Calgary, Lethbridge to host 2025 CHL USA Prospect Challenge
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The Canadian Hockey League announced on Saturday that the Calgary Hitmen and Lethbridge Hurricanes of the Western Hockey League will host the second annual CHL USA Prospects Challenge.
Capitalizing on hockey's cross-border rivalry, the CHL USA Prospect Challenge has the top draft eligible prospects across the WHL, Ontario Hockey League, and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League take on the Under-18 USA National Development Team in a two-game series in November.
The series replaced its annual top-prospects game which was established in 1992 and ran through the 2023-24 campaign. The CHL also hosted a Canada-Russia Challenge, which began in 2003 and was last held in 2019, before being postponed as a result of the COVID pandemic and then cancelled following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The inaugural event saw 16 players that were taken in Friday's first round of the NHL Draft participate last November in London, Ont., and Oshawa, Ont.,including four of the top five selections; Matthew Schaefer, Michael Misa, Caleb Desnoyers, and Brady Martin. To select the CHL's team, NHL Central Scouting will poll the 32 NHL teams on which prospects they would like to see, and then CHL management will build the roster based off that polling.
“We are thrilled to bring the CHL USA Prospects Challenge to Calgary and Lethbridge this November," CHL president Dan MacKenzie said in a statement. "These two passionate hockey communities will provide an exceptional backdrop to highlight the CHL’s top prospects eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft, giving fans in both of these markets the opportunity to see a premier best-on-best competition featuring the next generation of NHL talent. This event not only highlights elite competition but also strengthens the cross-border rivalry that makes this series so compelling for fans and scouts alike.”
The CHL won the event last season with a two-game sweep where newly minted Calgary Flames prospect Cole Reschny scored the winning goal in the dying minutes of Game 2 to seal his team's victory.
Calgary's Saddledome will host the first game this year on Nov. 25 and the second game will take place at the VisitLethbridge.com Arena in Lethbridge the following night.
“The WHL is excited to welcome the CHL USA Prospects Challenge to Calgary and Lethbridge," said WHL commissioner Dan Near. "The Calgary Hitmen and Lethbridge Hurricanes will serve as excellent hosts for this world-class event, and we thank both Clubs and their communities for welcoming this event with open arms. We look forward to showcasing the best players from across the entire Canadian Hockey League and are eager to once again ignite the great rivalry that exists on the ice between Canada and the United States.”