The North American Hockey League (NAHL) will be holding its inaugural Futures Draft at 2:00PM today with the Rebels and each team in the league receiving two picks. The Rebels will be selecting 11th in the first round and 45th in the second round.
The Futures Draft is designed to give 16-year-old players early exposure to junior hockey and support their path to NCAA hockey through the NAHL’s proven development model. Each NAHL team will select two players born in 2009, one in each of the draft’s two rounds. The draft order will follow a reverse order of the 2024-25 regular season standings.
Following the draft, selected players will be automatically added to their team’s USA Hockey Affiliate Player List for the 2025-26 season. This special status allows players to participate in up to 10 NAHL games without being added to the team’s official USA Hockey Protected List. It offers a unique opportunity for players to gain valuable junior hockey experience while continuing to play at the midget, high school, or prep school level while keeping all future options open.
NAHL teams will hold exclusive rights to their Futures Draft picks through March 10, 2026. If a drafted player has not been added to the team’s official USA Hockey Protected List or signed to an NAHL tender agreement by that date, the player becomes a free agent and is eligible to sign a tender agreement with any team in the NAHL.