Predicting the CHL’s roster for 2025 Prospects Challenge against the USNTDP
The second annual CHL USA Prospects Challenge is upon us – and the hosts are hoping to keep their perfect record alive.
Calgary and Lethbridge will play host to the two-day showcase, featuring some of the best 2026 NHL Draft talent both countries have to offer. NHL Central Scouting will put together the CHL’s roster using prospects from the OHL, WHL, and QMJHL. It doesn’t matter what country the player is from – this isn’t Team Canada. USA will ice its National Team Development Program roster, which competes against USHL and NCAA competition all season long.
Canada will have the edge in pure skill, but the USNTDP will have the chemistry factor from playing together since the start of 2024-25. That didn’t seem to matter last year, though, with the CHL winning both of its games in London and Oshawa.
What could the CHL’s roster look like heading into Alberta for the two-game showcase from Nov. 25-26? Here’s a look with the official roster expected to be revealed in the coming days:
Forwards
Ethan Belchetz – Ryan Roobroeck – Mathis Preston
Nikita Klepov – Alessandro Di Iorio – JP Hurlbert
Pierce Mbuyi – Beckham Edwards – Adam Novotny
Cooper Williams – Olivers Murnieks – Caleb Maholtra
Yegor Shilov
Also considered: Liam Ruck, Markus Ruck, Braidy Wassilyn, Alexei Vlasov
There’s a lot happening here. Belchetz and Roobroeck are both huge forwards, but they play different games. Belchetz is more about chaos, while Roobroeck has more finesse to his game. Balancing the pair with Preston – one of the most speedy, skilled forwards in the class – feels like a good mix.
Hulbert is on an absolute tear in the WHL this year and will be given every chance to shine. He’ll have an opportunity to convert quite consistently with the two-way stylings of Di Iorio beside him, while Klepov is sneaky good in open space. The rest of the forward group combines skill, size and hockey sense to make a dangerous bottom six – one that should prove to be a nightmare to deal with if you’re the Americans.
There are plenty of forwards on this group that’ll want revenge for an early exit at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Others, like Murnieks, Shilov and Maholtra, will try and force their way into the first-round conversation. It might not be the CHL at its strongest up front, but it’ll be darn strong no matter what.
Defensemen
Carson Carels – Ryan Lin
Xavier Villeneuve – Daxon Rudolph
Giorgos Pantelas – Chase Reid
Vladimir Dravecky
Also considered: Cameron Chartrand, Brayden Klimpke, Benjamin Cossette-Ayotte
This lineup isn’t much different than the one we saw at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Instead of Verhoeff, though, Dravecky will have a chance to prove himself after an excellent start to the season. Four defenders on this list – Lin, Carels, Villeneuve and Rudolph – have realistic chances of going in the top 10 this year, while Reid looks primed for the top 15. Pantelas has been electric with the Brandon Wheat Kings, matching his 2024-25 output in 52 fewer games this year. If that’s one of your third-pairing options, that’s one heck of a blueline.
Lin, in particular, is expected to go the highest of any of the defenders (and perhaps anyone on this team, regardless of positon). He might be undersized, but he has the skill and brains to make up for it. The same goes for Villeneuve, who can take over games better than anyone on this list. Carels and Rudolph are safer options on draft day but are no slouches with the puck whatsoever.
Goaltenders
Gavin Betts
Parker Snell
There’s a few goalies ranked higher than these two in the NHL Central Scouting’s watch list, and they’re the ones who help put the rosters together. But these are two I really believe in. Betts, in particular, was one of Canada’s most important players at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He might be small, but the 5-foot-11 keeper has been solid for Kingston early on this year. He faces quite a bit of shots every night and typically does a good job of keepings things competitive. Like Jack Ivankovic a year ago, I think Betts can handle the pressure of a showcase event like this. Snell, meanwhile, has been downright dominant in Edmonton this year, and should be one of the first goaltenders off the board. If Boettiger makes it, he’ll have one of the most unique honors you’ll find – he played for USA last year, so he’d be the first to play in two of these series’ (and doing so for both sides).
Also considered: Harrison Boettiger, Zach Jovanovski
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