The Western Hockey League is set to launch its inaugural WHL Prospects Game on Wednesday from Vancouver.
The move comes a year after the Canadian Hockey League and USA Hockey teamed up to create the CHL USA Prospects Challenge to showcase the best NHL Draft-eligible players across the three major junior leagues as well as the under-18 United States Development Program.
With rosters spaces limited in that mini-series, the WHL, Ontario Hockey League, and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League have each decided to showcase their own talent with separate events.
“The first step was to do the event against the [U.S.] National Team Program and it’s been awesome,” WHL commissioner Dan Near told TSN in December when the WHL Prospects Game was first announced. “But as a result, we got to a situation where there were only 20 players across the entire CHL that had an opportunity to play in it.
“When you ask players why they want to play in the Western Hockey League, the vast majority of them will tell you that their dream is to play in the NHL. So, we see it as our responsibility to ensure that we’re the unequivocal place to be in your draft year and a big part of that is putting the players on the appropriate stages, platforms, and creating a competitive environment to give them the exposure to NHL scouts.”
The game will feature 44 players from around the WHL who are eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft in Buffalo, including goaltender Harrison Boettiger, defencemen Carson Carels, Giorgos Pantelas, and Daxon Rudolph, and forwards Chase Harrington and JP Hurlbert, who were all a part of the CHL USA Prospects Challenge in November.
Forward Mathis Preston and defenceman Ryan Lin also played in the prospects challenge and were selected Wednesday’s game but cannot participate due to injuries.
Carels, who was ranked No. 5 on TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button’s January list, will captain the Western Conference while No. 14 ranked Rudolph will captain the Eastern Conference.
Near believes the showcase is not only a tool for players to prove themselves to the NHL and other professional hockey leagues, but also a way for the WHL to demonstrate its value as a place for young talent to develop.
The NCAA changed their eligibility rules in November of 2024, allowing CHL players to play in college. Now, the WHL looking to show that their league is still the best path for players to reach the NHL.
“We’re in a window where the recruitment of players is really important, and the retention of players is important,” said Near. “I think we need to show them that we’ve had this long-standing role of being the most important development partner to the NHL.
“We’re not just going to sit here and fold our arms and say we’re comfortable and everything’s fine. We’re continuing to try to create interesting and innovative ways for us to connect those players to the journey.”
In Vancouver, the WHL has a host city that is experienced in putting on big junior hockey events, including the Memorial Cup, the CHL Prospects Game, and the World Juniors. The WHL is confident that the Vancouver Giants organization will do great things in dropping the puck for their new marquee event.
“While people often think of us as these big organizations, we’re a pretty tight group and to put on an event like this takes a lot of effort,” said Near. “Vancouver has hosted everything before and it’s convenient as far as getting everyone in, including NHL scouts.
“Vancouver is an amazing hockey town and to host an event there is a real privilege.”
