Colts add a towering prospect after no-show first-round pick refuses Guelph
The Barrie Colts have bolstered their prospect pool with the addition of a physically imposing defenceman after a first-round pick in this year’s OHL Priority Selection refused to report to the Guelph Storm.
Declan McNally, an almost six-foot-six, left-shot defenceman from LaSalle, Ont., was chosen seventh overall but declined to join the Storm — reportedly over concerns about ice time on a veteran-laden Guelph roster preparing to host the 2027 Memorial Cup. The Colts acquired McNally in exchange for multiple future draft selections.
What Barrie gave up
The Storm received a package of selections from the Colts as part of the deal. The full list of picks heading to Guelph is below.
| Round | Year | Owned by |
|---|---|---|
| 2nd | 2028 | Sarnia (via Barrie) |
| 2nd | 2030 | Barrie |
| 3rd | 2028 | Brantford (via Barrie) |
| 3rd | 2030 | Barrie |
| 4th | 2029 | Barrie |
| 5th | 2027 | Sault Ste. Marie (via Barrie) |
In addition, Guelph received a compensatory first-round pick — the eighth overall in the 2027 OHL Priority Selection. That pick could move to ninth overall depending on whether the Brampton Steelheads trade their own first-round no-show, Tanner Adams.
Profile of the new Colt
McNally is listed at 180 pounds and won’t turn 16 until Sept. 28. He holds dual Canadian–American citizenship and spent the 2025–26 season with the Don Mills Flyers U16 AAA programme, where he recorded three goals and 15 assists for 18 points in 29 games, along with 70 penalty minutes.
"McNally is a 180-pound, left-shot defenceman who doesn't turn 16 until Sept. 28."
At the 2026 OHL Cup Showcase, McNally tallied one goal and three assists in five games. That combination of size and some offensive output at elite under-16 events helps explain why he was taken in the first round and why Barrie was willing to part with multiple picks.
Local context and implications for Barrie
For Colts fans and the Barrie hockey community, the move is a signal that the club is prioritizing immediate, homegrown defensive potential over a chunk of future draft capital. The team has been active in the market recently — this is the second trade between Barrie and Guelph this month after goaltender Ben Hrebik was acquired by the Storm — and the Colts also added forward Luca Testa from the Brantford Bulldogs in a separate transaction.
Those manoeuvres come alongside organizational shifts: the club recently announced changes in its development staff, naming Justin Teakle as director of prospect development and Daniel Sisca as director of skill development. Together, the roster moves and front-office hires suggest Barrie is shaping both talent identification and on-ice development with an eye to short- and mid-term competitiveness.
- McNally brings size and junior tournament experience to Barrie’s prospect pool.
- Barrie surrendered multiple mid-round future picks and gave Guelph a compensatory 1st-rounder in 2027.
- The trade follows other recent transactions and internal staffing changes within the Colts organisation.
How quickly McNally progresses into an OHL roster spot will depend on his development this fall and into next season, and on the Colts’ broader defensive depth chart. For Barrie supporters, the acquisition is tangible proof the club is willing to use picks as currency to secure a prospect it believes can develop into a key piece on the back end.
Scouts and local observers will be watching how the Colts integrate McNally within their development pathway, and whether the gamble of trading multiple future selections pays dividends on the ice for Barrie in the coming seasons.
