42 CHL Players on Canada Rosters for 2023 World U17 Hockey Challenge
October 23, 2023 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL) News Release
TORONTO, ON - Out of 44 players selected by Hockey Canada, a total of 42 CHL players will compete with Team Canada Red and Team Canada White at the 2023 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, Nov. 2-11 in Charlottetown and Summerside, PE.
In all, 32 CHL clubs are represented with at least one player. Specifically, there are 17 players who hail from the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), 14 from the Western Hockey League (WHL), and 11 from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). The Chicoutimi Saguenéens (QMJHL) lead all CHL clubs with three players, while the Lethbridge Hurricanes (WHL), Niagara IceDogs (OHL), Kitchener Rangers (OHL), Guelph Storm (OHL), Erie Otters (OHL), Oshawa Generals (OHL), Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL) and Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (QMJHL) each have a pair of players represented.
Among the many CHL players selected are 2023 OHL first overall pick Matthew Schaefer (Erie Otters) and 2023 QMJHL first overall pick Caleb Desnoyers (Moncton Wildcats), along with 2022 WHL first overall pick Gavin McKenna (Medicine Hat Tigers), who is currently second among CHL rookie skaters with 17 points (5G-12A) through 12 games this season.
The players chosen to represent their country were selected by Byron Bonora (Brooks, AB), U17 head scout, and Dave Brown (Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON/Erie, OHL), U17 lead with the Program of Excellence management group, with assistance from regional scouts Rob Simpson (Ontario), Pierre Cholette (Quebec), Darren Sutherland (Atlantic) and Darrell Woodley (Ontario).
John Dean (Don Mills, ON/Sault Ste Marie, OHL), and Carl Mallette (Montreal, QC/Victoriaville, QMJHL) will serve as head coaches of Team Canada White and Team Canada Red, respectively. Joining Dean on the Canada White bench will be assistant coaches Eric Bouchard (Montreal, QC/Shawinigan, QMJHL) and Brennan Sonne (Maple Ridge, BC/Saskatoon, WHL). Rounding out the Canada Red staff are assistant coaches Matt Anholt (Prince Albert, SK/Lethbridge, WHL) and Norm Milley (Toronto, ON/Ottawa, OHL).
The Canadian squads are in action on opening day, Nov. 2. Canada White hosts Czechia at Credit Union Place in Summerside at 12 p.m. AT, followed by Canada Red facing Finland at 7 p.m. AT at the Eastlink Centre in Charlottetown. Red and White will meet in the lone all-Canadian matchup in the preliminary round on Nov. 3 in Summerside.
TSN and RDS, the official broadcasters of Hockey Canada, will broadcast the medal games; check local listings for details. Preliminary-round games, quarterfinals, and semifinals will be available by live stream at HockeyCanada.ca.
More than 2,000 NHL draft picks have suited up since the inception of the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge (previously known as the Quebec Esso Cup) in 1986, including 10 first-overall NHL draft picks since 2001 who hail from the CHL: (Rick Nash, 2002; Marc-André Fleury, 2003; Patrick Kane, 2007; John Tavares, 2009; Taylor Hall, 2010, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, 2011; Nathan MacKinnon, 2013; Aaron Ekblad, 2014; Connor McDavid, 2015; Alexis Lafrenière, 2020).
Canada Red (21)
(F) Cole Reschny, Victoria Royals (WHL)
(F) Brady Martin, Soo Greyhounds (OHL)
(F) Gavin McKenna, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
(F) Jake O'Brien, Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)
(F) Nathan Lecompte, Chicoutimi Saguenéns (QMJHL)
(F) Shawn Carrier, Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL)
(F) Ryan Roobroeck, Niagara IceDogs (OHL)
(F) Braeden Cootes, Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)
(F) Liam Kilfoil, Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
(F) Luca Romano, Kitchener Rangers (OHL)
(F) Chase Harrington, Spokane Chiefs (WHL)
(F) Ryan Brown, Sarnia Sting (OHL)
(D) Owen Conrad, Charlottetown Islanders (QMJHL)
(D) Jackson Smith, Tri-City Americans (WHL)
(D) Peyton Kettles, Swift Current Broncos (WHL)
(D) Connor Schmidt, Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL)
(D) Reese Hamilton, Calgary Hitmen (WHL)
(D) Quinn Beauchesne, Guelph Storm (OHL)
(D) Xavier Villeneuve, Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (QMJHL)
(G) Isaac Gravelle, Port Colborne (GOJHL) / Oshawa Generals (OHL)
(G) William Lacelle, Lac St-Louis (LDHM18AAAQ) / Rimouski Océanic (QMJHL)
Canada White (21)
(F) Jack Nesbitt, Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
(F) Mateo Nobert, Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (QMJHL)
(F) Cole Chandler, Shawinigan Cataractes (QMJHL)
(F) Tyler Hopkins, Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)
(F) Cole Temple, Regina Pats (WHL)
(F) Cameron Schmidt, Vancouver Giants (WHL)
(F) Joby Baumuller, Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)
(F) Caleb Desnoyers, Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL)
(F) Émile Guité, Chicoutimi Saguenéens (QMJHL)
(F) Ethan Czata, Niagara IceDogs (OHL)
(F) Wesley Royston, Erie Otters (OHL)
(F) Owen Griffin, Oshawa Generals (OHL)
(D) Blake Fiddler, Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)
(D) Will Sharpe, Lethbridge Hurricanes (WHL)
(D) Rylan Singh, Guelph Storm (OHL)
(D) Matthew Schaefer, Erie Otters (OHL)
(D) Alex Huang, Chicoutimi Saguenéens (QMJHL)
(D) Cameron Reid, Kitchener Rangers (OHL)
(D) Carson Cameron, Peterborough Petes (OHL)
(G) Jack Ivankovic, Mississauga Steelheads (OHL)
(G) Koen Cleaver, Pacific Coast Hockey Academy (CSSHL) / Lethbridge Hurricanes (WHL)
Ontario Hockey League Stories from October 23, 2023
- OHL Recognizes Romani - North Bay Battalion
- 42 CHL Players on Canada Rosters for 2023 World U17 Hockey Challenge - OHL
- Romani and Gillespie Named OHL Top Performers of the Week - OHL
- Jake O'Brien Named to Team Canada for U17 World Hockey Challenge - Brantford Bulldogs
- Reid and Romano Named to Team Canada World U-17 Challenge Rosters - Kitchener Rangers
- Schaefer, Royston Named to Hockey Canada 2023 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge Roster - Erie Otters
- Carson Cameron Selected to Represent Canada White in World Under-17 Hockey Challenge - Peterborough Petes
- OHL Power Rankings: Week 4 - October 23, 2023 - Saginaw Spirit
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