“A Little Adversity Never Hurts”: Mathis Preston Finishes Strong For 2026 NHL Draft After Rollercoaster Season
Mathis Preston’s draft year was not a straight line.
Health issues, a significant roster turnover in Spokane, and a midseason trade combined to derail what had once looked like a clear upward trajectory. The production remained solid, but consistency proved difficult to find, and for stretches, so did momentum.
But if the season felt uneven, it did not end that way.
Three weeks removed from the U-18 World Championship, Preston’s performance on the international stage offered a timely reminder of his upside. With 6 points in 5 games, and a more complete game than he showed during parts of the WHL season, he finished his draft year on a strong note and quietly worked his way back into the first-round conversation.
“I think there were a lot of ups and downs this year,” Preston said. “Obviously with the trade and then getting hurt right away, it was challenging. But I think a little adversity never hurts. I’ve always had confidence in myself and my game, so I knew this was a good opportunity for me to kind of showcase myself and just get back to playing my game again.”
A Season That Never Settled
Preston’s WHL season never fully found stability.
He began the year in Spokane, stepping into a very different situation compared to the previous season. The Chiefs had lost several high-end players from a championship-caliber group, and the structure that once supported younger players was no longer the same.
“It was definitely weird,” Preston said. “We went from being a championship team, going to the finals, and then I come back the next year and you look around the room and it’s like… everyone’s gone. We still had good players, but a lot of those veteran guys had moved on.”
Even with those changes, he remained productive. Preston put up 32 points in 36 games with Spokane, continuing to show the pace and offensive instincts that made him a top prospect.
Still, the adjustment was not seamless.
“For me early on, I felt like my IQ was high, and sometimes on the ice it kind of felt like I was on an island,” he said. “You’re used to playing with guys who see the game a certain way, and then you’re adjusting to new players and trying to build that chemistry again.”
Then came another shift.
A midseason trade sent him to the Vancouver Giants, offering a fresh opportunity but also another layer of change. Shortly after arriving, Preston suffered an injury that sidelined him and removed him from the team environment entirely.
“It did suck,” he said. “You don’t really realize it until you’re in it, but you’re alone. You’re not traveling with the team, you’re just sitting at home in your own thoughts. Especially when it’s long-term, it’s not fun at all.”
He eventually returned and produced 12 points in 10 games with Vancouver, finishing the year with 44 points in 46 WHL games. The production held, even if the rhythm never quite did.
Growth That Was Not Always Visible
While the numbers were steady, Preston believed his biggest improvements came away from the puck.
“I think my defensive game improved a lot,” he said. “Breaking up plays, being responsible in the D-zone, even being out there in six-on-five situations when we’re defending. I think I got a lot better at that, just being trustworthy.”
That trust changed how he impacted the game.
“A motto I go by is the best defense is playing with the puck,” Preston said. “When you have the puck, you don’t have to play defense. So for me it was about defending as best as I could so I could get the puck back on my stick.”
With more possession came more confidence, and with more confidence came a shift in how he attacked offensively.
“Obviously my game and what I’m known for is offense,” he said. “But I think defensively working on that gave me more opportunity. I got more touches. And I think my playmaking really started to show this year. I’m not just one-dimensional. I don’t just score goals. My IQ and vision are really good too.”
Thriving When It Matters Most
By the time the U-18 World Championship arrived, Preston was healthy and ready for a reset.
“I’ve always had confidence in myself and the player I am,” he said. “So I knew this was a good chance to show that again.”
Placed back into a high-skill environment, he quickly found his rhythm. Preston became a consistent contributor for Canada, producing at a point-per-game pace and playing a key role on a power play that found success throughout the tournament.
His chemistry with Adam Valentini stood out immediately.
“I think me and him have been playing really well together,” Preston said. “We’ve played together at U17s, at Hlinka, and now here. So I think just working together, communicating, and even off the ice, like we room together, it all helps build that chemistry.”
That familiarity showed up in-game.
“The way he thinks the game and how I think the game is very similar,” he added. “With his vision and patience, he waits for plays to open up. He has a gift. That makes it easy to read off each other.”
If there was one trait that consistently surfaced, it was Preston’s ability to elevate in high-pressure environments.
“I think I play better when the stakes are higher,” he said. “Meaningful hockey, elimination games, that’s where I have the most fun. I love that pressure. I love being in those moments.”
It is a pattern that has followed him.
From his 16 points in 20 WHL playoff games as a 16-year-old to his performances in international tournaments, Preston has repeatedly found another level when the intensity rises.
“I think best-on-best hockey is when I’m at my best,” he said. “Everyone out there is smart. Everyone can make plays. The game just makes more sense to me in those situations, and I think that’s when I play my best.”
A Strong Finish at the Right Time
Looking back, the adversity that once defined Preston’s season now feels like part of his development.
The trade forced him to adjust, the injury forced him to reset, and the inconsistency forced him to expand his game.
By the time he reached the U-18 stage, those lessons were starting to show.
“I think a little adversity never hurts,” Preston said.
With less than a month to go until the 2026 NHL Draft, that perspective still holds.
Because while the season never followed a clean path, Preston still found a way to finish strong. Healthy, confident, and producing against top competition, he once again looked like a player capable of hearing his name called in the first round.
And after everything that came before it, that may be the most important takeaway of all.