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WHL Prince Albert Raiders

Fonstad Selected For Top Prospects Game

December 17, 2017 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Prince Albert Raiders News Release


Prince Albert, SK - Cole Fonstad will be aiming to take the CHL by storm in January.

The 17-year-old winger from Estevan will be taking part in the 2018 Sherwin-Williams CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game hosted by the Ontario Hockey League's Guelph Storm. This year's game, which is the 23rd edition of the annual draft-eligible showcase, will be held on January 25, 2018 at the Sleeman Centre.

Fonstad has been on a torrid pace all season along with linemates Jordy Stallard and Parker Kelly. The 5'10, 162-lb winger leads the team with 28 assists to go along with 11 goals in 32 games played, blowing past his point total from his rookie campaign in less than half the games. Fonstad drafted fifth overall in the 2015 WHL Bantam Draft. In 103 career games with the Raiders, he has 22 goals and 44 assists.

This is the eight-consecutive season that the Raiders have been represented by at least one player that Sherwin-Williams Top Prospects Game. Last year, Ian Scott was between the pipes for Team Cherry in Quebec City.

40 players from across the Ontario Hockey League, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, and Western Hockey League will compete in the 23rd annual showcase of the CHL's top prospects eligible for the NHL Draft. The 40 CHL players competing in the game were chosen by all 31 NHL clubs and were divided into teams by NHL Central Scouting.

"One of the highlights of the hockey season undoubtedly is the Sherwin-Williams CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game which has been a fixture on the CHL event calendar since 1996," said CHL President David Branch. "It's a truly special experience for the players assembled from across the CHL who have the opportunity to showcase their skills before hundreds of NHL scouts and general managers in attendance in addition to the passionate hockey fans in Guelph and for a nationwide audience watching live on Sportsnet and TVA Sports."

The rosters include all 16 CHL players who received 'A' ratings by NHL Central Scouting in their November 'Players to Watch' list which features eight projected first round forwards and eight top ranked defencemen.

"As the Official Paint of the CHL, Sherwin-Williams is proud to sponsor the 2018 Sherwin-Williams CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game," said Lee Diamond, President and General Manager, Sherwin-Williams. "We take great pride in making a difference in the communities we serve and we look forward to celebrating this exciting event alongside these talented players, their families and the fans across Canada."

28 of the CHL's 60 member clubs are represented on the rosters led by 16 OHL players from 10 different teams, 15 QMJHL players from 10 teams, and nine WHL players from eight different teams. Moose Jaw is the lone WHL club sending a pair of players to the game while the Eastern Conference will send five players to the game compared to the four by the Western Conference.

"Best-on-best competition is a valuable way to evaluate talent and that's exactly what the Sherwin-Williams CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game provides," said NHL Central Scouting Director Dan Marr. "NHL scouts and general managers will have the unique opportunity to see many of the top CHL players for the 2018 NHL Draft showcase their abilities in a competitive environment."

All 14 CHL players chosen in the first round of the 2017 NHL Draft competed in last year's game played in Quebec including first overall pick Nico Hischier of the Halifax Mooseheads who captained Team Orr opposite Team Cherry who was led by captain Nolan Patrick of the Brandon Wheat Kings selected second overall in June. In 22 years, a total of 307 CHL players from this event have been chosen by NHL clubs in the first round of the NHL Draft representing close to 47% of all players selected.

Since the event was first introduced in 1996 the game has featured 14 players selected with the first overall pick in the NHL Draft including Hischier, Connor McDavid, Aaron Ekblad, Nathan MacKinnon, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Taylor Hall, John Tavares, Steven Stamkos, Patrick Kane, Marc-Andre Fleury, Rick Nash, Vincent Lecavalier, Joe Thornton, and Chris Phillips.

Team Cherry and Team Orr will be assigned at a later date with coaching staffs along with captains and alternates still to be announced.

The 2018 Sherwin-Williams CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game is proudly supported by title partner Sherwin-Williams, and CHL associate sponsors CIBC and Cooper Tires. The game will be broadcast live on Sportsnet and TVA Sports.

Tickets are still available through the box office at 1-519-837-9690 or visit Ticketmaster to purchase online .

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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