Martone, Schaefer highlight Button's Team CHL for prospect challenge

The Canadian Hockey League is getting set to send their best NHL Draft eligible players to do battle with USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program in the CHL USA Prospects Challenge.

This inaugural event is a two-game series set to be held on Nov. 26 and 27 and hosted by the London Knights and Oshawa Generals, respectively.

Led by top 2025 NHL Draft prospects in Will Moore and Charlie Trethewey, the U.S. National Under-18 Team is a squad that plays together all season in the United States Hockey League and the vast majority of the team represents the United States at the IIHF U18 World Championship in April.

The CHL team will be made up of players from across the major junior teams in Canada. To help select the squad, NHL Central Scouting polls the 32 NHL teams about which prospects they would like to see and using that information, CHL management, and a coaching staff led by Kris Mallette of the Kelowna Rockets will select the team.

While that process is still ongoing, TSN’s Director of Scouting Craig Button decided to take a crack at what he believes the CHL roster should look like.

Like Team USA, Button’s roster has a bunch of players who have played with each other before on the international scene.

Fifteen players on Button’s CHL team played for Canada’s gold medal team at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. The ones who weren’t a part of this year’s team won gold at the same tournament the previous year and won gold at the 2024 IIHF under-18 World Junior Championship.

The forward group is highlighted by Porter Martone of the Brampton Steelheads, Michael Misa of the Saginaw Spirit, and Caleb Desnoyers of the Moncton Wildcats.

All three players have had considerable international success with Canada, with Martone and Misa winning at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in 2023 and Desnoyers scoring the game-winning goal in last summer’s tournament.

Martone was instrumental in April’s U18 World Junior Championship, recording five goals and 17 points while captaining Canada to a gold medal. Meanwhile, Misa was a focal point for the Spirit during their run to a Memorial Cup championship last year as a 16-year-old, recording five goals in the tournament.

“When you start looking at the players in this draft, they’re golden” said Button. “They’ve all been a part of winning in all different levels and there should be no problems for the CHL group.”

Martone is a player that Button is keeping a close eye on as he could be a name at or near the top of the NHL Draft rankings throughout the season. The 6-foot-3 winger recorded 33 goals and 71 points with the Steelheads last season and is among the OHL scoring leaders this year with seven goals and 16 points through seven games.

“He’s going to challenge for first overall in the 2025 NHL Draft,” said Button. “He’s everything you want in a player. He’s got skill, competitiveness, smarts, and edge. He can play with anybody and do whatever you want in the game. There are literally no weaknesses in Martone’s game.”

Button's Forward Lines:

Michael Misa - Caleb Desnoyers - Porter Martone

Malcolm Spence - Roger McQueen - Cameron Schmidt

Èmile Guité - Cole Reschny - Justin Carbonneau

Lynden Lakovic - Jake O'Brien - Ben Kindel

Braedon Cootes, Brady Martin

Button has another candidate who is expected to be near the top of the NHL Draft leading Team CHL’s defence in Matthew Schaefer of the Erie Otters.

Schaefer already has a reputation as one of Canada’s best young leaders, captaining teams to gold medals at the Canada Winter Games and the under-17 World Hockey Challenge in 2023, as well as the Hlinka Gretzky Cup last summer.

He also continued his gold medal touch at the 2024 U18 World Junior Championship, recording a goal and five points in seven games.

“Schaefer is the best defenceman in this year’s draft,” said Button. “He’s an elite two-way defenceman and there’s not a single area of the game that he can’t play in and excel. The guy controls the game and he’s just an outstanding player.”

Button ranks Schaefer as No. 3 on his September list while he is listed at No. 2 on TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie’s preseason draft rankings.

The 6-foot-2 left shot defenceman recorded three goals and 17 points in 56 games during his rookie season after the Otters selected him first overall in the 2023 draft. Schaefer has yet to make an appearance this season after contracting mononucleosis in training camp.

Button's Defence Pairings:

Matthew Schaefer - Blake Fiddler

Cameron Reid - Peyton Kettles

Kashawn Aitcheson - Jackson Smith

Reese Hamilton - Quinn Beauchesne

Button’s CHL team has the crease being shared by a couple of top flight goalies in Joshua Ravensbergen of the Prince George Cougars and Jack Ivankovic of the Steelheads.

Standing at 6-foot-5, Ravensbergen is the highest rated goaltender in this year’s draft class at this point in the hockey calendar. The North Vancouver native helped led the Cougars to the second best record in the WHL last season, going 26-4-2 with a 2.46 goals-against average and .907 save percentage.

This year, Ravensbergen has continued his winning ways with a 6-0-3 record with a 2.72 GAA and .909 save percentage.

“He really played will for Prince George and he’s also in the mix for Canada’s World Junior team,” said Button. “Everyone gets hung up on size but he’s got the athletic and technical ability to go along with it. They all go together.”

Joining Ravensbergen is Ivankovic who has proven to be a winner at every level he’s played. The Mississauga, Ont., native powered Canada in net to gold medals at the 2023 U17 World Hockey Challenge, the 2024 U18 World Junior Championship, and last summer’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup.

After sharing the Steelhead’s net last season, Ivankovic has begun the year with a perfect 5-0-0 record with a 1.71 GAA and .936 save percentage.

Standing at 5-foot-11, the one knock on Ivankovic’s NHL draft prospects is his height, but Button believes that shouldn’t apply in this case.

“All I know is he’s a damn good goalie,” said Button. “I’ve watched goaltenders who are taller who can’t even come close to touching Ivankovic’s abilities. Everything he’s been a part of turns to gold and the bottom line is he’s legit.”

Button's full Team CHL roster:

Goaltenders:

Joshua Ravensbergen - Prince George Cougars

Jack Ivankovic - Brampton Steelheads

Defence:

Matthew Schaefer - Erie Otters

Blake Fiddler - Edmonton Oil Kings

Cameron Reid - Kitchener Rangers

Peyton Kettles - Swift Current Broncos

Kashawn Aitcheson - Barrie Colts

Jackson Smith - Tri-City Americans

Reese Hamilton - Calgary Hitmen

Quinn Beauchesne - Guelph Storm

Forwards:

Michael Misa - Saginaw Spirit

Caleb Desnoyers - Moncton Wildcats

Porter Martone - Brampton Steelheads

Malcolm Spence - Erie Otters

Roger McQueen - Brandon Wheat Kings

Cameron Schmidt - Vancouver Giants

Èmile Guité - Chicoutimi Saguenéens

Cole Reschny - Victoria Royals

Justin Carbonneau - Blainville-Boisbriand Armada

Lyden Lakovic - Moose Jaw Warriors

Jake O'Brien - Brantford Bulldogs

Ben Kindel - Calgary Hitmen

Braedon Cootes - Seattle Thunderbirds

Brady Martin - Soo Greyhounds