Cayden Lindstrom (Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images)All three CHL leagues are in the middle of their championship finals, and they’re full of exciting storylines.
The competition for the respective league titles and a spot at the Memorial Cup in Rimouski has produced some thrilling action.
With the host Rimouski Oceanic reaching the QMJHL final, their opponent, the Moncton Wildcats, will be the QMJHL representative at the Memorial Cup.
In the OHL, the London Knights are in their third straight OHL final, battling the Oshawa Generals in a rematch from last year’s championship series.
Out west, the Medicine Hat Tigers have had some reinforcements come into the lineup as they take on the Spokane Chiefs in a battle for WHL supremacy.
Let’s look at one big storyline for each league championship series in a quick trip around the CHL.
Blue Jackets Prospect Cayden Lindstrom Returns For The Tigers
After more than 13 months without playing a competitive game of hockey, Cayden Lindstrom returned to the Medicine Hat Tigers’ lineup.
Just 54 seconds into his much-anticipated return, the 2024 fourth overall pick of the Columbus Blue Jackets found the scoresheet with an assist on an Andrew Basha goal. It was just the beginning of what has been a fantastic return for Lindstrom, collecting four points in three games in the championship series.
Lindstrom underwent back surgery after dealing with an injury throughout his draft season last year. His stock declined as people publicly and privately wondered whether Columbus made a mistake by taking him so early.
He’s spent time in Columbus with the Jackets and their doctors, skating with the extras and rehabbing his injury. He was also on the ice with the Tigers a number of times on off-days.
That said, Lindstrom getting back into the action, playing quality minutes and proving he’s still a highly skilled power forward has been a wonderful sight.
NHL Draft-Eligible Prospect Caleb Desnoyers Leads Powerhouse Wildcats To A Series Lead
The Moncton Wildcats have been a wagon all year long in the QMJHL. With their ticket already punched to the Memorial Cup, they look like a team looking to assert its dominance over the hosts, Rimouski.
The player at the center of that is 2025 NHL draft-eligible center Caleb Desnoyers, who led the team in scoring during the regular season. He leads playoff scoring with 30 points in just 16 games.
Desnoyers had three points in a 4-3 overtime win in Game 2, including the primary assist on the game-winner in extra time. He went tight to the net and jammed away at the puck before a teammate buried a rebound.
Desnoyers has been praised for his ability to take a leading role on the ice for the Wildcats this season, and NHL teams have been salivating over his winning pedigree all season. Adding a QMJHL title and a possible Memorial Cup would only increase his draft stock in the eyes of scouts and analysts.
London Knights Core Continues OHL Dominance
London is the first team to go to three straight finals in over 30 years, with the Soo Greyhounds accomplishing the feat from 1991 to 1993. What this group is doing is incredibly special.
They won the OHL title last season and came up just short at the Memorial Cup, losing in the final. This year, the foursome is looking to get through the OHL final once again, but this time, they are looking to finish the season on a winning note in Rimouski.
This series against Oshawa is hardly over, but they are up 3-1 in the series, and they controlled play throughout the four games. They have the chance to finish things off Thursday night, and if they do, the celebration will likely be short-lived as the team’s leadership group knows there’s business to take care of in Rimouski.
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