31 CHL Alumni Are Set to Participate in the 2025 Stanley Cup Final

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31 CHL Alumni Are Set to Participate in the 2025 Stanley Cup Final

June 4, 2025 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL) News Release


TORONTO, ON - As the Stanley Cup Final gets underway tonight between the Florida Panthers and the Edmonton Oilers, a total of 31 Canadian Hockey League (CHL) alumni - from its three member leagues: the Western Hockey League (WHL), Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) - are set to compete in this year's National Hockey League (NHL) championship series. (see the full list below).

A total of 31 CHL alumni - representing over 50% of all players competing in the 2025 Stanley Cup Final - are set to take part in this year's championship series, a rematch of last year's Final. This marks the highest representation of any development hockey league in the world. Among the CHL graduates, 16 come from the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), 11 from the Western Hockey League (WHL), and four from the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL).

In addition to the 31 players with CHL roots, both head coaches in the 2025 Stanley Cup Final - Paul Maurice of the Florida Panthers and Kris Knoblauch of the Edmonton Oilers - also trace their development back to the Canadian Hockey League.

Before launching his NHL coaching career, Paul Maurice spent two seasons (1993-94 and 1994-95) as head coach of the Detroit Jr. Red Wings, leading the team to an OHL championship and a Memorial Cup appearance in 1995. As a player, he skated in the OHL for four seasons with the Windsor Spitfires (1984-1988), where he later began his coaching career as an assistant.

Kris Knoblauch, meanwhile, played four seasons in the WHL before starting his coaching career as an assistant with the Prince Albert Raiders in 2006. He went on to coach the Kootenay Ice, winning the WHL championship and earning a Memorial Cup berth in his first season behind the bench in 2010-11. In 2012, Knoblauch took over as head coach of the Erie Otters, where he led the team to a CHL-record four straight 50-win seasons (2013-2017). His tenure included an OHL Final appearance in 2015, OHL Coach of the Year honours in 2016, and an OHL championship and Memorial Cup appearance in 2017.

Since 2014, of the 269 players whose names have been etched onto the Stanley Cup, 54% (146 players total) have come through the CHL, including 11 players on last year's Florida Panthers championship roster.

Quick Facts

The Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers were two of 15 playoff teams to feature 10+ CHL alumni on their roster during the 2025 NHL postseason

Of the 14 coaches who have lifted the Stanley Cup over the last 20 years, 10 of them either coached or played in the CHL, including Paul Maurice (Florida Panthers), Bruce Cassidy (Vegas Golden Knights), and Claude Julien (Boston Bruins)

Of the 19 captains who have lifted the Stanley Cup over the last 31 years, 14 of them played in the CHL, including Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins / Rimouski Océanic - QMJHL), Zdeno Chara (Boston Bruins / Prince George Cougars - WHL), Steve Yzerman (Detroit Red Wings / Peterborough Petes - OHL).

Of the last 11 players to win the Conn Smythe Trophy since 2013, seven of them are CHL alumni, including Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers / Erie Otters - OHL), Jonathan Marchessault (Vegas Golden Knights / Québec Remparts - QMJHL), and Duncan Keith (Chicago Blackhawks / Kelowna Rockets - WHL).

Last year, by defeating the Edmonton Oilers in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final, the Florida Panthers helped mark the sixth straight season that 10+ CHL graduates helped their team to a Stanley Cup title.

For the third consecutive year, the Stanley Cup Final features a coaching duel between two CHL alumni: Paul Maurice - Florida Panthers & Kris Knoblauch - Edmonton Oilers.

Storylines to Follow

Selected first overall one year apart, OHL alumni Aaron Ekblad (No. 1 in 2014) and Connor McDavid (No. 1 in 2015) are set to go head-to-head in the Final for a second straight year, with McDavid (Erie Otters - OHL) aiming to accomplish the same feat Ekblad (Barrie Colts - OHL) did in 2024: win his first Stanley Cup a decade into his career.

Corey Perry (Edmonton Oilers / London Knights - OHL) will play in the Stanley Cup Final for the fifth time in six seasons and sixth time in his career, following 2024 (EDM), 2022 (TBL), 2021 (MTL), 2020 (DAL), and 2006 (ANA). The last players to appear in at least five Stanley Cup Finals within a six-year span are seven Oilers from 1984-88 - a list highlighted by Soo Greyhounds (OHL) alumnus Wayne Gretzky.

WHL & OHL alumnus Kris Knoblach (Edmonton Oilers) is the first head coach in more than 55 years to reach the Stanley Cup Final in each of his first two NHL seasons, with OHL alumnus Scotty Bowman (3 from 1968-70 w/ STL) the last to accomplish the feat.

Carter Verhaeghe (Florida Panthers / Niagara IceDogs - OHL) is set to play in his fourth Stanley Cup Final since making his NHL debut in 2019-20 (also 2024 and 2023 w/ FLA and 2020 w/ TBL). Verhaeghe will become the first player with at least four Stanley Cup Final appearances through his first six NHL campaigns since Esa Tikkanen with the Oilers (4 from 1985-90).

The 2024 and 2025 Stanley Cup Finals are the only championship series in NHL history to feature each of the top-four picks from the same NHL draft class. The top-four picks from 2014 who are once again set to play in the final are all CHL alumni: Aaron Ekblad (Florida Panthers / Barrie Colts - OHL), Sam Reinhart (Florida Panthers / Kootenay Ice - WHL), Leon Draisaitl (Edmonton Oilers / Prince Albert Raiders - WHL), and Sam Bennett (Florida Panthers / Kingston Frontenacs - OHL).

Complete list of the 31 CHL alumni competing in the 2025 Stanley Cup Final

Players are listed alongside the CHL club they've played the most games with

Florida Panthers (10)

Sam Bennett (Kingston Frontenacs / OHL), Aaron Ekblad (Barrie Colts / OHL), Jonah Gadjovich (Owen Sound Attack / OHL), A.J. Greer (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies / QMJHL), Seth Jones (Portland Winterhawks / OHL), Dmitry Kulikov (Drummondville Voltigeurs / QMJHL), Brad Marchand (Moncton Wildcats / QMJHL), Sam Reinhart (Kootenay Ice / WHL), Matthew Tkachuk (London Knights / OHL), Carter Verhaeghe (Niagara Ice Dogs / OHL).

Edmonton Oilers (21)

Evan Bouchard (London Knights / OHL), Connor Brown (Erie Otters / OHL), Josh Brown (Oshawa Generals / OHL), Cam Dineen (North Bay Battalion / OHL), Leon Draisaitl (Prince Albert Raiders / WHL), James Hamblin (Medicine Hat Tigers / WHL), Adam Henrique (Windsor Spitfires / OHL), Max Jones (London Knights / OHL), Evander Kane (Vancouver Giants / WHL), Brett Kulak (Vancouver Giants / WHL), Connor McDavid (Erie Otters / OHL), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (Red Deer Rebels / WHL), Darnell Nurse (Soo Greyhounds / OHL), Corey Perry (London Knights / OHL), Noah Philp (Seattle Thunderbirds / WHL), Calvin Pickard (Seattle Thunderbids / WHL), Olivier Rodrigue (Drummondville Voltigeurs / QMJHL), Derek Ryan (Spokane Chiefs / WHL), Matt Savoie (Winnipeg ICE / WHL), Jeff Skinner (Kitchener Rangers / OHL), Stuart Skinner (Lethbridge Hurricanes / WHL).

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from June 4, 2025


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