Franchise History Achieved
North Bay Battalion Makes History with First Pick in Live OHL Priority Selection
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The North Bay Battalion made franchise history on Friday night, selecting goaltender Owen Loftus 11th overall in the first round of the Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection — the first time in the franchise's history that the team has ever used a first-round pick on a goaltender, according to North Bay Nugget. The Battalion entered the draft with 17 total picks across 15 rounds.
The draft was held at Slush Puppie Place in Kingston, home of the Frontenacs. It marked the first live, in-arena OHL draft in 26 years. The league last held the event in person in 2000, before moving it online, Northern News reported.
Owen Loftus: The Goalie Who Made History at 11th Overall
Loftus, 16, plays for the Don Mills Flyers U16 AAA. He stands 6-foot-1 and weighs 163 pounds. Scouts described him as "immensely talented" with an "NHL projectable profile," according to BayToday. He was widely regarded as the top goaltending prospect in the Greater Toronto Hockey League.
Loftus said he was thrilled by the selection. "I didn't know what to expect, to be honest... getting picked to any of these teams, particularly North Bay, is just a huge honour for me," he said, per Ottawa Citizen. No Battalion goalie had ever been drafted this high in franchise history, which dates back to the Brampton Battalion era in 1998.
Battalion GM Explains Why They Took a Goalie So Early
Goaltenders are rarely picked in the first round of junior drafts. But North Bay GM and President Adam Dennis defended the move. "You always have to look for the best player available... especially in the early rounds, because it's talent that you won't potentially get later on," he told BayToday.
Dennis also tempered expectations about Loftus suiting up right away. Most players drafted this year may not see major OHL game time next season. A backlog of returning players creates a "bottleneck," and the team is focused on a long-term development plan, Sault Star noted.
OHL Brings the Draft Back to Life After 26 Years Online
The 2026 draft was the first held in person since the Hershey Centre in Mississauga hosted the event in 2000. OHL Commissioner Bryan Crawford championed the return. "The return of an in-person OHL Priority Selection represents an exciting moment for everyone connected to our League," Crawford said, per Recorder.
The event was held in partnership with Tourism Kingston. Fans could attend both days for $52.09. Round 1 took place Friday night. Rounds 2 through 15 continue Saturday morning at 9:00 AM ET. The 1st overall pick went to Kane Cloutier, son of former NHL goalie Dan Cloutier, selected by the Oshawa Generals, Seaforth Huron Expositor reported.
Draft Night Drama: Sudbury Pick Refuses to Report
Not every storyline on Friday was celebratory. The Brampton Steelheads selected Tanner Adams 3rd overall, but reports emerged that Adams would only agree to play for the Sudbury Wolves. The standoff created one of the draft's biggest controversies, according to Pembroke Observer.
Meanwhile, some fans and analysts questioned whether bringing all 20 teams to Kingston was worth the cost and logistics, given that the online format had run smoothly for 25 years. But the "enthusiastic crowd" inside Slush Puppie Place suggested the live atmosphere resonated, per Fairview Post.
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