The Florida Panthers chose energetic, shoot-first forward Cole Zurawski in the sixth round (181st overall) of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft in Buffalo, NY.
During his draft season, Zurawski put up 24 goals and 22 assists in 63 games for the Owen Sound Attack during his second OHL campaign after recording 16 goals and 15 assists in his first year in the league, which was split between the Flint Firebirds and Owen Sound. The Attack acquired the then 16-year-old via trade on January 8, 2025.
His 24 goals tied him (with Nicholas Sykora) for third most on the team behind Pierce Mbuyi and Tristan Delisle and his 46 points ranked fifth on the middling, but offensively-capable squad. Thirty of those points came at even-strength, showing Zurawski can carry his weight at 5-on-5, and he averaged a shade under three shots on goal per game.
Zurawski suited up in three of the Attack’s four postseason games and collected an assist in Game 1 and scored his team’s only goal with four seconds left on the clock in Game 2 as Owen Sound was easily swept aside by his former club, Flint.
As is customary, Zurawski attended Florida’s annual development camp after being drafted and I would expect he’ll return to South Florida for rookie camp.
Zurawski is a tenacious prospect that possesses good offensive instincts and can shoot the puck with both pace and accuracy. He was projected to go in either the late third or early fourth round of the draft by many of the scouting services, so landing him in the sixth could turn out to be a fine piece of bird dogging by Bill Zito’s crew.
With the aforemetioned Nicholas Sykora off to the college ranks at Western Michigan, Zurawski could end up being the principal weapon on Owen Sound’s power play, making him a prime candidate for a breakout draft plus-one season. In addition to his NHL caliber wrist shot, Zurawski has above average hands. He stickhandles well in traffic and transition, often deking through or around defenders to set up his wrister. His passing and vision get overlooked because of the quality of his shot, but he showed a willingness to set up his teammates and find seams in the offensive third. Even though he’s already got a decent bit of speed and quickness, there is room to refine his skating and improve his acceleration. He also needs to work on his defensive awareness and play without the puck.
The offensive gifts for Zurawski are real and he’ll likely continue to find the back of the net all the way up until he meets professional hockey players for the first time. How developed the rest of his game is in that moment may determine how realistic his path to the NHL is after being a late-round selection. As he has verbally committed to Notre Dame for the 2027-28 season that path, like many in Florida’s current pipeline, will be of the long and winding variety.