perimeter. He drove to the net with purpose, establishing body position to get the deflection. He consistently supported pucks well in the offensive zone, staying involved in cycles and presenting himself as a passing option. Belchetz’s fight in this game showed his willingness to engage physically and stand up in emotionally charged moments. He showed no hesitation dropping the gloves, which speaks to both toughness and a team-first mentality. Importantly, he maintained balance and composure during the exchange rather than throwing himself out of control. Beyond the fight, his overall physical engagement was consistent. He finished checks, applied pressure on the forecheck, and made life difficult for opposing defenders. Belchetz’s skating was reflective of his size in the sense that his stride is functional rather than explosive, however, it’s supported by a high motor that allows him to stay involved shift after shift. His pace was most effective when combined with his physicality, where he closed spaces quickly on the forecheck and forced rushed decisions. This game highlighted Belchetz’s competitive identity clearly. Scoring a hard-area goal and then engaging in a fight in the same game points to a player who is emotionally invested and willing to influence the game in different ways. 

    Overall, Belchetz projects as a high-energy forward with a physical edge and scoring ability. His game is built around compete level, net-front presence, and a willingness to engage physically. Games like this, where he contributes both on the scoresheet and emotionally, reinforce his value as a momentum player. If he continues refining his skating explosiveness, he has the foundation to fill a reliable bottom-six role at the NHL level. 

    Skater Category Summarization:

    Skating: 6

    Puck Skill: 6

    Scoring Ability: 7

    Hockey IQ: 7

    Character: 8

    Physicality: 7

    Defensive Play: 6

  • 2026 NHL Draft Prospect Report – Ethan Belchetz (LW)

    Ethan Belchetz:
    Projection: Middle 6 Winger
    Strengths: Physically mature game, Ability to drive the play, Strong shot
    Weaknesses: Needs to grow into his skates, Lack of creativity and
    adaptability, Weak transition game

    Analysis:
    Ethan Belchetz is another big power forward in this draft class. He
    has a very physically mature game for being 6’5 230lbs and isn’t
    afraid to use it to his advantage. He likes to lean on defenders along
    the boards, forcing the puck to his stick before driving the net.
    Through the use of his size, he is also a force when planted in front
    of the goalie for rebounds, deflections, or backdoor passes. Where he
    is the most dangerous is inside the circle without the puck, where he
    can make use of his very powerful shot.

    That’s kind of where I see his strengths begin to fall off. Apart from
    his size and heavy shot, he lacks anything that is super outstanding
    or noteworthy. I find that he still hasn’t found his stride due to his
    size, so he lacks any monumental speed or dangerous explosiveness. He
    doesn’t have any special stickhandling or vision abilities, so the
    only way I find he beats defenders is by making use of his body to
    protect the puck and drive wide or cut to the middle before releasing
    his shot. He also has a very weak transition game in my eyes. He
    struggles to make pinpoint passes on the rush, and when he decides on
    what he’s going to do, he has a hard time adapting and deviating from
    that plan based on how the play develops. With some extra time and a
    good development path, he has the potential to be a solid middle-six
    play driver.

  • Weekly 2026 Draft Eligible Three Stars

    The road towards the 2026 NHL draft continues to narrow as the season inches closer to the end. June will be here before we know it, and before that, prospects across the world will be proving they deserve to have their names called by an NHL team. This week’s three stars feature two Americans who powered their American Ontario Hockey League (OHL) team to a pair of wins this week and a Western Hockey League winger in the middle of a breakout.

    Egor Barabanov | C | Saginaw Spirit (OHL)

    Egor Barabanov is enjoying a banner rookie season in the OHL. The Anaheim, CA, native is third in league scoring with 72 points (25 goals, 47 assists), behind only teammate Nikita Klepov and New York Rangers prospect Nathan Aspinall. The 19-year-old, who spent part of four seasons in the United States Hockey League (USHL) with the Sioux Falls Stampede and the Madison Capitals, was the 39th-ranked North American skater by NHL Central Scouting on its Mid-Term Rankings.

    Barabanov opened the week with a two-goal game against the Flint Firebirds in a 5-4 win. He scored a power play goal in the second period to take a 3-2 lead. He doubled down in the third period, scoring his 23rd goal of the season to tie the game at 4.

    The 6-foot, 181-pound forward followed that up with a career-high six points (one goal, five assists) in an 11-3 drubbing of the Sarnia Sting. Barabanov had three assists in the first period as the Spirit jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the first period. He added a pair of helpers in the second before notching the 11th goal for his squad in the third.

    The Anaheim Junior Ducks product polished off the week with a goal and assist in a 4-2 loss to the Windsor Spitfires.

    Nikita Klepov | RW | Saginaw Spirit (OHL)

    The Saginaw Spirit has one of the most dominant duos of draft-eligible players between Nikita Kelpov and Barabanov. The American OHL rookies sit at numbers two and three in league scoring. Klepov was a first-round pick of the Spirit in the 2025 CHL Import Draft after scoring 31 points (12 goals, 19 assists) in 59 games with the Sioux City Musketeers in the USHL. The 6-foot, 181-pound winger is the 38th-ranked skater on Draft Prospect Hockey’s 2026 NHL Draft Prospect Rankings.

    The Deerfield Beach, FL, native began the week potting a goal and three assists as the Spirit knocked off its American rival, the Flint Firebirds, 5-4. Klepov was all over the scoresheet again with another four-point outing against the Sarnia Sting. He finished the weekend with a lone assist in Saginaw’s 4-2 loss to the Windsor Spitfires.

    Beckett Hamilton | RW | Red Deer Rebels (WHL)

    Red Deer Rebels winger Beckett Hamilton loves to shoot the puck. The Humboldt, SK, native is averaging a team-high seven shots per game with an average of 3.9 shots on goal per game. Hamilton is on the smaller side at 5-foot-11 and 172 pounds, but that nose for the net should get fans and scouts excited. The 17-year-old has blown by his rookie point totals. After posting 25 points (14 goals, 11 assists) in 67 games in 2024-25, Hamilton is already at 46 points (19 goals, 27 assists) in 52 games in 2025-26.

    Hamilton led all draft-eligible players this week in shots on goal with 24 in three games. He opened up with seven shots on goal while picking up an assist in a 6-3 loss to the Everett Silvertips. The 75th-ranked North American skater by NHL Central Scouting had a pair of goals and assists for four points, including a helper on the overtime winner, as the Rebels eked out a 5-4 overtime win against the Medicine Hat Tigers. He wrapped up the weekend registering 10 shots on goal but not picking up any points in a 4-3 overtime win against the Lethbridge Hurricanes.

  • Weekly 2026 NHL Draft-Eligible Three Stars

    The World Junior Championships are in the books now, and players have returned to action for their respective club teams. The trade deadline has passed across the CHL which puts the push for the postseason front and center for some teams, while others prepare for the future. As teams gear up for playoff races in the second half of the season, NHL staff and countless other draft observers will be eyeing talent for the 2026 NHL Draft. This week in the three stars, a Swedish forward gets some recognition for his strong work this season, a Finn has returned to the OHL with new life after his trip to Minnesota, and a Canadian center is already adjusting to new surroundings after being dealt.

    Wiggo Sörensson | C/LW | Boro/Vetlanda HC (SWE-DIV2)

    Swedish forward Wiggo Sörensson is having a very productive season, splitting his games between the U20 level and Division 2 hockey. He’s amassed 52 points (30 goals, 22 assists) in 12 games with the Boro/Vetlanda HC U20 program and another 23 points (nine goals, 14 assists) in 20 Division 2 games. Sörenssen may lack a little in physical tools at just 5 feet 11 inches and 181 pounds, but the rest of his game more than makes up for it. When playing at the U20 junior level, the April 2008 born skater has dominated the competition and showcased his offensive gifts over the last two seasons.

    Splitting time between Division 2 hockey and U20 Division 1, Sörensson led all draft eligibles last week with six points in three games. After not registering a point in his first game of the week, the Vetlanda, Sweden, native had six goals in the next two games. His biggest performance of the week was scoring all four goals in a 5-4 loss to the U20 Division 1 Alvesta SK club.

    Jasper Kuhta | C | Ottawa 67’s (OHL)

    After missing out on being selected in the 2025 NHL Draft, Finnish center Jasper Kuhta is putting together a case to be drafted in 2026. The 6-foot-2, 198 pound forward was impressive with Finland, finishing second in team scoring with eight points at his first world junior tournament despite a disappointing finish for his country.

    He returned to Ottawa after his sojourn in Minnesota and hasn’t missed a beat. On a Northern Ontario road trip against the North Bay Battalion, Soo Greyhounds, and Sudbury Wolves, the Helsinki native had five points in three games.

    Kuhta capitalized on the power play against the Wolves with just over three minutes remaining in the second period. After finding some open space in the right-side faceoff circle, he took a pass from Carolina Hurricanes prospect Filip Ekberg and buried a wrist shot. With 1:45 remaining in the second period, Kuhta doubled up. After the newly acquired David Bedkowski fired a shot, Kuhta quickly flipped the rebound in past the keeper on the backhand.

    Jean-Cristoph Lemieux | C | Sudbury Wolves (OHL)

    17-year-old Jean-Cristoph Lemieux’s week started with a big change. The 2025 U17 World Hockey Challenge gold medalist was dealt from the Windsor Spitfires along with a package of eight draft picks to the Sudbury Wolves for Chicago Blackhawks draft pick Alex Pharand and Seattle Kraken prospect Nathan Villeneuve. Lemieux has had a pretty seamless transition after moving from the team at the most Southern point of the province to one of the furthest north, with five points (three goals, two assists) in three games.

    He opened the week with a goal and an assist against the Greyhounds in a 6-2 loss for the Wolves. He picked up another helper for his lone point in a 4-2 loss to the Niagara IceDogs.

    He saved his best for last with a two-goal outing against the high-flying Ottawa 67’s. With the Wolves on the power play in the first period, Lemieux wound up a one-timer to put the Wolves ahead by one. With just over three and a half minutes left in the second period, Lemieux went streaking down the left wing and took a breakaway pass to send him in alone. He made no mistake one-on-one with Ottawa goalie Jaeden Nelson, faking a shot and then flipping a backhand over the keeper.

  • Weekly 2026 Draft Eligible Three Stars

    As the 2026 NHL Draft picture continues to develop, a trio of emerging major-junior standouts are forcing scouts to take notice. Across the CHL, high-end skill, production, and poise are coming into focus—whether it’s the dynamic twin-driven surge in Medicine Hat, a Russian playmaker redefining “instant impact” in Victoriaville, or a towering OHL power forward bulldozing his way up draft boards. Liam Ruck, Yegor Shilov, and Ethan Belchetz aren’t just off to hot starts—they’re building cases to hear their names called early on draft night in June. Here’s a closer look at why all three are rapidly rising prospects to watch.

    Liam Ruck | RW | Medicine Hat Tigers

    Liam Ruck and his identical twin brother, Markus, have both had hot starts to their respective draft-eligible seasons in Medicine Hat. The twins are both producing at a point-per-game level with 21 points each. Liam has found a little bit more of a scoring touch with seven goals and 14 assists, while Markus is dishing the puck with just three goals to go with 18 assists.

    In a pair of games over the weekend, Liam showed off his offensive prowess, collecting six points. Early in the first period against the Regina Pats, Ruck settled into some open ice near the faceoff dot on the left side before taking a pass and ripping a wicked wrist shot that hit the crossbar and went in. With the game tied at two in the second, Ruck broke the tie. After taking a feed on his backhand, the Osoyoos, BC native tried to feed the puck across the slot, but his pass was redirected back to him, and he popped it in. Ruck added a secondary assist on the overtime winner to pick up points on all four Tigers goals.

    The 45th-ranked skater on the 2026 Draft Prospects Rankings added a goal and an assist to his weekend total in a 6-5 overtime loss to the Brandon Wheat Kings.

    Yegor Shilov | C | Victoriaville Tigres

    Russian center Yegor Shilov is leading the way for draft-eligible prospects in the QMJHL with 31 points (11 goals, 20 assists) in 21 games. After lighting it up in minor hockey in Russia, he had 76 points in 30 U17 games in 2023-24; the crafty playmaker moved across the ocean to play for the Long Island Gulls 16U program. The transition to North American ice didn’t seem to faze him, as he scored 48 points in 31 games with the Gulls and another 28 points (11 goals, 17 assists) in 39 games with the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers.

    The Boston University commit for next season was picked third overall by Victoriaville in the 2025 CHL Import Draft and acclimatized to major junior hockey extremely well. After picking up an assist in Victorville’s Wednesday tilt with Baie-Comeau, Shilov exploded for a hat trick and a five-point outing against Shawinigan. In on a three-on-two, Shilov used the Shawinigan defender as a screen and fired a wrist shot over the goalie’s glove-side shoulder. He added another marker on a shorthanded breakaway, slipping a backhand through the goalie’s pads. He capped the hat trick with a breakaway goal on an empty net. The 49th-ranked skater on the 2026 Draft Prospects Rankings was held off the scoresheet in a 4-1 win over Gatineau, but it wasn’t for lack of trying, as the pivot had six shots on goal.

    Ethan Belchetz | LW | Windsor Spitfires

    Ethan Belchetz has always had a nose for the net, and the monster power forward is currently leading the OHL draft-eligible group with 16 goals in 21 games. After potting 17 goals in his rookie season last year with the Spitfires, Belchetz is set to soar past that number in his sophomore campaign. The Oakville, ON, native, standing at 6-foot-5 and 227 pounds, has the kind of size NHL teams dream about and a toolkit of offensive skills to go with it.

    Belchetz opened the scoring for the Spitfires on Thursday night against the Soo Greyhounds. Finding some open ice in the slot, the gargantuan winger walked in uncovered and wired a wrist shot over the Greyhounds keeper’s blocker-side shoulder. Belchetz found the back of the net less than two minutes into the second period for the daily double. After gaining the zone, Belchetz dropped the puck off for Philadelphia Flyers prospect Jack Nesbitt and settled into some open ice in the left-side faceoff circle. As he drifted towards the Soo cage, Nesbitt fed him the puck. Despite not being able to get a clean shot off, the puck rattled around and found its way in.

    The 5th-ranked skater on the 2026 Draft Prospects Rankings had nine shot attempts with six on target during Saturday’s game against the Guelph Storm. He managed to find the back of the net off a play he created in his own zone. After blocking a point-to-point pass by the Storm, Belchetz took off and received a feed to give himself a breakaway. With all kinds of time and space, the 2024 first overall pick in the OHL Draft faked a shot to get the goalie to drop and then roofed a quick forehand wrist shot up and over.