Canucks bet big on Brooks Rogowski, a 6-foot-7 centre with a baseball bloodline

Brooks Rogowski was selected by the Vancouver Canucks at No. 33 overall in the second round of the 2026 NHL Draft in Buffalo on Saturday, June 27. The Brighton, Michigan centre became Vancouver’s first pick of day two after slipping out of Friday’s first round, giving the Canucks another sizeable forward in a draft where they have clearly prioritized reach, strength and long-term development.

For Vancouver fans, the pick is less about an instant NHL arrival and more about upside: Rogowski is expected to return to the Oshawa Generals for the 2026-27 season before joining Michigan State University in 2027-28. His profile is unusual enough to grab attention on its own — a 6-foot-7 forward who was once tracking toward baseball, not hockey.

The Full Story

The Canucks used the first pick of the second round on Rogowski after selecting forwards Caleb Malhotra and Adam Novotný in the first round. That sequence gives Vancouver three forward selections to begin its 2026 draft class, with Rogowski standing out as the biggest of the group at either 6-foot-7 and 235 pounds or 236 pounds, depending on the listed source.

Rogowski’s draft position fits the range many evaluators expected. Daily Faceoff reported he was projected around 39th overall on average across major rankings, with a high of 15th and a low of 61st. NHL Central Scouting ranked him 21st among North American skaters, and that ranking lines up with the idea that teams saw him as more than a simple size gamble.

His rise came through Oshawa, where his role expanded as the Generals rebuilt after previous deep playoff runs. He had 15 goals and 27 assists for 42 points in 46 games in 2025-26, after producing 11 goals, 12 assists and 23 points over 66 games as an OHL rookie. That jump matters because big forwards are often drafted on tools first; Rogowski added enough offence to make the projection more convincing.

There is also the family twist. Rogowski is the son of Casey Rogowski, a 1999 Chicago White Sox draft pick and Michigan’s Mr. Baseball, and his uncle Ryan Rogowski played in the Los Angeles Dodgers farm system. Brooks told The Detroit News that choosing hockey over baseball at 16 was difficult, but he framed the decision as the one that gave him the best opportunity.

The Main Players

Brooks Rogowski is an 18-year-old centre from Brighton, Michigan, who played the past two seasons with the Oshawa Generals. He previously played at Detroit Catholic Central, where he won Division 1 state titles, and he also played AAA hockey for Little Caesars.

The Vancouver Canucks made Rogowski the first selection of the second round and their third forward pick of the draft, following Caleb Malhotra and Adam Novotný. For a Canadian market that tracks prospect pipelines closely, Rogowski gives the club a rare body type down the middle, along with a development path that can play out outside the NHL spotlight.

The Oshawa Generals were central to his rise. The Canadian Hockey League’s draft preview noted that Oshawa had six players on the final NHL Central Scouting rankings, with Rogowski expected to go the highest among them. The Generals are also expected to have him back next season.

Michigan State is the next major stop after Oshawa. Rogowski is committed to join the Spartans in 2027-28, and he told The Detroit News that being close to home in the future helps.

Key Statistics

Rogowski’s headline number is his size: 6-foot-7, with sources listing him around 231 to 236 pounds. That frame is why several scouting reports emphasize puck protection, net-front play, reach and board battles rather than pure scoring flash.

His production also moved in the right direction. He improved from 23 points in 66 games as an OHL rookie to 42 points in 46 games in his draft season. In international play, he added three assists in four games for the United States at the U-18 World Championship, where the U.S. finished first in its group before losing to Latvia in the quarterfinals.

Locally in Michigan, Livingston Daily reported that no player from Livingston County has been selected higher in the NHL Draft than Rogowski. The comparison is meaningful: Andy Hilbert was picked 37th in 2000 and Jon Merrill 38th in 2010, and both went on to play hundreds of NHL games.

What This Means

For the Canucks, this is a development bet with a clear identity. Rogowski is not being described as a guaranteed top-six scorer; several reports frame him as a potential supporting forward, checker, or third-line centre if the offence does not fully pop. That still carries value because NHL teams chase centres who can skate, protect pucks, kill plays and survive heavy matchups.

The baseball background adds another layer. Rogowski has said he was still relatively new to full-time hockey, which means scouts may see runway that is harder to find in players who have followed one sport year-round for much longer. Daily Hive quoted him saying multi-sport experience helped him develop transferable motor skills, a point that helps explain why teams may be willing to wait on the finished product.

For fans in Canada, especially in Vancouver, the immediate takeaway is patience. Only the very top selections usually jump straight to the NHL, and Livingston Daily reported Rogowski is expected to return to Oshawa before heading to Michigan State. That gives the Canucks time to see whether his offensive game grows with his frame and skating.

What to Expect

Rogowski is expected to play the 2026-27 season with the Oshawa Generals. After that, he is committed to Michigan State University for the 2027-28 season.

The Canucks’ development staff will likely track whether his production continues to climb, whether he becomes harder to play against physically, and how much offence he can create as his role grows. His path is not immediate, but it is clear: another OHL season, then the NCAA, with Vancouver holding the long-term upside.