By Canadian Press

CHL, USA Hockey roll out Prospects Challenge showcase

Jun 26, 2024 | 9:05 AM

TORONTO — The Canadian Hockey League believes it has found the right recipe and partner for showcasing top-ranked prospects.

Sprinkle in the intense Canadian-United States rivalry, mix it with NHL scouts, draft motivation and the U.S. National Team Development Program, stir with best-on-best competition, and serve it on an international stage.

This concoction is called the CHL USA Prospects Challenge, and will be added to the hockey calendar over the next three years.

The CHL and the U.S. NTDP rolled out the Prospects Challenge project on Wednesday, with the first edition scheduled to face off in November of this year. Specific details on the date, location, and event format will be revealed at a later date.

The Prospects Challenge will see the top first-year NHL draft-eligible prospects from the CHL’s three-member leagues — Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League — square off against those from USA Hockey’s NTDP in a two-game series.

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Players for the CHL team will be provided by NHL Central Scouting as selected by the NHL’s 32 clubs, and much like other national events in the CHL, the hosting duties of the CHL USA Prospects Challenge will rotate between the CHL’s three-member league markets each year.

“Serving as a best-on-best showcase, the CHL USA Prospects Challenge will provide our top draft-eligible players from across the CHL with a great opportunity to demonstrate their elite talent and world-class skill set as they work toward hearing their name called at the NHL draft,” said CHL president Dan MacKenzie.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 26, 2024.

The Canadian Press