Vancouver Giants added seven new faces to the organization during the 2026 WHL Prospects Draft this week.
The G-Men began with two high-end talents on Day 1 (Wednesday, May 6), taking defenceman Eli Vickers and then forward Brayden Jugnauth back-to-back at third and fourth overall, respectively.
On Day 2, the Giants selected two more forwards, two more defencemen, and one goaltender.
“Overall, our group is quite happy,” said Greg Batters, the Giants director of player personnel, noting with four picks in the top 33, the G-Men have added elite talent to every position.
“The staff worked pretty hard over the winter and identified all the players who were available and we were lucky to select these seven young men who are going to be wearing Giants jerseys here in the near future.”
Round 1, Pick 3: Eli Vickers,
Defenceman, Delta Hockey Academy U15 Prep
Vickers is a 5-foot-9 defenceman who was named top defenceman in the U15 Prep division of the CSSHL this past season after leading all blueliners with 62 points in 30 games, thanks to 22 goals and 40 assists.
“I’ve admired his competitiveness and his will to win for the last two years,” Batters said.
“The people at Delta speak super highly of him. His coaches love him, to the point where he got called up to the U17s in the championships to play forward with them. He’s that type of kid. He’s a winner; a leader. He’s going to be a fan favourite for sure.”
The left-shot rearguard finished fifth among all U15 prep CSSHL skaters in points. Having been part of Delta’s 2025 CSSHL Western Championship team, Vickers had 98 points in 65 career U15 prep games, second most all-time among defencemen.
The Surrey native was ranked as the top defenceman by Elite Prospects (EP) in its 2026 WHL Draft rankings.
“Arguably the best skater in the draft class, he’s extremely fluid, elite off his edges, and explosive across the rink,” EP’s ranking said.
“Vickers is also a high-end thinker, scanning, anticipating, and reading plays. He’s a strong playmaker, finding high-value passing lanes, and a highly skilled handler…Vickers projects as a top-pair defenceman. His game is as plug-and-play as they come, too.”
Vickers was also ranked as the top defenceman by PuckPreps.
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Round 1, Pick 4: Brayden Jugnauth,
Forward, Okanagan Rockets U18 AAA
Jugnauth is a cerebral centre who was named the U18 player of the year in the BC Elite Hockey League (BCEHL) this past season after producing 58 points (32G-26A) in 34 games.
He added nine goals and nine assists for 18 points in just six playoff games, helping the Rockets win back-to-back U18 Championships.
“He’s a bit of an assassin when he has the puck because he can score from anywhere,” Batters said.
“He’s an elite passer. His numbers in U18 speak for themselves. He’s just a special player. He’s got significant upside.”
As a 14-year-old, Jugnauth’s 32 goals led the league and his 58 points were second. Jugnauth and the Rockets captured their second straight Pacific Regional Championship, advancing to the TELUS Cup National Championship where they made the semifinal, in large part thanks to Jugnauth’s 11 points in seven games (6G-5A).
The Kelowna native was ranked 3rd overall by Elite Prospects in its 2026 WHL Draft rankings.
“Jugnauth is able to control games with his brain,” EP’s ranking said.
“It starts away from the puck, as he’s always open, intercepting breakouts and spacing the ice. With possession, he’s a deadly shooter, firing off the catch, off the rush, and from sharp angles. Plus, he’s a skilled playmaker who creates time and space with dishes, particularly in transition. While Jugnauth’s not an explosive skater, his relatively thin frame suggests he has a lot more room to develop. His stock has skyrocketed this season, jumping from 14th on our first ranking to a surefire top-five pick and looking like a future first-line centre.”
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Round 2, Pick 26: Brady Leinenweber,
Defenceman, NAX U15 Prep
Leinenweber is a right-shot blueliner who led NAX defencemen in points with 35 this past season, thanks to two goals and 33 assists.
He was named a U15 Prep first-team all-star.
“Brady is a big, smooth-skating, smart defenceman who can play on both sides of the puck and have an impact,” Batters said.
“We were quite surprised to see him there at that point in the draft… He’s an elite right-handed shot. In my opinion, he was one of the top defencemen in the draft.”
The Saskatchewan product also tied for second in scoring among defencemen at the John Reid Memorial tournament with six points in six games (1G-5A).
Elite Prospects ranked Leinenweber 7th overall and called him “the most projectable defender in this class.”
“Never panicked, Leinenweber uses his mobility and reach to protect the puck under pressure and finds outlets with the timing and weight that allow recipients to receive in motion,” EP’s ranking said.
“His blueline work is a legitimate offensive weapon: he opens his hips to distribute in both directions, pulls defenders out of lanes with shot fakes, and delivers backdoor passes with the kind of professional precision that is rare at this level. The shot from the right circle carries real threat, and his activation habits give his team a consistent offensive presence from the back end… He projects as a top-pair, two-way WHL defenceman with legitimate special teams upside on both sides of the ice.”
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Round 2, Pick 33: Donovan Knapp,
Goalie, Detroit Little Caesars U14 AAA
Knapp brings size (6-foot-4, 180 lbs.) and a winning pedigree, backstopping the U14 Little Caesars to a Tier I National Championship this past season, Batter said.
“He’s a big kid – 6-foot-4 – and he’s a confident young man who has a ton of skill,” he added.
“The Knapp family is a special family. They’re blue collar people. They’re really hard working. Donovan is just a unique talent… he is going to be a big part of this team. You can’t win in this league without great goaltending, so drafting a goalie is paramount in building a winning club.”
Not all of Knapp’s stats from the regular season are publicly available, but according to USA Hockey’s website, he went 24-2-1 this past season with a 1.46 goals-against average (GAA). At nationals, he went 5-0-0 with a 1.51 GAA and .920 save percentage.
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Round 3, Pick 65: Spencer Wilmot,
Forward, Okanagan HA Colorado U14 AAA
Another American, Wilmot is a skilled forward who led Okanagan Colorado’s U14 team with 62 points in 43 games this past season (31G-31A).
“Spencer is a talented player,” Batters said.
“He digs in, he works hard, he’s smart, he’s two-way, but he’s got offensive skills. He makes plays. There’s potential for him to be quite a big kid too. There’s a lot of upside. I’m excited about him. He’s a bit of a sleeper for us in this draft.”
Wilmot was also his team’s leading scorer at the John Reid Memorial tournament with eight points in five games (5G-3A).
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Round 4, Pick 74: Zachary Pomeroy,
Defenceman, Edge School U15 Prep
Pomeroy is a 6-foot-1 left-shot defenceman, who tallied 13 points (2G-11A) in 21 games for Edge U15 Prep this past season, where he was the captain.
“He’s a big body. He has some bite. He moves very well,” said Batters.
“At this point in the draft to get him there, it’s a win for us and for our coaching staff. They’re going to be excited about him.”
Elite Prospects ranked Pomeroy 28th overall.
“Pomeroy creates from the blueline with genuine intelligence,” EP’s ranking said.
“He beats defenders off the point with a first touch that accelerates into space, uses shot fakes to open passing lanes, and moves around the zone to find high-value positions before distributing…the production and tools both point toward a WHL defender with real special teams upside on both ends of the ice.”
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Round 7, Pick 149: Landon Reschny,
Forward, NAX U15 Prep
Reschny is a responsible centre who tallied 19 points (10G-9A) in 29 games for NAX U15 Prep this past season.
He is the younger brother of Medicine Hat Tigers forward Dayton Reschny and was teammates with Leinenweber at NAX, the Giants 26th overall selection.
“Landon is a two-way guy who can play against the other team’s top lines,” Batters said.
“He’s super trustworthy. He’s got vision. He’s got hands. He’s got skills: he can makes plays. He’s a bit undersized right now, but he will grow.”
Elite Prospects ranked Reschny 54th overall.
“He makes smart decisions constantly and in all three zones,” EP’s ranking said.
“His playmaking stands out, making passes and finding lanes before anyone else on the ice sees what’s happening. His edgework is a strength, with a balanced stride that gives him four-way mobility. He’s a skilled pivot who coaches want on the ice in critical moments. Reschny’s deception is a clear strength, constantly using his feet, hands, shoulders, and eyes to trick defenders. He needs to gain strength and further develop his shot to become an everyday WHL player, but there’s a potential top-nine centre in here.”
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Vancouver Giants is proud members of the Western Hockey League and were inaugurated in 2001.
They have since won one Memorial Cup (2007), one Ed Chynoweth Cup (2006), and three conference championships (2005-06, 2006-07 & 2018-19).
The Giants have produced six first round NHL Draft selections. The club plays out of the 5,276-seat Langley Events Centre.