The Canadian Hockey League playoffs continue on TSN with all three major junior leagues beginning their Championship Series as junior hockey’s brightest stars vie for a spot in the 2026 Memorial Cup in Kelowna.
Festivities began in the Ontario Hockey League Championship Series on Wednesday with the Kitchener Rangers picking up a Game 1 victory over the Barrie Colts.
The Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Championship Series begins on Friday with the Moncton Wildcats battling the Chicoutimi Saguenéens, while the Western Hockey League Championship Series kicks off with the Everett Silvertips taking on the Prince Albert Raiders.
Here is a look at all three CHL Championship series:
Ontario Hockey League
The Kitchener Rangers look to take a 2-0 OHL Championship Series lead over the Barrie Colts on Friday after taking the all-important Game 1 victory thanks to a standout effort by Montreal Canadiens prospect Andrew MacNiel.
MacNiel scored two goals and had a plus-3 rating as the Rangers defeated the Colts 5-2 in Game 1.
The 6-foot-2, right-shot defenceman was drafted 189th overall by the Canadiens in 2025 and recorded two goals and seven points in 48 games in the regular season. His two goals on Wednesday were his first of the playoffs.
Forward Cameron Arquette provided a goal and an assist in the win while veteran forward Dylan Edwards and Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Sam O’Reilly each provided insurance.
O’Reilly was named the OHL’s Most Outstanding Player on Tuesday after registering 29 goals and 71 points in 56 games split between the London Knights and Rangers. He’s added 15 goals and 23 points in 15 playoff games heading into Friday’s action.
San Jose Sharks prospect Christian Kirsch took the Game 1 victory in after stopping 25 of 27 shots. He has a 13-2 record in the playoffs with an .896 save percentage and 2.36 goals against average.
Forward Ben Wilmott scored the lone two goals for Barrie with Mason Zebeski picking up a pair of assists.
Netminder Ben Hrebik took the loss after allowing four goals on 31 shots.
Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League
The QMJHL Championship Series kicks off on Friday with the Moncton Wildcats battling the Chicoutimi Saguenéens.
Moncton is looking for their second consecutive QMJHL title and want to be the league’s first back-to-back winner since the Saint John Sea Dogs won in 2011 and 2012.
The Wildcats have a strong mix of veterans and rookies and are led by Caleb Desnoyers, who was drafted fourth overall by the Utah Mammoth in 2025.
To get to this point, Moncton cruised past the Sea Dogs and Val-d’Or Foreurs in a pair of sweeps before running into the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada in the semifinal.
After losing a heartbreaking four-overtime game 3-2 to begin the series, the Wildcats clawed their way back, eventually defeating the Armada in seven games in a back-and-forth battle.
Mammoth prospect Gabe Smith leads the QMJHL playoffs in scoring with 14 goals and 24 points while rookie forward Teddy Mutryn and rookie defenceman Tommy Bleyl each have 22 points.
Detroit Red Wings prospect Rudy Guimond guards the cage for the Wildcats, going 12-3 in the playoffs with a .925 save percentage and 1.98 GAA.
The Saguenéens enter the championship series after dispatching the Halifax Mooseheads and Quebec Remparts in a pair of sweeps then taking down the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies in six games in the semifinal.
They are led by Anaheim Ducks prospect Maxim Masse, who won the QMJHL MVP this season, recording 51 goals and 102 points in 63 games. He’s added six goals and 20 points in their run to the final.
Ottawa Senators prospect Lucas Beckman has been a stalwart in net for the Saguenéens, going 12-2 with a .933 save percentage and 1.43 GAA in the playoffs.
This is Chicoutimi’s first trip to the QMJHL final since the 1996-97 campaign and are looking for their first championship since 1994.
Western Hockey League
The WHL Championship Series also begins Friday with the Everett Silvertips hosting the Prince Albert Raiders.
Everett finished the season with the league’s best record at 57-8-3 and are looking for their first WHL title in franchise history. They previously made the final in 2004 and 2018 but fell to the Medicine Hat Tigers and Swift Current Broncos, respectively.
The Silvertips cruised to the final, sweeping past the Portland Winterhawks and defeating the Kelowna Rockies in five games during the first two rounds. They then swept the expansion Penticton Vees in the Western Conference Final to reach their third WHL final in franchise history.
They feature phenom defenceman Landon DuPont, who is the most recent recipient of the CHL’s exceptional player status in 2024. The 5-foot-11, right-shot defenceman recorded 18 goals and 73 points in the regular season with a plus-59 rating and added four goals and 17 points in the playoffs. DuPont is an early favourite to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 NHL Draft.
Rookie forward Matias Vanhanen has led the team offensively all year with 21 goals and 87 points in the regular season and continues to lead them in the playoffs with 10 goals and 19 points. The 5-foot-10 winger is eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft in Buffalo.
Anders Miller has been the man in net for the Silvertips during the playoffs, going 12-1 with a .936 save percentage and 1.79 GAA. Miller’s lone loss came during a 4-3 Game 4 overtime defeat to the Rockets in Round 2.
Prince Albert is looking for their second championship in franchise history after winning the Ed Chynoweth Cup in 2019.
The Raiders finished behind the Silvertips in the regular season, featuring the second-best record in the league at 52-10-6.
Like Everett, Prince Albert only needed nine games to reach the Eastern Conference Final after taking down the Red Deer Rebels in five games and then sweeping the Saskatoon Blades.
They then faced a powerful opponent in Medicine Hat during the East final, who featured the league’s top two scorers in the regular season in Markus and Liam Ruck, as well as the WHL’s two most dangerous defencemen in Bryce Pickford and Jonas Woo.
After going down 2-1 in the series, the Raiders rallied back to defeat the Tigers in six games.
Fans of the NHL Draft will want to watch Raiders defenceman Daxon Rudolph, who leads the WHL in scoring with nine goals and 23 points. He finished third in the CHL in scoring by defencemen during the regular season, registering 28 goals and 78 points in 68 games.
Daxon is ranked Rudolph No. 8 in TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button’s March draft list with room to rise in the championship series.
The Raiders also feature forward Braeden Cootes, who was selected 15th overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 2025 draft. The 6-foot centre was one of Prince Albert’s prized acquisitions at the CHL trade deadline and he rewarded them by scoring 14 goals and 40 points in 28 games in the regular season.
Cootes is tied for fourth in playoff scoring with six goals and 18 points in 15 playoff games.
Rookie netminder Michal Orsulak has carried the load in net for the Raiders, going 12-3 with an .898 save percentage and 2.32 GAA in their run to the WHL final.
