Harrington, Sparks, Gillespie among 78 WHL-developed players named to 2026 NHL CSS Midterm Rankings

SPOKANE — Spokane Chiefs’ forwards Chase Harrington, Tyus Sparks and Brody Gillespie are among 78 Western Hockey League-developed players named to NHL Central Scouting’s Midterm Rankings ahead of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. Harrington was ranked 32nd among North American Skaters, Sparks was 63rd and Gillespie was 138th.

NHL Central Scouting unveiled its Midterm Rankings for the 2026 NHL Draft on Monday evening, in conjunction with announcing Buffalo, N.Y., as the host for the 2026 NHL Draft.

Harrington is among 10 current WHL players ranked among the top 32 skaters in North America, including defencemen Carson Carels of the Prince George Cougars, Daxon Rudolph of the Prince Albert Raiders, Ryan Lin of the Vancouver Giants, Ben MacBeath of the Calgary Hitmen, and Jakub Vanecek of the Tri-City Americans, and forwards JP Hurlbert of the Kamloops Blazers, Mathis Preston of the Vancouver Giants, Liam Ruck of the Medicine Hat Tigers and Markus Ruck of the Medicine Hat Tigers.

Harrington, Sparks, Gillespie among 78 WHL-developed players named to 2026 NHL CSS Midterm Rankings

Harrington, a winger out of Prince George, B.C., ranks third on the team in scoring this season with 14 goals and 21 assists for 35 total points. He’s averaging 0.90 points per game and leads the team in penalty minutes with 67. Harrington was originally selected eighth overall by Spokane in the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft and has piled up 108 points in 172 career WHL games so far. Harrington recently represented the WHL at the CHL USA Prospects Challenge and was also named to Team West for February’s WHL Prospects Game.

Sparks, a winger out of Meridian, Idaho, made his Chiefs debut in Victoria this weekend after being acquired from the Vancouver Giants last week. Sparks already has new career highs just 40 games into this season, with 16 goals and 21 assists for 37 points. He’s got 56 points in 95 career WHL games. Sparks was originally selected eighth overall by Vancouver in the 2023 U.S. Priority Draft.

Gillespie, a centerman out of Vancouver, Washington, also has new career bests in just 39 games this season, with seven goals and 12 assists for 19 points. In August, Gillespie helped Team USA win its first Hlinka Gretzky Cup championship since 2003 following a victory over Sweden.

Of the WHL’s 23 Clubs, 22 are represented in NHL Central Scouting’s Midterm Rankings, led by the Medicine Hat Tigers and Prince Albert Raiders with seven players each. The Edmonton Oil Kings and Prince George Cougars each boast six players, while the Portland Winterhawks, Red Deer Rebels, and Vancouver Giants each have five players listed.