The CHL USA Prospects Challenge has top-level NHL draft talent on display. Tony Ferrari lists players beyond the projected top five picks worth watching.

The newest NHL draft showcase event has the potential to be a long-running rivalry series between Canada and America at the junior hockey level.

The concept of putting together an All-CHL draft-eligible team to take on the USA Hockey National Team Development Program in a two-game series has plenty of potential for anyone who follows prospects and junior hockey.

While everyone is getting to know Porter Martone, Michael Misa and Matthew Schaefer, there is plenty of talent beyond the potential top five picks who will be competing at the event. 

With the two games set to go down on Tuesday and Wednesday let’s look at a few interesting players to watch from each team.

Jackson Smith, D, Team CHL (Tri-City Americans, WHL)

The CHL USA Prospects Challenge is the perfect environment for a player like Smith. His game already has a bit of a chaotic nature to it, so when the team lacks a bit of chemistry and relies on pure skill, Smith may be more apt to find some success. 

The 6-foot-3 blueliner is a dynamic and agile skater who seamlessly glides all around the ice. Smith builds his game off his skating at both ends of the ice.

When at his best, Smith can be a one-man transition machine who can create off the rush. His puck skill and passing are as good as it gets from a defender in this class, and his 19 assists and 21 points in 23 games prove it.

Smith's highs are very high, but his lows can be worrisome. He can get right on a puck carrier and smother their chances, but he is prone to mistakes by being too aggressive sometimes.

LJ Mooney, C, USA (USA Hockey National Team Development Program)

The 5-foot-8 Mooney is their most skilled and dynamic player up front. And although he was injured since October, he was ruled healthy enough to play in the showcase, which is a massive stage to get back on the ice. 

His return will certainly be a welcome sign for the Americans as they enter this event without the typical high-end skill the NTDP has had in recent years. Mooney has six points in eight games for the NTDP squad.

Mooney's offensive instincts with the puck should be a jolt, but it will also help slot players back into more comfortable roles. 

Mooney is lightning-quick and has excellent hands and slick vision. He was a part of the American squad that won silver at the World Men's Under-18s earlier this year. Simply put, Mooney is the team’s best player on most nights.

Carter Bear, C/LW, Team CHL (Everett Silvertips, WHL)

With 41 points in just 23 games, Bear sits second in WHL scoring behind just super-prospect Gavin McKenna. His 20 goals are third in the league. 

Bear is an offensive driving force for a good Everett Silvertips team. He plays the game at a breakneck pace with and without the puck. He can score on the rush or filter into space and get off a catch-and-release shot from high danger. He also focuses on getting the puck to the slot and the center lane as a passer.

If Bear's offensive game isn’t there on a given night, he can be a physical presence on the forecheck and strip pucks off defenders deep in the zone. His speed and motor help him make plays on his own end, constantly pressuring opposing players. 

This could very well be Bear’s coming out party where he starts to get some love in the top 15 of the NHL draft.

Benjamin Kevan, RW, USA (Des Moines Buccaneers, USHL)

Kevan is a late addition to the squad and one of two non-NTDP players on Team USA. He deserved his addition to the squad. 

He has played two games with the NTDP, but he’s primarily been one of Des Moines' better offensive players, with six goals and 15 points in 14 games. His speed and north-south game can be really dangerous at times.

Kevan was one of the better Americans at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in August, with three points in five games, even though the team was a bit uninspiring. 

Kevan has adapted to depth roles with the NTDP quite nicely, and his energy and hockey sense have allowed him to find some success in those situations. One of the most interesting questions for this event is how Kevan is used in this series. He'll also be on Team USA at the World Jr. A Challenge.

Cameron Reid, D, Team CHL (Kitchener Rangers, OHL)

Reid is a mobile, intelligent defender who shows off some really nice reads at both ends of the ice. He's quickly rising on draft boards as a result. 

The potential first-rounder shows off some nice puck skill from time to time, but he lacks that truly dynamic element offensively, opting for a more efficient and steady approach.

Reid has all the tools to play a top-four role at the next level, playing a smart transitional game with solid, steady results. The CHL USA series could catapult him into no-doubt first-round status.

William Moore, C, USA (U.S. NTDP)

At his best, Moore is a tactical forward who advances play with incredibly intelligent passing and wonderful usage of his teammates. He's got 17 points in 22 games for the NTDP.

This season, Moore's had a bit of individualistic, tunnel-vision hockey at times, which has limited his effectiveness on a night-to-night basis.

Moore has strong two-way habits, and while his offensive game hasn’t quite popped the way many hoped this year, he plays the game the way NHL teams want to see from their centers, especially in the bottom six.

Moore can use a good performance at this event as a jumping-off point for the rest of the season. He needs to get back to his tactician roots, playing tic-tac-toe hockey on the rush and using his passing to evade pressure and get himself into pockets of space. He will be one of the most-watched players on the American team because plenty of people want to see more out of Moore. 

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