Moose Jaw Warriors to Select First at 2025 CHL Import Draft

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Moose Jaw Warriors to Select First at 2025 CHL Import Draft

May 7, 2025 - Western Hockey League (WHL) News Release


TORONTO, ON - The Moose Jaw Warriors of the Western Hockey League (WHL) will have the first overall selection in the 2025 CHL Import Draft, which is scheduled for Wednesday, July 2, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. ET. Following the Warriors, the Peterborough Petes of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) will choose second, while the Victoriaville Tigres of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) will select third. The CHL's newest franchise, the Penticton Vees of the WHL, will make their first-ever selection at No. 10 during the 2025 CHL Import Draft (see the complete draft order below).

As part of a new policy adopted for the 2025-26 season, CHL clubs will now be permitted to carry up to three import players on their rosters. In accordance with this rule change, the CHL Import Draft will expand to three rounds. Under the revised rules, a club with no current import players may select up to three players, a club with one import may select two, while a club with two imports may select one. Clubs with three import players will be ineligible to participate. Additionally, CHL clubs will be permitted to trade selections ahead of the 2025 CHL Import Draft, and these trades must be finalized two days before the draft.

For the first time in franchise history, the Moose Jaw Warriors hold the first overall pick in the CHL Import Draft, and they will be selecting within the top five for just the second time in the event's history. With their first-round pick in last year's CHL Import Draft, the reigning WHL champions selected Dominik Pavlik 53rd overall. The 18-year-old from Trutnov, Czechia, registered a goal and an assist over the club's final 13 games of the 2024-25 season. The Warriors have a proven track record of developing high-impact import talent, including NHL alumni Pavel Kubina and Tomas Fleischmann, as well as Martin Rysavy, who played a key role in helping Moose Jaw capture its first-ever WHL championship in 2024.

The Peterborough Petes earned the second overall pick of the 2025 CHL Import Draft after winning the 2025 OHL Priority Selection Lottery. Set to pick second for the first time in franchise history, the Petes made only one selection at last year's event - taking Czech forward and 2026 NHL Draft prospect Adam Novotny at No. 9. Peterborough boasts a proven history of selecting strong talent through the CHL Import Draft, including Fredrik Näslund (Sweden), Lino Martschini (Switzerland), Lukas Krajicek (Czechia), and Brian Zanetti (Switzerland), all of whom played key roles during championship seasons or brought immediate offensive contributions to the team.

The Victoriaville Tigres hold the third overall pick of the 2025 CHL Import Draft, marking their highest draft position in franchise history at this event. During last year's draft, the Tigres chose a pair of Finnish skaters in Mikko Leppä (1st Round - 40th Overall) and Roope Rajala (2nd Round - 100th Overall), who both played a combined 39 games for Victoriaville in 2024-25. Victoriaville has a strong track record of identifying and developing international talent through the CHL Import Draft. Notable alumni include NHLer Andrej Nestrašil, as well as standout forwards Mikhail Abramov, Tomas Kubalik, and Nikita Prishchepov, who each had a significant impact on the club during their time in Victoriaville.

Over the years, the CHL Import Draft has seen countless players selected by CHL clubs at this event go on to have successful careers in the CHL's Member Leagues (WHL, OHL, and QMJHL) before later hearing their names called at the NHL Draft. Last year, at the 2024 NHL Draft in Las Vegas, Nevada, 10 CHL players who came through the CHL Import Draft were selected by NHL clubs: Julius Miettinen (Everett Silvertips, WHL / Seattle Kraken), Ondrej Becher (Prince George Cougars, WHL / Detroit Red Wings), Eriks Mateiko (Saint John Sea Dogs, QMJHL / Washington Capitals), Adam Jecho (Edmonton Oil Kings, WHL / St. Louis Blues), Jakub Milota (Cape Breton Eagles, QMJHL / Nashville Predators), Jan Golicic (Gatineau Olympiques, QMJHL / Tampa Bay Lightning), Maximilian Curran (Tri-City Americans, WHL / Colorado Avalanche), Matyas Melovsky (Baie-Comeau Drakkar, QMJHL / New Jersey Devils), Jakub Fibigr (Brampton Steelheads, OHL / Seattle Kraken), and Nikita Prishchepov (Victoriaville Tigres, QMJHL / Colorado Avalanche).

Among some of the other notable import players to have come through the CHL before having successful NHL careers include Leon Draisaitl (Prince Albert Raiders / WHL), Zdeno Chara (Prince George Cougars / WHL), Marian Hossa (Portland Winterhawks / WHL), Michael Backlund (Kelowna Rockets / WHL), Oliver Bjorkstrand (Portland Winterhawks / WHL), Gabriel Landeskog (Kitchener Rangers / OHL), Andrei Svechnikov (Barrie Colts / OHL), Nikita Zadorov (London Knights / OHL), Rasmus Andersson (Barrie Colts / OHL), Olli Määttä (London Knights / OHL), Nikita Kucherov (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies / QMJHL), Alexander Radulov (Québec Remparts / QMJHL), David Krejci (Gatineau Olympiques / QMJHL), Nico Hischier (Halifax Mooseheads / QMJHL), and Nikolaj Ehlers (Halifax Mooseheads / QMJHL).

Since the first CHL Import Draft was held in 1992, over 2,170 players from outside of Canada and the United States have been selected at this annual event.

Order of Selections for the 2025 CHL Import Draft

First Round Second Round Third Round

# Team # Team # Team

1 Moose Jaw Warriors 62 Penticton Vees 123 Penticton Vees

2 Peterborough Petes 63 Peterborough Petes 124 Peterborough Petes

3 Victoriaville Tigres 64 Victoriaville Tigres 125 Victoriaville Tigres

4 Regina Pats 65 Moose Jaw Warriors 126 Moose Jaw Warriors

5 Guelph Storm 66 Guelph Storm 127 Guelph Storm

6 Saint John Sea Dogs 67 Saint John Sea Dogs 128 Saint John Sea Dogs

7 Kelowna Rockets 68 Regina Pats 129 Regina Pats

8 Ottawa 67's 69 Sarnia Sting 130 Sarnia Sting

9 Halifax Mooseheads 70 Halifax Mooseheads 131 Halifax Mooseheads

10 Penticton Vees 71 Kelowna Rockets 132 Kelowna Rockets

11 Sarnia Sting 72 Ottawa 67's 133 Ottawa 67's

12 Gatineau Olympiques 73 Gatineau Olympiques 134 Gatineau Olympiques

13 Kamloops Blazers 74 Kamloops Blazers 135 Kamloops Blazers

14 Owen Sound Attack 75 Owen Sound Attack 136 Owen Sound Attack

15 Québec Remparts 76 Québec Remparts 137 Québec Remparts

16 Wenatchee Wild 77 Wenatchee Wild 138 Wenatchee Wild

17 North Bay Battalion 78 North Bay Battalion 139 North Bay Battalion

18 Val-d'Or Foreurs 79 Val-d'Or Foreurs 140 Val-d'Or Foreurs

19 Red Deer Rebels 80 Red Deer Rebels 141 Red Deer Rebels

20 Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 81 Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 142 Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds

21 Charlottetown Islanders 82 Charlottetown Islanders 143 Charlottetown Islanders

22 Seattle Thunderbirds 83 Seattle Thunderbirds 144 Seattle Thunderbirds

23 Flint Firebirds 84 Flint Firebirds 145 Flint Firebirds

24 Newfoundland Regiment 85 Newfoundland Regiment 146 Newfoundland Regiment

25 Tri-City Americans 86 Tri-City Americans 147 Tri-City Americans

26 Niagara Icedogs 87 Niagara Icedogs 148 Niagara Icedogs

2 7 Sherbrooke Phoenix 88 Sherbrooke Phoenix 149 Sherbrooke Phoenix

28 Swift Current Broncos 89 Swift Current Broncos 150 Swift Current Broncos

29 Sudbury Wolves 90 Sudbury Wolves 151 Sudbury Wolves

30 Cape Breton Eagles 91 Cape Breton Eagles 152 Cape Breton Eagles

31 Vancouver Giants 92 Vancouver Giants 153 Vancouver Giants

32 Erie Otters 93 Erie Otters 154 Erie Otters

33 Blainville-Boisbriand Armada 94 Blainville-Boisbriand Armada 155 Blainville-Boisbriand Armada

34 Portland Winterhawks 95 Portland Winterhawks 156 Portland Winterhawks

35 Saginaw Spirit 96 Saginaw Spirit 157 Saginaw Spirit

36 Baie-Comeau Drakkar 97 Baie-Comeau Drakkar 158 Baie-Comeau Drakkar

37 Edmonton Oil Kings 98 Edmonton Oil Kings 159 Edmonton Oil Kings

38 Brampton Steelheads 99 Brampton Steelheads 160 Brampton Steelheads

39 Rouyn-Noranda Huskies 100 Rouyn-Noranda Huskies 161 Rouyn-Noranda Huskies

40 Saskatoon Blades 101 Saskatoon Blades 162 Saskatoon Blades

41 Oshawa Generals 102 Oshawa Generals 163 Oshawa Generals

42 Chicoutimi Saguenéens 103 Chicoutimi Saguenéens 164 Chicoutimi Saguenéens

43 Brandon Wheat Kings 104 Brandon Wheat Kings 165 Brandon Wheat Kings

44 Kingston Frontenacs 105 Kingston Frontenacs 166 Kingston Frontenacs

45 Shawinigan Cataractes 106 Shawinigan Cataractes 167 Shawinigan Cataractes

46 Prince Albert Raiders 107 Prince Albert Raiders 168 Prince Albert Raiders

47 Barrie Colts 108 Barrie Colts 169 Barrie Colts

48 Drummondville Voltigeurs 109 Drummondville Voltigeurs 170 Drummondville Voltigeurs

49 Prince George Cougars 110 Prince George Cougars 171 Prince George Cougars

50 Brantford Bulldogs 111 Brantford Bulldogs 172 Brantford Bulldogs

51 Rimouski Océanic

112 Rimouski Océanic 173 Rimouski Océanic

52 Lethbridge Hurricanes 113 Lethbridge Hurricanes 174 Lethbridge Hurricanes

53 Windsor Spitfires 114 Windsor Spitfires 175 Windsor Spitfires

54 Moncton Wildcats 115 Moncton Wildcats 176 Moncton Wildcats

55 Victoria Royals 116 Victoria Royals 177 Victoria Royals

56 Kitchener Rangers 117 Kitchener Rangers 178 Kitchener Rangers

57 Spokane Chiefs 118 Spokane Chiefs 179 Spokane Chiefs

58 London Knights 119 London Knights 180 London Knights

59 Calgary Hitmen 120 Calgary Hitmen 181 Calgary Hitmen

60 Medicine Hat Tigers 121 Medicine Hat Tigers 182 Medicine Hat Tigers

61 Everett Silvertips

122 Everett Silvertips 183 Everett Silvertips

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