CHL Stars Set to Shine at 2025 NHL Draft in Los Angeles

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CHL Stars Set to Shine at 2025 NHL Draft in Los Angeles

June 26, 2025 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL) News Release


TORONTO, ON - With the 2025 NHL Draft set for Friday, June 27, and Saturday, June 28, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, countless NHL Draft-eligible prospects from the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) are expected to hear their names called over the two-day event. A 170 CHL players were ranked by NHL Central Scouting ahead of this year's draft - the league's highest total in over 17 years - positioning the CHL and its Member Leagues (Western Hockey League / WHL, Ontario Hockey League / OHL, and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League / QMJHL) to once again lead all development leagues worldwide in producing NHL talent.

Of the top 25 North American skaters ranked by NHL Central Scouting, 20 are CHL standouts - a testament to the depth and player development of the CHL and its Member Leagues. That strength extends to the crease as well, with 12 of the top 15 North American goaltenders hailing from the WHL, OHL, or QMJHL.T

Leading the way among skaters are Erie Otters (OHL) defenceman Matthew Schaefer and Saginaw Spirit (OHL) forward Michael Misa, ranked No. 1 and No. 2, respectively. Both are contenders to become the 42nd CHL player selected first overall since 1969 - and potentially the first from the OHL to do so since Connor McDavid (Erie Otters) in 2015.

In net, Prince George Cougars (WHL) standout Joshua Ravensbergen tops NHL Central Scouting's list of North American goalies. If selected in the first round, the 18-year-old from North Vancouver, B.C., would become the first goaltender taken among the league's first 32 picks since 2021 - a year that saw two goalies drafted in the first round, including WHL standout Sebastian Cossa (Edmonton Oil Kings). Meanwhile, Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL) forward Caleb Desnoyers is aiming to become the first QMJHL player drafted inside the top 10 since Alexis Lafrenière (Rimouski Océanic) went first overall in 2020.

Below, you'll find key storylines on these and other top prospects from the WHL, OHL, and QMJHL as they prepare to take center stage at the 2025 NHL Draft.

A year ago, 88 players from the CHL were selected across all seven rounds in the 2024 NHL Draft - the most since 2017 and the highest total of any development league worldwide. That group represented approximately 39% of all 2024 draft picks, including 14 first-round selections.

The CHL continues to lead the way in developing NHL talent - of the 1,000+ players who appeared in an NHL game during the 2024-25 season, more than 415 came through the CHL, the highest total of any development league in the world. As the 2025 NHL Draft approaches, the CHL has seen over 6,000 of its players selected since 1969, representing nearly half of all NHL Draft picks over the past five decades.

Storylines to follow

With many projecting 20 or more CHL players to be selected in the first round, the CHL could be in position to match - or even surpass - its record of 22 first-round picks, set at the 2013 NHL Draft.

Should the CHL achieve 20 first-round selections, it would represent the first time in 11 years that the CHL has reached this milestone. Notably, in NHL Draft history, only eight times has a league produced 20 or more first-round picks in a single draft - and all instances are attributed to the CHL.

If the WHL produces eight first-round selections and the OHL reaches 10, both leagues would record their highest first-round totals since the 2014 NHL Draft. That year, the WHL had nine players chosen among the top 30 picks, while the OHL saw 10 of its players selected in the opening round.

If seven or more CHL players are selected within the top 10 picks of the 2025 NHL Draft, it would mark the highest total since 2014, when nine CHL standouts were chosen in the opening 10 selections. That class featured Aaron Ekblad (Barrie Colts / OHL), Sam Reinhart (Kootenay Ice / WHL), Leon Draisaitl (Prince Albert Raiders / WHL), Sam Bennett (Kingston Frontenacs / OHL), Michael Dal Colle (Oshawa Generals / OHL), Jake Virtanen (Calgary Hitmen / WHL), Haydn Fleury (Red Deer Rebels / WHL), Nikolaj Ehlers (Halifax Mooseheads / QMJHL), and Nick Ritchie (Peterborough Petes / OHL).

If four or more CHL players are selected within the top five picks of the 2025 NHL Draft, it would represent the league's strongest showing in that range since 2014, when CHL prospects accounted for the first five selections.

Ranked as the No. 1 and No. 2 North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting ahead of the 2025 NHL Draft, Erie Otters (OHL) defenceman Matthew Schaefer and Saginaw Spirit (OHL) forward Michael Misa are both strong contenders to become the 42nd CHL player selected first overall - and the 22nd from the Ontario Hockey League.

Since 1969, a total of 41 players from the CHL's Member Leagues - the Western Hockey League (WHL), Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) - have been chosen with the No. 1 overall pick, accounting for nearly 75% of all first-overall selections during that span.

Erie Otters defenceman Matthew Schaefer has the potential to become just the second player in Otters franchise history to be selected first overall, following Connor McDavid in 2015. He would also be the first CHL blueliner to go No. 1 since Aaron Ekblad (Barrie Colts / OHL) in 2014.

Just one year after defenceman Zayne Parekh became the highest draft pick in Saginaw Spirit (OHL) history at No. 9 overall by the Calgary Flames, fellow Memorial Cup champion and teammate Michael Misa can set a new franchise benchmark at the 2025 NHL Draft.

Following Marek Vanacker's selection at No. 27 by the Chicago Blackhawks in 2024 - making him the first player in Hamilton/Brantford Bulldogs (OHL) franchise history to be selected in the first round - Brantford forward Jake O'Brien now has the chance to set a new benchmark as the highest-drafted Bulldog if his name is called among the top 25 on Friday night.

If selected within the top 12, Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL) forward Caleb Desnoyers would become the highest-drafted player in franchise history - surpassing Brandon Gormley, who was chosen 13th overall by the Phoenix Coyotes in 2010. A 2025 NHL Draft selection would also see Desnoyers follow in the footsteps of his older brother, Elliot, who the Philadelphia Flyers drafted in the fifth round in 2020 after spending two seasons in the QMJHL with Moncton.

If Justin Carbonneau (Blainville-Boisbriand Armada / QMJHL) and Cole Reschny (Victoria Royals / WHL) are selected in the first round, they would each become the first player in their respective franchise's history to be chosen in the opening round of an NHL Draft.

In addition to his bid to become the first CHL and WHL goaltender selected in the first round in four years, Prince George (WHL) netminder Joshua Ravensbergen could also become just the second goaltender in Cougars franchise history to earn that distinction - following Hockey Hall of Famer Grant Fuhr, who was drafted eighth overall in 1981 when the team was based in Victoria - and the first since the club relocated to Prince George in 1994-95.

During the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft, multiple CHL teammates could hear their names called among the top 32 picks:

If Erie Otters (OHL) defenceman Matthew Schaefer and forward Malcolm Spence are both selected, they would become just the fourth set of Otters teammates to be drafted in the first round - and the first since Connor McDavid and Dylan Strome in 2015.

Similarly, if Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL) defenceman Radim Mrtka and forward Braeden Cootes are chosen in the opening round, they would become the fourth set of teammates in franchise history to accomplish the feat, following in the footsteps of Kevin Korchinski and Reid Schaefer, who were selected in the first round in 2022.

If selected within the first 32 picks of the 2025 NHL Draft, having played the last three seasons with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (QMJHL), Bill Zonnon would become just the second player in franchise history to be chosen in the first round since the team relocated to Rouyn-Noranda in 1996. The only other Huskies product to achieve that milestone was defenceman Ivan Vishnevskiy, selected 27th overall by the Dallas Stars in 2006.

If selected in the first round in Los Angeles, Everett Silvertips (WHL) forward Carter Bear would become the franchise's first opening-round pick in a decade - following defenceman Noah Juulsen, who was drafted by the Montréal Canadiens in 2015.

London Knights (OHL) defenceman Henry Brzustewicz will aim to help extend the franchise's CHL record to 56 consecutive years - or 57 straight NHL Drafts - with at least one player selected. A selection in 2025 would also see Henry follow in the footsteps of his brother, Hunter Brzustewicz, who was drafted in the third round (75th overall) by the Vancouver Canucks at the 2023 NHL Draft.

If he's the first Knights player selected at the 2025 NHL Draft, Henry Brzustewicz would become the 200th player in London Knights (OHL) history to be drafted into the NHL.

One year after Niagara IceDogs (OHL) forward Kevin He made history as the highest Chinese-born player ever drafted to the NHL - going in the fourth round (109th overall) to the Winnipeg Jets - Oshawa Generals (OHL) defenceman Simon Wang could challenge that milestone in 2025 and become just the third China-born player ever selected.

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