The CHL USA Prospects Challenge has been one of the highlights of the last couple of seasons for scouts and analysts as they look ahead to the NHL draft.

This year's event will feature plenty of high-end talent that will be eligible for the 2027 NHL Draft from the CHL, and they'll be taking on the U.S. National Team Development Program's U-18 squad in a two game series. 

Replacing the CHL/NHL Top Prospects game two years ago, the CHL USA Prospects Challenge has become one of the premier showcase events for the CHL. Going from a glorified all-star game that saw CHLers go head-to-head against each other to a game that leans into the Canada-USA rivalry in a big way has been an excellent change. 

After playing in Ontario the first year and out west last year, the CHL USA Prospects Challenge is heading to Quebec, where Chicoutimi and Quebec City will host the event on December 1 and 2. The event is going to draw the eyes of a large portion of the hockey world in early December as we really kick into high gear for the 2027 NHL Draft coverage. 

The CHL is set to unveil the roster later this month, featuring 13 forwards, seven defensemen and a pair of goalies.

The CHL named the first four to the team a couple of weeks ago with Brock England of the Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL), Dima Zhilkin of the Saginaw Spirit (OHL), Alexis Joseph of the Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL), and Carter Meyer of the Quebec Remparts (QMJHL) getting the honors. 

We could see changes to the roster up until the event in case injuries pop, up but let’s take a crack at predicting the NHL draft-eligible players who will be on Team CHL as we get prepared for one of the newest marquee events on the calendar.

Dima Zhilkin, RW, Saginaw (OHL)

Brock England, C, Seattle (WHL)

Alexis Joseph, C, Saint John (QMJHL) 

Carter Meyer, C, Quebec (QMJHL) 

Jaxon Jacobson, C, Brandon (WHL)

Noah Davidson, C, Medicine Hat (WHL)

Kayden Stroeder, C, Edmonton Oil (WHL)

Shaeffer Gordon-Carroll, C, Medicine Hat (WHL)

Jaakko Wycisk, C, Guelph (OHL)

Luca Santala, RW, Kitchener (OHL)

Timothy Kazda, RW, Guelph (OHL)

Jamie Glance, RW, Saint John (QMJHL)

James Scantlebury, C, Québec (QMJHL)

All four players added to the roster ahead of the full announcement were forwards. That meant that there were only nine spots to fill and although some felt obvious, others felt questionable.

Notably, Noah Davidson hasn't played at all this season. If he was healthy, he’d be a surefire bet to be included which is why I have him listed but his participation is far from guaranteed. 

Jacobson, Stroeder and Gordon-Carroll all feel like locks from out west. Wycisk out of the OHL also feels like a lock, as does Glance from the QMJHL. That’s where things start to open up.

Kazda and Santala have been very good in the OHL and they edge out some of the other contenders for spots. Scantlebury is tearing it up in the QMJHL and he plays for the host city in Quebec which would give the home crowd another guy to root for. 

Among the honorbale mentions, Aleks Kulemin is one of the most notable players who could be added, especially if Davidson’s injury ends up holding him out. McKamy would be interesting as well. 

HM: Aleks Kulemin (C, Kingston), Chase Surkan (LW, Brandon), Eli McKamy (RW, Tri-City), Maxmilian Mares (C/W, Rimouski Océanic), Ilya Kolmakov (LW, Sherbrooke), Easton Walos (C/W Sarnia)

Brock Cripps, RD, Prince Albert (WHL)

Boston Tait, LD, Wenatchee (WHL)

Levi Harper, RD, Saginaw (OHL)*

Cooper McAslan, RD, London (OHL)

Malik L'Italien, LD, Halifax (QMJHL)

Vladimir Shtyrkhunov, RD, Shawinigan (QMJHL)

Kohyn Eshkawkogan, RD, Ottawa (OHL)

On the back end, there seems to be a fairly defined group that makes sense but once again, an injury is playing a role in whether a top end prospect will be available.

Harper has played in just two games for Saginaw but the smooth mover could be the most intriguing defender at this event if he’s healthy. If not, there are a number of options but underrated and under-appreciated Genc Ula could be a sneaky interesting addition. 

In a draft class with no clear top defender and a lack of elite blueline talent, Cripps is one of the defenders that seems to be working his way up draft boards. He could be the top CHL defender when draft day comes so he’s the most surefire addition. L’Italien and Sktyrkhunov out of the QMJHL are the other players who feel like locks. 

Tait and McAslan are players that are highly thought of by some in both the public and private sphere. When talking about the top blueliners, Eshkawkogan always seems to find his way into the discussion but usually ends up near the periphery. He's the kind of player that could use a high profile two-game event like this to build his stock up. 

HM: Genc Ula (LD, Sudbury), Luca Blonda (RD, Sudbury), Daniyar Aibatov (D, Sherbrooke),

Artyom Mate (LD, Charlottetown), Rhett Sather (LD, Spokane), Grady Pichette (RD, Lethbridge)

*If Harper’s injury keeps him out of the event, Ula would replace him for the purpose of this exercise

Patrick Déniger, G, Québec (QMJHL)

Carter Esler, G, Spokane (WHL)

The goalies are always the most difficult to predict for this event.

Déniger and Esler have both performed well to start the season and they could early be the two netminders when Team CHL suits up on December 1 but it wouldn’t shock anyone if Leyerzapf, Petrova, Forsberg, or Lee are on the team. There are a few others that could find there way onto the roster as well with no true elite netminder coming out of the CHL. 

HM: Carsten Leyerzapf (G, Wenatchee), Chase Petrova (G, Brantford), Vilmer Salén Forsberg (G, Brantford), Justin Lee (G, Chicoutimi)

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