402 CHL Alumni Named to NHL Opening Night Rosters Ahead of 2025-26 Season
OHL Ontario Hockey League

402 CHL Alumni Named to NHL Opening Night Rosters Ahead of 2025-26 Season

Published on October 7, 2025 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL) News Release


TORONTO, ON - As the National Hockey League (NHL) drops the puck on its 2025-26 season tonight, 402 Canadian Hockey League (CHL) graduates from the Western Hockey League (WHL), Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) are featured on NHL Opening Night rosters - accounting for nearly 50% of all players in the league, once again the highest representation of any development league in the world.

By league, the group includes 187 OHL, 145 WHL, and 71 QMJHL alumni (see complete list by clicking this link), reinforcing the CHL's position as the premier pipeline to the NHL. This season, 59 of the CHL's 61 member clubs have at least one graduate on an NHL roster, led by 20 players who competed in the CHL just last year - a group highlighted by Islanders defenceman Matthew Schaefer (Erie Otters / OHL), Sharks forward Michael Misa (Saginaw Spirit / OHL), Predators forward Brady Martin (Soo Greyhounds / OHL), Penguins forward Ben Kindel (Calgary Hitmen / WHL), and Canucks forward Braeden Cootes (Seattle Thunderbirds / WHL). These five were among 21 CHL players selected in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft, and each competed in the inaugural 2024 CHL USA Prospects Challenge, held less than a year ago in London and Oshawa, Ont.

All 32 NHL clubs feature at least one CHL graduate on their Opening Night roster. The Washington Capitals lead all teams with 17, followed by the New York Islanders, Seattle Kraken, and Vegas Golden Knights with 16 each, while the Edmonton Oilers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Winnipeg Jets each boast 15.

With over 390 CHL alumni in the NHL for a sixth consecutive season, the CHL continues to be the top source of talent for the National Hockey League.

Stories To Follow:

Heading into this new NHL season, 24 CHL alumni are looking to make their NHL debuts, including Penguins defenceman Harrison Brunicke (Kamloops Blazers / WHL), Sharks defenceman Sam Dickinson (London Knights / OHL), Flames forward Matvei Gridin (Shawinigan Cataractes / QMJHL), Kraken forward Berkly Catton (Spokane Chiefs / WHL), Red Wings forward Emmitt Finnie (Kamloops Blazers / WHL), Ducks forward Beckett Sennecke (Oshawa Generals / OHL), and Wild forward Hunter Haight (Saginaw Spirit / OHL)

11 CHL graduates are chasing their 1,000th NHL career game, including Oilers forward Adam Henrique (Windsor Spitfires / OHL), Stars forward Tyler Seguin (Plymouth Whalers / OHL), Flames forward Nazem Kadri (Kitchener Rangers / OHL), Devils defenceman Brenden Dillon (Seattle Thunderbirds / WHL), Jets forward Nino Niederreiter (Portland Winterhawks / WHL), Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (Red Deer Rebels / WHL), Blue Jackets forward Charlie Coyle (Saint John Sea Dogs / QMJHL), Golden Knights forward Brandon Saad (Saginaw Spirit / OHL), Wild defenceman Jared Spurgeon (Spokane Chiefs / WHL), Canucks forward Evander Kane (Vancouver Giants / WHL), and Minnesota Wild defenceman Zach Bogosian (Peterborough Petes / OHL).

All four active NHL players who are within 50 points of reaching 1,000 career points are from the CHL: Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies / QMJHL), Panthers forward Brad Marchand (Moncton Wildcats / QMJHL), Stars forward Jamie Benn (Kelowna Rockets / WHL), and Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (Prince Albert Raiders / WHL).

Nine of the 11 active NHL players who are within 50 goals of reaching 400 career goals are from the CHL: Stars forward Jamie Benn (Kelowna Rockets / WHL), Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (Prince Albert Raiders / WHL), Sharks forward Jeff Skinner (Kitchener Rangers / OHL), Stars forward Matt Duchene (Brampton Battalion / OHL), Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon (Halifax Mooseheads / QMJHL), Senators forward Claude Giroux (Gatineau Olympiques / QMJHL), Oilers forward Connor McDavid (Erie Otters / OHL), Stars forward Tyler Seguin (Plymouth Whalers / OHL), and Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies / QMJHL).

Entering the 2025-26 season with 925 consecutive NHL games, Colorado Avalanche defenceman Brent Burns (Brampton Battalion / OHL) could become only the second player in NHL history to appear in 1,000 straight games.

Oilers forward Connor McDavid (Erie Otters / OHL) enters the 2025-26 season on the cusp of several historic milestones - needing just 18 points in 12 games to become the third-fastest player in NHL history to reach 1,100 career points, while also aiming to become only the third player ever with nine 100-point seasons and the eighth to record six in a row.

Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (Prince Albert Raiders / WHL) enters the season closing in on a major milestone - he can become the fourth-fastest active player to reach 400 career goals, and one of the 10 fastest players born outside North America to achieve the feat in NHL history.

Needing just 38 assists to become the eighth player in NHL history to reach 1,100 career assists, Penguins forward Sidney Crosby (Rimouski Océanic / QMJHL) could achieve the milestone in the third-fewest games ever if he does so within the next 80 contests.

Two-time reigning Art Ross winner Nikita Kucherov (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies / QMJHL) enters 2025-26 just six points from 1,000. Another 80-assist campaign - his fourth in a row - would see Tampa Bay's all-time assists leader join CHL alumnus Wayne Gretzky (Soo Greyhounds / OHL) as the only players ever to hit that mark in four consecutive seasons.

The Florida Panthers begin their quest for a third straight Stanley Cup and a fourth consecutive Final appearance - a feat achieved by only three franchises in NHL history (most recently the Islanders from 1979-83). With 10 CHL alumni on their roster, the 2024-25 champions extended a dominant trend - the seventh straight season in which the Stanley Cup winner featured at least 10 CHL graduates.

News and Notes:

Ben Kindel (Calgary Hitmen / WHL) and Harrison Brunicke (Kamloops Blazers / WHL) are poised to become just the third pair of teenagers in Pittsburgh Penguins history to debut in the same game - and the first since CHL alumni Kris Letang (Val-d'Or Foreurs / QMJHL) and Jordan Staal (Peterborough Petes / OHL) did so 19 years ago.

Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog (Kitchener Rangers / OHL) is set to play his first regular-season game in more than 1,300 days when Colorado faces Los Angeles, marking another major step in his comeback after returning to the lineup during the 2025 NHL Playoffs.

Entering his 19th season as captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Sidney Crosby (Rimouski Océanic / QMJHL) matches CHL alumnus Steve Yzerman (Peterborough Petes, OHL / Detroit Red Wings) for the longest captaincy in NHL history, with both serving as team captain for 19 consecutive seasons.

22 of the NHL's 32 head coaches either previously coached and/or played in the CHL, including five CHL alumni who have new coaching roles to start the 2025-26 season: Joel Quenneville (Anaheim Ducks), Glen Gulutzan (Dallas Stars), Rick Tocchet (Philadelphia Flyers), Lane Lambert (Seattle Kraken), and Adam Foote (Vancouver Canucks).

Behind the bench and beyond: Over 200 CHL alumni are serving in coaching, hockey operations, or support staff roles across the NHL this season - with at least one CHL graduate represented on every one of the league's 32 teams.

Entering the 2025-26 season, 18 CHL alumni will wear the "C" for their NHL clubs - including Rangers forward J.T. Miller (Plymouth Whalers / OHL), the only newly named captain in the League heading into opening night.

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from October 7, 2025


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