Michigan State commit Brooks Rogowski became the first player selected on day two of the 2026 Upper Deck NHL Draft when the Vancouver Canucks took the towering centerman with the No. 33 overall pick, the first selection of the second round.
The Michigan State Spartans set records Friday night with the number of players committed to coming to East Lansing who were selected in the first round.
There were five Spartans overall taken in the first round of the 2026 Upper Deck NHL Draft, showcasing just how good of a pipeline to the NHL Michigan State has become under head coach Adam Nightingale. With three consecutive Big Ten titles and an opportunity every season, and almost every game, to showcase talent on the ice, East Lansing has quickly become one of college hockey's premier destinations.
Then day two kicked off Saturday.
On a beautiful day across the nation, it was an exceptionally good one for another Michigan State commit, Brooks Rogowski. There wasn't much waiting for the sixth Michigan State commit to hear his name called as the Vancouver Canucks selected Rogowski with the 33rd overall pick, making him the first player chosen in the second round.
The Canucks didn't want to miss out on the Spartan party, and lately that party has been one where you almost have to be a certain height to get on the ride. Rogowski easily clears that threshold with room to spare.
The 6-foot-7 towering centerman, who shoots right, is an American-born prospect from Brighton, Michigan. Listed at 235 pounds, Rogowski uses his size to physically overpower opponents down low, making it easy to clean up loose pucks and create offense around the net.
The Spartans will have to wait another season before getting to see Rogowski in East Lansing, but in due time both Michigan State and Vancouver will have one of hockey's top young players on their hands.
After playing at Detroit Catholic Central in high school, Rogowski made the jump to the Ontario Hockey League, where he has spent the past two seasons.
During the 2024-25 season, Rogowski appeared in all 66 games, scoring 11 goals while adding 12 assists for 23 total points. He finished with a minus-three rating, and in 19 playoff games added three goals and three assists for six more points.
Last season, the offensive numbers took another step forward, although there was a bit of a step back defensively. In 47 games during the 2025-26 campaign, Rogowski scored 15 goals and more than doubled his assist total from the previous year, finishing with 27 assists and 42 total points. Defensively, he ended the season with a minus-23 rating.
Rogowski and his family are no strangers to hearing their names called in professional drafts, although Brooks is the first to be selected by an NHL organization instead of a Major League Baseball club.
His father, Casey Rogowski, was selected by the Chicago White Sox in the 13th round of the 1999 MLB Draft. He spent nine seasons in the minor leagues but never reached the majors.
Rogowski's uncle, Ryan Rogowski, also spent time in professional baseball, playing in the minor leagues from 2006-09 and reaching as high as Double-A.
Now, Brooks Rogowski heads north of the border as the No. 33 overall pick in the NHL Draft. Before making his way to Vancouver, however, he'll make a stop in East Lansing, where he'll look to continue the winning culture Nightingale has built at Michigan State.
