Canadian Hockey League excited for future, despite star departures

It was a fight for pride and glory in southern Alberta this week as the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) hosted America’s best up-and-coming hockey players.

The two-game showcase had its first game in Calgary on Tuesday, which team USA won 4-2.

Then, on Wednesday, the teams ran it back in Lethbridge, with team CHL winning 4-3.

This forced a “super overtime” to decide the winners of the quick tournament. Team USA won in the first overtime period.

However, CHL players were still thrilled at the opportunity to play in front of so many NHL scouts.

“It’s a good opportunity for a lot of guys, kind of nice to have a competition against the States,” said Liam Ruck, who plays for the Medicine Hat Tigers.

It was the second CHL USA Prospects Challenge in as many years and the first since several top Canadian players moved south of the border to play in the NCAA following eligibility rule changes.

“It was a very set system. If you played in the CHL, you couldn’t play in college, so the way our rules were with the NHL, it had some very clear rules in terms of when players could go and come back,” said Dan MacKenzie, president of the CHL.

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“It was very clear and the underpinnings of that system have all changed now.”

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Arguably the most notable CHL player to take up a place on an American team is Gavin McKenna, who had played with Medicine Hat.

McKenna is projected to be the first overall pick at the 2026 NHL draft, but MacKenzie isn’t worried about the future of his three leagues that fall under the CHL umbrella.

“We’re seeing a massive influx of players saying, listen, if I want to make it to the next level, the CHL is the path. We actually have a couple of guys on team CHL who were part of the American system last year who made that decision.”

MacKenzie says they’ve secured significantly more players than they’ve lost over the past year.

Players are also feeling the love of the league, uniting between the Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League.

“Everyone had a reason (Wednesday) and (Tuesday) to win that challenge. We had the U.S.A.-born player, but they all had a reason to want to win this game,” said Xavier Villenueve, who plays with the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada in the QMJHL.

Team CHL captain Caleb Malhotra, who plays for the Brantford Bulldogs, was disappointed to lose in front of the home crowd, but says there was nothing but pride in wearing the jersey.

“Didn’t show it out there, but it’s just two games. It doesn’t necessarily carry a ton of weight for what the CHL stands for and how good it is as a development league.”

While many of these players will move on to the pro game in future years, managers are excited about what the league holds.

“Whenever you get to work with young men of this calibre, it’s impressive,” said Willie Desjardins, general manager and head coach of the Medicine Hat Tigers.

He lost McKenna in the offseason after a strong run to the Memorial Cup finals last season, but the former Vancouver Canucks bench boss says the CHL will move on.

“When you have young men like (the ones on team CHL), the league is in pretty good hands.”

• CHL USA Prospects Challenge is coming to London, Ont.
• Medicine Hat Tigers’ Gavin McKenna becomes 3rd-youngest recipient of CHL player of the year award