The 2026 Memorial Cup has been action-packed. On the other side of the round robin, the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers and WHL’s Everett Silvertips have broken away from the pack and will compete for the CHL championship. One roster represents immense depth, while the other has one of the strongest top-lines in recent, junior hockey memory. Both are led by top NHL draft talent, giving us another chance to borrow MLB Trade Rumors’ Big Hype Prospect series. This time, we’ll focus on the top scorers, and storylines, from Canada’s top tournament.
Four Big Hype Prospects
Landon DuPont, RD, Everett Silvertips (WHL)
2025-26 Season – 63 GP, 18 G / 55 A / 73 P, 52 PIM, +59
Landon DuPont receives a rare double-feature in the Big Hype series on the other side of the second-highest scoring season a 16-year-old defenseman has ever put up in the WHL. He is the modern addition to a list including Doug Bodger (1982-83), Jim Benning (1979-80), and Scott Niedermayer (1989-90) and DuPont fits right in with the trio of NHL veterans. He was nothing short of electric this season, consistently taking over shifts with his effortless skating and next-level thinking. Those star traits are continuing to propel Everett past their competition at the Memorial Cup, even as DuPont fights through an injury that held him out of the Silvertips’ Game 3 against the Kelowna Rockets. He was back in the lineup for a 6-1 win over the Chicoutimi Saguenéens, though, and should get superstar treatment in the Final. On the other side of this tournament, DuPont will face tough questions about a potential NCAA future ahead of what appears to be, from far out, a surefire first-overall selection in 2027.
Matias Vanhanen, LW, Everett Silvertips (WHL)
2025-26 Season – 62 GP, 21 G / 66 A / 87 P, 6 PIM, +58
Playing in front of DuPont has had its perks for the last two seasons – but winger Matias Vanhanen has shown the boost a complimentary style can bring. He led the Silvertips in scoring this season while playing smarter and harder than most of his peers. Vanhanen has the oomph to bully his way through traffic, or through battles in the corners, even while standing at 5-foot-10. The winger was largely unknown after spending last season – his first year of draft eligibility – in Finland’s U20 league. His year ended with a five-game taste of the Liiga and Vanhanen has brought those pro habits into his first season in North America. Boosted by smart, playmaking instincts, reliable puck-control, and a tireless motor – Vanhanen has held scout attention all season long. He is a strong blip on the draft radar and could be playing his way into high second-round territory with a tournament-leading seven points at the Memorial Cup.
Nathan Lecompte, C, Chicoutimi Saguenéens (QMJHL)
2025-26 Season – 61 GP, 27 G / 36 A / 63 P, 20 PIM, +21
Another player entering his second year of NHL Draft eligibility, Nathan Lecompte found a new gear in his ability to drive the Saguenéens’ offense this season. He was a constant threat coming down the wings, capable of finding sneaky passes on odd-man-rushes or simply firing a hard wrist-shot in a blink. Lecompte’s ability to suck in opponents created space for goal-scoring teammates and he was quick to follow chances through to the net. He had the benefit of great company in Chicoutimi – but still fit perfectly as the orchestrater in a loaded top-six. Lecompte was a surprise performer at the New Jersey Devils’ 2025 training camp, as a free-agent invite, and has draft precedent in his family – the son of a former Chicago Blackhawks first-round pick Eric Lecompte. Perhaps most exciting for the scouts is Eric’s 6-foot-5 frame, which could suggest some late growth for the 5-foot-10 Nathan. That growth will come at Northeastern University – a club that should cater well to Lecompte’s ability to stand out on the fast break – next season.
Jack Pridham, RW, Kitchener Rangers (OHL)
2025-26 Season – 65 GP, 46 G / 44 A / 90 P, 54 PIM, +38
Chicago Blackhawks draft pick Jack Pridham broke out as a dominant scorer while playing as one of only 50 age-20 players in the OHL. He used every bit of his 6-foot-2, 185-pound frame to punish opponents, standing as a bully in the middle of the offensive zone with the quick hands needed to convert on pucks that come his way. Pridham added to that a lights-out shot when left with too much space, and a new layer of speed as he broke into the zone. There is buzz that the OHL’s second-ranking goal-scorer could go unsigned by Chicago this Spring, which would allow his rights to expire in the Summer unless he announces a new commitment to the NCAA – having previously decommitted from Boston University. That could set the third-year draft-eligible up to re-enter the 2025 draft class, though his eligibility has been debated by draft pundits. Should he enter the class, Pridham would quickly become one of the most interesting prospects of the year – with the size and quick thinking needed to earn a pro role juxtaposed by a much lower developmental standing than many of his other age-20 peers.