It’s that time of the year for The Win Column’s NHL Draft Rankings and Draft Profiles! Earlier on, we released the TWC consolidated 2026 NHL Draft rankings. The 2026 NHL Draft will take place on June 26 and 27 in Buffalo.
Up next in our rankings is Vancouver Giants forward Mathis Preston. Preston was one of the draft’s top prospects before the season began, but a lack of production and injuries has seen him slip down the ranks.
Who is Mathis Preston?
| Player | Position | Shoots | Height | Weight | Nationality | Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathis Preston | Right Wing | Right | 5’11” / 180cm | 176lbs / 80kg | Canada | TWC Rank #25 / CS NA Rank #32 |
Being a product of Penticton, B.C., Preston grew up playing hockey for the Okanagan Prep team. He was putting up absolute star numbers in his youth, multiple seasons over two points per game and over a goal per game. His electric numbers saw him drafted at 3rd overall in the 2023 WHL draft by the Spokane Chiefs.
Preston’s on-ice production
| Year | Draft Rel. | League | Team | GP | G | A | P | P/GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-21 | D-5 | CSSHL U15 AAA | Okanagan HA U15 Varsity | 9 | 10 | 9 | 19 | 2.11 |
| 2021-22 | D-4 | CSSHL U15 | Okanagan HA U15 Prep | 22 | 15 | 14 | 29 | 1.32 |
| 2022-23 | D-3 | CSSHL U15 | Okanagan HA U15 Prep | 26 | 45 | 36 | 81 | 3.12 |
| 2023–24 | D-2 | CSSHL U18 | Okanagan HA U18 Prep | 23 | 30 | 21 | 51 | 2.22 |
| WHL | Spokane Chiefs | 5 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0.80 | ||
| 2024-25 | D-1 | WHL | Spokane Chiefs | 54 | 23 | 22 | 45 | 0.83 |
| 2025-26 | D+0 | WHL | Spokane Chiefs | 36 | 14 | 18 | 32 | 0.89 |
| WHL | Vancouver Giants | 10 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 1.20 |
A strong rookie year
Preston began his WHL career with a small taste of action in 2023–24. Throughout the year, he received a total of five games with the Spokane Chiefs, flashing promise with his four goals. In the following year, Preston would assume full-time responsibilities and take a top-six role on a stacked Chiefs team. Preston finished his rookie year with 23 goals and 45 points in 54 games, placing him as the 7th most productive player on the team. Considering the Chiefs were stacked, they were destined to go on a deep run, which they did. Unfortunately, they met their match in the finals, losing to the Medicine Hat Tigers in five games. Preston pitched in on the offensive side, adding nine goals and 16 points in the 20 playoff games.
Rocky sophomore season
Heading into this past season, the Chiefs were not going to be as good as the year before. They lost all of their top producers from the season prior, and it was up to Preston and a few other players to take charge. It started out well as Preston had six goals and 10 points in his first seven games. However, as the year went on, the team was not gelling, and the production started to dip. By the time of the trade deadline in early January, Preston had only been able to produce 14 goals and 32 points in 36 games. It seemed like Preston’s days on the Chiefs could be coming to an end, and that they did as he was sent to the Vancouver Giants, who were looking to recraft their identity.
The start with the Giants was great. Preston looked dangerous all over the ice and seemed to have found some of his steps again. However, in just his 2nd game with the Giants, he’d be taken out with a knee-on-knee hit. He’d miss two months and return in March. By the end of the season, Preston had scored four goals and 12 points in 10 games for the Giants.
Preston’s strengths
Skating
When Preston is on, he skates like he’s shot out of a cannon. His top speed can be incredibly fast and adds dynamism with quick and smooth agility. Preston can receive the puck and blast down the ice with little opportunity to catch him. Even off-puck, he does a great job of keeping pace with the puck carrier and finding space with speed. Add in some very swift edgework, and Preston’s skating can be a weapon. He’ll move side to side in the zone, attacking open space and making quick pivots to avoid opponents. Being able to have that four-way mobility allows Preston to get around opponents, leaving them dumbfounded as he drives for an offensive chance.
Dual-threat capabilities
In addition to his dynamic skating, Preston brings great ability in shooting and distributing the puck. Beginning with the goal-scoring talent, Preston has an incredible wrist shot in his game. It is just so quick and dangerous when he can get it off with accuracy. It has a bit of a snap to it, which adds to the deceptiveness. He can get it off in almost any situation, whether it be in motion or from a standstill. Moving onto the playmaking side, Preston finds his teammates in difficult spots. He moves around and waits for openings to arrive before sending over a beautiful tape-to-tape pass. Preston makes a bundle of highlight reel passes, but he’s also able to slow the play down and keep the cycle going with simple, effective passes.
Hands
The final layer to Preston’s electric game is the skill he brings with the puck. Preston has some very nice hands when the puck is on his stick. Toe drags and quick forehand-backhands are common movements Preston executes to confuse opponents and find space. It can look especially when he mixes these hands in with his skating ability, and it looks nearly impossible to knock him off the puck while he dances around opponents. His hands are just incredibly dynamic, and add a layer of deceptiveness to his game.
Preston’s areas of weakness
Decision-making
One area of Preston’s game that could use some improvement is his decision-making. Sometimes, it can seem like Preston is too trigger-happy. He’ll carry the puck in with a good opportunity to pass, but chooses to attempt a shot instead, which ends up being of little danger. Other times, he’ll feel pressure and sorta lose his patience with the puck. He could wait for a better passing lane to arrive, but decides to send the puck out and pray it doesn’t get intercepted.
Consistency
Another part of Preston’s game that I wish were a bit better was his consistency. I find that his effort each night isn’t very consistent, even on a period-to-period basis. Sometimes, he’s hustling at both ends of the ice, applying pressure to the opponent and looking like a threat with movement. No real issues with his habits away from the puck. Then, suddenly, that off-puck hustle just kinda disappears. He’s drawing back his effort, removing the impact, and maybe some worry kicks in. Other times, he goes from being dangerous with the puck to missing good opportunities. If Preston could find a little more consistency in his game, it could go a long way to reaching his potential.
Preston’s comparables
A comparison I like for Preston is Carolina Hurricanes winger Nikolaj Ehlers. Ehlers is a dynamic winger who stands out due to his high-end skating. Some really quick bursts of speed and shifty agility, mixed with smooth hands, make him a threat with the puck. Ehlers also possesses great talent in passing and shooting the puck.
A second comparison could be Chicago Blackhawks forward, Frank Nazar. Nazar is another undersized forward who shines thanks to fast skating that’s paired with dynamic edgework. Although Nazar tends to be more of a passer, he still brings a great shot in his arsenal, allowing for that dual-threat danger.
Fit with the Flames
| Organizational need addressed | Right-shot forward |
| Realistic pick range | 24-32 |
| NHL timeline | 3-4 seasons |
| Fit verdict | Possible fit |
It would not surprise me if Preston were a Flame after the draft. Although Preston projects as a winger and the Flames have lots, he fits the mould of high-potential picks that the Flames have seemed to be making in recent years. It also helps that almost all of the Flames’ top forward prospects are left-shot players.
With the pick the Flames have from the Golden Knights, I feel like Preston will be considered. It’ll sit in that late first-round range, which is where Preston seems to be slotted. There’s also a possibility that Preston slips into round two and the Flames can target him with one of their many second-round picks.
Summary
Mathis Preston is a dynamic, scoring winger who brings plenty of elite offensive traits into his game. Whether it be his high-end skating, ability to release with speed and accuracy, find teammates with great passes, or his electric hands, Preston is bound to look dangerous on the ice. Selecting Preston does come with risk; maybe he can’t translate the skill and never reaches the NHL. However, I have a good amount of faith in his talent and habits, and think he’ll make it. If he reaches his ceiling, you’re looking at a fantastic offensive threat on your top line, but he does still have a fallback as a possible middle-six scorer. Preston is the type of prospect that can look like a steal as soon as next year.