Canadian Hockey League

The CHL is pleased to congratulate several CHL coaches and hockey operations staff members who were appointed to Hockey Canada’s National Junior Team, as Team Canada aims to reclaim gold on home ice at the 2025 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Junior Championship in Ottawa, Ontario. Dave Cameron (Ottawa 67’s / OHL) returns to take the reins as head coach after leading Canada to a gold medal at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship. He will be joined by assistant coaches Sylvain Favreau (Drummondville Voltigeurs / QMJHL), Mike Johnston (Portland Winterhawks / WHL), and Chris Lazary (Saginaw Spirit / OHL). The support staff that will work with Canada’s National Junior Team at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship includes others from the CHL, including: -  U20 Lead for the Program of Excellence Management Group: Peter Anholt (Lethbridge Hurricanes / WHL) - Member of the Management Group: Brent Seabrook (WHL alumnus with the Lethbridge Hurricanes) - Athletic therapist: Andy Brown (Owen Sound Attack / OHL) - Team physician: Dr. R.J. MacKenzie (Cape Breton Eagles / QMJHL) - Equipment managers: Chris Cook (Brantford Bulldogs / OHL) and Clayton Johns (Portland Winterhawks / WHL) - Strength and conditioning coach: Sean Young (Ottawa 67’s / OHL) As the best development league in the world, the CHL continues to be the top supplier of talent to Hockey Canada's various national programs, which include providing Team Canada with world-class players, coaches, and hockey operations staff. Western Hockey League | Ontario Hockey League | Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League READ MORE | https://lnkd.in/gtKXPRxe

Earlier today, 82 players were selected in the 2024 CHL Import Draft representing 12 countries – including a high of 23 players from Czechia. Right behind Czechia was Finland, which had 15 players drafted by CHL clubs, representing the largest number of Finnish players ever selected in a single CHL Import Draft since the event first began in 1992. Led by the first overall selection of Russian right winger Matvei Gridin by the Val-d’Or Foreurs, 18 of this year’s selections were among the many chosen at last week’s 2024 National Hockey League (NHL) Draft. There were also more than two dozen prospects eligible for the 2025 NHL Draft taken during the 2024 CHL Import Draft, including Slovakian defenceman Luka Radivojevic (Charlottetown Islanders / QMJHL), Swedish forward Filip Ekberg (Ottawa 67’s / OHL), and Czech defenceman Radim Mrtka (Seattle Thunderbirds / WHL). Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League | Ontario Hockey League | Western Hockey League | TSN - The Sports Network - Canada | RDS READ MORE | https://lnkd.in/gDhQAibY

The CHL is proud to announce that a total of 88 CHL players were selected during the seven rounds of the 2024 National Hockey League (NHL) Draft, which was held over the last two days at the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada. The 88 selections, which accounted for 39% of the 225 picks made by the NHL’s 32 clubs, were the largest from the CHL since 2017 and represented the most of any development league in the world at the 2024 NHL Draft. According to the NHL, the 88 selections from the CHL were more than the combined 38 players chosen out of the United States Hockey League (USHL) and USA Hockey's National Team Development Program (NTDP). The CHL also exceeded 80 draft picks for the fourth year in a row, marking the 17th time in the last 20 years that it has achieved this feat. Of the players chosen, the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) led the way with 39 drafted players, followed by the Western Hockey League (WHL) with 34 and the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) with 15. In total, 47 CHL clubs had a player picked in this draft led by the Brampton Steelheads Hockey Club of the OHL, who had five of their players selected between both Friday and Saturday. Meanwhile, 29 of the NHL’s 32 clubs drafted at least one CHL player with the Seattle Kraken and Calgary Flames (Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation) leading the way with seven. READ MORE | https://lnkd.in/gAm4yhm4

The CHL is proud to announce that 14 CHL players were selected in the first round of the 2024 National Hockey League (NHL) Draft in Las Vegas, Nevada. The 14 selections represented nearly half of the NHL’s first-round picks on Friday and stood as the most of any development league in the world. In total, six CHL players were taken in the top 10, matching the highest number of CHL skaters selected within the first 10 picks since six were chosen in 2020. Over the last 55 years, the CHL has had 10 or more of its players selected in the first round of every NHL Draft dating back to 1969 – a streak that now runs at 56 consecutive drafts. Following last night's first round, there have now been a total of 894 players from the CHL selected in the first round of an NHL Draft since 1969 — accounting for nearly two-thirds of all first-rounders chosen over that time. The 2024 NHL Draft will continue today at 11:30 a.m. ET / 8:30 a.m. PT with rounds two through seven. To read more about the players and their accomplishments, please see the release below. https://lnkd.in/g5DbRt3p

As the 2024 National Hockey League (NHL) Awards took place at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas resort on Thursday night, several CHL alumni were recognized with individual awards. Most notably, by winning the Hart Memorial Trophy, Colorado Avalanche forward and QMJHL alumnus Nathan MacKinnon marked the 10th time since 2014 that a CHL graduate was named the NHL’s MVP. Connor Bedard (Chicago Blackhawks / Regina Pats Hockey Club) became the 12th No.1 overall pick in NHL history to win the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL's Rookie of the Year, while Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet (Soo Greyhounds Hockey Club), Dallas Stars GM Jim Nill (Medicine Hat Tigers) and Utah Hockey Club goaltender Connor Ingram (Kamloops Blazers Hockey Club ) were among the other CHL alumni recognized at the 2024 NHL Awards. READ MORE | https://lnkd.in/gzn4xQv9 Western Hockey League | Ontario Hockey League | Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League

Coming in November 2024. CHL 🆚 USA Hockey's National Team Development Program. The CHL and its three-member leagues, in partnership with USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program (NTDP), are excited to announce the creation of the CHL USA Prospects Challenge presented by Kubota Canada Ltd., which is being added to the calendar over the next three years. Building off of one of hockey’s greatest rivalries between Canada and the United States, the CHL USA Prospects Challenge will see the top first-year NHL Draft-eligible prospects from the CHL’s three-member leagues – Western Hockey League (WHL), Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) – face off against those from USA Hockey’s NTDP in a two-game series. The first edition of this new event is set to take place in November 2024 with specific details on the date, location, and event format to come at a later date. TSN - The Sports Network - Canada | RDS https://lnkd.in/gP4KNNqD

With the 2024 NHL Draft set to take place this week on June 28-29, countless draft-eligible prospects from the CHL are set to head to the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada, for the two-day event. With 149 CHL players listed in NHL Central Scouting’s Final Rankings, the CHL is once again poised to have the greatest number of players drafted to the National Hockey League (NHL) of any other development league in the world. Last year at the 2023 NHL Draft, 80 CHL players were selected between rounds one through seven (accounting for about 36% of all draft picks), including 11 in the first round. The 80 selections, along with the 11 CHL players chosen among the first 32 picks, were the most of any league. For more about the storylines heading into the 2024 NHL Draft and the CHL players set to be selected, check out our story below. https://lnkd.in/gJBhXb6x Western Hockey League (WHL) | Ontario Hockey League (OHL) | Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)

As the Florida Panthers edged the Edmonton Oilers in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final on Monday night, 12 CHL alumni hoisted the Stanley Cup after helping Florida to its first-ever National Hockey League (NHL) championship title in franchise history. In total, eight players hailing from the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), three from the Western Hockey League (WHL), and one from the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) won the Stanley Cup last night. With 12 CHL alumni on their roster, the Florida Panthers helped mark the sixth season in a row that more than 10 CHL graduates helped their team to a Stanley Cup title. Read more below about their accomplishments and the history CHL alumni like Connor McDavid & Evan Bouchard created during the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. https://lnkd.in/gXmSApWq

The CHL, alongside the Saginaw Spirit Hockey Club and the 2024 Memorial Cup Host Organizing Committee, is proud to announce that over $190,000 CAD was raised for several worthy causes during the 2024 Memorial Cup presented by Dow, which ran from May 23 – June 2 in Saginaw, Michigan. The Royal Canadian Dominion Command Poppy Trust Fund, Canadian Mental Health Association, Memorial Cup Legacy Scholarship Program, United Way, Spirit Warriors Hockey Program, and Saginaw Spirit Charitable Foundation were among the many initiatives supported during the event. For more details on the funds raised and the programs supported, please see the release below. The Royal Canadian Legion | Western Hockey League | Ontario Hockey League | Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League | TSN - The Sports Network - Canada | RDS https://lnkd.in/gZxwY7pd

ICYMI: A little over a week ago, at the 2024 Memorial Cup presented by Dow in Saginaw, Michigan, the CHL's best and brightest from the 2023-24 season were recognized at the 2024 CHL Awards presented by Go Great Lakes Bay. Leading the way was Seattle Kraken prospect Jagger Firkus of the Moose Jaw Warriors, who was the recipient of two CHL awards (David Branch Player of the Year & Top Scorer). Specifically, Firkus became the first player in Warriors franchise history to be named the CHL’s Most Oustanding Player. For more details on the 2024 CHL Awards and all our other award winners, check out our story below. Western Hockey League | Ontario Hockey League | Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League https://lnkd.in/gyREu9GZ